Across the country on Thursday students gathered to pray and worship as part of the Collegiate Day of Prayer. Organizers encouraged students, and others, to pray on and for every college campus in America. Georgia Baptist Campus Ministry was active in organizing events statewide.

There were few rules, written or unwritten, to guide newly liberated freedmen through the dangerous days of transition following the Civil War. African Americans in Atlanta and across the South were still trying to discover what it meant to be free. Complicating the situation even more in Atlanta was the fact that it was a city laid waste by war.

My heart hurt over the man’s troubles.  One thing after another was going wrong in his life.  Loss after loss had laid him low.  And he didn’t understand. He had been faithful to God.  Why was he suffering so? I had known of the man’s heartaches and loss.  Reading it again stirred my mind, making my heart heavy on his behalf.

I’m about to show my age. Have you ever heard the saying, “Sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will never harm you?” I’m sure I’m older than most of you, so you truly may not have heard this saying before. My mother used to say that to me all the time, especially when my sisters and I would get into name-calling. However, I have thought about this little phrase a lot lately. It really is not a true statement. I was thinking about it, particularly in the context of what is going on in our world today.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — If you want to be considered a regular at a local church by those behind the pulpit and in the pews, you’ll probably need to show up in person at least a couple times a month. A study from Lifeway Research finds a majority of both U.S. Protestant pastors and churchgoers consider someone to be a regular church attender if they attend twice a month or more.

In honor of Black History Month, we wanted to share the stories of four Black Americans who shared their faith with the world. George Liele was born in 1750. He grew up as a slave in Virginia and Georgia. He was able to attend church, eschewing many of the common practices of the day. Liele was eventually ordained as the first Black Baptist pastor in the history of the United States. 

DOUGLAS, Ga. – GracePointe Church and First Baptist Douglas were among 622 congregations in 46 countries that threw Night to Shine prom parties for more than 75,000 people with special needs on Feb. 10, 2023. The churches joined together to host more than 100 guests and 275 volunteers. Described as an unforgettable prom night experience for people 14 years old and up, Night to Shine is organized by the Tim Tebow Foundation.

WAKE FOREST, N.C. — How does Jesus desire to reach the nations? By empowering and sending his Church into the harvest. That mission remains unchanged, which is why Jesus’s words in Luke 10:2 are as urgent today as they were then. The harvest is still plentiful, but the workers are few. Last week, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary hosted its annual Global Missions Week, an annual missions celebration with opportunities for students to learn how they too can join in the harvest.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Southern Seminary is now offering a fully Spanish online DMin degree with cohorts starting once a year. Provost Paul Akin said the new degree will build upon the success of Southern’s Online Hispanic Program, which has equipped ministers across the Spanish-speaking world since 2016. “The Spanish DMin is held to the highest standard of academic rigor,” Akin said. “At the same time, it is tailored for pastors and church leaders. The online format gives Hispanic pastors and church leaders an opportunity to immediately apply what they are learning in their local context.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Southern Baptist Convention on Tuesday ousted Saddleback Church, the renowned California megachurch, founded by pastor and best-selling author Rick Warren, for having a woman serving as a teaching pastor. The vote by the convention's Executive Committee resulted from growing tension between leaders of the nation's largest Protestant denomination  and a congregation whose story has been one of the biggest church-growth successes of modern times.

The pastor of a congregation in the slum of Santa Lucas invited me to preach during a special event for his church. Several murders had recently occurred in the community, and the pastor wanted me to encourage his people to not be fearful. He told me the theme of the event: “Men of God who are not fearful.”  Based on the title, I wasn’t sure I was the best choice to speak, but I accepted his invitation anyway. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and conversational agents, like ChatGPT, have been transforming various industries and professions, including the religious sector. For pastors and churches, AI technology can be a game-changer, enhancing their ability to connect with and support their congregants. However, the adoption of artificial intelligence in the church also raises concerns about the potential loss of human connection, ethical issues surrounding the use of AI, and the need for churches to adapt to the changing landscape of technology.

GRAY, Ga. – Bradley Baptist Church was among 622 congregations in 46 countries that threw Night to Shine prom parties for more than 75,000 people with special needs on Feb. 10, 2023. Described as an unforgettable prom night experience for people 14 years old and up, Night to Shine is organized by the Tim Tebow Foundation. "Since this event began in 2015, we have watched Night to Shine grow into a worldwide movement,” Tebow said. “Even though it is held in countries that speak different languages and celebrate in ways unique to their own diverse cultures, God's love transcends it all.”

Evangelism is a spiritual discipline believers must practice and plan for. And pastors are called to equip their people. Although believers recognize their calling to share the gospel with their neighbors, not many are having evangelistic conversations. In a 2022 study conducted by Lifeway Research, fewer than 40% of Christians say they had shared the gospel with a non-Christian loved one or stranger in the last six months. Yet most Americans are open to having faith conversations with strangers or friends.

BOGART, Ga. – If you ask J. Josh Smith how God is using him to significantly impact Clarke and Oconee Counties for Christ, he would likely say, “The Lord has led me to invest in men and to help them cultivate faithfulness in every aspect of their lives.” Dr. Josh Smith, a fourth-generation pastor on both sides of his family, became pastor of Prince Avenue Baptist Church in Bogart on January 18, 2018. He succeeded the beloved Pastor Bill Ricketts, who had served the church for more than four decades.

CLEVELAND, Ga.--Truett McConnell University’s Hans Hut School of Business announced today a regional initiative with Freudenberg-NOK. Freudenberg Sealing Technologies is a leading market and technology partner for demanding applications, including sealing technology and electro-mobility. Established in 1989, Freudenberg-NOK is the Americas joint venture between Freudenberg in Germany and NOK Corporation in Japan. The company boasts 8,000 employees in North America and over 60,000 globally and is one of the largest employers in White County, GA where Truett McConnell University resides.

AMERICUS, Ga. – First Baptist Church Americus was among 622 congregations in 46 countries that threw Night to Shine prom parties for more than 75,000 people with special needs on Feb. 10, 2023. Described as an unforgettable prom night experience for people 14 years old and up, Night to Shine is organized by the Tim Tebow Foundation. "Since this event began in 2015, we have watched Night to Shine grow into a worldwide movement,” Tebow said. “Even though it is held in countries that speak different languages and celebrate in ways unique to their own diverse cultures, God's love transcends it all.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Most preachers wouldn’t dare to tackle writing a sermon and a hymn for their congregation, but that was par for the course for Pastor John Newton and his peers. On New Year’s 1773, he was preaching through 1 Chronicles 17, expositing God’s promise to David. “Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” David asks in his prayer.

KANSAS CITY, Mo—In a commemorative chapel service, Midwestern Seminary hosted a panel discussion to reflect on the significance of the life, theology, and doxology of John Newton, the writer of the treasured hymn, “Amazing Grace.” President Jason Allen led the discussion, which featured church history and church music professors at Midwestern Seminary, including Thomas S. Kidd, John Mark Yeats, Michael D. McMullen, Matthew Swain, and Angela C. Swain.

MOULTRIE, Ga. – Hundreds of Vacation Bible School volunteers are expected to gather for Georgia Baptist Mission Board training events that will be held at six locations around the state beginning next month. Jenni Carter, the Mission Board’s statewide kids ministry consultant, said having well-trained volunteers is crucial because they play central roles in making VBS impactful for the thousands of Georgia kids who take part each summer.

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation has awarded more than $8.8 million in grants to 97 clinics and other nonprofit organizations that provide care to the state’s most-underserved residents.

WOODSTOCK, Ga. – First Baptist Church Woodstock was among 622 congregations in 46 countries that threw Night to Shine prom parties for more than 75,000 people with special needs last Friday. Described as an unforgettable prom night experience for people 14 years old and up, Night to Shine is organized by the Tim Tebow Foundation.

CAMILLA, Ga. – More than 30 people have made salvation decisions in the Camilla area since Sunday as localized revivals continue to spread across Georgia. Hopeful Baptist Church Pastor Clay Cloud said 12 people surrendered their lives to Christ in revival services that began on Sunday and another 20 made professions of faith at a community gathering where the revival preacher shared the gospel.

The timer started when the door closed.  We were in a 1950’s living room.  Clues were hidden about. We just had to find them. Our niece, Cassie, recently stopped on her way to Vermont.  Our son thought it would be great to do an escape game while she was there.  He chose “Time Machine” at Countdown Games.  He knew I’d jump at the chance to join them. 

SUMTER, S.C. - The 80-year-old man crawls halfway into the green trash bin, feet barely touching the ground. He rummages through discarded bags. Not hearing the familiar jingle of tin and aluminum cans, Dave Joslin pulls his head out and motions for his dog to move on. “I never intended to be a bag lady,” the retired postal worker jokes as he shuffles down the sidewalk in his Sumter, South Carolina, neighborhood. “But when God gives you a mission, like turning trash into cash, you do it.