From most perspectives, it had been a devastating week for Jesus and His disciples in Jerusalem. The excitement of the Triumphal Entry had been replaced by the arrest in Gethsemane and the Crucifixion on Friday. It seemed that hope had died and was buried in a borrowed tomb. But as the Bible reminds us, “Weeping may stay overnight, but there is joy in the morning” (Ps. 30:5).

DUBLIN, Ga. — New pastors and ministry leaders from across Georgia gathered at First Baptist Dublin on March 26 for Discover Georgia Baptist, a one-day event designed to introduce them to the ministries, relationships, and resources available through the Georgia Baptist Mission Board.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Georgia Baptist churches have a chance to help shape a clearer understanding of worship across the Southern Baptist Convention, and Rhon Carter says every congregation’s participation matters.

BISMARCK, N.D. (BP) – The Dakota Baptist Convention Executive Board voted unanimously on March 21 to call Lee Merck as its new executive director.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. —The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission’s presidential search committee has announced Dr. Evan Lenow as their candidate to serve as the entity’s next president. The full board of trustees will vote on this recommendation from the search committee at a special called meeting in April.

The less often someone shows up at church, the less likely they may be to share the opinions of those who frequent the pews.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Arnaldo Achucarro, director and assistant dean of Spanish studies, traveled to Puerto Rico from late February to early March to strengthen church partnerships through the For the Church Conference Puerto Rico, teaching in residential cohort classes, sharing at the Annual Meeting of the Baptist Convention of Puerto Rico, and preaching at Iglesia Bautista Sin Paredes.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Arnaldo Achucarro, director y decano asistente de estudios en español, viajó a Puerto Rico desde finales de febrero hasta principios de marzo para fortalecer alianzas con iglesias a través de la Conferencia For the Church Puerto Rico, impartiendo clases presenciales en cohortes residenciales, participando en la Reunión Anual de la Convención Bautista de Puerto Rico y predicando en la Iglesia Bautista Sin Paredes.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — There's no way they could've known what was coming. When Jefferson and Carol Hernandez, Josh and Beth Glymph, Matt and Ruth Lahey, and Michael and Traci Byrd each got phone calls telling them they'd been selected to be Annie Armstrong featured missionaries, they were all appropriately humbled, honored, excited, and encouraged.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — In 1455, Johannes Gutenberg printed around 180 copies of the Bible, the first book to come from his movable type printing press. Last year, 570 years after Gutenberg, more than 19.1 million Bibles were sold in the U.S., according to market research firm Circana. Bible sales increased by 12% over 2024 and have more than tripled over the past 10 years.

The African nation of Guinea, formally known as the Republic of Guinea, is a country of roughly 14 million people, yet it has only nine Baptist churches nationwide. Ninety percent of the population is Muslim, and less than one percent identifies as evangelical Christian.

In 50 years, a lot can change. However, with Petra, the groundbreaking contemporary Christian rock band, not much has changed. Their latest album, “Hope,” sounds like their early work.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A new Lifeway Research study shows that churchgoers say they want to share their faith, and many are praying for opportunities, but far fewer are taking consistent steps to actually do it.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced two historic changes to the military’s chaplaincy corps this week after previewing those updates in December of last year.

WAKE FOREST, N.C. — After a five-month search process, Southeastern Seminary’s Presidential Search Committee is pleased to recommend Dr. Scott Pace to the Board of Trustees as its candidate to serve as Southeastern’s seventh president.

On Feb. 1, Megan Young was appointed Editor of The Baptist Record, replacing Tony Martin, who retired Jan. 1. Young previously served as Associate Editor since Nov. 1, 2023.

RÍO GRANDE, Puerto Rico –– No one would've guessed that "Go big or go home" was an Ortiz family truism. After all, when God called Oscar Ortiz and his wife, Wendy, to plant a church in Río Grande, they didn't first launch a marketing campaign, send out glossy, full-color mailers, or pay for billboards, radio ads, and social media blasts.

RICHMOND, Va. (BP) – Community missions are well-known and established in Black churches. Quintell Hill is working to see that passion become just as evident for international missions.

MONROE, Ga. — More than 100 Georgia pastors stepped away from sermon preparation, staff meetings, and hospital visits on Monday to talk honestly about how to keep going in ministry.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – As Southern Baptists look toward Baptism Sunday on April 12, the last few years have been a cause for celebration. Baptisms increased four straight years from 2021 through 2024.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – When Nate Adams was interviewed by the search team that hired him as the executive director of the Illinois Baptist State Association 20 years ago, he was asked: “Do you see yourself with gray hair in Illinois?”

CARTERSVILLE, Ga. — More than 200 men gathered Saturday, March 21, at Cartersville First Baptist for an Iron Sharpens Iron men’s conference, where speakers emphasized Spirit-led discipleship, courageous fatherhood, and intentional leadership.

BEIRUT, Lebanon – The multi-faceted work of Lebanese Baptists is constantly buffeted by strife, whether between Israel and Hezbollah or the spillover effects of the long Syrian civil war that ended in 2024.

NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary hosted a special time of worship and testimony as a part of the “Sandlot Revival” worship nights tour on Friday, March 13.  Sandlot Revival is a traveling tour of worship nights started by Robert Anthony Cruz, known as Coach RAC, of the Savannah Bananas, the world-famous sports team known for its entertaining exhibitionist style of baseball branded as “Banana Ball.”

WESTWEGO, La. (BP) – Jay Adkins, pastor of First Baptist Church in Westwego, La., has announced his intention to nominate Don Currence at the upcoming Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting to serve another term as SBC registration secretary.