SOMERSET, Ky. (KT) — The legacy of the late Henry Blackaby was honored Tuesday when the Kentucky Baptist Convention named him as the recipient of the Legacy in Evangelism Award. Blackaby's son, Richard, president of Blackaby Ministries International and a speaker at the REACH Evangelism and Missions Conference, accepted the award on behalf of the family.

SOMERSET, Ky. (KT) — Richard Blackaby, president of Blackaby Ministries International, concluded the final session of the REACH Evangelism and Missions Conference on Tuesday, by saying God is able regardless of the size of task or the opposition that one may face.

NASHVILLE (BP) – The U.S. Department of Justice informed Southern Baptist Convention attorneys Wednesday, March 12, that its investigation into the SBC and its entities is closed. No sexual abuse-related charges were filed.

In an interview with The Christian Index, Dr. Jeff Iorg, president of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention, celebrated the success Georgia Baptists are seeing in reaching their state with the gospel of Jesus, and exhorted them to "stay focused."

SAN DIEGO – Imagine taking a physics class in a language you’re still learning to speak. This is the reality for thousands of students in the City Heights neighborhood of San Diego, one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the United States. Just under six square miles, the area represents a population that speaks over 45 languages and over 100 dialects.

Human trafficking is the second-largest criminal industry in the world and reaps approximately $32 billion annually, enslaving an estimated 24.9 million victims worldwide. It is no discriminator of persons, preying upon adults and children of all ages, backgrounds, and nationalities.

MAYSVILLE, Ga. — Late winter is the time for men to get together to talk hunting, eat wild game, and hear about Jesus. At events across Georgia, churches are seeing fruit from their outreach to men who enjoy the outdoors.

REDLANDS, Calif. — As Nancy prepared to be baptized at Portrait Church in Redlands, she couldn’t get rid of a nagging fear. A young single mom in her 30s battling cancer, one side of her body had recently lost all feeling.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — 217 newly endorsed church planters from 30 U.S. states, four Canadian Provinces, and Puerto Rico gathered at the North American Mission Board’s Alpharetta building earlier this month for Send Network Orientation, an event that kickstarts planters’ journeys by immersing them in Send Network’s values.

SCOTT DEPOT, W.Va. — Eric W. Ramsey, who has served as Executive Director-Treasurer of the West Virginia Convention of Southern Baptists since February 2020, has accepted the call to pastor First Baptist Church Checotah, Okla. He was officially voted in by the congregation on March 9, 2025, with a unanimous decision and will transition from his WVCSB role over the next two months. 

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — The average Southern Baptist church calls the South home, but the only region of the country where those congregations are growing is the Northeast. Churches are baptizing more people, but most churches remain small, and fewer attendees are involved in small groups.

To understand the fight against modern-day slavery, we must first understand the people who are at risk of being trafficked. Human trafficking happens across the world, from small villages in Southeast Asia to major European cities to suburban neighborhoods in the US. Despite the difference in locations, at-risk populations share some major commonalities.

Sex trafficking is one of the world’s most underreported crimes. Victims rarely disclose their abuse because they have often been threatened or coerced into staying silent. In order to help these victims, understanding the signs and symptoms that might indicate someone is being trafficked is of the utmost importance.

Real estate agents call it curb appeal. The idea is that what a potential buyer can see before entering a home is essential to garnering interest. One fixture for most homes is the front porch. No matter a home’s neighborhood or architectural design, a front porch or covered entrance is usually found.

God called the Christians to whom Peter wrote to be holy. In chapter 2, he explains that they need to get rid of certain behaviors and thought patterns that do not align with the description of someone who has been born again. Such attitudes and actions hinder the spread of the gospel and the mission of the Church.

SWAINSBORO, Ga. — The Crusade 4 Christ event in Swainsboro on Feb. 10 and 11 saw 83 public professions of faith in Christ, said Joe Bedgood. Bedgood, the pastor who leads the Emmanuel Baptist Association in evangelism, said, "a significant number of churches showed up to support the crusade. Even more importantly than that, there were lost people who showed up. And it was all done in the name of Jesus.“”

DALLAS — Registration for The Summit, powered by GuideStone, closes March 14. The Summit is designed for financial officers, human resources professionals, and key decision-makers from churches, ministries, and nonprofit organizations.

Trust, integrity, passing along key information, and “no surprises,” which basically means the senior pastor can go on vacation without the church “blowing up.” These were just a few of the characteristics needed for a pastor’s “No. 2” leader in ministry, noted Bruce Chesser, senior pastor of First Baptist Church Hendersonville, Tenn.

Kentucky Today is launching a new podcast designed to give readers more insight into the stories that are published.

SILVER SPRING, Md. —  Hannah Groom, the wife of Colesville Baptist Church Senior Pastor Britt Groom, is the library media specialist at Forcey Christian School. Burdened with helping parents of preschoolers, Hannah developed a parent support group with four moms and one dad, with the help of a BCM/D Church Strengthening Grant.

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — In June 2025, a group of missionaries will load up their cars and Bibles and follow God to a new mission field in the Johns Creek and Alpharetta areas of metro Atlanta to plant a new church called Christ Church.  

ASHLAND, Ky. (KT) — A Kentucky Baptist pastor and his family are fighting an intense battle to obtain access for their adopted daughter to mental health care that is desperately needed. In the process, that family is raising awareness to a drastic need in Kentucky regarding the care and love for children.

Leo and Miosha Robinson know what people think. And it hurts. “It really gets to me when I tell people we’re from Flint,” Leo said. “They’ll say, ‘Oh, you must hate it there,’ or ‘You must not be able to leave.’ People always have something negative to say, and while I admit we’ve had some dark moments in our past, I still get really sad at how we’re portrayed because we love our city.”

You might think that leprosy is an eradicated disease from ancient history. However, this chronic infection still affects over 200,000 people worldwide. Many don’t have access to proper treatment, causing permanent physical damage like blindness and loss of limbs.

GORDON, Ga. — Gordon  First Baptist  Church  in  Gordon, Ga., is hosting a  Spring Revival from March 23 - 26, 2025