Ask anyone who knows me well and they will confirm that I am a crier. I can cry at a movie, a commercial, an accomplishment, and just about anything else. I also have the "gift" of sensitivity and get my feelings hurt easily. I am very aware of this about myself, and it becomes an issue that I have to process through quite often.

NASHVILLE (BP) – The SBC Executive Committee’s approval Feb. 18 of a 2.9 percent increase in the salary structure for the EC staff does not guarantee a pay increase for EC staff. EC Chairman Philip Robertson presented the recommendation from the officers, “That the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention authorize an adjustment of 2.9 percent increase, consistent with historical practices of the Executive Committee using Consumer Price Index information, in the staff salary structure of the SBC Executive Committee, effective October 1, 2025.”

PIKEVILLE, Ky. (KT) — In the midst of great trouble, sounds of praise were heard in Eastern Kentucky on Monday. When the Kentucky Army National Guard was called upon to rescue people trapped by flood waters, a group of about 15 people were loaded onto a helicopter and flown to a safe area.

He stood in front of a group of children sharing a Bible lesson during Holiday Club. Churches in Australia have Holiday Clubs instead of Vacation Bible Schools, and this was one of the activities Danylo “Daniel” Ibrahimov led as a summer missionary with the International Mission Board at a church in Albany, Western Australia.

FORT WORTH, Texas — On college campuses across the nation, students can find Baptist Student Ministries. While it may go by a different name in different parts of the country, the organization, established as the Baptist Student Union over 100 years ago in 1919, has branches on over 700 campuses across the United States.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Southern Seminary recently welcomed noted theologian Scott Swain to campus for the esteemed Julius B. Gay Lecture Series. Swain, President and Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida, delivered a compelling series of lectures on the central theme that God himself is the proper subject matter of theology.

FORT WORTH, Texas — Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary introduced faculty member Michael Copeland as the new dean of students during the annual Town Hall student meeting on Feb. 10.

NASHVILLE (BP) – The SBC Executive Committee took major steps to tackle issues that have been brewing in the Convention for several years, including addressing the financial fallout from the SBC’s response to sexual abuse, introducing a new director for abuse response within the Convention and responding to the call for additional financial information from entities.

JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga. — Nearly 200 kids ministry leaders, Georgia Baptist Mission Board staff, and vendors,  came together for a ‘summit’ on Feb. 6 and 7 at the Jekyll Island Resort. Those leaders represented 99 Georgia Baptist churches from across the state.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — As pastors speak and pray with their congregations, they say they’re also keeping persecuted Christians around the world in mind.

TUCSON, Ariz. — At the Imagine One Day Conference in January, church leaders were challenged to think differently about discipleship, city engagement, and church planting. Organized by Brian Hook, senior pastor of Aspire Church in Tucson, the conference presented successful church planting principles that Hook has seen work since the mid-2000s.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The sobering sights of a fridge being flipped over, baby dolls floating by, and scattered Legos across the lawn greeted Ronnie Rentz, who planted Covenant Hope Church in St. Petersburg in 2022, when he returned home following Hurricane Helene’s landfall in late September.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention has joined with SBC leaders and pastors in calling on legislators to take concrete steps in a reconciliation bill that would defund Planned Parenthood or its affiliates. 

NASHVILLE (BP) — In a landmark address to SBC Executive Committee members, SBC EC President Jeff Iorg outlined plans for continued sexual abuse prevention and response, presented findings from the SBC’s sexual abuse hotline that clarify the incidence of abuse in Southern Baptist churches and shared steps for responding to calls for greater financial clarity from SBC entities.

NASHVILLE (BP) – What do the SBC and the Porsche 911 sports car have in common? According to SBC President Clint Pressley, an enduring design that cannot be equaled but that must be tweaked for a stable future.

There is something special about a Sunday evening before bedtime for this pastor. By the end of the day, I am physically and mentally exhausted. Some in our society jokingly quip that the minister only works one or two days a week. Of course, those involved in church life know that is not true.

In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, both the Catholic Church and various Protestant groups have been rocked by and ridiculed because of the unholy behavior of leaders. God will not bless unholy behavior. However, God blesses His people when they pursue holiness.

CUMMING, Ga — One only must talk to pastor Andrew Ryzhkov for one minute to discover that he is excited about his Savior and the work God has called him to do. Ryzhkov is the pastor of Calvary Russian Baptist Church, a growing congregation of believers in the Alpharetta/Cumming area north of Atlanta. However, his ministry extends far beyond his local church and reaches into Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

ELKHORN CITY, Ky. (KT) – Pastor Richard Greene had been talking to his members at Elkhorn City Baptist Church about launching a new ministry to senior adults living at a local nursing home. Saturday night, they got an idea of what that might look like.

The widespread flooding that rocked Eastern Kentucky over the weekend was different than the devastating 2022 flood, said Jamie Reynolds, associational mission strategist for the Three Forks Baptist Association.

KANSAS CITY (BP) — A federal lawsuit filed on behalf of two Christian counselors could have far-reaching implications for religious freedom and parental rights, say attorneys for the plaintiffs.

CLEVELAND, Ga. — On Thursday, Feb. 13, the Hans Hut School of Business at Truett McConnell University hosted a financial industry seminar, featuring distinguished panelists Jack Keener, president of United Community for North Georgia, and Brian Horton, senior vice president and commercial banking officer at Ameris Bank.

MOUNT VERNON, Ga. — On Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, six high school students won scholarships to Brewton-Parker College during the 2025 Young Writers Conference. During this conference, students from several school systems around the state participated in immersive writing workshops led by current BPC professors who were selected for their expertise and passion for helping young writers grow.

NEW ORLEANS, La. (LBM) — Louisiana Baptists, other non-profit organizations, law enforcement agencies, and civilians worked together to reunite 15 missing children with their families in the days leading up to Super Bowl LIX in the New Orleans Superdome.

MOULTRIE, Ga. — For First Baptist Church of Moultrie pianist Cindy Tyus playing a piano is more than just notes on a page, it’s a way to serve the Lord and lead people to Jesus. And, she has been doing so for 40 years.