LOS ANGELES — Baptists are significantly involved in ministering to the victims of the wildfires that have devastated so much of the Los Angeles area. The latest report indicates that there have been 105 wildfires, 40,300 acres burned, 12,3000 structures destroyed, more than 150,000 people displaced, and 24 lives lost.

Georgia Baptist kids ministry leaders will get a chance to connect with hundreds of like-minded servants with a heart for shaping the next generation at the 2025 Kids Ministry Summit next month at Jekyll Island.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Churchgoers may hear the Bible preached every Sunday, but their pastors also want them to engage with Scripture during the week. And, more than 9 in 10 pastors are happy to provide free Bibles to anyone who needs one.

ROSWELL, Ga. — Dustin Schadt, lead pastor of Northside Church in Roswell, has a message for believers. To share the gospel, we need to truly see those we are sharing with. In his book, Who Did You See Today? The Power of Outrageous Kindness , he encourages Christians to engage with those around them by taking the time to get to know them and respond to their needs.

Missions begins with vision and strategy. Missions is also continually fueled through a carefully planned mechanism for outreach. But for many local churches, the idea of a systemic plan for yearlong missions efforts is nonexistent.

TOWNSEND, Ga. — Shellman Bluff Baptist Church is celebrating tremendous growth, which Pastor Brad Butler attributes to the grace of God, and the generosity and enthusiasm of its members. “We are growing through word of mouth,” he says. “Members are inviting friends, family, and people in the community. They are genuinely excited about the church family.”

Of all the stories covered in The Christian Index in 2024, perhaps none had a greater impact than the destruction wrought by Hurricane Helene and the Georgia Baptist Mission Board’s response.

PLAINS, Ga. — The memorial services for former President Jimmy Carter will culminate Thursday with a private funeral service and burial in Plains, Ga. Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are partnering with other agencies to help feed the hundreds of workers present for those events.

NEW ORLEANS — The Leeke Magee Christian Counseling Center at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, in conjunction with Baptist Community Ministries, is offering free counseling services to those impacted by the attack that took place New Year’s Day on Bourbon Street. This includes direct victims, their families, first responders and any other community members otherwise impacted by the event. 

ATLANTA, Ga. — Crises abound in our world today. However, few seem to be more troubling and heart-rending than the conflict between Israel and Hamas, especially regarding the hostages that have been killed and those who are still held captive somewhere in the Gaza Strip.

DECATUR, Ga. — When Jim Haskell, a student majoring in Industrial Engineering at Georgia Tech, agreed to assist the student minister at Atlanta’s Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in 1973, it was not likely that he knew the amazing path that God would fashion for him in the decades to come.

ROCK SPRING, Ga. — In a heartwarming act of generosity and compassion, Peavine Baptist Church has announced that it has partnered with Undue Medical Debt to erase more than $5.7 million in medical debt for over 4,200 individuals in the Georgia counties of Catoosa, Walker, and Whitfield.

ALPHARETTA, Ga.  — Send Network’s efforts in 2024 underscored the important role new, gospel-focused churches play in reaching North America and the world. “The early Church understood when God births a church, he has the nations on his heart,” Send Network President Vance Pitman said at the Send Network Gathering in Boston.

Intercessory prayer is an essential part of completing the Great Commission. God works through your prayers to impact lostness. We’ve seen it!  This year, we asked you to pray for some fun and sometimes difficult things happening around the world. Join us as we celebrate the goodness and greatness of God.

SENOIA, GA — In the true spirit of the holiday season, New Hope Baptist Church is thrilled to announce its first Christmas Store Georgia, a heartwarming initiative dedicated to bringing joy and hope to local families in need. This event took place at the church's South Campus in Senoia on Dec. 13 and 14.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Major hurricanes, international compassion ministry projects, and the Serve Tour highlighted Send Relief’s year in 2024 as the joint compassion ministry of the International Mission Board and North American Mission Board met physical needs and shared the eternal hope of the gospel.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – A banner year for church planting in Canada, a third straight increase in baptisms, and another record year for giving to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering featured prominently in the North American Mission Board’s ministry in 2024.

W. Thomas Hammond, Jr., executive director of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, and the Executive Committee of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board are excited to announce a series of changes to the GBMB staff. In a regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, December 3, the committee affirmed these changes and announced them on Dec. 10 at a meeting of the full Executive Committee.

SUWANEE, Ga. — The Georgia Baptist Mission Board and Friends of Kaleo, Inc., announced last week the formal signing of an agreement that both groups hope will keep Camp Kaleo operating for the foreseeable future. Friends of Kaleo is a non-profit group of former staff, campers, churches, pastors, missionaries, and families created to generate financial support for Camp Kaleo and support its ministry.

ACWORTH, Ga. — Marshall Reinhardt celebrated his 100th birthday on Dec. 1 the way you might expect a retired pastor to do so – he stood in the pulpit and boldly preached the Word of God. In a strong and unwavering voice, Marshall told members of Awtrey-Westville Baptist Church in Acworth, pastored by his son Tommy Reinhardt, about the goodness of Jesus.

ROME, Ga. — Hollywood star Kevin Sorbo told listeners at Shorter University that despite his success as an action hero, he finds greater satisfaction working in the faith-based film industry.

NATIONWIDE (BP) – How does giving to missions bless a local church? Pastors say their churches benefit from giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering in many ways.

ATLANTA — Each year, groups of Georgia Baptists are invited to join Mike Griffin, the public affairs representative for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, for tours of the state Capitol building to pray for government leaders and enjoy the festive holiday decorations. Those who went on the Christmas Prayer tour Wednesday, Dec. 4, got a special treat as Gov. Brian Kemp and his wife Marty met with them.

Lottie Moon served Southern Baptists as a missionary in P’ingtu and Tengchow, China. She established a new church, saw thousands come to faith in Christ, and persevered through much deprivation and suffering to advance the cause of Christ.

SUWANEE, Ga. — W. Thomas Hammond, Jr., executive director of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, told messengers at the annual meeting of the Georgia Baptist Convention last month that the population of Georgia grew last year by 230,000 people and said, “We have the privilege of introducing Jesus to all of them.”