Church Revitalization, Hyde Amendment, & Ukraine Relief

Try to make a judgement on Cleveland Road Baptist Church in Athens, Ga., from its exterior. Look at its brick façade from 30-plus years ago and tall, classic steeple.

In many ways it’s what you would think. The church has a little more than 80 members. Pews adorn the sanctuary. Pastor Parker Moore preaches in a shirt and tie.

But it sticks out that around three-quarters of the people are college students.

The young people are leading the way, and they’re loving it.

“We prioritize meaningful church membership,” Pastor Parker Moore said. That means they take attendance, spiritual growth and care for one another seriously.

The spiritual growth has been consuming. Last year Cleveland Road Baptized 12 people, and 11 are signed up for this year. Seven of those have walked forward over the last three weeks.

President Biden’s $5.8 trillion proposed budget for the next fiscal year contains elements of “deep concern,” according to the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.

The ERLC expressed its consternation at the White House budget proposal’s elimination of long-established, pro-life protections. It marked the second consecutive year Biden has excluded the Hyde Amendment and other prohibitions on federal funding of abortion. In its concerns, the commission also cited the proposed budget’s embrace of “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as categories to be protected in federal law.

The ERLC found areas for commendation, however. The entity welcomed the proposal’s investments in rebuilding the refugee resettlement program and in addressing “food insecurity and the opioid crisis.”

The president’s budget, which was released March 28, is a request, not a binding document. Congress will consider it as both the Senate and House of Representatives go through the appropriations process to fund the federal government in fiscal year 2023, which begins in October.

Good News for Today is made possible through our friends at The Voice of the Martyrs, a nonprofit organization that serves persecuted Christians around the world. Founded in 1967 by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, VOM is dedicated to inspiring believers to deepen their commitment to Christ and to fulfill His Great Commission — no matter the cost. Find out more and sign up for their free monthly magazine at vom.org/goodnews.

Donor partners are providing food, shelter, transportation, clothing, medical supplies, trauma care and other essentials to more than 416,000 people displaced by the war through Send Relief. Compassion ministry efforts began before the Russian invasion into Ukraine, and they will continue because of the faithfulness of Southern Baptists. Gifts given to Ukraine refugee ministries through Send Relief and the IMB now stand at more than $5.5 million.

In addition to assisting refugees who’ve left Ukraine, Send Relief funds are helping internally displaced Ukrainians. Thousands of Ukrainian Christians remain in the country and are ministering to their countrymen.

The Baptist state conventions of North Carolina, Mississippi, Texas, California, Kentucky, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Missouri and Ohio are sending teams of Disaster Relief volunteers to serve in Poland and Romania.

Find more stories at BaptistPress.com.