The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every family in America and the problem of substance abuse…worsened by the pandemic…may live on for years. Foster children are one of the most overlooked and underserved groups in our nation. And maybe you’ve never heard of Albert “Bones” McKinney, but you should have.
A Disaster Assistance & Response Team from SBDR returned from Poland after surveying ways volunteers from the US might engage and serve Ukrainian refugees. 165 new church planters attended Send Network’s Orientation March 7-9 at NAMB’s headquarters. And a Bible study from Lifeway based on 1 Thessalonians 2 asks “what’s better – gaining or losing?”
Romanian Baptists and International Mission Board missionaries are responding to the influx of refugees from Ukraine into Romania. A brand-new mobile ultrasound machine that will serve several western North Carolina counties has already played an instrumental role in helping at least one expectant mother and her unborn child. And Jason Gravely, a formerly incarcerated man, said his skeptical search for God concluded with his involvement in the outdoor kids’ ministry program at the church, where he found spiritual answers and discipleship.
At least 97 million more people have fallen into extreme poverty globally since the COVID-19 pandemic began two years ago, according to World Relief. The number of churches searching for youth pastors exceeds the number of student pastors available to serve by several thousand. And Todd Kaunizt encourages Christians to press ahead with what he calls Jesus’ Plan A – to become disciples who make disciples.
Pastors often carry heavy loads for others, but may be reluctant to get help for themselves. Amer and Vicki Safadi weren’t sure at first that Cincinnati was where God wanted them to plant a church. And perhaps the most dramatic example of the correlation between social media use and symptoms of anxiety and depression come from the current teenagers that make up Gen Z.
Finances are an important concern for most people, a recent study sheds some interesting light on finances and Christians. The average young adult in America cares about values when making financial decisions, and they want the companies they do business with to share the same values they hold. And Brianna McKinney says for many people Denver is a lonely place.
Jack Countryman hopes his new devotional book will inspire Christians to find their hope in Jesus and develop better devotional habits. Jared and Jennifer Huntley had a heart for military personnel long before they launched Pillar Church of Washington, D.C. And in a Bible Study posted on Baptist Press, the reader is asked to look within to see if they find loyalty or betrayal toward Christ.
A church in Phoenix, Arizona is receiving a big yield from a community gardening project they’ve been pursuing. Itamar Elizalde says Puerto Rico is an island that just can’t catch a break. And Casey McCall writes of what C.S. Lewis calls four cardinal virtues — prudence, temperance, justice and fortitude.
A Southern Seminary student in Louisville, Kentucky is keeping a close eye on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. God called Michael and Traci Byrd to return to St. Louis and plant Faith Community Bible Church. And Jayson Larson encourages people to resist the fear they may face when sharing their faith.
The Biden administration for granting Temporary Protected Status to Ukrainians in the United States. A new study from Lifeway Research reveals some interesting information when it comes to young people and money. And “Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior” and “There is a Fountain Filled With Blood” are among hymns and spiritual songs that have anchored the faith of Michelle “Missie” Branch
Someone is watching your back when it comes to protecting people from sexual exploitation. IMB President Paul Chitwood spent several days at the Polish border and witnessed first hand how God’s people are caring for those fleeing Ukraine. Shepherding Like Jesus calls pastors to be mindful of physical, mental, emotional and, even spiritual, fatigue.
Churches are beginning to send mission teams back to the field. Through the Send Relief serve tour, thousands of believers from 65 churches gathered to participate in a serve event in Memphis in late February. And a portion of a Bible Study posted on Baptist Press, focuses on God’s faithfulness as it highlights the transition of leadership that occurred between Moses and Joshua.
The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission is marking the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade with their Road to Roe 50 initiative. O.S. Hawkins was celebrated in Dallas last week as he wraps up 25 years of leading GuideStone. And Paul Miller offers an idea of what a just end to the war between Russia and the Ukraine might look like.
As hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians flee from the Russian oppression being forced upon them, Polish Christians and Southern Baptist workers are ready to care for them. And Emery and Lillie Polelonema were members of First Baptist Church in Ritchfield, Utah when they became involved in a ministry for the Hmong, who had settled in the area as refugees following the Vietnam War.
The number of churches that have returned to meeting in person following the pandemic stands at 98 percent. 94 percent of pastors surveyed said they offered some sort of online livestream during the pandemic. And most U.S. Protestant pastors say their churches are also restarting small groups, student ministry and kids ministry.
A pair of cadets at the U-S Military Academy in West Point, New York recently placed their faith in Jesus Christ and it led them to some chilly water…literally. Churches should know about their community; having the right data will help. And four reasons American Christians should be concerned about the situation in Ukraine.
Churches across the United States are raising their voices and their prayers on behalf of the people of Ukraine. And when life’s storms brew, people respond in various ways.
Americans are curious about the religious devotion of others and are willing to discuss the topic, but most say they rarely have conversations about faith. The Ukrainian Baptist Theological Seminary in Lviv, Ukraine, that God is using the resources of the school in western Ukraine to help refugees of the war. And a Facebook Marketplace exchange created a Gospel opportunity for a pastor.
In an online event hosted by the ERLC, a group of panelists addressed racial reconciliation. President Biden has made a historic nomination of federal appeals court judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court. And for many pastors, the temptation to idolize prominence and success has always been there but has intensified during the pandemic.
As Russian grounds troops move into Ukraine, a seminary located in the Ukrainian capitol is looking for ways to a point of light for Christ. And Send Relief is urging those who want to help those affected and displaced by the invasion to give financially.