By Jeff Brumley A group of Campbellsville University coaches are stepping off the sidelines and onto the frontlines of evangelism during a seven-day mission trip to Costa Rica, leaders of the Baptist school has announced. The 32-member team’s trip is…
Air Force personnel cuts highlight importance of church in military life
By Jeff Brumley As if the tempo of military operations and deployments aren’t stressful enough, U.S. Air Force members were jolted by news this week the service will slash nearly 3,500 positions over five years. But that announcement — including that…
Experts seek balance between optimism and pessimism in future of congregations
By Jeff Brumley LifeWay President and CEO Thom Rainer has declared himself an “obnoxious optimist” about the state of American churches despite years of declines and closures in a post-Christian, post-church culture. In a July 11 column in The Christian…
South African tapped to lead Baptist World Alliance
By Jeff Brumley American John Upton has been succeeded by South African Ngwedla Paul Msiza to lead the Baptist World Alliance. Msiza, 53, is only the second African ever elected to the BWA presidency. The first was Liberian William Tolbert,…
Disaster relief groups challenged by border crisis
By Jeff Brumley Baptist disaster relief agencies are pressing hard to determine what, if anything, they can to do aid the immigrant children flooding into the nation along the southern border by the tens of thousands. While some help has…
Inside a Virginia ministry to prostitutes
By Jeff Brumley Women who accept money for sex, it turns out, rarely refuse invitations to pray. “Prostitutes always say ‘OK’” when asked to be prayed over, says Travis Collins, the former pastor of Bon Air Baptist Church in Richmond,…
With Florida camp, Passport returns to its birthplace
By Jeff Brumley United Community Outreach Ministry is a small nonprofit that makes a huge impact with clothing, food and other services across a swath of struggling, urban neighborhoods in Jacksonville, Fla. And that was before hundreds of youth campers…
Session explores churches and zombies in post-Christian age
By Jeff Brumley Curtis Freeman wanted to make a few things clear right from the start of his doomsday-themed breakout session at Friday’s CBF General Assembly in Atlanta. One was that the standing-room-only session would not help determine if zombies…
Glass ceiling for women pastors cracked but not broken, panelists tell CBF
By Jeff Brumley Opportunities to lead churches are increasing for women in Cooperative Baptist life, but not fast enough to stop the loss of qualified female ministers from the Fellowship, a panel of ministers said during the 2014 General Assembly…