Five Baptist-affiliated schools have received grants of $7 million to $10 apiece from the Lilly Endowment through its Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative. The Baptist-related schools are among 45 recipients in the latest round of large-scale collaboration grants from Lilly. Launched in…
Suggestions for family friendly worship
Through Empowering Families for Spiritual Formation research and experience with churches and families, we have come to learn worship is an integral piece of engaging faithful families and encouraging spiritual formation. However, we also have learned churches can grow in…
Brian Foreman named CBF’s coordinator of congregational ministries
North Carolina educator Brian Foreman has been named coordinator of congregational ministries for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. He was chosen for the newly created position by an eight-member search committee, then affirmed in the role by the CBF Governing Board….
The power of political capital to shape communities and churches
This is the sixth in a series created by a partnership between Baptist News Global and the Campbell University Center for Church and Community. Each month’s columns explore one of the seven types of capital described in the Community Capitals Framework developed by…
On social capital, churches often do one part well and one part not well
This is the fifth in a series created by a partnership between Baptist News Global and the Campbell University Center for Church and Community. Each month’s columns explore one of the seven types of capital described in the Community Capitals Framework developed by…
Understanding human capital makes volunteer recruitment easier
This is the fourth in a series created by a partnership between Baptist News Global and the Campbell University Center for Church and Community. Each month’s columns explore one of the seven types of capital described in the Community Capitals Framework…
Rural churches need to understand the cultural capital of their communities
Originally being from the Upper Midwest, Justin began to undertake a process of cultural learning upon moving to the South (first to Texas and eventually to North Carolina). This included practicing subtle but important language differences (like using “y’all” rather…
The importance of natural capital for the rural church
Back in May 2020 as the boredom of the pandemic was settling in, Brian called his friend Jeff who owns a bicycle shop. Brian asked Jeff what he had for him, an infrequent cyclist to date, but looking to take…
Let’s begin a conversation about the church in rural areas
Using a phrase like “rural church” to categorize a particular ministry demographic is about as helpful as suggesting all ice creams are singularly flavored. When doing so, we miss the rich texture of communities, stories and theologies of a given…
Program connects rural pastors for fellowship and education
A group of rural ministers is nearing completion of a fellowship designed to widen their perspectives on faith, church and their own ministries. “It caused me to take a hard look at myself,” Leonard Edloe said of the Fellowship for…
Campbell institute helps youth try on vocation as ministry
At 18, Jillian Brookshire already knows she wants to pursue a career in law, maybe even politics. What the Raleigh, N.C., resident didn’t know until more recently is that her professional interests may also represent a calling on her life….
With pews empty, should churches use Zoom to hire ministers?
“Taking on a role – and knowing that it can be multiple months before you actually stand in front of the whole congregation – I imagine can be frustrating.”