By Jeff Brumley Declining memberships and contributions, shuttered sanctuaries and surging megachurches have generated a lot of fear in U.S. congregations. The problem is that fear is a turnoff to those that struggling churches hope to serve, M. Craig Barnes,…
Missional focus will assuage congregations’ fears, ministers say
Declining memberships and closing churches have led some congregations to react with fear, which in turn is a turnoff for potential members, a Christian leader says. Declining memberships and contributions, shuttered sanctuaries and surging megachurches have generated a lot of…
CBF missions doubles down on long-term presence
By Bob Allen While other missionary-sending bodies scale back or focus just on short-term assignments, a proposed restructuring of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship global missions recommits to keeping personnel on the field long enough to build the kinds of relationships they…
IMB layoffs hit home office
By Bob Allen A number of jobs at the headquarters of the Southern Baptist Convention International Mission Board in Richmond, Va., will be eliminated in a restructuring of stateside operations announced Jan. 14. According to multiple sources, changes include outsourcing…
Baptists team up to combat domestic human trafficking
Brian Kaylor Although sometimes portrayed as a problem found in other nations, human trafficking also occurs in large numbers in the United States. The FBI includes St. Louis as one of the top 20 trafficking cities in the U.S., and…
Making our list, checking it twice
By Barry Howard At our house we make a lot of lists, especially in December — the grocery list, the Christmas card list, the gift list, the guest list, the holiday event list and the end-of-year giving list. During this…
Couple creating church ‘Mosaic’ from diversity in Paris
By Ashleigh Bugg Julie and David Brown hurry onto the crowded metro in Paris. They’ve finished singing and preaching at a traditional French Protestant church and are on their way to the outskirts of the city to worship with immigrants…
Peace on earth and good will among people
By Nell Green Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace, good will among people. (Luke 2:14, NRSV) Our first Christmas on the field was in 1986. From then on, every year we host at least one…
Reimagining churches as full-time partners with those in poverty
By Laura Rector I was temporarily homeless this summer after I lost my below market-rate housing in California to a planned development. This transition meant spending about 40 days without a true residence and sleeping in hotels or friends and…