By Grayson Hester How can the Church be the light of the world if churches have no light? Brooke and Mike, in their ministry in Southeast Asia, face this question every day. Far from a hypothetical thought exercise, the absence or presence of light can spell the difference between robust community and shadowed separation. The … Continue reading
What’s your theology on human life? Most of us clearly understand the value of our own lives. Still, have we ever thought about the lives of others, especially those that do not fit into our socio-economic-political worldview? Most American Christians have spoon-fed one conversation on life, pro-life or pro-choice. Abortion has long been one of … Continue reading
By Dianne and Shane McNary CBF field personnel “Pray, then, in this way: Our Father in heaven, may your name be revered as holy…” Matthew 6:9 In a Slovak Baptist context, anything which hints of Catholicism seems dubious. The fear of the straw man of liturgy, sadly, robs the church of countless historical riches. We … Continue reading
By Kristen Thomason “Two in a bed warm each other.Alone, you shiver all night. By yourself you’re unprotected.With a friend you can face the worst.Can you round up a third?A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped.”— Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, The Message For the homeless community in Jefferson City, MO, First Baptist Church of Jefferson City is a … Continue reading
By Rev. Laura-Stephens Reed When your pastor leaves your church, it is normal find yourself dealing with confusion and anxiety. Among the many questions you might ask is, “Who will lead our congregation while we look for a long-term leader?” It can feel personally and collectively de-stabilizing not to have a steady presence in the … Continue reading
By Kate Anderson Albuquerque, New Mexico is home to the studios of entertainment giant, Netflix. Just across the street is a small community of Baptist believers who meet on the campus of the University of New Mexico. They pride themselves on the freedom of the soul, the autonomy of the local church, grace and a … Continue reading
By Jennifer Colosimo In 1999, Ruth Cuellar received a call from Central Baptist Church in Newnan, Georgia, asking her to come to Newnan to start a Hispano-Latino ministry in the city. She was living in Gwinnett County at the time, about two hours away, so she committed to visiting on the weekends. With Rainbow of … Continue reading
Would you know the subtle signs of abuse if it was right in front of you? Unfortunately, most of us cannot recognize the subtle signs but maybe the more overt ones. There is a good chance that someone is experiencing this kind of trauma in our congregations. But how might we be prepared to see … Continue reading
By Rev. Veronica Martinez-Gallegos, Chaplain and Assistant Director of Spiritual Care & Education at Atrium Health in Charlotte, N.C. “Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you,” 1 Peter 5:7 At a young age, I learned that prayer means having a conversation with God. In my personal experience, prayer has always been … Continue reading
By Kristy Bay When Emily Niehoff, a New Jersey native, started her undergraduate education at Virginia Tech, vocational ministry was not on her radar. She majored in Creative Technologies with a double minor in art history and communications, hoping to pursue a graphic design career in New York City. But God had other plans. Through … Continue reading
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