By Paul Baxley  As the final graduation approaches at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond this weekend, my mind has been on that night 16 years ago when I completed my Doctor of Ministry program and became an alumnus of that incredible school. I still remember attending both the graduation banquet on Friday night in Lingle Hall on the Brook Road campus … Continue reading →

By Laura Stephens-Reed In many congregations, summer is a time of reduced programming (with the likely exception of ministries geared toward children and youth) and hit-or-miss attendance. This means it takes extra care to foster spiritual formation and relationships among church members. Here are some ideas for growing community and deepening discipleship even as people … Continue reading →

 By Blake Tommey   “I’m so excited about the diversity of church starts that we have in Cooperative Baptist Fellowship life,” Kyle Tubbs, CBF’s New Church Starts Manager, says. “We have churches led by both women and men, black, Latino and white leaders, older and younger, immigrants and native-born Americans, pastors who are beginning their second career and pastors … Continue reading →

By Lesley-Ann Hix Tommey Since landing in New York City as field personnel in October 2017, I have spent most of my time learning about homelessness and best practices in caring for folks who have experienced trauma. The Living Well program at Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries is a trauma-informed group for women who have experienced both … Continue reading →

By Anna Anderson Part of our work has become assisting a church with local benevolence needs. This assistance comes in the form of meeting people, talking with them and assessing their situation to determine whether the church can step in and intervene. Sometimes we cannot help. Sometimes we can. Sometimes we see desperate people who … Continue reading →

By Keith Holmes  As CBF field personnel, I have also considered it my job to work myself out of a job. Rather than depending on me, my partners should eventually become self-sufficient. This is the same goal I have in parenting. My children should, at some point, become fully-functioning, independent adults. Recently, though, I’ve had … Continue reading →

By Nell Green  Tears rolled down his face. This middle aged man from the Middle East allowed me, an American woman, to share in his heartbreak and distress. Though he had been in the United States for about four years with his family, he simply could not seem to catch a break. His older children … Continue reading →