So much of the church landscape is changing. For many, the role of preacher and pastoral care provider transforms into building maintenance and pathfinder into unknown territory, with few resources and smaller staff. We know the rate of church closures is staggering. CBFNC has developed an initiative to help churches examine their sustainability and viability … Continue reading
We know the trends around church participation, especially post-high school. Pew studies have found that 9.2% of adults leave the church each decade.[1] At face value, these trends are bewildering and frightening. What’s happening within and around the church that’s causing such a drastic flight? What are the dynamics for those raised in the church … Continue reading
By Kristen Thomason When Jon and Tanya Parks and their two daughters moved from Kenbridge, Virginia, to Košice, Slovakia, they were taking a 5,000-mile step of faith. “We thought we were being the faithful ones, leaving behind our home and families to serve across the ocean. But our one-time act was just the beginning of faithfulness, not the … Continue reading
Advocacy is not a foreign term for Cooperative Baptist churches. However, one of the challenges of being advocates is to examine our past and present failings to be a more inclusive place where everyone has been welcomed and made to feel at home. Recently, our partners at BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty), who … Continue reading
Each year since 2014, Olive Branch Ministries and CBF field personnel Scarlette Jasper have collected Christmas boxes to brighten the season for children in some of America’s poorest counties. Last Christmas season, over 3,000 Christmas boxes were collected by dedicated volunteers and distributed throughout Appalachia by Scarlette. Boxes went to Pineknot Elementary in McCreary County, … Continue reading
By Marv Knox Shane McNary used to make a morbid prediction that proved prophetic—and pragmatic—for his ministry partners in Central Europe. “When I had a conversation with somebody to start a new collaboration in ministry, my standard speech was, ‘I’m going to die tomorrow, so whatever we decide to do today, you have to commit … Continue reading
During the General Assembly this summer, we were scheduled to sit down with New York Times best-selling author Jemar Tisby on the day the Supreme Court struck down Affirmative Action, effectively ending race-conscious admissions. “As a black man observing the events from afar, I had to question my status in America’s version of Christianity. This … Continue reading
By Brian Foreman In Kenyatta Gilbert’s The Journey and Promise of African American Preaching (Creative Pastoral Care and Counseling), 2011, three pillars of preaching styles are described – prophetic, priestly and sage. A likely challenge for many clergy and congregations is their comfort level with one particular style. One of preaching’s great challenges is that … Continue reading
Following the Star, the devotional series for Advent and Christmas returns to d365.org, starting on December 3rd. This series features scripture, prayer and meditative thoughts accompanied by gentle music. This year’s writers are active members of our three sponsoring denominations. Our Cooperative Baptist Fellowship writers are Kelly Rhodes Adams, Director of Clergy Support Ecosystem at … Continue reading
During this year’s General Assembly, we hosted over twenty interviews. This week, we are featuring our conversation with: Confronting Whiteness Confronting Whiteness is an anti-racist ministry committed to equipping people racialized as white to confront the destructive ideology of whiteness and its harmful impact on individuals and our society through an intentional small group journey … Continue reading