By Laura Stephens-Reed During the pandemic, when church committees could not gather in person and were forced to find other ways to discuss and decide, many of us realized that we had long been attending some meetings that could have been emails. It does not require a two-hour negotiation to choose a Sunday school curriculum, … Continue reading
By Laura Stephens-Reed A few years ago, I was a regular guest preacher at a church in the city where I lived after the minister there had submitted his resignation and as the church awaited the arrival of an interim. On the first of those Sundays, a woman stood up during the announcement time and … Continue reading
By Laura Stephens-Reed Two years ago the world locked down, seemingly overnight, due to the rapid spread of COVID-19. Many congregations went from having a website and a minimal social media presence, which sometimes included recordings or livestreams of worship, to creating online community wholly through previously utilized and new-to-them media. Churches pivoted again and … Continue reading
May 9, 2022 By Aaron Weaver DECATUR, Ga. — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship released a video trailer today to preview the forthcoming resource Seeing Through the Eyes of Jesus focused on calling participants back to the central focus of the Christian faith, the Risen and Living Jesus. This new resource for Fall 2022 invites congregations … Continue reading
By Laura Stephens-Reed I recently interviewed several pastors about their experiences leading congregations during the pandemic. Specifically, I wanted to know how they handled the initial turn to online worship and the million mini-ministry pivots they’ve had to make in the two years since. Unsurprisingly, all these pastors are exhausted. But not all are discouraged. … Continue reading
Rev. Laura Stephens-Reed Many pastors go into ministry because they love people. They consider your willingness to trust them with your stories a privilege. They want to hold your hand when you have gotten bad news. They celebrate alongside you at milestone moments. Pastoral care is not just part of ministers’ job descriptions. It is … Continue reading
by Christopher West In the world of Covid-19, health has become a major topic of discussion and debate within our congregations. It seems that everywhere one goes today, people are discussing public health, health insurance reform, epidemiology, public policy in wake of the coronavirus, and the diminishing health of the American public. The thing missing … Continue reading
April 20, 2021 By Jeff Huett DECATUR ─ Seeking to better serve congregations as they join God’s work in the world in partnership with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, CBF announced today the addition of two strategic staff roles in the Fellowship. A pastor active in CBF life with more than 20 years serving partner congregations … Continue reading
By Paul Baxley Recently, several governors in the southeastern United States announced plans to “reopen” their states for business. There has been vigorous debate about whether or not these decisions to reopen conform to the standards announced earlier by the Centers for Disease Control and the federal government. These announcements have been decried as reckless … Continue reading
While it won’t (and shouldn’t) appear on the list of “essential businesses” that are a part of so many of the shelter in place ordinances these days, the church is essential business. The ministry of the church given by the Triune God is always essential. In this moment, the Holy Spirit is calling us to … Continue reading
CBFblog 