By Mary Van Rheenen Have you ever thought you were really doing a good deed only to discover that the intended beneficiaries did not appreciate your efforts at all? I can visualize parents all shaking their heads “yes.” The daughter did NOT want that sweater washed. At least not like THAT! I can visualize children … Continue reading
By John DeWitt I have been called to ministry since I was in high school. I accepted my calling as an 11th grader and never looked back. I interned as a college student at four churches in two different countries and I loved every second of it. I was eagerly anticipating my first call, I … Continue reading
By David Bass Last year, we moved to a house not far from the airport. From the time she was about eighteen months old, our daughter started taking note of all these planes now flying overhead. Whenever she heard one, she would stop whatever she was doing, her mouth would open in amazement, she would … Continue reading
By Caleb Mynatt In Memphis, Second Baptist Church’s Pumpkin Patch Ministry has been a church fundraising tradition for 17 years. Loved by church and community members alike, the pumpkin patch offers a family-friendly fall experience right in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee. That’s why there was a great deal of disappointment when the pandemic seemed … Continue reading
By Jennifer Colosimo Jason Payne grew up with international mindfulness as a way of life. With two volunteer English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers for parents, his passion for the global sojourner was intrinsic by the time he was an adult. It’s no surprise he landed at a church where international ministry was important, … Continue reading
By Elket Rodríguez Despite COVID-19’s grinding misery, pastors who form the backbone of Fellowship Southwest’s ministry to immigrants are adapting to an ever-changing refugee flow and escalating needs of some of the world’s most vulnerable people. Lorenzo Ortiz comforts immigrants torn apart by trauma and despair in Nuevo Laredo, just across the Rio Grande from … Continue reading
Over the next weeks and months, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will be sharing reflections from our CBF field personnel serving around the world. These are stories of impact and outreach, Gospel-sharing and relationship building, long-term presence and abundant love. The following is a reflection from CBF field personnel Rick and Lita Sample, who serve in … Continue reading
By Jennifer Colosimo Just over a year ago, First Baptist Church of Dalton, Ga., took members on a mission trip to the Florida panhandle to provide relief for those affected by Hurricane Michael. The devastation was immense, and people were left without homes, food, water or much hope. For FBC Dalton, witnessing that immense tragedy … Continue reading
By Bruce Gentry During March, we started mirroring our approach to the virus to what the university was doing. The Baptist Student Center (BSC) had several apartments which were at full capacity. We felt like we had a primary responsibility to our residents because our facility also serves as a kind of community center for … Continue reading
By Elket Rodríguez A crisis among global immigrants who hope—or who once hoped—to obtain asylum in the United States is playing out in desperation and hunger hundreds of miles from the U.S-Mexico border. Chiapas, Mexico’s southernmost state, is one of the world’s most important migration corridors. Races, nationalities, hopes and frustrations clash in Chiapas. Northbound … Continue reading
