By Julie Simmons Picture the scene – you are driving your shiny, new car past well-manicured lawns on a bright, sunny day. You and your well-dressed friends are laughing at a clever joke. All of you are perfectly happy, without a care in the world. The commercials would make you think it is all because of your new automobile. Ok, maybe the car commercial …
By Jessica Burke Jackie Hill Perry has a story to tell. In high school, she had her first girlfriend. Two years later, she was living openly as the stud in a steady lesbian relationship. Her book, Gay Girl, Good God, tells about that part of her life and how God called her to Him. Over ten years later, she’s married to her …
By Jonathan Solomon Until January 2018, the only church cultures that I knew were the Church Of God In Christ and the United Holy Churches of America Inc. I believed that worship had everything to do with how you physically respond to the lyrics, the Bible, and the testimonies of your brothers and sisters. We danced, sang, shouted, and some …
By Adrian Stephens Heading to Birmingham, Alabama, for my first Southern Baptist Convention, I felt fear and anxiety because of the city’s racial and ethnic division and the historical events that occurred in the town. I didn’t know what to expect, but I honestly didn’t believe I would leave encouraged. On Monday, I was relieved to see a few other …
By Matt Diaz After planting a church “in friendly cooperation with the Southern Baptist Convention” over a year ago, I had the opportunity to attend this year’s Southern Baptist Convention in Birmingham, Alabama. While last week’s gathering marked the 162ndtime the SBC’s annual meeting has taken place, this was my first, both as an attendee and as a messenger. What …
By Dave Russell Last week I had the privilege of attending our SBC Annual Meeting in Birmingham. This was my fourth convention and I left my time there encouraged and thankful to be a part of the SBC. In reflecting on my time at our Annual Meeting, I offer four areas of strength and one area for improvement. FOUR AREAS …
SBC 2019—A Can’t Miss Family Reunion by Lyla Curtis In my years as a pastor’s wife, I have attended countless conventions. Mostly, because I get to go with my husband to cool places where we can meet with friends in ministry from other parts of the country, walk through the exhibit areas and be reminded of all that Southern Baptists …
In the fall of 2017, Good Hope Baptist Church in Youngsville, NC needed a change. Despite a 200-year legacy of preaching, evangelism, and service, Good Hope was on a trajectory of joining the 1,000 SBC churches that close their doors every year. With hope for the future of their church, Good Hope started conversations with the Pillar Network about replanting. After …
Dr. James K. Dew Jr. has been nominated to become the ninth president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS). For those who do not know Dr. Dew (Jamie) let me give a quick introduction to my friend, colleague, and fellow pastor. Let me also tell you why NOBTS has made an excellent choice for their next president. I first …
Harnessing the Power of Experience by Lyla Curtis “Life is a classroom. Only those who are willing to be lifelong learners will move to the head of the class.” Zig Ziglar’s words continue to ring true. No matter what your age, gender, or learning style, we can all agree that learning and growing is an indicator of life, while refusing …
