Baptist Record

By Lindsey Carraway Writing Specialist Most people picture chaplains as the pastors praying in hospital rooms or the ministers meeting the needs of disaster victims. Lesser known, however, are the chaplains who cross police lines to respond to the heavy load of stress carried by first responders. Firefighters, police officers, paramedics — the men and women who protect the public in the face of danger — encounter disturbing scenes and are expected to remain calm no matter the situation.

CRETE, Ill. (BP) – More than half a billion Christians live in countries where Bible access is restricted, with more than 125 million believers not being able to access Scripture in any format, according to a collaborative study in its second year. Even in countries where the Bible is legally allowed and safe to possess, cultural and economic barriers prevent some Christians from reading God’s Word, researchers said Oct. 1 in releasing the findings of the study of 106 countries.

By Lindsey Williams Writing Specialist Drive any given street in Mississippi, and it probably won’t take long for you to find a Southern Baptist church named after a nearby road. Sit in any pew, and you can catch up on the dates and locations of community ministries or the offering goals for global missions on the weekly bulletin or projected on the screen upfront. Visit early, and a friendly face dressed in their Sunday best will direct you to a class.

God Speaks and We Respond • Psalm 119:30-40 By Don Hicks The main focus for this Bible lesson, according to the author of the “Adults: Personal Study Guide,” is: “When we discover God’s will, we are to follow it.” Now let’s study Psalm 119:33-34: “Teach me, LORD, the meaning of your statues, and I will always keep them. Help me understand your instruction, and I will obey it and follow it with all my heart” (CSB). The Psalmist gives us a basic truth of scripture (all scripture).

Editor’s note: October is Pastor Appreciation Month. By Craig Webb “The elders who are good leaders are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.” (1 Timothy 5:17, CSB) Read the verse above. Then look it up and read the next verse. You’ll see what Paul meant by honor.

By Lindsey Carraway Writing Specialist POPLARVILLE, Miss. — Three years ago, it was an emotional moment for Kipp Smith as he looked around the theater full of students, church family, and members of the community. After the evangelistic message, at least 100 attendees answered the altar call to surrender their lives to Christ. It was an exact picture of the vision that God had given Smith years before. And God hasn’t finished yet.

Struggle • Romans 7:4-6, 14-25 By Laura Lee Leathers While on military duty in Germany, my husband and I decided to take a weekend camping trip to Salzburg, Austria. We found the campground, set up our tent, and walked into town for supper. Leaving through the gate, we noted when the entrance would be locked. However, as we took in the sights and sounds of this historical city, we lost track of time.

NASHVILLE (BP) – Cooperative Program giving for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30 was roughly the same dollar amount as CP giving in the previous fiscal year. The 2025-2026 total receipts of $185,619,397.15 were slightly (.25 percent) less than last year’s total of $186,091,048.26. The final number was 2.31 percent below the ‘25-26 budget goal of $190 million, which included a $3 million special allocation for the SBC Executive Committee for Convention legal expenses.

NASHVILLE (BP) – After years of requests for higher levels of accountability among Southern Baptist Convention entities, letters from them are included in the current edition of the SBC Annual, available as of Sept. 23, joining already-available audit reports. At the February 2025 Executive Committee meeting, EC President Jeff Iorg proposed a new business and financial plan (BFP) that placed greater emphasis on trustee accountability.

By Adam Dooley What would you do to avoid going to church? Years ago, 7-year-old Preston Scarborough was so desperate to bypass the Sunday morning gathering that he stole his family’s white Dodge Intrepid in order to skip town. His actions led to a 40-mph car chase across Plain City, Utah where the boy ran a stop sign, circled a high school parking lot, and nearly hit a motorist. Eventually, he drove home, jumped out of the car, and ran inside.