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Articles by Valeria Roy
State of the Bible: Swath of committed Christians don’t attend church monthly
PHILADELPHIA (BP) – Most of the youngest generations who identify as committed Christians likely do not attend church at least once monthly, the American Bible Society (ABS) said in the latest release from its 2022 State of the Bible. Among Generation Z, Millennials and Generation X Christians whose personal commitment to Christ is still important in their life today, fewer than a third are described as practicing Christians, a descriptor that includes at least monthly church attendance.
Pastors identify modern-day idols, comfort tops list
NASHVILLE (BP) – Idols don’t always come in the form of carved statues or reside in places of worship. Many pastors believe modern-day idols can be benign-looking desires with significant influence on people in their congregations. According to a study from Lifeway Research, more than half of U.S. Protestant pastors believe comfort (67 percent), control or security (56 percent), money (55 percent) and approval (51 percent) are idols that have significant influence on their congregations.
Tony and Lauren Dungy: On faith and family, football and race, winning and losing
(RNS) — Retired NFL coach Tony Dungy and his wife Lauren see the key parts of their life — football and family — as forms of ministry. The parents of 11 both lead Bible studies in addition to his work as a broadcaster on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” and hers as vice president of the Dungy Family Foundation. Their new book, “Uncommon Influence: Saying Yes to a Purposeful Life,” set to release Tuesday (Aug.
Ukrainian missionaries in Brazil collaborate to receive Ukrainian refugees | Baptist Press
Metadata: Topic(s): International Mission BoardFormat(s): Text Articles Share this post: PRUDENTÓPOLIS, Brazil (BP) – As war continues in their home country, many Ukrainians are traveling to distant places for refuge. Brazil is one of the countries that has opened its borders to refugees. Vitalii and Iryna Arshulik are Ukrainians living in Brazil as church planters. They minister in an area where 80 percent of the population is of Ukrainian descent.
Christians still displaced from northern Iraq 8 years after ISIS invasion
NINEVAH PLAINS, IRAQ (BP) – Christians largely remain displaced from the once vibrant Nineveh Plains eight years after the Islamic State decimated the region, a Christian charity working in the area said.
Churches can be ‘personalized ministry partner’ for local schools
NASHVILLE (BP) – In the midst of the back-to-school season, Southern Baptist churches are loving and serving the students, teachers and schools in their communities. Churches are meeting needs in a variety of ways including hosting back-to-school bashes, offering free school supplies and giving away free backpacks. First Baptist Church of Pensacola, Fla., hosted its annual back-to-school bash on Saturday, July 30. This event included giveaways, games, distribution of resources and free food.
Resource can multiply missions effectiveness
MILLS, Wyo. (BP) – Merry Marcus is among countless Southern Baptists nationwide who carefully watch their money to be sure they are able to participate in their church’s mission projects. Now she’s found a way her church could multiply her missions giving. The 50-year member of Mountain View Baptist Church has watched for sales to buy school supplies, toys, games and other items to stuff into Samaritan’s Purse shoeboxes, back-to-school backpacks and other church projects.
Pregnancy centers continue to serve despite attacks
NASHVILLE (BP)—Ongoing attacks on pregnancy resource centers and other pro-life organizations have presented security challenges, but they have not thwarted continuing, faith-based efforts to minister to women in need. A total of 87 attacks against pro-life entities – including 43 pregnancy centers and 32 churches – have been recorded by the Catholic News Agency since the May 2 leak of a U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion signaling the reversal of the Roe v. Wade decision.
SBCV Chinese fellowship helps pastors connect
GLEN ALLEN, Va. (BP) – When pastor Michael Wu first arrived at the SBC of Virginia Annual Homecoming last November, he felt alone. Wu is the bi-vocational pastor of Roanoke Chinese Fellowship. Although he knew a couple of fellow Chinese pastors around the state, he said he had struggled to connect with Chinese pastors since planting the church in 2008. Wu said it was also hard for him to connect with other Chinese pastors at the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting because it was such a large event.
Alabama church named in lawsuit involving teens arrest in Florida
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (BP) — A lawsuit filed in Tuscaloosa County on July 7 alleges leaders of a church trip to the beach abandoned two boys who were accused but later cleared of sexual battery charges. The suit was filed by mothers Melody Stephens and Aimee McKnight, whose juvenile sons traveled to Panama City Beach in June 2021 with a youth group from Taylorville Baptist Church.
Baptist leaders applaud appeals court decision to reinstate Kentucky abortion trigger law
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)–Kentucky Baptist Convention leaders rejoiced over a Monday state appeals court decision that overruled an injunction against the state’s trigger abortion ban. The law had been blocked in court, allowing abortions to continue in Kentucky, since late June.
Multi-ethnic church gathers 500 backpacks for the Philippines
SAN DIEGO (BP) – Last year Old Town Community Church sent 72 backpacks stuffed with school supplies to the Philippines. This year, they’re sending 500. “The backpacks are an instrument for us to show we are able to love them and reach out to them, and an opportunity for us to share with them the love of God,” Irene Achacoso told Baptist Press. She is the wife of Alex Achacoso, pastor at Old Town since he started the church as a Filipino congregation in 1993.
‘Asian American’ misses diversity of Asians in U.S., Pew study finds
WASHINGTON (BP) — “Asian-American” is too broad a term to encompass descendants in the U.S. of more than 20 or more Asian and Indian nations, the Pew Research Center found in its largest canvas of Asian Americans to date. When many non-Asian Americans hear or use the pan-ethnic term, they are considering only a portion of Asia such as China, Japan or North or South Korea, not considering or being cognizant of lesser known countries such as Bhutan or Nepal, Pew said Aug.
BIBLE STUDY: Jesus Christ our wisdom
NASHVILLE (BP) — This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with Lifeway Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, Lifeway publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups. This week’s Bible study is adapted from The Gospel Project curriculum. Bible Passage: 1 Kings 1–3 Discussion Questions: — Why is it important to walk in God’s ways?
Mission field success requires prayer, hard work
Prayer, individual work and teamwork with local or U.S. churches are important for effectiveness in the mission to reach souls for Christ. Many are involved in mission work, not by their physical presence on the field, but by prayer that sustains those on the field. Sometimes, a sower becomes discouraged at not seeing fruit or tangible results in their work. However, with prayer and time, for God nothing is impossible.
Lottie Moon: The Rebel I Want to Be
Lottie Moon. I want to be like her, but I didn’t realize how much until I dove into her life story. You could draw a line in the sand, mention the name Lottie Moon, and people who revere her will move to one side of the line while people whispering, “Who’s that?” will migrate to the other. I had one foot in each camp. My current church is in the “who’s that?” category. Most people at my church, planted fifteen years ago, did not grow up thoroughbred Southern Baptists.
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