Good News for Today

What was once a major port for enslaved people is now a harbor for diaspora groups, and Southern Baptists are playing a key role.

Diaspora refers to “the movement, migration, settlement or scattering of people away from one’s indigenous homeland.” In North America, diaspora people comprise immigrants, refugees and international students.

Christians’ outreach to internationals in Charleston is a great example of what Diaspora Missions Collective wants to accomplish in reaching all nations, people, languages and tribes with the Gospel, no matter where they live.

With help from The Hub Ministry Center, Charleston has become a modern day “Ellis Island” for refugees coming from Africa, the Middle East and Central and South America.

The center provides refugees with transitional assistance and care in transportation, education, recreation and vocational training. It also provides relational care through community and compassion. 

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Visiting a friend outside his hometown of Gloucester, England, in the late 1700s, Robert Raikes encountered children cursing, gambling and fighting in the streets. He was horrified, but a local woman told him it was even worse on Sundays, the children’s one day off each week from the factory. Determined to help children in that situation learn to read and learn about the God who loved them, Raikes founded the first Sunday School in 1780.

According to a Lifeway Research study of U.S. Protestant churches with ongoing adult Bible study groups, 56 percent say the label “Sunday School” describes at least part of their groups ministry. Almost 3 in 4 (72 percent) say they are comfortable with others referring to their groups as adult Bible studies. Around 2 in 5 (39 percent) say small groups. Fewer say the terms adult Bible fellowships (13 percent), life groups (13 percent) or connect groups (10 percent) fit their ministry.

“If a group learns and obeys God’s Word, invites others to follow Jesus, forms deeper relationships and engages in acts of service inside the church and out in the community, you can call a group ministry whatever you like,” says Lifeway’s Ken Braddy.

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More than 2 billion people face food insecurity everyday. Learn how you can help at IMB.org.

Residents of the Gulf Coast are reeling from the effects of Hurricane Francine after it made landfall on Wednesday. Heavy rains and strong storms ripped across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. 

Disaster Relief workers huddled in areas hours away from the gulf to see how they could help one the storm came ashore. When first responders give them the greenlight, they’ll work quickly to help those in need.

The storm is forecasted to drift up the Mississippi River through the weekend bringing heavy rains.

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A somber sight in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C. on Wednesday as Americans marked the 23rd anniversary of 9/11. Thousands of lives were lost as a group of terrorists pulled off the deadliest attack on in American soil.

The day was marked by the annual reading of victims at Ground Zero by family members whose lives were changed forever.

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What drives you to your knees to pray? Kentucky church leader Todd Gray offers some thoughts in the Baptist Press Toolbox.

Gray writes about a wayward child, significant health issues, an empty church building, church conflict and more in the piece.

He writes, “Any Christian parent with a child living outside the will of God knows the experience of praying for that child day after day and throughout the day. Many Christian couples have had the experience of praying for a child through a particularly challenging time. The great news for us is that our children are not static, meaning that where they are today spiritually may not be where they are six months from now, and our prayers can make a difference in their lives. “

Gray also says times of spiritual warfare should drives us to our knees. “There have been a few times in my life in Christian ministry leadership that could not be explained apart from spiritual warfare. Those were times when I not only prayed for myself, but I asked my wife to pray with me and for me. When you feel that you are under spiritual attack, the best thing to do is get on your knees, if you are able to, and cry out to God to deliver you from the attack of the evil one.”

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Lostness is the world’s greatest problem. Learn how you can share the light at IMB.org.

Sept. 11 is a day many Americans can never forget and a day younger Americans should never forget. It’s a day when terrorists killed innocent Americans who were going to about their daily routine on a typical weekday. Thousands of families were affected forever as loved ones left for a work day and never returned home. Millions of Americans were impacted that Tuesday as our normal hustle and bustle ground to a halt as we prayed that God would lead first responders in their search and recovery efforts and that He would comfort those whose lives had been shattered.

Americans instinctively went to churches in their communities and neighborhoods for prayer gatherings in the middle of the day. People met in their city square to grieve, encourage one another and pray for each other. At a time of great uncertainty and sadness, people wanted to be together as they looked for answers and hope.

It’s been 23 years since that day in 2001. Even as we remember, may we never forget that our hope only comes from God above.

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“Pray for the transformation of our nation,” Ukrainian Baptist Theological Seminary President Yaroslav “Slavik” Pyzh implored a group of Christian ethics leaders in Nashville, Tennessee on Tuesday.

The seminary leader told the group that although Ukraine’s population is not precisely known, the number of Protestant believers has doubled since Russia launched its latest attack on Ukraine in February 2022, Pyzh said. Hope has countered the death and hopelessness the war has wrought.

However, he predicted that a Russian victory would mean the end of Christianity as it is now known in the country.

Despite the war, the seminary president said more than 700 new students have started classes to help the church as she grows during wartime.

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More than 2 billion people face food insecurity everyday. Learn how you can help IMB.org.

Reports showing sustained increases in food and home prices alongside a cooling labor market highlight a continuing challenge for churches.

That information impacts everything from attaining goods for ministries like food pantries to hiring new staff. Inflation sits in the middle of it all and while it remains high, the rate is decreasing.

In addition, wage increases can also impact a church’s ability to hire support staff. When your local fast food restaurant  and other places raise their wages, churches must follow suit to attract candidates for custodial services or setup teams. That can lead to a ripple effect of rising pay for roles such as ministry assistants to keep pace. 

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Don Hannel thought he was going to be the pastor of Pleasant Hill Church in Illinois the rest of his life. He’d been there 19 years. 

But when his wife was hired as principal of Brown County Elementary School, about 50 minutes away, they began to learn about a new part of their region.

That led Don to investigate what church life was like there. God used what he learned to change his ministry post. Don discovered a need, then started a Bible study and it wasn’t long before a new New Vision Community Church was planted and he became the pastor.

“I had a kind of a holy discontent of beginning to feel like maybe God was doing something different in my life, as well,” he said. “It was a hard decision in my heart, because I know a piece of my heart is always going to be in Pleasant Hill at the church. But God began to transplant my heart for the people of Brown County. And that’s when we knew that God was calling us to start a work right there.”

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Church leader Chuck Lawless encourages us to be patient with one another. In a piece at Baptist Press he offers seven reasons. Here’s a couple:

First, Jesus was patient with His disciples. This is a model for us.

Second, people are often dealing with stresses they haven’t shared with you.

Read the full piece from Lawless at Baptist Press.

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You can use your medical training for more than physical healing. Learn how at IMB.org.

The Spurgeon Library at Midwestern Seminary has established a partnership with Reformation Heritage Books to republish Charles Spurgeon’s 63 volumes of sermons.

The partnership will produce five sets of volumes containing sermons preached by Charles Spurgeon in his church and originally published from 1855 to 1917. The first set was released in August 2024.

Seminary President Jason Allen says he’s thrilled about the new partnership as he reflects on how Spurgeon’s writings were helping him during his call to ministry and early years of serving as a pastor.

In 1855, while pastoring the New Park Street Chapel in London, Spurgeon began selecting one of his sermons each week to edit and print in a weekly pamphlet. He continued this practice throughout his ministry at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London.

The first boxed set of sermons is available now.

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Tim Steele feels at home in front of people. He knows about the subtleties of communication such as timing, knowing your audience and being aware of your surroundings.

Those qualities have benefitted him from stages both as a comedian and pastor. From one, the audience is expecting him to make them laugh. The other comes with a much heavier weight because eternity hangs in the balance. Humor is important in both, Steele has learned.

Steele is a comedian with a brand new special at Dry Bar Comedy. He’s also the pastor of Cross Waves Church in Roseville, Michigan.

Steele says he doesn’t tell jokes from the preaching pulpit but definitely his ability to connect with an audience on both platforms.

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A Lifeway Bible Study call you to look up…and when you do…look for the beauty of the Heavens and the Earth and remember the One who created it.

Psalm 8 speaks of how God has created the world with strength and power but has been mindful of us…small as we may be.

David says the creation not only reminds us of the strength of God but also His attention to every aspect of the creation and that includes us. Read the full Bible study at our website Baptist Press.com.

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God is moving among the nations. Get the details at IMB.org.

Area churches responded quickly to a school shooting in Winder, Georgia Wednesday.

Four people were killed by the 14 year old gunman.

Bethlehem Church sits three miles from the shooting and has numerous members connected to Apalachee High including students, teachers and coaches.

Pastor Jason Britt confirmed with Baptist Press that there were members harmed in the shooting but could not provide any further information. Many churches held a night of prayer on Wednesday and offered counseling services.

Barrow County School System Superintendent Dallas LeDuff said schools would be closed for the week. The system’s central office is offering resources for counseling.

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The U.S. Supreme Court refused to restore a $4.5 million family planning grant to Oklahoma while the state’s challenge to the termination of the grant works its way through the lower courts.

At issue is a lawsuit that stems from funding Oklahoma routinely received before the passage of its abortion ban in 2022, which followed the overturning of Roe v. Wade. To receive the funding under Title X of the Public Health Services Act of 1970, states are required to offer expectant mothers counseling for prenatal care, adoption and abortion, as well as referrals for abortion and adoption if requested.

Oklahoma’s abortion ban also makes it illegal to advise mothers to obtain abortions, and the new ban caused the federal government to cut the state’s family planning grant. Oklahoma sued in federal court, lost in the lower court, asked the High Court to issue an injunction

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Tennessee church leader Rodney Norvell says campus ministries are important:

Number one is discipleship and spiritual growth. 

Number two is missional training. 

Number three they connect students to the local church.

Read the full piece at Baptist Press.

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More than 2 billion people face food insecurity everyday. Learn how you can help at IMB.org.

Bill Denman in Independence, Missouri retired from construction work in his early 60s. He had used heavy equipment machinery to build water and sewer lines most of his adult life. First, he was an operator and then a foreman. He worked hard.

Retirement was good. He picked up a hobby as he bought a classic car and began entering it in car show competitions. It was a 1938 Ford Coupe, and Denman kept it shining as he showed it off in car shows.

He also began going on his church’s annual mission trips for 16 consecutive years. In 2002, 2004 and 2005 he went to Nicaragua with “Project Hope” to build homes. His wife Mary began joining him on these mission trips.

He said it was then that God started guiding him to take a fresh look at his classic car.

Not long after, at a car show a man asked Denman if he had a 1938 Ford Coupe. He said he did, and the man came over to his house to look at it. Denman sold it to him for $25,000.

He then went to an equipment dealer and asked about buying a skid steer. There was one for sale with an extra bucket and some other accessories. The price? $25,000. Denman wrote a check.

He’s now gone on more than 90 mission trips doing disaster relief and helping build churches, rebuild storm-damaged homes and the like.

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The Kendricks’ Brothers’ movie The Forge continues to hold strong at the box office. Just 12 days after its release, the movie has brought in more than $16 million in tickets sales. It’s consistently stayed in the top five movies ticket buyers are going to see at the theatre.

The movie filmed in the Kendrick’s brother’s hometown of Albany, Georgia is the first movie they’ve made there since Courageous.

The Forge is the story of a young business man who takes an interest in struggling teenagers and helps him grow as a follower of Jesus.

Church and pastors and have commented on social media about how the movie has been beneficial in sharing the Gospel and stirring up discipleship conversations.

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Texas church leader Dusty Thompson offers an encouraging word about the younger generation, “If you are at a place in your church life where you are trying to reach families and younger people in your community, the young people in your church will be your greatest asset to reach their peers. Call them to it and help them develop the character and competencies to not only share their faith and invite friends to church, but make disciples and grow as leaders.”

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Lostness is the world’s greatest problem. Learn how to share the light at IMB.com.

Send Relief continues to aid Sudan, as half the nation faces acute hunger and famine chases refugees and internally displaced persons.

Cholera and heavy rains exacerbate the humanitarian crisis, according to international governmental agencies.

Jason Cox, Send Relief’s vice president of international ministry, said the war is not getting enough attention in the U.S., even as Send Relief continues to send aid.

“This war has created what is now the largest population of forcibly displaced people in the world. The humanitarian needs are overwhelming, and growing. But the opportunities are also great,” Cox told Baptist Press. 

Famine has affected nearly 4 million refugees since 2023.

Learn how you can help at Send Relief.org.

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According to the 2022 Greatest Needs of Pastors study, more than 3 in 4 pastors (77%) say developing leaders and volunteers and fostering connections with unchurched people (76%) are ministry needs they face. 

Scott McConnell, director of Lifeway Research, noted that “Motivating a congregation to function as one unit in sharing the love of Jesus with others” is the key.

According to Lifeway’s Ken Braddy, the frist way to connect with the unchurched is often through the weekly worship service. The second best way to help people share their faith is through groups.

Building relationships with unchurched people requires proximity to them. And when they receive an invitation to attend an ongoing Bible study group, smaller groups tend to be the best places for them to meet believers as they assimilate into the church, Braddy writes in Baptist Press.

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More than 2.3 billion people face food insecurity every day. Learn how you can help at IMB.org.

Alabama meteorologist James Spann has found his passion in life. The longtime TV weatherman in Birmingham says that since he was a young boy he wanted to do what he’s had the opportunity to do for decades.

Spann can be seen every weekday in the Birmingham area and heard on radio across the United States.

Though he’s thankful he’s able to work a job he loves, he says he’s had to learn that one’s career is not all there is to life. He says he’s dealt with a season of life when he thought he was his number one priority but God has taught him otherwise.

Accoring to the Alabama Baptist, he says serving in the children’s ministry of his local church was one tool God used to change his heart.

He also points to his ministry in a local hospital.

Spann’s 19-year role as chair of the board of Baptist Medical Center Montclair, which moved and eventually became known as Grandview Medical Center, was something he never planned to do, but he knows God led him there.

It started by being asked to serve on the board for a couple of months. Since one of his jobs in life is to “mitigate loss of life during tornadoes,” he decided he could use the time to learn about trauma from the emergency room doctors. 

Spann says he spends several nights a week visiting hospital patients in between newscasts and, he says, he brings them better news than whether it’s going to rain tomorrow.

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The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission is urging Congress to avoid the inclusion of funding for so called “gender transitions” in the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The act establishes policies, restrictions and other administration matters relating to the DOD.

The ERLC is also asking the agency to ensure that selective service is not expanded to include women.

The ethics group is also requesting that tax-payer dollars not be used to pay for abortion-related travel.

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If you’re a medical professional, you can use your skills to do more than provide physical healing. Learn more at IMB.org.

Today is Labor Day. The Museum of the Bible writes, “Labor activists first put forward the concept of a federal holiday to celebrate “the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations” in the late 1800s. Although times had changed and agriculture was giving way to a more industrial economy, there was still an imbalance of power. At the height of the Industrial Revolution in the US, the very poor and immigrants worked in the most unsafe conditions, with little sanitary facilities, fresh air, or even occasional breaks. The average American worked 12-hour days and 7-day weeks to survive. Despite restrictions in some states, children as young as five or six worked in mills, factories, and mines, and received lower wages than adults.”

According to the museum, “… by 1894, 23 states had adopted the holiday, just over half the states in the Union at that time. Early that year, Congress passed an act making Labor Day a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories. A few months later, on June 28, President Grover Cleveland signed the holiday into law in the hope it might repair ties with American workers. All this happened because of the upheaval in the workplace.”

The Bible has much to say about labor.

Beginning in Genesis 1:26 where it says, “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” 

And, in 2 Thessalonians 3: “In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: “If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.” 11 For we hear that there are some among you who are idle. They are not busy but busybodies. 12 Now we command and exhort such people by the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and provide for themselves. 13 But as for you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing good. -- 2 Thessalonians 3:10-13 (CSB)

And, Ephesians 6:6 calls on workers to avoid working “ only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing God’s will from your heart. 7 Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord.”

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Enjoy the day…whether you’re off of work or not and remember Colossians 3:10 Paul says that whatever we do should be done for the glory of God.

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More than 2 billion people face food insecurity everyday. Learn how you can help at IMB.org.