‘STATE OF THE BIBLE’ STUDY REVEALS INTERESTING STATS
PHILADELPHIA — Online church attendees read the Bible more than onsite worshipers. Nonbelievers outpace Christians in valuing several pro-social Bible-based behaviors. And Black Americans are more spiritually vibrant than whites and Hispanics. The American Bible Society ranks those tidbits among the top findings from its 2023 State of the Bible, the 13th installment of the […]
ALABAMA EVANGELIST JUNIOR HILL REMEMBERED AS ‘HUMILITY ON FIRE’
HARTSELLE, Ala. — Junior Hill, a beloved Alabama evangelist whose ministry spanned seven decades, died Jan. 3. He was 87. A native of Hartselle, Hill began his ministry at age 19. He served as a pastor for 11 years in Alabama and Mississippi before becoming a full-time evangelist in 1967. Over the course of his […]
BAPTIST PARTNERS IN JAPAN READY TO RESPOND TO EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE
JAPAN — A 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit western Japan on Jan. 1 — several aftershocks have since followed. It is reportedly the most serious and deadliest earthquake since those that hit the country in 2015 and 2016. As many as 55 are confirmed dead while rescue efforts are ongoing; many still remain without cell phone […]
BELLEVUE PASTOR STEVE GAINES: CANCER HAS SPREAD TO LUNGS
CORDOVA — Following his recent diagnosis of kidney cancer, Steve Gaines shared in a video update Dec. 7 that his doctors said the cancer has spread to his lungs. Gaines, former Southern Baptist Convention president and a Tennessee Baptist pastor, appeared in the video with his wife, Donna. Gaines first announced his cancer diagnosis Nov. […]
FORMER LIFEWAY PRESIDENT LLOYD ELDER DIES NOV. 3
NASHVILLE — Lloyd Elder, seventh president of Lifeway Christian Resources (formerly the Baptist Sunday School Board), died Nov. 3 at age 90. He led the Board from 1984-1991. James Williams, executive vice president under Elder, described him as “one of God’s giants and, throughout the years of his ministry, he demonstrated the highest qualities of […]
SBC PRESIDENT BARBER TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR EC SIGNING ON TO KY AMICUS BRIEF
NASHVILLE — Southern Baptist Convention president Bart Barber released a lengthy statement on Oct. 30 explaining how he gave the final go-ahead for the Executive Committee to sign on to the hotly contested court submission related to a sexual abuse case being appealed in Kentucky. The legal document — an amicus curiae brief which came […]
SOUTHERN BAPTIST MIKE JOHNSON ELECTED SPEAKER OF U.S. HOUSE
WASHINGTON — The newly elected speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives is a Southern Baptist who has served as a trustee of the SBC’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) was elected to the speakership on Wednesday. “It is the honor of a lifetime to have been elected the 56th Speaker […]
EC PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH TEAM ENTERS INTERVIEW PHASE
NASHVILLE — The search team tasked with finding a new president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee is on schedule to present a candidate at the SBC EC’s February 2024 meeting. In a statement released Oct. 23, search team chairman Neal Hughes said the team had been “blessed” with a “harvest of […]
‘MAN OF MANY HATS’ HONORED FOR LOYALTY
FRANKLIN — Mike Puckett, the associate pastor and education director at Grassland Heights Baptist Church, Franklin, could be called the Swiss Army knife of ministry. For the past three-plus decades, Puckett has happily and gratefully served the Lord in all kinds of ways — ranging from student ministry to worship leader to administrative work and […]
GATEWAY TRUSTEES ANNOUNCE PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP TRANSITION
PORTLAND, Ore. — Gateway Seminary has initiated an executive transition plan to elect a new seminary president. Current President, Jeff Iorg, asked the board of trustees to begin the transition process at the board’s Oct. 10, 2023, meeting in Portland. Iorg will continue to lead the seminary through the executive search process. “Due to the […]