Georgia Baptist Mission Board Blog
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Georgia Baptist TOP Legislation Being Watched (3/20/23)
36th Day of the Legislative SessionMike Griffin, Public Affairs RepresentativeOpposition: Sports Betting and Horse Racing added to the LotterySenator Billy Hickman introduced SB 57 to legalize sports betting and horse racing in Georgia through the Georgia Lottery. This legislation does not require a constitutional amendment, but only a majority vote in the Senate to pass.Status: […]
There are still no good reasons for legalizing sports betting in Georgia
We are now in the last days of the 2023 Georgia legislative session. As we finish out the session, we see that the Georgia Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism replaced House Bill 237, sponsored by Rep. Leesa Hagan, which would establish the Southeast Georgia Soap Box Derby as the official soap box derby […]
Georgia Baptist TOP Legislation Being Watched (3/8/23)
30th Day of the Legislative Session Mike Griffin, Public Affairs Representative Opposition: Sports Betting and Horse Racing added to the Lottery Senator Billy Hickman introduced SB 57 to legalize sports betting and horse racing in Georgia through the Georgia Lottery. This legislative bill does not require a constitutional amendment, but only a majority vote […]
Georgia Baptist TOP Legislation Being Watched (2/23/23)
23rdth Day of the Legislative Session Mike Griffin, Public Affairs Representative 1. Opposition: Sports Betting and Horse Racing added to the Lottery Senator Billy Hickman introduced SB 57 to legalize sports betting and horse racing in Georgia through the Georgia Lottery. This legislative bill does not require a constitutional amendment, but only a majority vote […]
Georgia Baptist TOP Legislation Being Watched (2/16/23)
20th Day of the Legislative Session Mike Griffin, Public Affairs Representative Opposition: Sports Betting and Horse Racing added to the Lottery Senator Billy Hickman introduced SB 57 to legalize sports betting and horse racing in Georgia through the Georgia Lottery. This legislative bill does not require a constitutional amendment, but only a majority vote in […]
More than $8.8 million in grants awarded for hands-on healthcare in Georgia.
The Georgia Baptist Healthcare Ministry Foundation (GBHCMF) has announced the recipients of its 2023 grant cycle, awarding $8.8 million to 93 clinics and nonprofits providing healthcare services to underserved communities in Georgia. The funds were distributed at the GBHCMF’s Awards Luncheon on February 16, hosted by the North Metro Baptist Church in Lawrenceville. Since 2005, […]
Creating Intentional Ministry Space on a Budget
Effective leaders consistently prepare for the future, and that includes providing quality spaces for ministry. One Lifeway article highlights the importance of having a plan that renovates the space without wrecking your ministry. Is it possible to create more space and still have money for ministry? Can we find better ways to utilize the space […]
Gambling Awareness Sunday is February 5
For more than eight years the Georgia General Assembly has been dealing with the issue of expanding gambling in Georgia.Every year the proposed legislation has failed to pass out of the House and the Senate.This year, it is once again being discussed at the Capitol.This year, I expect to hear a familiar argument – Just […]
VBS Trainings 2023
The VBS Training Events are a great opportunity for your entire VBS team to come be motivated to have the most successful VBS to reach your community.Get the FULL SCOOP right here!
Sanctity of Human Life Sunday is January 22
On January 13, 1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed that January 22 would be the first National Sanctity of Human Life Day. January 22 is the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision to legalize abortion-on-demand in the U.S. in 1973. This month marks the 50th Anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision, which led […]
Public Affairs Ministry and the 2022 Georgia Baptist Convention Resolutions
The 2022 Georgia Baptist Convention was truly a historic event! This year’s convention marked the 200th Anniversary of the GBC. In addition to the monumental event of celebrating our history, was the opportunity to pass resolutions that reflect the Biblical conventions and values of our congregations. I appreciate the fine work that the members of the Resolutions Committee did on […]
New voter guides: Georgia 2022 Senate runoff
As we made available to you in September, we are going to be providing Georgia Baptists with another voter guide for the Senate runoff. This new voter guide is intended to help you choose the candidates you will vote for in the December 6th runoff. It is important once again that you know as much […]
Fulton County judge stops ‘Heartbeat Law’ from saving lives
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney’s overturned Georgia’s ban on abortion starting around six weeks into a pregnancy on Tuesday, Nov. 15. The law, which bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, has been in effect since July of this year. Statistics have already proven that this law has contributed to saving […]
Christians Have a Responsibility to Vote
Check out the video from Georgia Baptist Executive Director W. Thomas Hammond Jr., and see how you and your church can be educated on the simple process. Please share this video with your friends and share it in your church services between now and Oct. 11! Download: https://vimeo.com/744340630
Your Cooperative Program gifts have a gospel impact
During 2020, your Cooperative Program giving reiterated that pastors are heroes, churches are the priority and Georgia is the mission field. Even during a pandemic, the mission of God moved forward in 2020 in creative ways. The pandemic forced Georgia Baptists to consider new methods for sharing the gospel and discipling new believers when person-to-person […]
GBMB provides security training for Georgia Baptist churches
It can happen in a second. Just a single moment where everything is changed forever. Ben O’Neal knows this is true, and that’s why he does what he does. According to the FBI, there were 28 active shooter incidents during 2019 in the U.S. Between 1999 and 2015, 1,198 deadly force incidents took place in […]
Find a BCM Near You
Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) is a cooperative ministry of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, local associations and local churches. Below are campuses with established BCM and contact information for the staff person or volunteer leading the ministry. If a campus in your community is not listed and you would like to learn how to start […]
A Local Pastor’s Perspective: What is BCM to You?
Clint Culpepper is the pastor of Harvest Baptist Church in Covington, Georgia. He is also the volunteer campus minister at Georgia State University’s Perimeter College Newton Campus. Question: How has volunteering with the Baptist Collegiate Ministry impacted your church’s ministry? Our church’s ministry has been blessed by being able to partner with the collegiate ministry […]
‘SBC Coast to Coast’ premieres on ACTS2 TV
A new television program reminds Southern Baptists of the positive impact their work is having across the nation. The first episodes of “SBC Coast to Coast” premiered on ACTS2TV during its livestream of the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting in Anaheim, California. “Southern Baptists need some reminders of the good that is being done and […]
Who’s the Hero in Your Church’s Story?
What is your church’s story? In the July 2021 edition of the Georgia Baptist Journal, Research & Development Lead Strategist John Courtney wrote about the book “Marketing Made Simple” by Donald Miller. He shared five steps for creating a marketing funnel. Now you have the steps, but what’s next? You need a story to connect […]
Conflict management: The ministry of reconciliation
After more than 30 years in ministry and many of those years serving with the GBMB, one of the primary biblical principles that continues to impact my life is found in Proverbs 27:17. “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (NKJV). With life as in ironwork, it’s all about […]
From Around Georgia
(July 2022) Jim Perdue, Senior Pastor, Second Baptist Church, Warner Robins “I’m so thankful for Brad Marchman and the GBMB’s emphasis on building a strategic plan for intentional and continuous evangelism. Through my years in ministry, I have encountered many programs, philosophies and pathways for evangelism. I have been trained in multiple ways of sharing […]
Meet the 2022-2023 BCM President
Gordon State College senior Maddie Hendrix is the 2022-2023 State Baptist Collegiate Ministries president. She shares her heart for BCM and expresses her desire to see Christ glorified. She also reviews how churches can engage with BCM. Question: What was your decision to follow Christ like? I grew up in a Christian home where my […]
Challenging, exciting days ahead for Next Gen
The last two years have been some of the most challenging times for children and teenagers in modern history. According to a recent article by the Fuller Youth Institute, anxiety among teenagers tripled in the first 12 months of the pandemic and depression quadrupled. The article also sadly reminds us that suicide is the second-leading […]
Georgia Baptists increase missions efforts
While on a 2021 Partnership Trip to the Lima Region of Peru, a team of church leaders from Northeast Georgia met with Peruvian Baptist pastors and an IMB Team Associate at a church plant in one of the Human Settlements in Jicamarca. Pictured from left are Pastor Johnny Cubas, Rick Howard (Summit BC, Loganville), Johnny […]
What’s Next? A Pro-life Discussion with Mike Griffin
Sam Thomas and Mike Griffin discuss on the Frontline Policy Council’s Podcast the upcoming Dobbs decision and what it means for the pro-life movement in Georgia. Listen now: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1MDDjLSc5VyJ9DVU4L4fRh?si=LopzCM4TT3CMPftlBLjVjg
Don’t Let Evaluation Hinder Your Proclamation
Preachers are commanded to preach the word in season and out of season. This implies when it’s convenient and when it’s inconvenient, when the building is full and when the building is empty, and when the harvest looks promising and when the harvest doesn’t. We are to preach Jesus and persuade people to respond to His […]
Training: Reducing the Risk of Child Sexual Abuse in the Church (2020 Recording)
This training was delivered by Mike Griffin, Public Affairs and Child Protection Representative for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board for the 2020 Spark Conference. Feel free to share.
Information & Actions in a Post-Roe Era
Here is some information on what Georgia Baptists are doing by way of providing information and action items in a post-Roe era. Here are two links from our five-point Mission Georgia Plan on Pre/Post Natal Care and Foster Care and Adoption: https://missiongeorgia.org/natalcare/ https://missiongeorgia.org/fostercare/ Here are three articles I have written for the Christian Index trying […]
Spectating or Participating: The Sunday Morning Experience
By Arthur LinDirector of WorshipNew City Church, Macon Recently I’ve been pondering this question for our Sunday morning gatherings. “Do I come to just spectate or do I participate?” Like with anything since the fall, there is always the temptation in our hearts to turn something good into something bad. Food for instance! I love […]
Statement on the SATF Report Release
We are all grieved by the findings of the Guidepost Solutions investigation. The report submitted through the SBC’s Sexual Abuse Task Force revealed disturbing and egregious acts committed on some of our most vulnerable. We recognize the courage of survivors who continued to share their stories and bravely pursue action from their leaders. We must […]
Post-Pandemic: Act Now to be Prepared for Then
What does it mean to do what needs to be done now, so your church will be ready then? Thankfully, we are coming up on the other side of the pandemic, and many churches are getting back to normal schedules, activities, and to varying degrees, attendance. Going through a global pandemic was a new experience […]
Georgia Baptists Capitol Report from 2022 Legislative Session
Working at the Georgia State Capitol can be a very challenging time when it comes to standing up for social and moral issues. However, this was a very good year for Georgia Baptists and our work at the Capitol. We were a part of two great events, and we supported some good legislation that passed […]
Are You Ever Too Old (Or Young) to Serve?
By Dr. Ronnie ReidPastor of Worship, Fayetteville First Baptist There is an ongoing discussion regarding churches that are releasing their staff members because of their age. This determination is not being made on the quality of the ministry of the staff member, but simply on their age. Apparently, there is an issue of perceived relevance […]
Rethink Your Church-Wide Events
I have always enjoyed doing evangelistic events to reach segments of the community with the gospel of Christ. I realize that some pastors and church staffs don’t encourage doing events for their church and community. Some feel evangelistic events are not productive. Others feel events take too much time and energy. But I have found […]
Take your next step in evangelism
Churches have a desire to saturate their community with the gospel. The Evangelism team at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board is here to help! We exist to help church leaders take their next step to building a culture of evangelism in their church. We work with churches on both the design and implementation of the […]
Join Learning Community, go through Watershed Principle
The Discipleship team’s mission is to help create healthy disciple-making churches. Our intent is to connect church leaders with the training, resources and support they need to advance the gospel in their churches. Whether it’s bolstering Sunday School or reaching singles, the discipleship team is prepared to empower churches to grow their disciple-making efforts. One […]
Joy & Sorrow: Singing is a Response
By Arthur LinDirector of WorshipNew City Church, Macon Singing is a beautiful gift. We sing joyously when something really good happens in our lives like when we get a promotion or over the birth of a child. We sing with sorrow over the bad things like breakups and the loss of a loved one. This […]
7 ways to maximize your church’s media ministry
Two years ago, pastors around the world found themselves forced into live streaming. We all pulled out our phones and tablets and began scrambling to figure out how to keep ministry flowing digitally. Before too long, most of us got a handle on it. But now live streaming has become an expected front door to […]
Announcement: Update Your Journal Preferences
The Georgia Baptist Journal has officially been in circulation for one year! We hope that it has provided useful updates and information for you and your church. The Journal is the official newsletter of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board and is intended for use by church staff and associations. The goal of the Journal is […]
An Interview with GBC President Kevin Williams
GBC President Kevin Williams, pastor of Villa Rica First Baptist Church, shares his thoughts on his time in office, and what the GBC’s 200th anniversary means to the convention. Question: What would you hope to see happen within the convention this year? My goal from the very beginning has always been to try and engage […]
Church Strengthening hopes to combat church decline
Many churches are experiencing decline. It is true that churches were impacted by the pandemic. We’ve heard from several of our Georgia Baptist pastors that their membership or attendance has dropped since 2020. This isn’t isolated to Georgia. The problem is that the decline is not a new discovery — it started happening way before […]
Real Men Don’t Sing: A Lie Some Guys Believe
By David MannerExecutive DirectorKansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists Forty years ago, author and humorist, Bruce Feirstein wrote the book Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche: A Guidebook to All that is Truly Masculine. The author intended the book to be satirical that real men only eat steaks, wear flannel shirts, and never share their feelings. The result was […]
Final: TOP Legislation Being Watched (Updated 4/7/22)
(Monday, April 4 was the Final Day) BILLS THAT PASSED: Support: The Mental Health Parity Act HB 1013, by Rep Todd Jones and Rep. Mary Margert Oliver, is a bill that seeks to do things such as expand insurance coverage for those with mental health issues, provide greater coordination, enhance workforce development (59 of Georgia’s […]
What your pastor needs from you, your church
Joshua and the people of Israel needed Moses’ arms in the air to be victorious over Amalek and his people, but Moses needed help from Aaron and Hur to keep his arms up. For the Israelites to be victorious, God’s people needed to work together and be supportive of their leader. What was true for […]
Remittance Form Announcement
Thank you for giving faithfully to the Georgia Baptist Mission Board. We love you and are praying for you. Your partnership is so valuable as we continue working together to reach the lost in Georgia and beyond. We would like to update you on a change we are making in our financial department at the […]
Every Woman. In Community. On Mission.
What would happen if all Georgia Baptist women were growing in God’s word, growing in unity, confident in sharing their faith, intimate with God through prayer and living on mission for Him each day? Families, local communities, Georgia, the United States and the world would be transformed with the gospel! This is our heart’s desire […]
Negative or Positive: Thinking about Evangelism
One of the greatest obstacles to effective evangelism is negative thinking. An attitude of negativism that gives excuses as to why a person or church cannot fulfill the Great Commission of sharing the gospel of Jesus with all creation. Negativism destroys your peace, clouds your perception, robs your joy, and consumes your thinking. When leaders […]
A Case for the Church Choir: Where have all our Choirs Gone?
By Dr. Will WhittakerMinister of Music, Ivy Creek Baptist Church, Buford Chorus America, a nationally-known advocacy, research, and leadership development organization that supports choral art, has written much on the benefits of singing. Most recently, an article came out in June of 2019 that lauds the benefits of singing for a lifetime. After first reading […]
Top Legislation Being Watched (Updated 4/4/22)
*TODAY, Monday, April 4 is the final day of the session. Support: The Mental Health Parity Act HB 1013, by Rep Todd Jones, is a bill that seeks to do things such as expanding insurance coverage for those with mental health issues, providing greater coordination, enhancing workforce development (59 of Georgia’s 159 counties do not […]
BCMs reach, engage students for Christ
Baptist Collegiate Ministry is the on-campus, cooperative ministry effort of Georgia Baptist churches to advance the gospel on every college and university campus in Georgia. BCM is Christ-led with a high view of Scripture. The five priorities of Georgia BCM are: 1. Evangelism 2. Discipleship 3. Missions 4. Local church involvement 5. Leadership development Guided […]
Top Legislation Being Watched (Updated 3/28/22)
*Monday, April 4 is the final day of the session. Monitoring: The Mental Health Parity Act HB 1013, by Rep Todd Jones, is bill that seeks to do things like, expand insurance coverage for those with mental health issues, provide greater coordination, enhance workforce development (59 of Georgia’s 159 counties do not have mental health professionals), […]
A Different Question
How many times have you asked or been asked the question, “How was church today?” It is a common question asked in different ways by many church goers after the Sunday service. It’s even asked by pastors and staff on Monday to evaluate the weekend. Parents ask their children, adults ask other adults who may […]
Top Legislation Being Watched (Updated 3/21/22)
Opposition: The Expansion of Gambling There are approximately nine bills leftover from the 2021 session that are available to be passed expanding gambling on Sports, Horse Racing, and Casinos. Status: Weeks ago, two of the four Senate Horse Racing Bills were passed out of the Regulated Industries Committee. The two bills that were passed out […]
Top Legislation Being Watched (Updated 3/14/22)
Opposition: The Expansion of Gambling There are approximately nine bills leftover from the 2021 session that are available to be passed expanding gambling on Sports, Horse Racing, and Casinos. Status: Two weeks ago, two of the four Senate Horse Racing Bills were passed out of the Regulated Industries Committee. The two bills that were passed […]
What Your Invitation is Missing
One of the most important part of every church worship service is the invitation. It provides unsaved souls the opportunity to respond to Christ after a message is presented. When preparing for an upcoming service, there are several things to consider that will make the time of invitation more impactful. Ask yourself: Have we spent time sincerely praying about […]
Confessions of a People Pleaser
By Nancy Wilson Tropical Storm Irma pushed many people from Florida into our little Georgia burg. The few hotels were full of refugees wondering when they could go home. I stood behind one such woman in the line at Walmart. We chatted about her home and the microwave meals she was buying to cook in […]
Top Legislation Being Watched (Updated 3/7/22)
(New) Support: Firearms Revision Bill Rep. Rick Jasperse introduced HB 1378, a bill that allows churches the full authority in determining the use of weapons. Churches under this provision would be treated as private property, so they can determine what their own use of weapons policies. This legislation coincides with the 2021 GBC Resolution on […]
Top Legislation Being Watched (Updated 2/25/22)
(Bills Reintroduced) Opposition: The Expansion of Gambling There are approximately nine bills leftover from the 2021 session that are available to be passed expanding gambling on Sports, Horse Racing and Casinos. Status: (4) Senate Horse Racing bills (by Sen Brandon Beach and Sen. Jeff Mullis) from 2021 were heard the week before in the Regulated […]
Under New Management
I once served as a Transitional Pastor in a church that had a basketball gym. Local FBI employees used the gym once a week to play basketball. One day I was alone in the church office and an FBI agent came and asked me a question about facilities. I didn’t know the answer and explained […]
Top Legislation Being Watched (Updated 2/21/22)
(New Bill) Opposition: Exception to the 3-Tier System for Craft Breweries SB 420, introduced by Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, allows an exemption to the 3-Tier system on the sale of alcohol. Georgia Baptists categorically opposes any loosening of restrictions on the sale of alcoholic beverages. The 3-Tier system since prohibition has maintained standards of public health […]
Better Together: Join a Coaching Pod
We are better together. This is a phrase you hear a lot around throughout the Georgia Baptist Convention. It’s a powerful message for churches and pastors that we can do much more together than we can separately. The GBMB evangelism team strives to help pastors come together to be more effective in doing evangelism themselves […]
TOP Legislation Being Watched (Updated 2/11/22)
Support: Appeals Process for School Library Obscenity SB 226: This ensures our children are protected from sexually explicit material. Georgia Baptists support legislation that allows a proper appeal process when parents see material that is obscene. Voted out of subcommittee to full committee for a vote. Support: The Women’s Health and Safety Act” (Ban on […]
Maximizing a New Believer’s Influence
Have you ever heard the saying, “Birds of a feather flock together?” William Turner pinned this very interesting quote back in 1545. It means that those who share similar interests or values hang out together. This is interesting. When you think about believers in Christ, they many times hang out together. And those that are […]
NEW Podcast on Fighting Human Trafficking
It was honor to represent Georgia Baptists and be interviewed by Patrick Sullivan and Jon Sullivan on their new podcast on Human Trafficking called Go Beyond the X. The Sullivan’s are both apart of GRACE: Global Relief Association for Crises & Emergencies. Patrick is the Director of US Operations and Dr. Jon Sullivan, CEO of […]
How can I Make Disciples When I am too Busy?
I have often heard it said, “If you don’t plan your time, someone or something else will plan it for you.” Time is our most limited resource, and everyone has the same amount each day. Your day, my day, and everyone else’s is only 24 hours. The fantastic thing is that while most of us can get […]
Church Autonomy: What It Is and Why It’s Important
The following information in this article was put together the by the Alliance Defending Freedom Ministry Alliance Team member: Scott Blakeman. Its purpose was to inform Americans on the legal term of church autonomy and how it relates our First Amendment rights. Feel free to contact me at mgriffin@gabaptist.org if I can be of help to you […]
What can God do with a bunch of gospel-trained believers?
Seventeen-year-old Logan Glover is a junior at Jones County High School in Gray, Georgia. He’s also a member of Greenwood Baptist Church where Kim Washburn is pastor. I had lunch with Pastor Kim a couple of weeks ago and he told me about this young man who had a heart for reaching the lost and […]
Trabajando Juntos: Su Convención Estatal
Trabajando Juntos: Su Convención Estatal El pasado verano, durante el retiro de familias árabes, una familia de origen musulmán fue bautizada en el lago de nuestro centro de conferencias. Fue algo increíble ver una familia de ese trasfondo bautizarse y profesar públicamente que Cristo es el Señor. Su apoyo en su Convención Estatal hizo esto […]
Fortalecimiento de las Iglesias Hispanas de Georgia
Hace un año exactamente uno de nuestros hijos tuvo una lesión donde tuvo que ser intervenido quirúrgicamente para reparar uno de sus ligamentos. Después de la operación, inició un proceso para afirmar su tobillo. Después de semanas de terapia y mucha oración, hoy en día a vuelto a las canchas de fútbol. Aquel proceso de […]
The Lonely Pastor: Building Community is Closer than You Might Think
We live in a world full of people who describe themselves as lonely. Recent statistics paint a picture of the loneliness of our society. Loneliness has adverse health effects equal to smoking 15 cigarettes a day 1/3 of people in marriages are lonely 35% say they have no one to turn to when they are […]
8 Useful Questions to Help You Share Your Faith
“What is your favorite dessert?” Did you get the picture of it? Did you remember how it smells or tastes, or that it was eaten at grandma’s house? Couldn’t think of anything else, could you? Columbia Business School cites neuro-science research that shows the brain can only focus on one thing at a time.[1] When […]
Talk the Spiritual Talk, Walk the Spiritual Walk
I am a very organized person. The first thing I do when returning from my gym is to lay out my workout clothes for the next day. One morning I came home from my workout and chose a pair of shorts and an Atlanta Falcons shirt for the next morning. However, my schedule changed and […]
5 Truths about Disciple Making
I recently had a chance to interview a couple of church planting experts about their experiences with making disciples while planting new churches and replanting/revitalizing dying churches. Of course, a few things were particular to the planting context; however, our conversation reminded me that many things are foundational to disciple making, whether you are a […]
Know Your Region
The Georgia Baptist Mission Board divided the state of Georgia into six regions. This allows the regional consultants to be closer to and more intentional with the churches and church leaders in those regions. It also allows for focused regional events. You can find a directory of all GBMB staff at gabaptist.org.
The Show and Tell of Evangelism
Do you remember when you were a child in elementary school and we would do show and tell? Remember that awesome moment when someone would bring in a pet for example as a part of show and tell? What I loved about this activity was it really didn’t matter what the objects were. The most […]
Engaging with Your Community Through Facebook
By Meredith Harris If you’ve led a Facebook page for your church for any length of time, you’ve probably experienced frustration at the lack of engagement on your page at one point or another. You may have felt that you’re not doing enough or posting enough to get the attention of your church family, and […]
Do you know anyone at this church down the road?
All of us, church members and pastors alike, talk about how hard it is to do evangelism in our local context. There are many reasons why it is hard and all of us have heard most of the obstacles. I want to share a simple way to open the door to sharing your faith that […]
Becoming all things to all people to save some
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:22, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some” (ESV). The Research and Development (R&D) team understands that methods of communication and marketing are constantly changing. It’s this team’s responsibility to remain aware of these shifts and support the Georgia Baptist Mission […]
Meet David Melber, Chief Operating Officer
David Melber serves as the chief operating officer, and among his duties is the responsibility of ensuring that all financial resources received through the Cooperative Program and other offerings are gratefully received, responsibility managed and correctly disbursed. Dr. Gerald Harris conducted the interview. Question: How does your background qualify you to assist in planning budgets, […]
Collegiate ministries build bridges between students, churches
By Joe Graham Georgia Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) builds bridges to the college and university campuses of Georgia. The bridges go from Georgia Baptist churches to the campus and from the campus back to the churches. A BCM is not a church – it is the ministry on campus that represents all Baptist churches in […]
Help your church prioritize evangelism
The Evangelism team exists to help churches prioritize evangelism. In Acts 19:10, Luke summarizes Paul’s ministry in Asia during his third missionary journey: “All who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus.” It is the Evangelism team’s desire for what happened in Paul’s day in Asia to become a reality in our […]
Who is the pastor’s wife?
By Mary Cox | Pastors’ Wivesmcox@gabaptist.org, 770-936-5253 Pastors’ wives in all cultures often ask themselves, “Who am I? Where do I fit in the church? What is expected of me?” We all have a cookie-cutter image of what we think a pastor’s wife should be. She should always be sweet, loving, caring to all people, […]
Conflict
By Rachel LovingoodMinistry Wife, Speaker, Author Conflict. Not something that I like or ever look forward to. Most people don’t. But it is a part of all of our lives. Especially since we are leaders. Now you may be like a few people I know who sort of thrive on conflict (and if that’s true, […]
Where do I start?
One of the great joys of being a Christian is sharing your story. The story of how you came to faith in Jesus Christ. But one of the greatest challenges as a Christian is how to begin the conversation of Christianity with friends and family that you have known for years. Recently I had a […]
4 Keys to Getting Your Groups Back on Track Post COVID-19
By Dr. Steve R. ParrGwinnett Metro Baptist Network It was just over one year ago when the pandemic became such a serious concern that businesses, schools, and churches closed down in-person experiences. At worst, people were operating from fear and at best from an abundance of caution. I don’t judge anyone regarding decision making given […]
Churches to Churches: The Church Planting Network
Working in collaboration with associational mission strategists around the state, the Georgia Baptist Mission Board is launching a new church planting network designed to meet the needs of our church planters. The demographic landscape of Georgia’s population has changed drastically over the last decade, and the percentage of lost people has increased, according to the […]
Meet Mark Marshall, Assistant Executive Director
Dr. Gerald Harris, former editor of The Christian Index, sat down with GBMB Assistant Executive Director Mark Marshall. Through Marshall’s leadership and support, the missions and ministry staff of the GBMB work in partnership with churches and associations to focus on strengthening pastors and churches. Question: What has been your experience with Georgia Baptists and […]
Goal of Georgia Baptist Women is a unified vision
Georgia Baptist churches aren’t cookie-cutter. The Georgia Baptist Convention is made up of large, medium and small churches. There are churches in urban and rural settings, brand-new church plants, established churches and so on. In the same way churches are unique, ministry to and for women is unique. Some churches have women’s ministry, some […]
Develop increased church health through discipleship
The Discipleship team’s mission is to create church health through the area of discipleship. Over the past two years, the team has launched three major initiatives to encourage pastors and create church health in the Georgia Baptist Convention. One of the farthest-reaching initiatives has been Spark, the state’s largest total-church conference. Some Georgia Baptists may […]
Next Gen strives to reach kids, teens with gospel
A fairly well-known Barna survey taken a few years ago reminds us that 76 percent of Christians accept Christ before the age of 21. It serves as a great reminder that ministry to the “Next Generation” is of the utmost importance. The Next Gen team of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board wants to help. This […]
Missions fulfills the Great Commission
A key component of church strength is its ability to fulfill the Great Commission. In Acts 1:8, Jesus outlined four geographic mission fields: Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the earth’s uttermost parts. Each church can contextualize those fields into missions activities that are local, regional, national and international in scope. The Georgia Baptist Mission Board has […]
What is the Cooperative Program?
The Cooperative Program is Southern Baptists’ unified plan of giving through which cooperating Southern Baptist churches give a percentage of their undesignated receipts in support of their respective state convention and the Southern Baptist Convention missions and ministries. It begins with you! You give yourself first to God (2 Cor. 8:5). Next, out of gratitude […]
Team encourages pastors, wives, families
A great place to begin understanding the heartbeat of Pastor Wellness is 3 John — “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul” (3 John 1:2, ESV). That is our desire for pastors, staff members and their spouses. […]
April 3in3
Pastor and church leader, I know you are busy preparing for Easter Sunday! Whether you’re meeting online, in person, or both, we appreciate the time you and your staff have given to celebrating and honoring our Savior’s resurrection. Know we are praying for you as you welcome guests and share your heart with your congregation. […]
Worship, music training available to churches
One of the most vital aspects of a local church is worship. Regardless of your expression of worship, the GBMB team is ready to help you take your next step. There are six highly trained and qualified worship leaders who can serve as a valuable resource to your worship ministry. The GBMB is blessed to […]
Hammond: Our goal is to support, resource pastors
In an interview with Dr. Gerald Harris, former editor of The Christian Index, Executive Director Thomas Hammond shares the vision of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, as well as insight on the Southern Baptist Convention. Question: What has been your greatest joy in your service to Georgia Baptists in this third year of ministry with […]