Baptist Press Archive

Friday, April 03, 2020

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  • Inner-city homeless ministry stretched during COVID-19
    by Diana Chandler , posted Friday, April 03, 2020 (4 years ago)

    Cornerstone photo
    DALLAS (BP) -- People who lined up for meals recently at Cornerstone Baptist Church in blighted South Dallas had not been able to shower in a month and had no place to call their own while the city of Dallas is under a shelter-in-place order.

    Moving through the line while keeping six feet apart, each received a hot meal from church volunteers wearing protective gear and then wandered back into unsanitary conditions on the streets. Read More

  • Greear, Ausberry, Chitwood, Ezell, others to join Floyd for Good Friday prayer gathering
    by Staff, posted Friday, April 03, 2020 (4 years ago)

    NASHVILLE (BP) -- Earlier this week, Ronnie Floyd, president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee, announced an SBC Good Friday Online Prayer Gathering. Today (April 3), Floyd announced the addition of SBC president J.D. Greear, former SBC president Steve Gaines, IMB president Paul Chitwood and NAMB president Kevin Ezell to the slate of guests joining Floyd for the online event. Read More

  • College ministry leaders work to continue outreach amid COVID-19 restrictions
    by Tess Schoonhoven, posted Friday, April 03, 2020 (4 years ago)

    Submitted photo
    NASHVILLE (BP) -- College ministry thrives in community. But the COVID-19 pandemic -- and the resulting social distancing policies, including bans on large gatherings and campus-wide shutdowns -- has in many ways severed traditional connections.

    In an uncertain time, college ministries are finding ways to not only maintain community despite distance, but also working to foster an increasingly encouraging environment for the future. Read More

  • CP tops $101M through six months, COVID-19 impact still unknown
    by Staff, posted Friday, April 03, 2020 (4 years ago)

    NASHVILLE (BP) -- While the financial impact of COVID-19 is still unknown, the SBC Executive Committee announced today that Cooperative Program giving in the SBC is above budget by 2.94 percent at the midpoint of the fiscal year. Contributions to SBC national and international missions and ministries totaled more than $15 million in March 2020 bringing the six-month national total to more than $101 million.

    As of March 31, gifts received by the EC for distribution through the CP Allocation Budget totaled $101,138,686.43. This exceeds last year's budget contribution of $100,736,376.81 by $402,309.62 or 0.4 percent. The amount given is above the $98,250,000.00 year-to-date budgeted projection to support Southern Baptist ministries globally and across North America by $2,888,686.43 or 2.94 percent. Read More

  • NAMB takes Who's Your One virtual in lead-up to Easter
    by Brandon Elrod, posted Friday, April 03, 2020 (4 years ago)

    NAMB photo
    ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) -- As Easter approaches, the North American Mission Board (NAMB) is encouraging Southern Baptists to share their testimonies via social media. Additionally, NAMB has plans for a virtual Who's Your One Tour event on Tuesday, April 21.

    "Most of North America is practicing social isolation," said Johnny Hunt, senior vice president of evangelism and leadership. "Yet, we know that the Gospel can and is still going out into the world. The good news about Christ's death, burial and resurrection can still change lives and bring people eternal hope, especially in these uncertain times." Read More

  • Illinois church stretches its impact with CP despite Coronavirus
    by Karen L. Willoughby, posted Friday, April 03, 2020 (4 years ago)

    Submitted photo
    NOBLE, Ill. (BP) -- Picture an old-style, white, wooden structure with a bell tower capped by a steeple, set in the middle of corn fields, alongside a cemetery. The church looks to be far from the coronavirus and yet is as affected by it as any church in America.

    But the people at Freedom Baptist Church, organized by 10 people in 1852 who wanted freedom to worship according to God's Word in what was then a heavily Roman Catholic area, are not discouraged. Read More