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Roof of Greenville Church Collapses

Upstate Church Haywood’s roof collapsed at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, Aug. 17, according to lead pastor Wayne Bray. The cause is still unknown. On Saturday, a church member was loading PowerPoint slides in preparation for the Sunday morning... Continue Reading »

Mandrell Called as Bellevue Senior Pastor

Ben Mandrell has been called to be the senior pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church. Mandrell has served as president and CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources since summer of 2019. “I cannot tell you how thankful we are for this... Continue Reading »

Don’t Bypass the Congregational Vote

Baptists must retain the historic Baptist distinctive of congregationalism, even as they recover the biblical office of pastor/elder. Conversations with two pastors in recent years alerted me to this dynamic. In each of their churches, only the pastor/elders voted... Continue Reading »

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The Necessity of Local Church Partnership

In America, we love individual accomplishment. When discussing a team sport like basketball, the chat is more likely to be about the greatest player of all time (Kareem, Michael, or LeBron?) or the best individual statistics. We pride ourselves... Continue Reading »

Churches ‘Fill the Tank’ on Baptism Sunday, But That’s Not the Whole Story

Energy infused the worship center of West Edgecomb Baptist Church in Rocky Mount as the digital timer on the screen at front counted down the minutes. The congregation had reason to celebrate on Sunday, April 27. Five were baptized.... Continue Reading »

Mt. Zion Baptist Church: A Lowcountry Church Story

By Janie Calcutt King Thirty-two years before the Civil War, and 40 years before The Baptist Courier, then published as The Working Christian newspaper, was established, Mt. Zion Baptist Church was organized in 1829. With eight charter members, a... Continue Reading »

Few Protestant Pastors Believe Their Churches Will Close Soon

Most pastors believe their churches will be around for at least another decade, but that’s not the reality for some. According to a Lifeway Research study of U.S. Protestant pastors, 94 percent believe their churches will still exist in... Continue Reading »

Lawtonville Baptists Celebrating 250 Years of Ministry

Two prior pastors — Lamar Holley, who spoke at the church’s bicentennial observance in 1975, and Van Pigate, who served in the early 1980s — brought keynote messages for Lawtonville Baptist Church’s 250th anniversary celebration March 2. During the... Continue Reading »

State of the Church: More Men Attending than Women, Volunteering Rebounding

Men have outpaced women in church attendance the past three years, reversing a longstanding trend of more women in the pews that narrowed in 2016, Barna said in its 2025 State of the Church release, created in partnership with... Continue Reading »

16 Kids Respond at School to the Good News

Sixteen children from Millbrook Elementary School, Aiken, came to know Jesus this spring. They heard the gospel from a group of Good News Club volunteers from Millbrook Baptist Church. “The response has been wonderful. The children have been great”... Continue Reading »

Church Revitalization Resources Offer Help and Hope

Columbia Metro Baptist Association’s Church Health and Resources Team Leader David Waganer sees similarities between a 2024 news story of United States astronauts unable to return to earth and the pressing dilemmas some modern churches face to effectively share... Continue Reading »

Should I Stay or Should I Go? When to Consider Finding Another Church

It is the conversation with church members every pastor dreads, but inevitably comes to every man who has shepherded a local flock: “Pastor, we need to meet with you and discuss our future at the church. We have been... Continue Reading »