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What the Church Needs to Know About Teens Turning to AI Companions

A growing number of teenagers are turning to artificial intelligence for friendship, according to a new national survey and an Associated Press article that has stirred conversations among parents, educators, and faith leaders. A Common Sense Media survey released... Continue Reading »

Spiritual Formation in the Age of the Algorithm

We are shaped and formed by our loves and affections. They inform what we think is important and what we value. As Augustine reminds us, our loves drive us toward a trajectory of worship.1 We worship what we love,... Continue Reading »

Hope for the Violence That Plagues Us

The last few days have reminded us, once again, of the frailty of human life in the face of the human capacity to inflict sudden, deadly violence upon other people. The tragic death of Charlie Kirk yesterday came upon... Continue Reading »

Every member matters in the goal of ministry

Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt from “Every Member Matters” by Matthew Capps and Josh Wredberg, releasing Sept. 2, 2025, from B&H Publishing Group. “To equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body... Continue Reading »

Back to School: Sumter Pastor Says Teachers Need Prayer Support

In 1962, the Supreme Court struck down government-mandated prayer in public schools. This ruling led many to believe that it was forbidden to pray in school. Not so. As one bumper sticker stated, “As long as there are students... Continue Reading »

Guest Commentary: Why Concerned Southern Baptists Should Stay

In the weeks leading up to the 2025 Southern Baptist Convention, calls for greater financial transparency, drastic changes in the direction and leadership of the ERLC, as well as the adoption of the Law Amendment were building momentum. Numerous... 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 »

Welcome to Dallas: City of History, Family Fun

Welcome to our hometown of Dallas. GuideStone, the only one of the historic boards of the Southern Baptist Convention based west of the Mississippi River, has grown up alongside the city. In 1918, when Southern Baptists selected Dallas as... Continue Reading »

How the Church Cares for the Soul: The Importance of Acknowledging our Mental Health

Psalm 121:1–2: “I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (CSB). I watched my mom, lovingly called “Bola,” take her last breath... Continue Reading »

‘Male and Female He Made Them’: God’s Glorious Design for Men and Women

Editors’ note: The following article is an adapted excerpt from Andrew T. Walker’s 2022 book, God and the Transgender Debate: What Does the Bible Actually Say about Gender Identity? (Good Book Company). Imagine yourself on a tour of an... Continue Reading »

Guest Viewpoint: Re-Litigating the Law Amendment

Do Southern Baptists believe women can be pastors? Recent inaction by the SBC’s Credentials Committee has left this an open question. But this month in Dallas, Southern Baptists will have another opportunity to answer definitively. Pastor Juan Sanchez announced... Continue Reading »

Once a Journeyman, Always a Journeyman

By Nancy Lyons Thomas When I started my third year of teaching history at Poynor Junior High in Florence, S.C., following graduation from Furman University in 1962, I could not have imagined that I would start the 1965 school... Continue Reading »