WASHINGTON (BP) – Prayer for America's leaders and reports of a pastors' meeting with Vice President Mike Pence were among the components of worship in some Southern Baptist churches April 15. The prayer times and reports followed an April 11 meeting involving Pence and several dozen pastors and their wives in Washington for the Mega Metro Conference, an annual gathering for pastors of Southern Baptist churches with average worship attendance of at least 3,000 or average Sunday School … [Read more...]
‘I Can Only Imagine’ film still strong in 4th week
LOS ANGELES (BP) -- The MercyMe faith biopic "I Can Only Imagine" continues to draw strong audiences nearly a month after its debut, grossing $68.5 million and gaining 1,200 more theater screens. Featuring the story behind MercyMe's crossover megahit of the same name, I Can Only Imagine placed sixth at the box office in its fourth weekend April 6-8, earning nearly $8 million and showing in 246 more theaters over the previous weekend, Box Office Mojo reported. Roadside Attractions' … [Read more...]
‘Shorty’ the church bus: An unlikely evangelism tool
MUSKOGEE, Okla. (BP) -- Many churches now operate a bus ministry which usually involves transportation of members and visitors from the church to their home and vice versa. However, Timothy Baptist Church in Muskogee, Okla., has an interesting bus ministry that takes the church into the community. "Shorty is a small, old school bus that I kind of had the idea for and shared it with some people in the church," said Kelly Payne, the church's pastor. "The idea was to find a bus that we … [Read more...]
Social-media coaching available from LifeWay
NASHVILLE (BP) – LifeWay Christian Resources recently launched an online coaching service to help Christians manage social media and other digital platforms from a biblical perspective. This subscription-based service, known as LifeWay Social, is designed for churches, nonprofits and individuals who want to discover more effective ways of using social media to grow God’s kingdom. Chris Martin, author development specialist for LifeWay, sees social media as more than just a means to … [Read more...]
Collegians in NYC witness ‘the sadness, the lostness’
NEW YORK CITY (BP) -- Reagan Grisham said she's visited nine countries in her lifetime and left a piece of her heart in each one. But when she landed in New York City for Passport New York, she said God did something unexpected -- He gathered all of those pieces up. "I thought it would be just another short-term trip," said Grisham, a senior at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas. "But it turned out to be life-changing. There are people here from all of those countries that I … [Read more...]
Federal court: Do not enforce ‘contraceptive mandate’
DALLAS (GuideStone) – An Oklahoma federal court issued a permanent injunction March 15, prohibiting the federal government from enforcing the contraceptive mandate issued by the Obama Administration in 2013. The mandate, issued under the Affordable Care Act, would have forced certain ministries to provide abortion-causing drugs or devices or face potentially crippling fines. The permanent injunction protects the plaintiffs in the case — Reaching Souls International, an Oklahoma … [Read more...]
‘Paul’ movie sticks to Scripture, but lacks his energy
JEFFERSON CITY – “Paul: Apostle of Christ” is tastefully acted, nuanced, possesses decent production values and – most crucially – is biblically sound. That right there sets it up to be better than most “Bible” or “Christian” movies these days. I’m just not sure that makes it a good movie. The movie covers Paul’s last days while he is a prisoner in Rome. Played by British actor James Faulkner (“Downton Abbey”), he is tired and near the end of his life and ministry. Yet, he remains … [Read more...]
FBC Sutherland Springs launches building project
SAN ANTONIO — First Baptist Church Sutherland Springs, the Southern Baptist congregation whose members were targeted by a gunman last November in what became one of the worst mass shootings in US history, will begin construction of a new worship center and education building beginning in May. Plans were announced Tues., March 27, by Frank Pomeroy, the church’s pastor. The North American Mission Board (NAMB) will accept donations for the project. If donations do not cover all of the … [Read more...]
‘Flywheel’ began Kendrick brothers’ filmmaking ascent
ALBANY, Ga. (BP) -- Evangelicals were introduced to a new level of faith-based filmmaking 15 years ago when brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick released "Flywheel," a $20,000-budget film using church members as the cast and production crew to convey biblical truth. "We're just amazed at what the Lord's done with it," Alex Kendrick told Baptist Press. The brothers, who served on staff at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga., went on to produce "Facing the Giants," "Fireproof," … [Read more...]
Danny Wood to be SBC Pastors’ Conf. nominee
DALLAS (BP) -- Danny Wood, pastor of Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., will be nominated for president of the Southern Baptist Convention Pastors' Conference, according to an announcement by Texas pastor Gregg Matte. Matte, pastor of Houston's First Baptist Church, told Baptist Press today (March 7) Wood "has shined with integrity, love and wisdom" through more than 20 years at his current pastorate. "With the Pastors' Conference and Southern Baptist Convention being … [Read more...]
REVIEW: ‘I Can Only Imagine’ shatters expectations
I Can Only Imagine, which opened March 16th, will shatter expectations of inferior Christian filmmaking and may be considered the new standard for Christian movies. The film, based on the true story behind MercyMe’s double platinum hit, features solid cinematography, a talented cast, and a story filled with humor, romance, and redemption. The movie follows the life of Bart Millard (J. Michael Finley), the lead singer of MercyMe. Full disclosure: J. Michael Finley is a friend from high … [Read more...]
Appalachian pastor’s 54 years of ‘enduring ministry’
PIPPA PASSES, Ky. (BP) -- At a time when the tenures of most pastors is measured in single digits, Lawrence Baldridge is an anomaly, having served Caney Baptist Church in the heart of Appalachia for 54 years. "It's been an interesting journey," the 81-year-old pastor said, recounting stories from his years ministering daily to communities in Kentucky's mountain region. "Ministry here, I think, is more personal. The people are real. If they like you, they will tell you. If they don't like … [Read more...]
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