Marissa Sullivan

Portland

Writer at Freelance

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Articles

‘Behind the scenes’ advocacy stood out to pastors on D.C. visit

4 days ago | baptistpress.com | Scott Barkley |Marissa Sullivan |Tom Strode |Tobin Perry

Metadata:Topic(s): ERLCFormat(s): Text ArticlesShare this post: WASHINGTON, D.C (BP) – Michael Brooks had been to the nation’s capital “about six or eight” times, all pre-COVID, before joining a group last month hosted by the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.
FIRST-PERSON: Loving the vulnerable with your actions

4 days ago | baptistpress.com | Scott Barkley |Marissa Sullivan |Tom Strode |Tobin Perry

Metadata:Series: First PersonFormat(s): Text ArticlesShare this post: Sexual assault is an epidemic in America. Per Rape & Incest National Network (RAINN), every 68 seconds an American is sexually assaulted, and every nine minutes, that victim is a child. That should get your attention! It’s horrifying. It’s evil. For me, this issue is personal. As a parent of a young man affected by developmental and intellectual disabilities, I know my son is extremely vulnerable. I wanted to learn more.
CP giving ahead of budget in May

4 days ago | baptistpress.com | Marissa Sullivan |Diana Chandler |Scott Barkley |Tom Strode

NASHVILLE (BP) – Cooperative Program giving in May was above budget for the first time since November, while year-to-date giving is still slightly below budget targets. Southern Baptists gave nearly $16.2 million in undesignated receipts last month, bringing the year-to-date total to $126,667,880.91 – 2.75 percent below the year-to-date budget of $130,250,000. Designated receipts for May were quite a bit below (47.39 percent) the same number from May 2024.
Lifeway’s 2026 VBS theme, ‘Illumination Station,’ counters confusion about Jesus with biblical clarity

4 days ago | baptistpress.com | Marissa Sullivan |Diana Chandler |Scott Barkley |Tom Strode

BRENTWOOD, Tenn — Culture claims to know about Jesus, but many people are in the dark about who He really is. Lifeway Christian Resources’ 2026 Vacation Bible School (VBS) theme – “Illumination Station: Shining a Light on Who Jesus Really Is” – prepares churches to help kids discover Jesus is the Light of the world. “I’m so excited that VBS 2026 is all about Jesus,” said Melita Thomas, VBS specialist for Lifeway. “There’s so much confusion in today’s culture about who Jesus is.
SBC Abuse Prevention relaunches with Essentials 2.0, blogs, state resources, more

4 days ago | baptistpress.com | Marissa Sullivan |Diana Chandler |Bob Smietana |Scott Barkley

Metadata:Topic(s): SBC News, Sexual AbuseFormat(s): Text ArticlesShare this post: NASHVILLE (BP) – The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee is relaunching its abuse prevention and response website with expanded resources to equip churches to create safe spaces for children and adults to worship God unhindered by abuse.
After years of crisis, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary finds its path

4 days ago | baptistpress.com | Bob Smietana |Scott Barkley |Marissa Sullivan |Tom Strode

Metadata:Topic(s): Southwestern Baptist Theological SeminaryFormat(s): Text ArticlesShare this post: FORT WORTH, Texas (RNS) — For much of the past decade, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons.
FIRST-PERSON: Great Commission direction

5 days ago | baptistpress.com | Scott Barkley |Marissa Sullivan |Tom Strode |Tobin Perry

Metadata:Series: First PersonFormat(s): Text ArticlesShare this post: Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt with permission from “A Unity of Purpose,” copyright 2025, B&H Publishing. Why should Southern Baptist churches cooperate? This is one question I ask students taking the required Baptist history class I teach.
Southern Baptists to vote on Business and Financial Plan that emphasizes trustee governance

5 days ago | baptistpress.com | Scott Barkley |Marissa Sullivan |Tom Strode |Tobin Perry

NASHVILLE (BP) — The newly proposed business and financial plan going before Southern Baptists for a vote next week aims to offer clarity while leaning on trustee governance of SBC entities, said Executive Committee President Jeff Iorg. “Those entity leaders have been involved in creating the new plan and support its adoption,” he said.
Cuba’s crackdown on Christians, other faith groups unabated, CSW finds

5 days ago | baptistpress.com | Scott Barkley |Marissa Sullivan |Tom Strode |Tobin Perry

HAVANA, Cuba (BP) – Pray for Cuba, a Baptist pastor there implored on social media.
Explainer: What Is the Prosperity Gospel?

Feb 24, 2025 | research.lifeway.com | Marissa Sullivan

Church leaders must know what the prosperity gospel is, why people may buy into it, and how to protect the church from this false teaching. By Marissa Postell SullivanAlthough few pastors hold or teach prosperity gospel beliefs, these beliefs are more prevalent among churchgoers. According to studies from Lifeway Research, not only are churchgoers more likely than pastors to hold prosperity gospel beliefs, but they are also more likely to hold these beliefs today than they were five years ago.