Southern Baptist Texan

1 week ago | texanonline.net | Scott Barkley |Jayson Larson

PASADENA, Texas (BP)—Barry Wilmore attended his first elders meeting in nearly a year at Providence Baptist Church on April 10. His absence was understandable. Wilmore, known by many as “Butch,” had an unexpected extended stay at the International Space Station after the Boeing Starliner carrying himself and fellow astronaut Suni Williams developed issues docking with the ISS. Their plight and return home last month became worldwide news.

1 week ago | texanonline.net | Aaron Earls |Emily Hall

Most pastors are expecting one of their largest crowds on Easter, but those expectations have tempered some in the past decade. The three highest-attendance Sundays for pastors—Easter, Christmas and Mother’s Day—have remained the same since 2011, but each is now less likely to be among the top days, according to a Lifeway Research study of U.S. Protestant pastors.

2 weeks ago | texanonline.net | Karen L. Willoughby |Jayson Larson

Executive pastors and administrators are often called to do a little bit of everything, from managing church staff and overseeing day-to-day finances to meeting the HVAC tech at the building on Saturday night to ensure the building is climate-controlled by Sunday morning. It’s a challenging calling that can often leave its servants feeling worn out and disconnected.

3 weeks ago | texanonline.net | Jane Rodgers |Karen L. Willoughby |Jayson Larson

Many of us have experienced it: the unexpected blessing when someone ahead of you in the drive-thru pays for your coffee or an unknown benefactor covers the cost of your restaurant meal. Unexpected blessings. Random acts of kindness. Since 1995, the U.S. has celebrated a national Random Acts of Kindness Day on Feb. 17. Today, churches are finding that acts of kindness need not be random at all, but rather, intentional acts to share the love of Christ.

3 weeks ago | texanonline.net | Erin Roach |Karen L. Willoughby |Jayson Larson

Heights Baptist Church is energized to grow the kingdom of God rather than focusing on growing its own congregation. Its pastor, Lee Peoples, says any church, no matter its size or resources, can help start a new church to reach the unreached. “In the book of Acts, you often see the kingdom growing by multiplication, not just addition,” Peoples said. “The blessing has always been as we have sent people out, we turn around and reach new people.