DALTON, Ga. — Student-led services at Salem Baptist Church resulted in 10 baptisms during the youth ministry’s first baptism service on Jan. 28.

BOGART, Ga. — As new research points to a shift in church attendance with men showing increased engagement in many age groups, Josh Smith believes the moment calls for more than celebration.

ROME, Ga. — Jefferson Milner was born into slavery on a plantation near Laurens, S.C., in 1820. When he died 75 years later in Rome, he left a legacy matched by few of any race.

ROME, Ga. — After 15 years of leadership, Don Dowless will retire as president of Shorter University at the end of the current semester in May 2026.

OMEGA, Ga. — More than 600 men, boys, and volunteers gathered Saturday evening, Feb. 8, for Beast Feast 2026 at Bethel Baptist Church, resulting in dozens of gospel decisions. The event, now in its fourth year, is a collaboration between Bethel and four other local churches as well as the Georgia Baptist Mission Board.

ATLANTA — Georgia Baptist pastors and church members gathered Feb. 5 at the Georgia Capitol to celebrate recent legislative wins, outline priorities for the year ahead, and hear from a lineup of speakers that included former Atlanta Braves playoff hero Sid Bream and WallBuilders founder David Barton.

DALTON, Ga. —The second round of Engage 6 evangelism gatherings brought together more than 400 pastors, ministry leaders, and laypeople from across Georgia for hands-on training in practical evangelism. The events are part of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board’s statewide emphasis on reaching the more than 7 million lost people in Georgia.

Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief teams, supported by volunteers from other states including Georgia, are now on the ground across north Mississippi, serving communities impacted by recent winter storms and working in challenging conditions to bring help, hope, and healing in Jesus’ name.

BAXLEY, Ga. — Despite bitterly cold temperatures outside, the atmosphere inside the sanctuary of First Baptist Church Baxley on Sunday, Feb. 1, was marked by gratitude and celebration as the church presented a $50,000 check to the International Mission Board for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. The amount is the largest international missions offering in the church’s history.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Truett McConnell University Board of Trustees on Tuesday unanimously elected Dr. Larry Lyon as the university’s ninth president during a special-called meeting at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board administration building in Alpharetta.

ATHENS, Ga. — Chad Rising, the new associational missionary strategist for the 68 churches of the Sarepta Baptist Association, expressed his hopes for the future, stating, “I want to see the Lord unite our churches. I really do believe in that philosophy, ‘We're Better Together.’ We have one body with one mission. This is my vison!”

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Recent research from Barna has highlighted a post-pandemic shift: men now report higher church attendance than women, reversing long-standing trends. This growing spiritual engagement among men is prompting the Georgia Baptist Mission Board to partner with local churches to strengthen men's discipleship and outreach efforts across the state.

WINDER, Ga. — Over the course of seven services across three campuses, Bethlehem Church celebrated 33 baptisms between Jan. 15 and 18. Senior Pastor Jason Britt says the baptisms at Bethlehem Church campuses in Winder, Hoschton, and Bishop are the result of intentional gospel conversations, prayer, and personal engagement.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Georgia Baptist Mission Board has released Gameplan for Evangelism, a new practical resource designed to help pastors lead their churches with greater clarity, confidence, and intentionality in sharing the gospel.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Henry Durand has been appointed editor of The Christian Index, assuming the role this month following more than three years of service with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board and nearly four decades in journalism, photojournalism, and newsroom leadership.

RICHMOND HILL, Ga. — More than 350 Georgia Baptist pastors and church members gathered Tuesday and Wednesday for the first round of Engage 6 evangelism sessions across the state. The events are part of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board’s evangelism emphasis to reach the more than 7 million lost people in the state. Featured speakers will address topics such as reaching every home in your mission field, evangelistic events, and more.

VALDOSTA, Ga. — More than 3,000 students and leaders gathered the first weekend of 2026 for a time of worship, teaching, and fellowship during MOVE Conference. The event is hosted annually by the Georgia Baptist Mission Board at Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Georgia Baptist Mission Board will launch its new Engage 6 initiative with regional equipping gatherings beginning January 13–14 and continuing February 2–3.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Georgia Baptists will launch into the new year with two statewide Evangelism Conferences built around a theme drawn straight from Scripture: Not Ashamed. Hosted at North Metro Baptist Church in Hoschton on Feb. 22–23 and First Baptist Church of Thomasville on March 1–2, the conferences will offer pastors, staff members, volunteers, and church leaders a weekend of preaching, training, and practical encouragement for reaching their communities with the gospel.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Georgia Baptist Mission Board has named Steven Wright as its new Southwest and Southeast Regional Evangelism Consultant, expanding the team that helps churches equip members to share the gospel in their communities.

ATLANTA — Georgia Baptists were reminded at this year’s annual meeting earlier this month that gospel witness does not begin and end in the pulpit. It also flourishes in classrooms, clinics, offices, and even on the Miss America stage.

ATLANTA – Georgia Baptist Convention president Steve Browning, lead pastor of First Baptist Alpharetta, delivered a passionate and personal challenge to messengers at this year’s annual meeting, urging them to renew their focus on reaching “everyone, everywhere” with the hope of the gospel.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – When the federal government shutdown that began in October dragged into November, food ministries across Georgia saw a sharp rise in families seeking help. With federal nutrition programs slowed and holiday demand increasing, Mission Georgia stepped in to ensure churches and associations could continue meeting needs with compassion.

The story of the Pilgrims and America’s first Thanksgiving illustrates the point that historians do not always get the facts right, or at times may choose to ignore research in lieu of a preferred narrative. The first recorded English Thanksgiving actually took place at “Berkeley 100” in Virginia in 1619, two years before the Pilgrims arrived in Massachusetts.

ATLANTA — Georgia Baptists adopted a $61.9 million budget for 2026 at the annual meeting earlier this month, continuing a strong commitment to missions and ministry as the Cooperative Program marks its 100th anniversary year.