Author: Jayson Larson

Bible engagement increases sense of calling, promotes human flourishing, study finds

PHILADELPHIA—Scripture-engaged adults are more confident of their calling or purpose in life and thereby flourish, the American Bible Society (ABS) said in its latest release from the 2026 State of the Bible.

But those who are least engaged with the Bible often continue to seek a purpose or calling well into adulthood and score lower on researchers’ flourishing scale, ABS said of findings released July 9 in the study’s fourth chapter.

Adults with the strongest sense of calling score 7.8 on the human flourishing scale of 10, compared to a score of 6.1 among those with the lowest sense of calling, and also continue to flourish through life’s challenges.

Scripture engagement makes the difference, said John Plake, ABS chief Innovation officer and State of the Bible editor-in-chief.

“People with a strong sense of calling flourish more, and Scripture is at the heart of that connection,” Plake said. “And when life is disrupted by grief, job loss, or a serious illness, people who turn to Scripture find real comfort. Many don’t just endure the hardship; they come through it even stronger.”

Scripture-engaged adults report the highest confidence levels in their sense of calling, scoring 7.4 on researchers’ 10-point scale, compared to adults who don’t engage with Scripture, who scored 5.4 out of 10.

“People in the Movable Middle—open to the Bible and often curious about it but not committed—are the most likely to say they are searching for their calling,” researchers said in Chapter 4. “The Bible offers real insight to their big questions about life, purpose, and fulfillment.”

Scripture-engaged adults also view their calling as spiritual or inspired by God, ABS said, as Scripture records many examples of spiritual callings. The vast majority, 94%, of practicing Christians view the sense of calling from at least a somewhat spiritual lens, researchers said, compared to 70% of all Americans.

Evangelicals and Historically Black Protestants outpace others in finding their life’s calling, researchers said, with Mainland Protestants, Roman Catholics, and religious Nones citing less confidence.

The 2026 State of the Bible marks the first time ABS has studied how Scripture-engagement impacts calling, pointing out that one’s calling is not always seen in spiritual terms, nor is exclusive to Christianity.

“The language itself begs a question: Who or what is calling me? Whether people believe that’s God or nature itself or their own soul, the term carries the suggestion that we are uniquely suited to perform some task that benefits others,” researchers wrote. “As Christian thinker Os Guinness put it in his book The Call, ‘Deep in our hearts, we all want to find and fulfill a purpose bigger than ourselves. Only such a larger purpose can inspire us to heights we know we could never reach on our own. For each of us, the real purpose is personal and passionate: to know what we are here to do, and why.’”

Delving into the topic, researchers relied on four questions from the Brief Calling Scale, exploring whether people had found or were still searching for their calling, and added a unique question exploring whether adults view one’s calling as spiritual.

Research findings are based on 2,649 online and phone interviews conducted Jan. 8-27, using the nationally representative AmeriSpeak panel fielded by NORC at the University of Chicago.

This article originally appeared in Baptist Press.

The weight you were never meant to carry

Anxiety has become so commonplace that many people accept it as a normal part of life. We make jokes about being chronic worriers, but fear quietly steals our joy, clouds our judgment, and distracts us from the goodness of God. Like a cancer that contaminates our spiritual blessings, hidden anguish is not a minor problem to ignore.

Every generation finds new reasons to fret. Parents fear for their children. Students stress over grades. Workers wonder whether they will keep their jobs. Retirees question whether their savings will last. Even good news often gives way to fresh concerns. Mark Twain reportedly remarked that he had lived through many terrible experiences, most of which never happened. His observation exposes the deceptive nature of anxiety. Our minds often create disasters long before reality ever arrives (Proverbs 12:25).

Jesus addressed our common struggle in the Sermon on the Mount. He cautioned us against obsessing over food, clothing, tomorrow’s uncertainties, and even the length of our lives (Matthew 6:25-34). Worry never solves a problem. Anxiety will not add one hour to our lives, remove any of our future hardships, or strengthen us for whatever today’s responsibilities might be. Instead, fear shifts our focus away from the Father’s providential care and concern.

Combatting our internal dismay begins with an honest confession. The Apostle Paul commanded believers to “be anxious for nothing” (Philippians 4:6). Though we may understand the temptation to worry, we dare not justify it as anything other unbelief. Faith insists that God reigns over every circumstance, no matter how frightening or painful. Despite our rebellious instinct to live as if reality depends upon us, we do well to admit that our prideful delusion only leads to uncertainty and panic. A sincere acknowledgement of our weakness invites God’s strength into our struggle (Psalm 55:22).

The circumstances behind Paul’s words mark his command as even more compelling. Roman authorities held him in prison while he wrote the book of Philippians. False teachers troubled the churches he dearly loved, and execution remained a looming possibility. Even so, the faithful apostle refused to surrender his heart to fear because he trusted the character of God more than the uncertainty of his future (Philippians 1:20-21).

Calling out to God functions as the next step toward lasting peace. Through the means of prayer and supplication, we are to let our requests be made known to God (Philippians 4:6). God never asks us to ignore our fears. He welcomes every burden, every question, and every concern we bring before Him. Our Savior even admonished His followers to ask, seek, and knock because our heavenly Father delights in giving good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:7-11).

Thanksgiving also transforms the way we talk to God. Gratitude reminds us of the Lord’s past faithfulness while giving us renewed strength to face whatever is ahead (Lamentations 3:22-23). Likewise, prayerful worship deepens our resolve to embrace God’s direction and will before we know the outcome of our petitions. Making specific requests sharpens our dependence upon our heavenly Father because his specific answers serve as practical expressions which reinforce the realness of our faith. All the while, our confidence grows even as our anxiety subsides.

Regardless of what the outcomes might be, God breathes life into our prayers, making them the means of supernatural peace which guards our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7). Though this holy serenity does not always remove our painful circumstances, the Lord strengthens His people in the middle of every trial (John 14:27).

Because he also understood the powerful connection between our thoughts and our emotions, Paul instructs us to dwell on whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8). Healthy thinking cultivates strategic prayer, resulting in confident living. Fear grows wherever lies dominate our minds, but joy flourishes wherever God’s truth takes root (Romans 12:2).

Seem too good to be true? Just look around. Birds never store food in barns, yet our heavenly Father feeds them every day. Wildflowers never toil or spin, yet God dresses the fields with their breathtaking colors every spring (Matthew 6:26-30). Each sunrise silently proclaims the Father’s loving care. Every blooming flower reminds us that our creator never overlooks our needs. Human beings bear God’s image, making us infinitely more valuable than any bird or flower (Genesis 1:26-28).

Every morning presents us with the same choice. We can rehearse our fears or remember God’s steadfastness. We can carry burdens that belong to the Lord or place them into His capable hands. Worry has never changed tomorrow, but trusting God changes us today (Isaiah 26:3).

GuideStone expands property & casualty insurance solutions for Texas churches

GuideStone has transitioned its property and casualty insurance solutions to an independent agency model through GuideStone Agency Services, which is operated by GuideStone. This move marks a significant step forward in expanding the scope and flexibility of its offerings in the Lone Star State.

GuideStone has provided insurance guidance and risk management support to churches and ministries for nearly 20 years. With this model, GuideStone Agency Services is now able to work with multiple property and casualty insurance carriers, allowing for greater flexibility in coverage structures and options as services expand into additional states.

“This program now allows us to evaluate coverage across more carriers and better match policies to a church’s actual needs,” said Matt Cardwell, a 30-year veteran of GuideStone who is serving as managing director of the agency.

Texas service expansion

Texas churches are among the first to benefit from the expanded property and casualty insurance model. The initial service footprint reflects current capacity and areas of strong church concentration as the agency begins serving churches in additional states.

“Churches today are navigating insurance decisions that are far more complex than they were just a few years ago,” Cardwell said. “Our role is to help leaders understand how policy structure and coverage terms affect risk.”

Looking beyond premium

As churches evaluate insurance options in a challenging market, the agency team encourages leaders to look beyond premium alone and carefully review how coverage is structured.

Some policies may appear comparable at first glance but differ significantly in how they respond at the time of a claim. Focusing solely on price can lead churches to accept provisions that may reduce the level of financial protection available when it is needed most.

For example, certain liability structures may limit coverage for claims reported years after an incident if prior acts protections are not included, particularly in areas involving serious misconduct allegations. In addition, some policies include defense costs within the liability limit, meaning legal expenses can reduce the funds available to resolve claims.

Property-related provisions can also affect outcomes. In some cases, insurers may control repair scope and pricing through managed repair provisions, which can result in settlements below full replacement expectations. Roof coverage may also be subject to separate sublimits and higher deductibles, capping recovery well below the building’s insured value.

Cardwell noted that the consultative, multi-carrier approach is designed to help churches evaluate these considerations by comparing coverage terms across carriers and aligning solutions with each church’s actual risks and financial tolerance.

“Insurance decisions made today can affect a church’s financial health for many years,” said David Puckett, GuideStone chief growth officer. “Providing clarity around risk and coverage helps church leaders protect their ministries now while planning responsibly for the future.”

Puckett and Cardwell also emphasized the importance of working with insurance professionals who understand the unique characteristics of church ministry. General-market agencies may not fully account for the complexities of church property, liability exposures and ministry activities, while specialized guidance can help ensure those factors are properly considered.

Long-term expansion plans

GuideStone’s ministry assignment from the Southern Baptist Convention includes making risk management resources available to churches nationwide. While the agency currently operates in select states, the organization plans to expand its geographic footprint over time.

“GuideStone’s work is rooted in strengthening pastors, churches and ministries so they can serve well today and prepare for tomorrow,” said Hance Dilbeck, GuideStone president. “Expanding GuideStone Agency Services is a natural extension of that responsibility—helping churches address risk thoughtfully in ways that support long-term ministry effectiveness.”

For more information, or to request a quote, visit GuideStone.org/propertycasualty.

SBTC DR Louisiana deployment brings hope and new life

MOREAUVILLE, La.—The week America turned 250, a couple in Louisiana discovered a new kind of freedom in Jesus Christ, thanks to a divine appointment with Southern Baptists of Texas Disaster Relief crews who brought help and hope to this small town in Avoyelles Parish.

Mid-June torrential rains from Tropical Storm Arthur swamped central and southern Louisiana, southeastern Mississippi, and lower Alabama, prompting Southern Baptist Disaster Relief crews to action. SBTC DR volunteers hastened to the Bayou State mere days after the deluge. Assessors, chaplains, support feeding, and incident management teams were hard at work in the field by June 25.

“It is a typical deployment doing mud out—a dirty job,” said Wally Leyerle, SBTC DR associate and incident commander at Moreauville. One job, he added, proved especially providential.

As usual, assessors visited survivors to gauge property damage and ascertain if SBTC DR recovery crews could provide assistance. A six-person team operating out of Flint Baptist Church contacted homeowners Steve and Cindy to follow through on a work request the couple had submitted. A job that would normally take two days turned into a week-long project at the home.

“It was real strange. Normally we don’t take a week to do a job like that. Normally that job would take a couple days,” said David McClung, Flint team leader. “The heat and humidity slowed us up. We also had to move things in the house. Normally, when we go in a house, there’s nothing inside. We just go in and handle the ‘bad stuff’”—soggy sheetrock, wet flooring, sodden carpet. “Here we had some extra work.”

Volunteers also found they had the homeowners working alongside them when Steve and Cindy insisted on helping.

“We usually see the homeowner at the beginning and maybe at the end,” McClung explained, noting that the couple jumped in to help by moving and packing items while crews tore off sheetrock and hauled debris and ruined flooring outside before spraying the home with anti-mold treatment.

Throughout the week, volunteers and homeowners became friends—and eventually brothers and sisters in Christ.

Motivated by the flood

SBTC DR volunteers Andie and Jack Skidmore of Bryan-College Station deployed with the Flint team. Flood response is dear to Andie’s heart, as she experienced flooding twice as a child in Houston.

“Evangelism is my passion. In DR, recovery is my favorite thing to do,” Andie said. “I had been in [the homeowners’] place before. I know what it is to have your home either destroyed or flooded and not know what to do.”

Each day, before work begins, SBTC DR teams circle up to pray with homeowners. “We can see the pain they are going through,” Andie said.

She sensed a kindred spirit in homeowner Cindy.

“If you need someone to talk to,” Andie told Cindy, turning around to reveal the word “Chaplain” emblazoned on the back of her yellow SBTC DR shirt, “I will pray with you anytime.”

“I am Catholic, you know,” Cindy replied.

“That’s OK,” Andie said. “I can pray for you.”

Throughout the week, other team members encouraged Steve and Cindy. “We loved on ’em and prayed with ’em,” McClung said.

The homeowners worked and watched, noting the respectful manner in which the DR volunteers carried their damaged household belongings outside to be hauled away. The ladies in the crew comforted Cindy with hugs and reassurances.

The homeowners also noted the cheerful demeanor of the volunteers.

“Our team is familiar with each other… We chat, laugh, have fun. People hear us and they see we are in the muck, drenched in sweat. None of us get angry with each other. None are in a bad mood,” Andie said.

By the third morning of the job, Cindy was waiting outside for the crews.

“Are we gonna pray today?” she asked. They did, and Cindy’s eagerness prompted Andie to visit with her privately.

“Have you ever asked Jesus to come into your heart?” Andie asked. Seldom had Andie been so direct, but she remembered Leyerle’s admonition that DR was about more than physical restoration.

“I don’t believe I have,” Cindy replied.

“Would you like to?” Andie asked, explaining the plan of salvation when Cindy said yes.

Afterward, Andie announced, “We have a new sister today. Welcome her,” and crews paused to cheer and hug Cindy, who implored Andie to tell her husband about salvation in Jesus as well. Clint, too, trusted Christ.

The couple was “on top of the world excited,” Andie said.

Witnessing to the homeowners was a team effort. Everyone played a part through weeklong conversation and prayer.

“Nobody was pushy,” Andie said. “It was nothing I did. It was a joint thing. We loved on them first. We prayed together as a group for them. We laughed. We cried together. … I was just an instrument the Lord used. Thank you, Jesus.”

All free

On day five, work completed, and the crew returned to the home and presented Steve and Cindy with a Bible. As is their practice, SBTC DR crews left the home cleaner than they found it, dirt removed with shop vacs. The couple could again breathe in their home, all sour smells of mold and wet carpet gone.

The homeowners found it “incredible” that the work was provided at no charge, Andie said.

It was totally free, as was their salvation in Christ Jesus.

DR crews continue to serve in Louisiana. As of mid-July, SBTC DR volunteers have contributed 2,590 volunteer hours in the deployment. They have prepared nearly 1,000 meals, made 243 emotional and spiritual care contacts, and assessed and completed almost 40 residential jobs. SBDR crews from Georgia rotated in July 7 to relieve their Texas counterparts, SBTC DR Director Scottie Stice confirmed.

Finding new life at your church through children’s ministry

You’ve most likely heard that children are the future of the church. Indeed, if there are no children, the church has no future. Many aging churches are finding themselves with only senior adults left, but they want their church to survive. A new, younger pastor might fix some things, but intentionally reaching the next generation is key to church revitalization.

Youth and student ministries have a robust history in Southern Baptist and evangelical circles, and rightly so. But, if you reach the children, eventually you will also grow a thriving youth ministry as those sweet kids grow into teenagers.

That is what happened with us. We took the long road, but we now have students in every grade.

First Baptist in Canadian, where I serve as pastor, has seen its fair share of troubles and changes, as is the case with most churches. The children’s ministry was still using programming that required many more volunteers than we had available at the time. We meant well, but we were just continuing what had always been done without being intentional.

So, we tried something I would not necessarily recommend for every church: We stopped kids programming for a year except for Sunday school. The main positive thing that came out of this was a desire of the older members to see a children’s program again. We spent the year planning our relaunch, and were able to leverage that desire to recruit volunteers when we reintroduced the program.

There is no one-size-fits-all plan, either for church revitalization or children’s ministry, but here are a few things we’ve learned along our way on this journey.

Don’t wait for a children’s minister

Pastors, if you are an average-sized church, you are the head of everything, including the children’s ministry. With this in mind, if you want a good children’s ministry, you must be willing to lead it. If you don’t know how, learn to! Pastoring isn’t just about Sunday morning preaching. Be willing to hop in the trenches and lead the kids, too. One of the roles of the pastor is to, “… equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12).

You must be willing to raise up leaders to work with the children. Eventually, it might be something you can entrust to someone else. But if God hasn’t provided a dedicated children’s minister, then right now might be the time that you must put in the work. I promise you, seeing kids come to Christ will be one of the biggest blessings you will ever have in ministry.

Have a plan

Launching or re-launching a children’s ministry without a plan is like going to milk a cow without a bucket. You can be doing something, but did you really accomplish anything? Schools carefully structure children’s time for a reason. Empty time for kids is not a good thing, so you need to provide structure from the moment they arrive to when they are picked up. Have welcome games planned that coincide with the lesson. Make sure the lesson is age-appropriate for the group of children you have. And if you can divide up your kids by grade groups, you can more specifically tailor your lessons for those specific groups.

Children’s ministry is not the place to wing it. Plan every second.

Rightsizing your program

We needed a program that would work with the children versus volunteer ratio we had. So, we adopted a structure which transitioned from a lesson by a master teacher into a small group format. Having the main lesson taught by one person meant the other volunteers just needed to ask some follow-up questions during small group time. This lower threshold of responsibility made it easier to recruit volunteers.

Our schedule was simple: free play outside in the church lawn, play a game (either inside or outside as a group), have a main lesson, small group time, a follow-up trivia game with buzzers, then closing. The opening games were relevant to the lesson of the night, and for our first year’s curriculum, we walked through the heroes of the Bible. This worked well for our small number of volunteers.

Rightsizing your ministry will be an ongoing task, especially as your ministry grows. Years later, as we have grown, we have an amazing children’s minister who teaches second through fifth grade, while a volunteer teaches pre-K through first grade. They are completely split in their own age-appropriate programming once we begin. We also have a nursery for birth through 3 years old with their own programming and volunteers. We are once again rightsizing as God keeps blessing us with more children. Growth is a wonderful problem to have and an opportunity to reassess resources and staffing to keep up with the children God brings to your ministry.

Summer is for outreach

Every summer, parents are looking for a safe place for their kids to go and have fun. Your church can be that place! Children’s summer activities are a great opportunity to reach new families your church might not have had contact with before. Here are some ideas: pizza and movie lunch, water days, trips to the community pool, trips to a trampoline park, even Vacation Bible School. These times connect you with parents, and they also give you the opportunity to get to know the kids and where they are spiritually. These families then become an easy contact point to invite on Sundays and Wednesdays, especially when you restart your midweek program in the fall.

Making the choice to focus on children’s ministry many years ago was one of the best decisions we ever made as a church. We have seen numerous young families join our church through it, but most importantly, we have seen numerous children come to faith in Jesus Christ.

Which vision pattern does your church follow?

Editor’s note: Anthony Svajda serves as pastoral ministries associate for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention and leads its Regenesis church health and renewal process. This is the second in a three-part series on healthy churches. The previous installment can be found here.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus …” — Ephesians 2:10

Vision is not measured by statements on a wall. Vision is revealed by how a church operates, evaluates ministry, and envisions the future.

Over time, four patterns of church life emerge.

1. The Easy-Going Church

This church assumes survival because it has history. Worship gathers, agendas proceed, and activities happen, but little intentional discipleship or missional focus drives anything. Programs are intermittent and poorly attended. The church exists, but it does not move.

Sundays feel familiar and comfortable. There isn’t a strong sense of spiritual momentum. Programs come and go, often with the same few people showing up. As a leader, you notice most decisions are made simply to maintain tradition rather than to move the church forward. There’s a general sense of peace, but also quiet complacency.

2. The Program-Driven Church

Success here is measured by activities. A full calendar creates the illusion of vitality. Programs continue without evaluation and often without spiritual outcomes. Vision is replaced by busyness. The calendar is full, and there’s always something to do. There’s excitement about events and programs, and people feel busy and engaged. Yet when you look deeper, ministries aren’t consistently producing spiritual growth or reaching new people.

Success is measured by attendance or completion, and when a program ends, people celebrate that it happened rather than what it accomplished. The church feels active but not necessarily moving toward a God-given purpose.

3. The Copycat Church

This church recognizes something is missing and borrows models from other churches. It implements whatever seems to be working elsewhere without regard for the congregation’s context, culture, or calling. Copycat churches are common because they know they need to change but don’t know how to discern Christ’s direction.

You notice a constant stream of new initiatives, but they often seem borrowed from other churches. When a neighboring congregation grows, or a trendy program becomes popular, your church tries to replicate it. Leadership is busy trying to keep up, and members notice the lack of originality. While everyone wants to make a difference, there’s often confusion about why the church does what it does. The church seems to be moving, but not always in the direction God has uniquely called it.

4. The Vision-Driven Church

You feel a sense of clarity and purpose in almost everything the church does. Every program, event, and ministry is evaluated against a clear, God-given vision. Leaders and members can articulate who the church is called to be and how their gifts contribute to that calling. Change is welcomed when it aligns with the mission, and ministries are refined or released to stay on track. There’s a quiet confidence that God is at work, and the church moves forward in obedience, not imitation or habit.

Vision-driven churches know who they are, why they exist, and where God is leading them. They evaluate every ministry through the lens of vision. They understand their unique calling and leverage their gifts and opportunities in obedience. To put it simply, the vision creates guardrails. It tells the church what to pursue and what to release. Instead of asking, “Did this event happen?” leaders ask, “Did this event make us more like who God has called us to be?”

Vision is not about numbers or novelty. Vision is about knowing and obeying Christ’s calling.

Five questions to discern your church’s vision pattern:

Which pattern best describes how our church currently operates: comfort, activity, imitation, or calling? Avoid answering aspirationally. Vision is revealed by daily decisions, not stated intentions.
How do we evaluate ministry success—by attendance and execution or by obedience and transformation? The metrics a church uses will reveal whether vision or busyness is truly driving it.
When change is needed, do we seek Christ’s direction through Scripture and prayer or search for a model to copy? Borrowed strategies may create movement, but only discerned vision produces faithfulness.
Can our leaders name the specific calling God has placed on this congregation in this context?  If calling cannot be articulated, programs will eventually substitute for purpose.
What ministries would we stop or reshape if we evaluated them honestly against our God-given vision? Vision-driven churches have the courage to release good things that no longer serve God’s direction.

Does your church need help developing a clear vision to experience health and renewal. Sign up for the SBTC’s Regenesis process today!

World Cup outreaches are helping churches ‘live out the gospel in very practical ways’

MANSFIELD—For many families in this fast-growing community on the southern edge of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, this week’s soccer camp at TCAL Church is about quality and value. The camp lasts five days, offers bilingual instruction, and includes training from a group of professional soccer players from Ecuador.

TCAL Church sees the camp as offering an even greater opportunity.

“We are living out the gospel in very practical ways, in ways our community needs,” said Paul Mints, TCAL’s lead pastor. “We’re getting to serve them and earning the right to be able to share the good news of Christ with them. … I think we’re most like Jesus when we’re giving or when we’re serving, and this week gives us the opportunity to do both.”

For TCAL Church, the investment—including months of planning, countless hours of preparation, and enlisting “an army of volunteers” and community sponsors—has already been well worth the return.

The timing of the camp is no accident. Many Southern Baptists of Texas Convention churches across Texas have planned similar outreaches to coincide with the FIFA World Cup, one of the world’s most popular sporting events that attracts the attention of millions of fans when it occurs every four years. This year’s World Cup is being held in North America, including matches in the Dallas and Houston areas, with millions of fans from across the globe expected to flood into those cities.

A majority of SBTC churches hosting outreaches are focusing on soccer camps and block parties, with some planning mass evangelism events and compassion-based ministry. To resource these churches, the SBTC hosted a pair of trainings in the spring and developed a gospel tract called GOAL that was made available for use by churches.

Tony Mathews, senior strategist for SBTC Missional Ministries, visited a pair of soccer camps this week and plans to drop in on more events before the World Cup ends in July. He said he is grateful for the churches and the behind-the-scenes workers who have labored to make the World Cup outreaches possible.

“I’m excited to see people fully engaged in these soccer camps, knowing the gospel will be clearly shared with them,” Mathews said. “Watching pastors connect with parents and build relationships that open doors to share Christ with entire families is a tremendous joy.”

Those connections are being made at places like TCAL. Parents of campers are thanking the church for offering the camp, and many are staying and striking up conversations with pastors and volunteers. On Thursday night (June 25), the church will host a World Cup watch party featuring more skills training, food trucks, and a gospel presentation. The gospel will be presented again on the last day of the camp the next morning.

“We just have such a heart for the community,” Mints said. “You really are the hands and feet of Jesus. We’re getting to speak the heart and love of Jesus.”

Turn meetings into ministry opportunities

Editor’s note: This column was written by a member of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention’s Shepherds Collective. For more information, visit sbtexas.com/networks/shepherds-collective.

We have all heard the dangers of “death by meeting” where those in attendance leave with information overload and exhaustion. But if you are a lead pastor blessed with a team around you, have you ever considered using your regular staff meetings for accountability and spiritual development?

Like most church staff meetings, our staff regularly discusses visitors, the calendar, ministry events, and we celebrate testimonies within various areas of the church. In addition to these regular topics, we add three rotating accountability questions:

How is your time in the Word?

Starting our meetings with this conversation is always an encouragement. Not only do we get to see how the Holy Spirit is speaking through Scripture in the lives of our brothers and sisters, we also learn from one another. When you compare the potential stress and frustration over the details of ministry to getting a glimpse into the soul life of someone serving in the trenches with you, I hope you would choose the latter every day of the week. Additionally, this serves as accountability for those on your team who may be in a spiritually dry season. We cannot pour out spiritually if we have not gone to that quiet place and been poured into during our personal time with the Lord.

Who have you shared the gospel with lately?

Our church is less than half of an hour from Texas State University in San Marcos. We make a habit of going there as a staff about three times a semester to engage in gospel conversations and exercise the evangelistic muscles the Lord is growing in all of us. If we are not careful, we can become lax in our commitment to live the mission by speaking the good news. Knowing this question is coming in staff meeting is a helpful tool to keep us on our toes. More important than the accountability piece of this question is the life-giving challenge given to the other ministry staff whenever we have good conversations to report to the team. We cannot expect our church body to regularly and boldly share the gospel if we are not leading by example.

What are your top three priorities this week?

This is an opportunity for every person to report on a meeting or project that would not be on their typical weekly to-do list. As a team, we can listen, invest, and show genuine interest in the things the Lord is doing across ministries and the relationships He is growing within the church. Speaking this list aloud with your peers adds a little extra accountability when it comes to having hard conversations with leaders, pursuing lost sheep, dealing with difficult church members, or any number of things we might avoid if we didn’t know our staff may check in later.

Many of you already have systems and processes like these to ensure your team is growing. Or you might be thinking this would take too much important time when the staff gathers. Don’t minimize the impact this can have over the course of time with your team, and don’t feel like you must ask them all every week. We like to rotate them every three weeks.

Pastor, always remember that you shepherd the whole church—including the paid and/or part-time ministry staff. They look to you for spiritual wisdom and encouragement. Give them what they are looking for.

SBC26: Messengers gather to conduct the business of the convention at annual meeting

ORLANDO—The 2026 meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention drew 11,690 messengers June 9-10. A number of noteworthy decisions were made over the course of the two-day meeting:

Convention officers

Willy Rice, pastor of Calvary Church in Clearwater, Fla., was elected president over Josh Powell of South Carolina. Joining Rice is first vice president Craig Carlisle, director of missions for the Etowah Baptist Association in Alabama; Allen Murray of Supply, N.C., who was elected second vice president; Travis Kerns of South Carolina, who will serve as recording secretary; and Don Currence of Ozark, Mo., who was re-elected registration secretary by acclamation. These officers assumed their duties at the conclusion of this year’s meeting.

Motions

Thirty messengers submitted motions from the floor. The Committee on Order of Business was tasked with disposing of the motions according to the convention’s constitution and bylaws and according to the will of the messengers. Motions dealing with the internal workings of a convention entity are automatically referred to that entity. Motions requiring study or complex consideration are referred to the Executive Committee for a report to the 2027 Annual Meeting. But the messengers can set aside those rules.

This year, messengers exercised that prerogative. Six motions calling for the formation of study committees or task forces were “postponed indefinitely” by the messengers instead of being referred. This effectively wiped those motions away. A few motions, as usual, were ruled out of order for various conflicts with the convention’s governing documents.

Only one motion submitted by messengers was scheduled for a vote during this year’s convention. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, offered an amendment to Article 3 of the convention’s constitution to “make clear that a cooperating Southern Baptist church … does not affirm, appoint, or endorse a woman serving in the office or function of a pastor/elder/overseer, specifically preaching to the assembled congregation.” Rather than referring the amendment to the Executive Committee, messengers agreed to suspend Bylaw 6 and thus began the clock on the constitutional amendment this year. Final consideration will happen at next year’s SBC Annual Meeting in Indianapolis. Opponents believed the amendment unnecessary, but it passed handily.

Executive Committee report

The Southern Baptist Executive Committee, which does the business of the convention between meetings, proposed a $186 million allocation budget to fund SBC entities for the 2026-2027 convention year. A notable change was the increase of the International Mission Board’s allocation to 51% of the budget, a $2 million increase.

The Executive Committee also brought motions for the messengers’ consideration dealing with bylaw amendments and sites for future annual meetings. All passed without amendment.

A lengthier presentation came from a disability ministries task force, which itself had multiple recommendations. Sandra Peoples, who serves as disability ministry consultant for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, proposed a recommendation that the SBC follow the SBTC’s lead in designating the second Sunday in July as “Disability Ministry Sunday.” The task force additionally suggested that Lifeway Christian Resources, the convention’s seminaries, and other SBC entities, state conventions, and local churches provide resources and expertise to serve disabled people in their communities. The full report of the task force is available here. Resources related to the SBTC’s ministry to disabled people can be accessed here.

At the recommendation of the Committee on Order of Business, David Dockery, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, was chosen to preach the convention sermon in 2027.
His alternate is Jackie Allen, pastor of Cross Church in Surprise, Ariz. The convention music leader will be Kyle Mullett of Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater, Fla.

Resolutions

Messengers approved 11 resolutions—nonbinding statements on timely issues that reflect a consensus of the messengers—in Orlando. Committee chairman Hunter Baker told the convention they received 40 resolutions. Some were declined by the committee, and some were consolidated into one of the 11 presented to messengers.

Topics in the approved resolutions were diverse. The convention expressed gratitude to the City of Orlando, and noted the 250th anniversary of the United States, also emphasizing the contributions of Baptists to the protection of religious liberty from the nation’s founding. A resolution on bivocational and volunteer pastors honored the “commitment, perseverance, humility, and gospel faithfulness demonstrated by bivocational and volunteer pastors.” A statement on assisted suicide reiterated the convention’s previous affirmations of the holiness of life, adding, “we … reject the rebranding of assisted suicide through euphemistic language that obscures the moral reality of intentionally ending human life.” On persons with disabilities and their families, messengers hoped that by “providing excellent care for those with disabilities and their families, our churches will be a faithful witness of Jesus Christ.”

Other topics included finishing well in life and ministry, immigration, the rise of anti-Semitism, the office and function of the pastor/elder/overseer, and the nature and importance of the physically gathered church.

The 2027 Southern Baptist Convention meeting will take place in Indianapolis, Ind., June 15-16.

SBC26: During convention sermon, Mesquite’s Turner urges Southern Baptists to lean into the power, presence of God

ORLANDO—In a culture awash in spiritual doubt, political upheaval, and economic fluctuation, Southern Baptists have an opportunity to change the course of history if they will embrace the presence and power of God through faithful obedience to His Word.

That was the challenge issued by Caleb Turner, senior pastor of Mesquite Friendship Baptist Church, during the convention sermon delivered Wednesday at the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting.

Turner’s message—titled, “If not you, then who?”—was rooted in Exodus 4:1-3, which recounts the moments after God commissioned Moses to announce to the Egyptian ruler Pharoah that He was about to deliver His people from hundreds of years of slavery. Moses initially responded to God’s call with fear and doubt. He had experienced failure, living for decades in self-imposed exile, having fled from Egypt after murdering a man. He was a shepherd who didn’t even own his own sheep, tending his father-in-law’s flock.

Even so, the Israelites were delivered from slavery through Moses’ obedience that was grounded in his willingness to embrace God’s presence and power. Turner indicated that Southern Baptists can experience the mighty works of God by doing the same.

His presence matters

Upon receiving God’s command, Moses asks, “Who am I that I should go to Pharoah and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” The Lord responds, “I will be with you.” That God, Turner said, is greater than any of the false gods worshipped by the Egyptians at that time, and He has authority over all of creation.

“What peace it is to know that the one who is not limited by time because He is the creator of time can look throughout the course of history and time and call our name at the appointed time so we [can] have no doubt that it is the right time,” Turner said.

Southern Baptists must rest in that truth, Turner said, even when, like Moses, it moves them beyond their comfort zones. Getting comfortable outside the presence of God will leave a void marked by the absence of His peace, comfort, and joy.

“As we move into the next season of this great convention, we must relish and hold in high esteem the presence of God,” Turner said. “Lord, we do not want to be anywhere you are not. Your presence matters.”

His power makes the difference

Turner said Moses’ first excuse in response to God’s command was, “Who am I?” His second excuse followed: “But suppose they will not listen or believe me?” In Exodus 4:2, God directs Moses’ attention to the staff in his hand and commands him to throw it on the ground, at which time it became a snake. God then commands Moses to take the snake by the tail.

The miraculous moment was significant because it showed God’s authority superseded that of Moses, but also of Pharoah—whose crown included the likeness of a snake.

“The staff in Moses’ hand had always just been a staff,” Turner said, “but when he laid it down before God, a miracle was performed. Jesus is not the only man to ever die on a cross, but it is His death that makes all the difference, and when God asks us as Southern Baptists what is in our hands, it should be our convictions that are rooted in God’s Word in one hand and the grace we received from the cross in the other hand.”

His people must be obedient

Turner said Southern Baptists must be obedient to God and faithful to His Word, even if it clashes with their cultural convictions or personal desires. For example, Turner said he did not want to be a preacher and spent three years running from God’s calling on his life.

“I’m so glad God met me in the desert of my life so that I could get the opportunity to tell a dying world that we serve a risen savior,” he said.

Turner noted that family research has revealed he is the descendant of a woman named Lucy Turner, who was enslaved in the 19^th century and died in bondage serving under the most prominent Baptist leader in the state of Georgia. In March, Caleb Turner said he preached at an evangelism conference at the invitation of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board.

That contrast—the descendant of someone who lived in bondage who now preaches the freedom Christ offers to all—is a display of God’s divine providence and power, Turner said. It happened because of his obedience to God’s call.

“I wish Lucy could have witnessed it,” said Turner, the second African American to deliver the convention sermon at the SBC Annual Meeting, following Fred Luter of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in 2001. “I wish little Lucy would have known that my father [Terry Turner] would become the first African American to serve as president of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. I wish my grandparents could bear witness to something they could never have fathomed in their lives but could only pray for and hope for their children and grandchildren.

“Before we leave from this place, we must lock arms with one another, unified in the mission God has called us to, holding fast to the words of Christ,” Turner concluded, “not for political or personal reasons, but because He came, He died, He rose, and [because] He still sits on the throne.”