Author: Jayson Larson

Latest study offers hope regarding church’s opportunity to reach ‘Nones’

PHILADELPHIA—The percentage of U.S. adults not affiliated with a religion has flatlined at 26% since 2022 after decades of growth, the American Bible Society (ABS) said in its latest release from the 2024 State of the Bible.

But the diverse group of 70 million Americans designated as ‘Nones,’ 10% of whom say they’ve made a personal commitment to Jesus, are reachable by the church, said John Plake, ABS chief innovation officer and State of the Bible editor in chief.

“One of the things that we think is really useful in ministering to people with no religious affiliation is just to recognize that they’re not against you,” Plake told Baptist Press. “And they’re not against the church, or God or the Bible. They’re in this place in between.

“It’s this liminal place in between for a lot of Americans, and that gives us hope that we can reach out to those people and we can communicate the gospel clearly and biblically.”

Researchers aren’t sure why the Nones category grew steadily in the last quarter of the 20th century, spiked three percentage points from 2021 to 2022, and now appears to be stabilizing, Plake said, but he cited a trend of American becoming less religiously brand affiliated, which ABS has documented since the late 1990s.

ABS explored Nones in the seventh chapter of its latest State of the Bible, released Oct. 10. ABS links to an audio interview with Ryan P. Burge, whose groundbreaking 2021 book “The Nones” traces public data from the General Social Survey back to 1972, when only 5% of U.S. adults said they were religiously unaffiliated.

“Dr. Ryan Burge has helped us understand that just because someone says they have no religious affiliation, that kind of doesn’t tell us enough about them,” Plake said. “They’re not all the same group of people.”

Along with the 10% of Nones who’ve accepted Jesus are 25% who are open or curious about Jesus or the Bible. Conversely, 64% of Nones are not curious about the Bible or Jesus, and 40% are hostile to the Bible.

“We’ve been concerned that this movement towards no religious affiliation would then become a further movement towards becoming atheist or people who are really opposed to the gospel,” Plake said, “and we’re not really seeing that.”

Rather, many Nones are still exploring their faith, and others will come to a place of exploration, researchers believe.

Churches can reach out to Nones by recognizing they’re receptive to the gospel at key areas in their lives, including during periods of disruption or when they’re struggling with anxiety or emotional needs.

“As a former pastor, I’m thinking, ‘OK, how can we do church in a way that reaches out to our community,’” Plake said, “’and welcomes people who might be struggling with these issues.’”

Among other characteristics of Nones:

7% read the Bible three to four times a year.

3% agree “the Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it presents,” compared to 38% of the general public.

8% say their religious faith is very important in their life today, compared to half of the general public.

40% believe the Bible was written to control or manipulate people.

State of the Bible is based on a nationally representative survey conducted for ABS by NORC at the University of Chicago, using the AmeriSpeak panel. Findings are based on 2,506 online interviews conducted in January 2024 with adults in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

This article originally appeared on Baptist Press.

State Board of Education to consider traditional curriculum offering for Texas students

AUSTIN—The Texas Education Agency, which oversees the state’s primary and secondary public education, has developed a new curriculum for students that supporters say can return public education to “rigorous academic learning.”

The curriculum is called Bluebonnet Learning (formerly TEA Open Education Resource). Last year the legislature passed House Bill 1605 into law, directing the TEA to create its own free-to-use textbooks to help teachers with planning their classes.

“The materials will … allow our students to better understand the connection of history, art, community, literature, and religion on pivotal events like the signing of the U.S. Constitution, the Civil Rights Movement, and the American Revolution,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said.

The first offering will be reading/language arts for K-5 students and will be ready by August 2025.

One prominent feature of the curriculum is the explanation of biblical content used as a source reference for certain historical events, including famous works of art and music, important to understanding the development of Western civilization. Martin Luther King Jr., for example, referred to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, from the Book of Daniel in his well-known “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” The use of biblical references has been controversial and drew critics to public hearings who expressed concern about schools “teaching religion.” The curriculum’s developers and advocates have responded that the use of biblical material is not for purposes of proselytizing.

The curriculum is optional, but a financial incentive is offered from the state for classes that use Bluebonnet Learning. It is offered free to homeschooling families, as well. Once ready for use, the material will be online in PDF form, allowing parents to see all that their children will be studying.

Cindy Asmussen, policy advisor to the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, has reviewed the proposed curriculum and is enthusiastic about the chance to turn away from radical ideology in classrooms and back to a more classical model of learning.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she told the Texan. “We have all the pieces together to get something monumental done for Texas students.”

The State Board of Education has held public hearings on the new curriculum and received comments from the public online. The board will vote regarding approval of Bluebonnet Learning during its November meeting. Asmussen strongly encourages Texans to speak with their board members in favor of its approval.

You can contact your State Board of Education member by clicking here if you’d like to share your opinion on the subject.

As SBTC DR responds to disasters on multiple fronts, ‘our greatest need is for volunteers’

SPRUCE PINE, N.C.—Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Disaster Relief volunteers on the morning of Oct. 5 headed for Spruce Pine, a historic riverfront town of 2,000 hit hard by Hurricane Helene.

The hurricane wiped out Spruce Pine’s water treatment plant, leaving sludge-filled streets, ruined businesses, and collapsed buildings in its wake.

On a normal day, the trip from the Nashville area, halfway between Texas and North Carolina, where volunteers were guests of Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief, would have taken a few hours. Instead, the journey grew to seven hours, involving travel on four interstate highways, three state highways, and multiple narrow roads as the 26-volunteer caravan—including a mass-feeding trailer, two bunkhouses, a command post, and shower and refrigeration units—motored on, greeted by the Smoky Mountains as mist rose in nearby fields and forests.

“Not long after we turned south and entered North Carolina, the lush, beautiful countryside began to be punctuated by evidence of devastation,” said Wally Leyerle, SBTC DR associate and team leader.

A blessing to see how the Lord provides

The DR team had another problem: With Spruce Pine’s water treatment facility gone, it needed bottled water delivered to the parking lot where it would set up operations off Highway 226 South.

An SBTC DR volunteer and her husband pulling a refrigeration trailer paused at a roadside rest stop shortly after learning that a vendor could not supply sufficient bottled water until the middle of the following week. As the volunteer got out of the tow vehicle, a truck driver approached. He had seen the SBTC DR logo on the refrigeration unit and asked what the couple was going to do.

“During the conversation, she mentioned our need for bottled water,” Leyerle said, adding that the truck driver thanked them for serving the community before departing in his rig.

“About 20 minutes after our volunteers arrived at the disaster site and began setting up, that truck driver showed up in an 18-wheeler, delivered 20,000 bottles of water from his employer, and left,” Leyerle said. “It’s always a blessing to see how the Lord provides.”

Pilot program

SBTC DR volunteers are following a new Southern Baptist Disaster Relief model being piloted during the Helene response. Feeding teams are preparing 3,000-5,000 meals daily in Spruce Pine, placing the hot food in clamshell containers, and handing the meals directly to survivors in a drive-through operation.

The advantages of the drive-through system are many.

“Our contacts with survivors are off the charts,” said Scottie Stice, SBTC DR director. “We ask, ‘Can we pray with you?’ If the answer is yes, the door opens for spiritual conversations. If the answer is no, we simply greet them warmly, hand them the needed meals, and they drive away. We don’t force the issue.”

Stice said many locals have tearfully thanked volunteers, sharing with them that the hot meal they received was their first in 11 days.

“God is with us. We couldn’t do this without the support of our Southern Baptist churches,” he noted, explaining the partnership also includes Send Relief and corporate entities. “Always, our primary support is Southern Baptist churches that contribute.”

Also responding to Hurricane Helene, SBTC DR feeding volunteers deployed to Live Oak, Fla., in support of the Salvation Army, where they prepared 32,201 meals distributed to survivors and first responders and nearly 800 meals for DR workers. SBTC DR volunteers provided shower and laundry service, too—contributing more than 1,900 total hours before the Live Oak deployment ended Oct. 6. An SBTC DR shower unit set up operations in Blackshear, Ga., on Oct. 8 where volunteers remain as needed.

Earlier in the month, volunteers ended a deployment to Morgan City, La., following Hurricane Francine, contributing 670 volunteer hours to complete chainsaw jobs and debris removal.

The busy hurricane season that started with Beryl in early July continues into the fall.

“We’re getting lots of opportunities to serve,” Stice said. “We just want to be the hands and feet of Jesus. … Our greatest need is for volunteers. We are short-handed in North Carolina and Georgia right now and the needs are great.”

He added that Hurricane Milton intensified to a Category 5 storm on Monday, Oct. 7, and is projected to make landfall on Wednesday, Oct. 9. Like other DR leaders, Stice said SBTC DR is monitoring the progress of the latest storm and preparing resources to assist.

To donate to Hurricane Helene relief efforts, visit sbtexas.com/disaster-relief/donate.

Florida Baptist churches, relief workers brace for yet another hurricane: ‘Everyone is getting tired’

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—As Florida Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers continue to come alongside community residents impacted by Category 4 Hurricane Helene—and with Hurricane Milton now setting its sights on Florida’s west coast—all Florida Baptists are being encouraged to join relief efforts by giving, going and praying.

Less than 12 hours after Hurricane Helene’s Sept. 26 landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region, David Coggins, FBDR director, said that volunteers began transporting and setting up equipment and resources at First Baptist Church in Perry, which is serving as the disaster relief command center. From that command center, hundreds of volunteers have been working with partners, such as The Salvation Army and Southern Baptists’ Send Relief, to provide meals, damage assessment, clean-up and recovery, and spiritual care and witness as they help community residents address immense needs in Hurricane Helene’s aftermath.

Already, FBDR volunteers have prepared 23,963 meals, completed 247 jobs in clean-up and recovery, shared the Gospel 169 times, with 10 individuals making professions of faith.

Because of Hurricane Helene’s strength and size, recovery will be a long-term effort throughout the state. Disaster relief teams will continue to serve “as long as needed,” Coggins said.

Now, less than two weeks after Helene’s landfall, Hurricane Milton, which intensified to Category 5 strength on Monday (Oct. 7), is threatening Florida’s west coast with life-threatening storm surge and strong winds. Hurricane Milton’s landfall is projected to be Wednesday (Oct. 9), and residents in the storm’s path are being urged to prepare and evacuate if possible. Disaster relief leaders are monitoring the progress of Hurricane Milton and will be prepared to respond as needed.

If Hurricane Milton makes landfall as projected, it will be a major blow to Floridians who have already experienced three hurricanes in the past 13 months: Hurricane Idalia, Aug. 30, 2023; Hurricane Debby, Aug. 1; and Hurricane Helene, Sept. 26, with all three hurricanes making landfall in Florida’s Big Bend.

Coggins understands that Florida residents are hurricane-weary, and he also knows firsthand how responders are growing fatigued in recovery efforts. Still, he said, “We stand ready to share the hope of Christ.”

Steven Ruff, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Perry, acknowledged, in an online video, that three hurricanes in Florida’s Big Bend region in 13 months “does take its toll … Fatigue has set in around here. Everyone is getting tired.”

In an online prayer, Stephen Rummage, Florida Baptists’ executive director-treasurer, prayed for churches and residents who have been “hit so hard three times in 13 months by storms,” asking God to “strengthen them when they are just worn out and stretched thin. God, give them your supernatural strength.”

This article originally appeared at flbaptist.org.

Shepherding well in the midst of a storm

We know the story: Jesus is asleep in the stern of a boat as a great storm rises. His disciples wake Him up, asking if He cares that they are perishing. So Jesus gets up, rebukes the wind, and simply says, “Peace! Be still!” The storm stops and there is great calm.

We know this story and find comfort in the power and authority of our Lord. However, I believe there is another story we know too well as shepherds: The wind and waves surrounding your life are causing you to take on water, and you may even be wondering if you are going to capsize. You, too, cry out to Jesus—knowing He cares—but the wind continues, the waves beat, and the end of the storm is not in sight.

How do we shepherd in this place—in the midst of a storm?

1. Kiss the wave

Charles Spurgeon once said, “I have learned to kiss the wave that slams me into the Rock of Ages.” What a statement! The Prince of Preachers is saying that even in an active storm, we can find the Prince of Peace. In fact, the storm itself often slams us against the Rock of Ages. James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” It is often through the storms we draw closer to the Lord. We must learn to kiss the wave.

2. Set the anchor

Hebrews 6:17-19 brings encouragement during our storms: “Because God wanted to show His unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.”

We have an anchor in the storm. We do not have to be tossed around with no security. We have something firm and secure—the hope we have in Christ. Our hope is not in our ability to weather the storm, but rather, our hope is in the fact we are heirs of the promise. Romans 8:17 adds, “and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”

3. Trust God’s providence even in a shipwreck

God never tells us the boat won’t go under. There are times in life when the storm wreaks havoc and there is a lot of damage. But even if you become lost at sea or become a castaway, we know this is not our home. Philippians 3:20 says, “Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “ … For the Lord your God is the one who will go with you; He will not leave you or abandon you.”

Always remember that God’s providence is always backed by His promises. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.” In James 1:12, James writes, “Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.” And Psalm 23:4 proclaims, “Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me.”

4. Care for those on your boat—including yourself.

In Acts 27:24, Paul is shipwrecked, but God told him, “Don’t be afraid, Paul. It is necessary for you to appear before Caesar. And indeed, God has graciously given you all those who are sailing with you.” God, in His providence, had a plan for Paul and was going to be faithful in seeing it accomplished. Paul becomes a mighty instrument used to care for those on the boat with him.

Be intentional with caring for your own health, consider your family’s health, and be mindful as you shepherd a body of believers that are affected by storms, as well. Be intentional with physical, mental, emotional, and especially spiritual health. Do not be afraid to ask for help.

3 tips to help Christian college students thrive (not just survive!)

There are many excellent articles and books written with the goal of helping Christian students survive the temptations of college life. This is important, because a recent study by Lifeway Research found that two-thirds (66%) of American young adults who attended a Protestant church regularly for at least a year as a teenager say they also dropped out for at least a year between the ages of 18 and 22.

Surviving is not enough though. In my 20 years discipling college students, I have found that casting a vision for thriving spiritually and transforming your campus is far more compelling than surviving. With that in mind, here are three tips I wish someone would have shared with me when I started college.

1. Pick your friends, pick your future

The most important piece of advice I can give you is to choose wisely who will be your closest friends. Unfortunately, most students develop their closest friendships with those who happen to be the most convenient. 1 Corinthians 15:33 gives sobering advice: “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.'” It may be easy to justify doing life with less than godly people if you have similar interests or if you connect with them on a relational level. Don’t be deceived; if Christ is not the top priority in their lives, they will not push you toward Christlikeness. “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm” (Proverbs 13:20).

That is why it is so crucial that you make plugging into a healthy collegiate ministry your top priority. Good college ministries will often host a flurry of social events the first month to help welcome new students. Make attending those events a top priority even if the particular event doesn’t spark your interest. At these events, you are likely to connect with peers who are genuinely pursuing Christ. Look for fellow believers who will take God and the Word seriously and lock arms with them.

In addition to a college ministry, joining a solid local church is essential for your spiritual life and development. Plug in deeply to a church in your college town.

2. Have fun, but act like an adult

Welcome to adulthood—now it’s time act like an adult. Don’t hear me wrong. I am a huge fan of having plenty of fun during this season of life. Especially the first few months, invest plenty of relational time with solid Christian friends who will draw you closer to Jesus. But at a certain point, staying up until 3 a.m. playing video games with your Christian friends no longer counts as “fellowship.”

I find myself often telling the young men that I disciple, “Be a serious person. Not only will this help you become who God wants you to be, it will make you more attractive to a godly woman! Just sayin’.” If you are going to grow into the person that God has called you to be, you will need to learn to embrace a life of discipline. Discipline is not legalism. Godly discipline is motivated by the grace of God in Christ and puts you in the path of God’s power.

Three of the most important areas of discipline that college students need to develop are sleep, studies, and spiritual disciplines. Sleep because I am convinced that a contributing factor toward many of the mental health issues and sinful habits students develop are partially due to unwise choices when it comes to sleep patterns. Studies because if you are a college student, part of your stewardship is to be diligent in this area. And spiritual disciplines because college is a great time to learn how to feed yourself. Don’t let anything distract you from spending unhurried time alone with God daily.

3. Your mission starts now

Sadly, many students see college as a waiting room where they can mess around, and the choices they make don’t really matter. Nothing could be further from the truth. The real world starts now. Right here, right now, you have an unprecedented chance to not just get an education but to grow deep roots in your walk with Christ and to make an eternal impact by reaching people for Christ.

Your time in college could be one of the best opportunities you ever have for personal evangelism and discipleship. Don’t waste it! The best person to reach a college student with the gospel is another student. They are waiting for you to invite them into the grand story of redemption that can transform their lives.

Think through the groups of people on campus that you are naturally a part of or could easily connect with. How could God use those existing networks of relationships to spread the love of Christ through you? Focusing your relational energy on caring, serving and sharing the gospel with a group of people who are already in community with each other can create a multiplication effect, making it easier for you to reach more people, foster community and make disciples.

What people group on campus is God calling you to engage with the gospel during your time in college? Use this Personal Ministry Impact Worksheet to help craft your strategy for reaching your peers with the gospel. Don’t wait until summer to go on a mission trip. Every day can be a mission trip if you learn to live with intentionality and bold faith. I sincerely believe that God has providentially placed you where you are to love lost people all around you.

Not all opportunities are created equal. Don’t waste your time as an insider on one of the most strategic mission fields on earth—the college campus!

SBC is a cooperative ‘force for good,’ Iorg says during installation

NASHVILLE (BP)—The Southern Baptist Convention is a diverse, cooperative “force for good” that is poised to move forward on mission, Jeff Iorg said at his installation as the eighth president of the SBC Executive Committee Sept. 16 in Nashville.

Whether in Christian youth education and discipleship, church planting and development, pastoral and ministerial preparation, evangelism, national and international missions, women’s ministry or financial giving, Southern Baptists have excelled through cooperation, Iorg said, proving his assertions with numbers.

“Southern Baptists, cooperation around God’s mission is a convictional mindset worth preserving,” Iorg said. “My willingness to serve as president of the Executive Committee rests on God’s call, my gratitude to Southern Baptists and my bedrock conviction that Southern Baptists are a force for good.”

He described himself and his wife Ann as “a product of Southern Baptists at their best,” who accepted his leadership role at the EC in appreciation for all Southern Baptists have done for the two of them.

“Southern Baptists are a compassionate, devoted, sacrificial people who obey the Great Commission in the spirit of the Great Commandment. We are on mission to share the gospel with every person and express God’s love in every context,” Iorg said at his installation at the September EC meeting.

“We believe the Bible is truth—and while we argue often over how to interpret the Bible, we are uncompromising in our commitment to it as our absolute authority.”

He pointed to a Southern Baptist “force for good” that:

Operates the largest missions sending agency, with more than 3,500 international missionaries deployed.
Operates the largest domestic church planting movement with a network of nearly 47,000 churches, and
Gave $10 billion in tithes and offerings in fiscal 2023, with more than $457 million of that forwarded to the Cooperative Program to support national and international missions.

Iorg pointed to a Southern Baptist “force for good” that:

Has 270,000 students enrolled in more than 50 Southern Baptist affiliated colleges and universities.

On a typical Sunday, has more than 4 million people gathered churches for worship and 2.5 for Bible study, and

Enjoyed more than 3,500 confessions of faith in Christ among 114,000 teenagers and children at Lifeway Christian Resources summer camps in 2024, with 1,500 of them expressing a call to ministry.

In 2023, Southern Baptists responded to disasters through the strength of 32,000 volunteers, and supported those in need globally by giving more than $43 million to Send Relief, the SBC’s international compassion ministry arm.

Through entities, state conventions, and partners, Southern Baptists provide such services as residential care for children, adoption facilitation, collegiate ministries and financial aid to widows.

Iorg implored Southern Baptists to reject the “debilitating myth” that we must be perfect in order to persuasively spread the gospel, but must instead work on our shortcomings while pursuing God’s mission.

“Spiritual maturation and missional advance are parallel, not sequential, experiences,” he said. “Our gospel integrity rests on humbly and honestly acknowledging our sins, not eliminating them before we can share the Gospel with others.

“Unbelievers are willing to receive a clear witness about Jesus from authentic, imperfect believers. When our attitude is right, unbelievers are far less judgmental of us than our critics claim.”

He defended cooperation as “the best way for thousands of autonomous churches to work toward the common good of sharing the Gospel with the entire world,” despite the process “being under attack from both external critics and internal detractors.”

Continue to cooperate, he encouraged, because it works, because the Bible says we can do more collectively than by ourselves, because it expresses unity and because while our churches are autonomous, they are not independent.

“While other denominations strain to preserve loyalty through top-down control, experience doctrinal error when power is vested in a heretical few, demand financial support through assessments, and struggle to produce leaders loyal to their movement,” Iorg said, “our cooperative efforts have excelled and expanded for more than 175 years.

“We cooperate because cooperation works—producing supernatural spiritual results which reflect God’s grace, power, and favor on our movement.”

Servanthood was the focus of the installation that included many who have been impactful in Iorg’s ministry, including Burtis Williams, who led Iorg to the Christ at a county fair 50 years ago in Texas—and 25 years later—led Iorg’s mother to Christ.

Victor Chayasirisobhon, associational missions strategist for the Orange County Baptist Association, spoke of Iorg’s commitment to service. David Johnson, executive director and state missionary of the Arizona Missionary Network of Southern Baptists, testified of Iorg’s commitment to partnerships. Neal Hughes, who led the search committee that recommended Iorg as EC president, shared the selection committee’s journey to Iorg as the candidate for the post.

Williams, today a retired pastor, prayed the dedicatory prayer.

“We thank You, Father, that You have faithfully guided him through many dangers, toils and snares,” Williams prayed, “so that at this critical time in our partnership with You, Father, we have a man to lead us who realizes and honors the Rock from which he was hewn.

“Thank You that by Your grace and his steadfast obedience, he comes to this crucial position a tested and proven vessel. And, Father, tonight with one heart, we pledge our faithful, unwavering support for him, for his dear wife and children and grandchildren and the team that he leads.

“And Father, we plead for your wisdom and grace in the days ahead for Dr. Jeff Iorg, for the Southern Baptist Convention, in the name of our Risen Savior, Amen.”

In their prayer orbit: SBTC church stays in touch with members aboard the ISS

PASADENA (BP)—Providence Baptist Church has an elder making a mockery of the term “remote work.” Over the last several months Barry Wilmore has proven that long distances shouldn’t keep one from being an active church member.

And we’re talking looooong distances. About 250 miles above your head.

To most of the world Wilmore is known as Butch, his Navy pilot call sign while flying A-7Es and F/A-18s from aircraft carriers. On June 5 he and fellow astronaut Suni Williams launched to the International Space Station aboard the Boeing Starliner. However, issues with the spacecraft’s thrusters have left the two stranded at the ISS until February.

NASA announced on Aug. 30 that Starliner would return, unmanned, on Sept. 6.

Wilmore and Williams will continue to work informally as part of the crew scheduled to return in February. In the meantime, Wilmore has reunited with fellow Providence Church member Tracy Dyson, flight engineer for Expedition 71 who has been at the ISS since April and is set to return this month.

Wilmore has been a member of Providence for 17 years, said Pastor Tommy Dahn; Dyson and her husband George, a military chaplain, joined about a year-and-a-half ago. Much of her time since then has been spent training for her current mission, but she has stayed active any way she can, including spending a church workday leading in updating the building’s wiring.

As someone who has designed, constructed and implemented electronics and hardware for the purpose of withstanding the unforgiving, impenetrable vacuum of space, it would stand to say she was qualified.

“Tracy has spent a lot of her time in Russia training to go up in the Soyuz,” said Dahn, “so we’re still getting to know her. Her dad owned an electrical company. She came in on the workday and said our wiring was in bad shape and needed to be fixed.”

Connectivity with their church home has remained. While Dyson still has her mission responsibilities, Wilmore’s unexpected stay has placed him in the role of an extra hand available to assist in areas like deferred maintenance on the ISS. And even though he may have some more downtime, twiddling thumbs is not in his nature.

“Barry doesn’t waste a minute,” Dahn said. “He’s a minister extraordinaire, a worker who cares about people and the elderly.”

Providence averages 265 in worship, so it’s crucial to have volunteers pitching in on different ministry responsibilities. It’s just a little unusual for them to do so from space.

That includes calls from the ISS to shut-ins, like the one Wilmore made to Dahn’s mother-in-law on her 93^rd birthday. After learning his stay at the ISS would be longer than expected, he signed up for the church’s newsletter. He livestreams the service and on the second Sunday at the ISS even delivered a short devotion and sang “Amazing Grace” alongside the rest of those aboard the space station.

“We had a true international choir that Sunday,” Dahn said.

Another time, Wilmore recorded a devotion for Providence’s Sunday prayer service. With a view of the world behind him as he stood in the Cupola of the ISS, it was a backdrop that literally no pastor on earth can replicate.

Dahn and church members help Wilmore’s family while he’s away. For his wife and their two daughters, though, it’s not something they aren’t used to.

“Ever since he and Deanna have been married, he was either deployed on aircraft carriers for the Navy or an astronaut,” Dahn said. “The least five years he’s been training here for the Boeing flight, but they’re accustomed to him being gone.

“Deanna is an integral part of the church and very involved in the women’s ministry and scheduling our nursery volunteers. That’s a big job and she takes care of it. We pray for them on corporate prayer nights and make sure his girls – one is in college and the other a high school senior – are doing well. When Hurricane Beryl came through I helped Deanna find a roofer for some minor damage.”

Dahn expects Wilmore to hit the ground running the first Sunday he’s back in church.

“He’s a very zealous evangelist and defender of the faith,” he said. “He’s been to the Philippines, where they love anything about space, and into Ecuador. He goes into rough prisons in Central America and has traveled along the Amazon River to share the Gospel.

“I emailed him, and Barry told me he hasn’t learned anything new about God from being in space. It has only affirmed what he already believed. God’s Word is sufficient.”

Líderes hispanos bautistas unidos en Greenville, Carolina del Sur

“Juntos somos más, juntos hacemos más”, dijo Tony Wolfe a los hispanos reunidos en la Iglesia Bautista Edward Road en Greenville, Carolina del Sur, durante su primera conferencia anual “Ministrando en la cultura de hoy”.

Mientras se reunían para recibir capacitación, oración, compañerismo y predicación de la palabra, el pastor principal de la iglesia, Evan McFarland dio la bienvenida a los líderes hispanos y sus esposas los cuales representaban a más de 50 iglesias.

“Juntos y unidos, resolveremos juntos los desacuerdo, protegeremos a las iglesias contra la falsa doctrina; ordenaremos nuestra fe y rebosaremos de gratitud; señalaremos a las personas el verdadero evangelio que los hará libres, y nos satisfacérsenos en la plenitud de Cristo nuestro Rey”, dijo Wolfe.

Como Director Ejecutivo y Tesorero de la Convención Bautista de Carolina del Sur, el Dr. Wolfe se dirigió a los asistentes en una forma bilingüe, leyó Colosenses 2:1-10 en español y alentó a los líderes hispanos a no perder, “Todos los tesoros” porque pueden ser de gran beneficio al estar juntos como un solo cuerpo en Cristo.

“Cuando nos dividimos perdemos algo especial, todos los tesoros, porque existen algunas verdades sobre Dios que sólo podemos descubrir si las descubrimos juntos”, dijo Wolfe.

“Reforzando nuestra identidad como los bautistas de Carolina del Sur, como una familia, con una misión, y a través de un esfuerzo cooperativo, espero que esta conferencia los incite a sentirse que esto es cierto”, dijo Wolfe. “Nosotros juntos somos bautistas de Carolina del Sur y cuando yo digo nosotros, me refiero también a ustedes. Y quizás, cuando usted diga, los bautista de Carolina del Sur, se refiriera a todos nosotros juntos”.

“Somos una familia y a través de este esfuerzo cooperativo, debido a sus donaciones, a su asociaciones locales, y a través del Programa Cooperativo, todos juntos, estamos enviando misioneros, plantando iglesias, levantando y capacitando líderes, y ministrando a las comunidades, en toda Carolina del Sur y en todo el mundo. Estamos haciendo más porque estamos haciendo todo esto, “Juntos”, agregó Wolfe.

Entendiendo la diversa comunidad hispana que los bautistas del sur están tratando de alcanzar, Bruno Molina, Director Ejecutivo de la Red Bautista Hispana, preguntó a los líderes: “¿Dónde está el fruto de nuestra unidad?

“Les insto a mantener la unidad de espíritu en el vínculo de la paz para que el mundo perdido vea nuestras buenas obras, glorifique a Dios, desee reconciliarse con Él y se una a las comunidades transformadoras de nuestras congregaciones”, dijo Molina.

Molina, quien ofreció entrenamientos sobre cómo alcanzar a la comunidad LBGT para Cristo, contrastó el cristianismo con el relativismo y una ofreció una Perspectiva bíblica sobre el evangelio de la prosperidad, predicó el sábado basándose en Hechos 2:41-47. El fomentó la unidad centrándose en cómo los apóstoles vivían la misma doctrina, vivían en comunión, tenían compañerismo y oraban juntos.

Molina también concluyó el evento con un concierto de oración el viernes y el sábado con un llamado donde los pastores y líderes oraron juntos y se comprometieron a colaborar entre ellos, la asociación, la convención estatal, y la Red Nacional Bautista hispana, para alcanzar juntos hispanos con el evangelio.

Wolfe y Molina también participaron en un panel de discusión donde los líderes bautistas pudieron hacer preguntas sobre temas actuales de la vida bautista, sobre los planes de la convención bautista de Carolina del Sur hacia los hispanos y cuestiones teológicas en la cultura actual.

Al Phillips, Director de Misiones y Estratega de Revitalización de Iglesias Existentes de la Asociación Bautista de Greenville, animó a los líderes a concentrarse en construir un buen nombre para Dios, dejando atrás un buen testimonio, un legado piadoso, no solo un título, y a ser intencionales al respecto. Como servidores humildes, “rieguen su testimonio con oración y cultiven un buen nombre”, dijo Phillips.

“También quiero agradecer a otros miembros de la Convención Bautista de Carolina del Sur y la Asociación Bautista de Greenville por su apoyo al ayudarnos a reunir a 50 iglesias para esta conferencia”, dijo Arnaldo Silva. El es el Estratega de alcance al pueblo hispano de la Asociación Bautista de Greenville y quien organizó el evento porque vio la necesidad de la comunidad pastoral en su área.

“Para mi esposa Shellie y para mí, fue maravilloso ver a líderes como Dr. Tony Wolfe, Dr. Bruno Molina y Dr. Al Phillips tomarse amablemente su tiempo para venir y servir a nuestra comunidad hispana de líderes en Carolina del Sur”, dijo Silva.

“Ken Owens, líder del equipo de SEND, Tim Rice, director de Asociación Misionera, y Bryan Saxon fueron de gran apoyo para en la preparación y ejecución de esta conferencia, así como Joel Thrasher, estratega de Reproducción de Nuevas Iglesias, y también Anna Richardson. Dios los usó para ministrarnos al igual que la hermana María y las damas que sirvieron la comida durante la conferencia”, agregó Silva.

Las esposas de pastores y mujeres líderes recibieron capacitación brindada por la Dr. Clara Molina, sobre la importancia de enseñar una sana doctrina, cómo navegar sus vidas como esposa de pastor y cómo permanecer conectadas mientras sirven juntas al Señor.

La conferencia también incluyó a los líderes del taller: Dr. Adán Delgado pastor de la Iglesia Betania y Director del Instituto Bíblico de Greenville, Mario Menterroza quien vino de El Salvador, y el Pastor Víctor Rodríguez de la Iglesia Park en Rocky Hill y Coordinador de las iglesias hispanas de la Red Pillar.

FBC Rockwall’s Criner named SBC Pastors’ Conference VP

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (BP)—Texas pastor Michael Criner has been named vice president of the 2025 Southern Baptist Convention Pastors’ Conference, June 8-9, in Dallas.

D.J. Horton, Pastors’ Conference president and senior pastor of Church at The Mill in Spartanburg, S.C., announced Criner’s selection in a Sept. 9 press release, noting that Criner’s leadership will be a tremendous asset to the conference.

Criner, senior pastor at First Baptist Church of Rockwall, has more than 25 years of ministry experience, serving in various ministry roles from children and youth ministry to leading multiple congregations as a senior pastor.

Historically, First Baptist Rockwall forwards roughly 18 percent of its undesignated receipts through the Cooperative Program.

The congregation is also engaged in missions work with the International Mission Board and with the North American Mission Board’s church planting initiatives across Texas.

Criner has held various roles in broader SBC life, most recently as chairman of the Committee on Nominations in 2023. He also served on the SBC Committee on Committees in 2019.

In the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, Criner has served as chairman of its Committee on Order of Business and as a member of its Sexual Abuse Advisory Committee.

“In his leadership, Criner is known for his strategic and collaborative approach, emphasizing the importance of trust and teamwork in advancing the mission of the church,” Horton said in the release. “He is deeply passionate about seeing others come to know Jesus, grow in their faith, and serve in the life of the church and beyond. His vision for ministry is centered around creating pathways for people to hear the Gospel, mature in their faith, and become active participants in sharing the gospel with the world.”

Raised in Texas, Criner became a follower of Jesus at age 7, and his spiritual foundation was built through the influence of his grandfather, Ed Hecht, who led him to Christ and discipled him during his early years. He answered the call to vocational ministry at age 12.

He and his wife Abigail, a musician and worship leader, have three children.

The theme of the 2025 SBC Pastors’ Conference is “Worth Following” from 2 Timothy, where Paul describes God’s plan for a pattern for pastors’ lives that is worth following.