Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee addresses the 2026 National Prayer Breakfast Feb. 5. – BP Photo

WASHINGTON – Attendees at the 74^th annual National Prayer Breakfast in Washington Feb. 5 heard a moving address on persevering through tragedy and remembering the brevity of life from keynote speaker Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee.

Lee’s address followed brief remarks from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who both spoke of God’s sovereign hand on the nation.

President Donald Trump also gave a long, seemingly off-the-cuff speech in which he called out political enemies but also spoke of the nation’s religious heritage and his efforts to secure religious liberty in the U.S. and around the world. [Read more…]

Rick Lance – Photo by Travis Frontz/The Alabama Baptist

PRATTVILLE, Ala. – After nearly three decades, Rick Lance has announced he will retire as executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM). Lance has held the post for 28 years and is currently the longest-serving state executive in the Southern Baptist Convention.

He announced retirement plans for early next year during the Feb. 3 meeting of the organization’s trustees. [Read more…]

NASHVILLE (BP) – South Carolina pastor Josh Powell will be nominated for SBC president at the 2026 SBC Annual Meeting in Orlando.

Tennessee pastor Jay Hardwick told Baptist Press that he intends to nominate Powell this summer.

“I’ve known Josh as a close friend for 30 years and the word I use to describe his character and relationship with God over these 30 years is consistent,’” Hardwick said.

Powell is the lead pastor of Taylors First Baptist Church in South Carolina. He has served the church since 2021. [Read more…]

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — If discipleship were a test, the average churchgoer would pass – but not by much.

In the second half of the State of Discipleship study, Lifeway Research studied churchgoers’ levels of discipleship by asking dozens of questions related to Christian doctrine and practice. Analysis of their answers reveals eight characteristics that are consistently present in the lives of believers who are progressing in their spiritual maturity.

Churchgoers were given a score from 0-100 overall for each of the eight characteristics of discipleship. The average total score is 68.1, with some factors topping near 80 while others languish in the 50s.

Pastors recognize the need for improvement among those attending their churches. Earlier, as part of the State of Discipleship study, Lifeway Research asked U.S. Protestant pastors their perspectives on helping their congregants grow in their faith. Half of pastors (52 percent) are satisfied with discipleship and spiritual formation in their churches, but only 8 percent strongly agree. [Read more…]

Ice and snow cover trees and homes alike in Middle Tennessee, just one of the regions facing the recent winter storm. – Photo by Zoe Watkins

NASHVILLE (BP) – A storm system that has moved across much of the U.S. is wreaking havoc on millions as snow, sleet and freezing rain are leaving many without electricity and unable to travel.

Send Relief is currently working with Baptist state disaster relief teams to assess needs and availability.

“Every affected state has teams on standby for response with some teams already in response, but hazardous road conditions may delay SBDR teams in some areas in their ability to deploy,” Coy Webb, crisis response director for Send Relief told Baptist Press. [Read more…]

Photo from Cities Church Instagram page

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Leaders in the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention have denounced the disruption of a “peaceful worship service” at Cities Church in St. Paul on Sunday, Jan. 18.

In statement released by the convention on Jan. 19, Trey Turner, executive director of the MWBC, said the interruption of worship services at Cities Church by 30–40 activists who forcibly entered the church is a breach of Minnesota State Statute 609.28. The statement observed the group interrupted the service to “denounce the federal government’s immigration enforcement.”

David Easterwood, one of the church’s staff pastors, serves as a field office director for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). [Read more…]

These worshippers were among 24 to 30 kidnapped Dec. 14, 2025, in Kogi State. They were released in mid January in poor physical condition after the payment of an approximate $8,000 ransom, CSW reported. Six remained captive. Three died in captivity. – CSW photo

KADUNA STATE, Nigeria (BP) – Nearly 175 worshippers were abducted Jan. 18 from three churches in Kaduna State in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, Christian advocacy groups reported, after at least 35 were killed in separate attacks on villages in the Middle Belt and eastern Nigeria.

Approximately 163-167 Christians remained captive today, Jan. 20, according to reports from CSW and International Christian Concern, with witnesses and others attributing the abductions to bandits and Fulani militants, although no group has claimed responsibility.

Fulani herdsmen are blamed for killing at least 12 Christians in various attacks in several Plateau State villages Jan. 1-9, killing 13 Christians in several attacks in Benue State Jan. 5-12, and 10 Christians in four villages in Taraba State in eastern Nigeria Jan. 10, Christian Daily International-Morning Star News (CDI-Morning Star) said in three separate reports. [Read more…]