Polly House

NASHVILLE (BP) -- Kids will become special agents during LifeWay’s Vacation Bible School 2014 as they collect and log evidence about Jesus for “Agency D3” and its mission to “Discover. Decide. Defend.”

NASHVILLE (BP) -- A documentary about the impact of "Experiencing God" -- a discipleship study that influenced a generation -- is the first release of LifeWay Films. "Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God" by Henry Blackaby and Claude King has touched and changed millions of lives and thousands of churches worldwide since its release in 1990. The workbook has sold more than 7 million copies, is available in more than 45 languages and has been used in almost every denomination. Experiencing God has spawned dozens of other books and tools including the newly released "Experiencing God at Home" book and curriculum, "Your Church Experiencing God Together," "The Man God Uses," "Fresh Encounter" and the "Experiencing God Musical."

NASHVILLE (BP) -- When Shane Garrison was a little boy, the chasm between his non-Christian home and the local Baptist church was just too wide to cross. But, one summer, Vacation Bible School became his bridge. "I grew up in a home where no one had any association with God or Jesus or a church," Garrison said. "It was just never talked about at all. I knew there was a church in town, but I didn't think it was someplace I could go. It was for other people. But one summer, VBS became a bridge ... a way for me to get from my house to the church." Garrison, assistant professor of educational ministries at Campbellsville University, was the keynote speaker at LifeWay's 2013 VBS Preview events this winter. LifeWay hosted more than 3,500 VBS leaders at events in Fort Worth, Texas; Nashville, Tenn.; Kissimmee, Fla.; and at LifeWay's Ridgecrest (N.C.) Conference Center. VBS leaders attending the preview events will return to their states and associations to train thousands of local church leaders. Every year more than 25,000 churches host VBS, enrolling nearly 3 million children and adults, resulting in an average of more than 80,000 professions of faith in Christ. Leaders learned about the Colossal Coaster World-themed VBS taken from 2 Timothy 1:7: "For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment." The curriculum will challenge kids to face their fears and trust God on the roller coaster of life. Breakout sessions at the preview events emphasized decorations, music, crafts, age-group teaching, outreach and follow-up. Participants were encouraged to make VBS an evangelistic event to reach unchurched children in their communities. Garrison told attendees there are three categories of kids in their towns: 1. Children of believing parents. These kids are growing up in a home where both parents know about Christ, have accepted Him as their Savior and are interested in the children learning about Him. The parents attend church at least semi-regularly, he said, and they probably say a blessing before meals. They teach their children about faith and expose them to the Gospel.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) — Pastors, do you know what your ministry assistant wishes you knew? Lana Rose knows. Ministry assistants have told her. “Most churches have fewer than 200 members,” said Rose, ministry assistant (MA) specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Convention who leads MA training events for LifeWay Christian Resources. “These churches usually have one […]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- LifeWay will use an amusement park theme for its 2013 Vacation Bible School resources -- “Colossal Coaster World: Facing Fear, Trusting God.”

LEXINGTON, Ky. (BP) -- Harley Cannon, being blind, doesn't read music. But that doesn't stop him from playing a crazy clavichord or a mean trumpet. "That Harley is a piece of work, a talented musician," said Mike Hoover, minister of music at North View Baptist Church in Lexington, Ky. "Not only does he play keyboards and trumpet, but he sings too." Hoover and Cannon have been the worship-leading team at North View for nearly five years -- in a match made in digital heaven. Hoover uses the Worship Project on LifeWayWorship.com to coordinate all the music for the church. LifeWayWorship.com is a set of resources designed to provide the tools worship leaders need to create a rich and full worship experience for their churches. LifeWay Worship is a department of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Hoover, unlike most ministers of music, is quick to admit that he, too, doesn't read music. "No, not at all," he said with a chuckle. "I've depended on technology to help me do worship planning since the days of the 'Celebrate Jesus' book with split tracks!" Being bivocational, Hoover doesn't have a lot of time for planning. He spends his mornings and afternoons driving a school bus route, working at the school bus garage in between. Hoover and Cannon learned to use LifeWayWorship.com to quickly and seamlessly create an order of worship that both of them can follow. Hoover prepares the order of worship on Monday and Tuesday nights.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- Much like Peter's rooftop vision experience, author and evangelist Dennis Pethers says a clearer understanding of God's vision for a city and people can be found from a rooftop overview.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- Fifteen hundred moms show up in a big room with no infants, toddlers, tweens or teens. What do they do?

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) – Straight-talking Jackie Kendall tells moms, "Don't let your daughter marry a bozo." Kendall didn't hold back from telling moms they have a responsibility to keep their girls safe from predatory guys, in speaking to a room full of women this fall.

GLORIETA, N.M. (BP) -- The needs of a hurting world -- and transformational missions opportunities to meet those needs -- were set before 2,000-plus students during Collegiate Week at LifeWay Glorieta Conference Center near Santa Fe, N.M.