By Julia Bell, Special to the Message MEMPHIS, TENN. (LBM) -- Baptist collegiate ministry leaders from across the country will gather May 1-3 for the 2024 Collegiate Summit held near Memphis, Tennessee. The equipping event is held every three years and features valuable resources, well-known guest speakers, and networking opportunities for campus ministers and church college leaders looking to enhance their ministries to students. More than 700 participants are expected at the event, organized by the Baptist Collegiate Network. Planning Team Leader Ryan Scantling says participants can expect the interactive event to “help college ministry leaders capture God’s vision for their life and ministry, while forming layers of encouragement and accountability for it.” Collegiate Summit will be held at Collierville First Baptist Church, located in a Memphis suburb. Event activities begin at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1, and conclude with a morning session on Friday, May 3. Guest speakers include Bill Elliff, Shane Pruitt, Dr. Tom Richter, Zane Pratt, and Paul Worcester. A new micro-conference for large church college ministry leaders has been added this year with breakout session topics designed to better equip these … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff JONESBORO, Ga. (LBM) – Henry Blackaby, author of “Experiencing God”, passed away Feb. 10. Blackaby, who founded Blackaby Ministries International, had battled health issues for some time. He was 88 at the time of his death. “Early this morning, our dad went to be with his Lord,” Richard Blackaby said in a statement on the Blackaby Ministries International Facebook page. “He helped countless people experience God. Now he is experiencing God in ways that surely surpass even his most cherished dreams. We were privileged to have a spiritual giant for a father. Hopefully we will honor mom and dad for the spiritual legacy they faithfully handed down to us. Funeral arrangements will be forthcoming.” According to his website, Blackaby served in several churches in California before moving to Saskatchewan, Canada, where he led Faith Baptist Church from a struggling congregation of 10 members to one that eventually planted 38 churches. During his career, he also served with the International Mission Board, North American Mission Board and Lifeway Christian Resources His experiences as pastor of Faith Baptist helped lead to the launch of the best-selling book, “Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the … [Read more...]