FBC Witness | Stories & News

  • Publishing Florida Baptist stories since 1884
  • Once a paid subscription, we now publish Church Stories and FBC News as we’re aware of them.
    No subscription necessary! Totally FREE.
  • We are governed by the FBSC Board of Directors

Want to submit a story? We may publish it. Have a question/suggestion?

Choose a Category

Stories

All

Stories

Father/son share co-pastor role: ‘Ready for the future’

David Moore 0
Pastor Herb Reavis and his son Josh have been working together for about 18 years at North Jacksonville Baptist…
News

Florida Baptist executive director-treasurer search team named

Margaret Colson 0
The Florida Baptist Convention has named a search team dedicated to searching for the next Executive…
News

Miami pastor murdered/suspect arrested

Margaret Colson 0
Pastor AD Lenoir, senior pastor of Westview Baptist Church in Miami since 2009, was stabbed to death on the steps…
News

State Board affirms retirement announcement of Green/adopts recommendations…

Margaret Colson 0
In the Spring 2024 meeting, the Florida Baptist State Board of Missions learned that Tommy Green, Florida Baptists’…
News

Florida Baptists’ Tommy Green announces retirement

Margaret Colson 0
Tommy Green has announced his retirement after serving Florida Baptists as executive director-treasurer since June…
Cooperative Program

God is on the move on college campuses/local churches joining the movement

Keila Diaz 0
When atheist students are open to attending a Bible study on their college campus it becomes evident that young…

Statewide

Stories

Father/son share co-pastor role: ‘Ready for the future’

David Moore 0
Pastor Herb Reavis and his son Josh have been working together for about 18 years at North Jacksonville Baptist…
Cooperative Program

God is on the move on college campuses/local churches joining the movement

Keila Diaz 0
When atheist students are open to attending a Bible study on their college campus it becomes evident that young…
Sharing

Disciple Now weekend unites churches

Brooke Mannion 0
For many churches, the annual Disciple Now weekend has become a much-anticipated retreat event for youth groups,…
News

Pastor on sabbatical plants church on Caribbean island

Jessica Pigg 0
MAARTEN—Fine white sand and turquoise waters sound like the perfect setting for rest and relaxation. But for one…
News

Haitian fellowship, Florida Baptists to open migrant center in Mexico

Baptist Press 0
Haitian Southern Baptist pastors are spearheading work to open a welcome center and two churches in Mexico to serve…
Stories

Florida church’s ongoing carnival ministry reaching thousands

Baptist Press 0
Liberty Southern Baptist Church has become a light and staple for the workers of Florida’s biggest event you’ve…

West

Sharing

Disciple Now weekend unites churches

Brooke Mannion 0
For many churches, the annual Disciple Now weekend has become a much-anticipated retreat event for youth groups,…
Children

Raising children to become adults who honor God

Brooke Mannion 0
In a culture that increasingly breeds impatience and self-centeredness and seeks to weaken the bond of families,…
Developing

Pillar Church of Crestview embraces military community

Florida Baptist 0
Military servicemembers face the brokenness of the world in a way few others do, says Noah Clifton, who is planting…
Stories

Churches, runners unite for women/unborn children

Brooke Mannion 0
Nearly 500 runners gathered in below-freezing temperatures to participate in Run for Life, an annual 5K run to…
News

Church prays for ‘God to move, and He did’

Brooke Mannion 0
A small church in a rural community, Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church in Baker baptized 56 new believers in 2023.…
News

Panhandle Churches Unite to Help after Winter Storm

Brooke Mannion 0
As a winter storm wreaked havoc throughout the Florida Panhandle in the early morning hours of Jan. 9, families…

North

Stories

Revival and unity: Faith movement ignites at Florida State University

Keila Diaz 0
Florida State University became the setting of revival and spiritual awakening following a recent evangelistic…
Developing

As network catalyst, Rafael Murillo is helping North Florida churches prepare for…

David Moore 0
Rafael Murillo wants to help pastors and churches in North Florida to be able to help and learn from one another as…
Stories

Fruit Cove Baptist expands missions outreach to all seven continents

David Moore 0
With its recent mission trip to Australia, Fruit Cove Baptist Church in North Florida has reached its goal of…
Stories

New Church Plant, The Bridge, Seeks to Unite and Serve Diverse Community

David Moore 0
When The Bridge hosted its opening celebration service in January, Pastor Charles Matlock was excited about the…
Stories

Madison’s Fellowship Baptist uses Love Loud Sunday to serve community

David Moore 0
When members of Fellowship Baptist Church in Madison hold their Love Loud Sundays, that’s exactly what they try to…
Stories

New Vietnamese Baptist Church Holds First Dental Mission

David Moore 0
A man who came to Aspire Vietnamese Baptist Church’s first dental mission to see about a filling for his tooth was…

East

Stories

Father/son share co-pastor role: ‘Ready for the future’

David Moore 0
Pastor Herb Reavis and his son Josh have been working together for about 18 years at North Jacksonville Baptist…
Expanding

Extended Family and a Church Called Refuge

Florida Baptist 0
Josh and Beth Glymph are different, but not in the way people might expect.
Stories

East Central Baptist Network celebrates first Hispanic pastors/wives retreat

Teodosia Rivera 0
Hispanic church leaders and their wives from Daytona, DeLand, Deltona, Oviedo and Sanford gathered Jan. 18-20 at…
Stories

Red Bautista del Este Central celebra el primer retiro de pastores y esposas…

Teodosia Rivera 0
Líderes de iglesias hispanas y sus esposas de Daytona, DeLand, Deltona, Oviedo y Sanford se reunieron del 18 al 20…
News

Florida Baptist Partnership with Ohio Baptists sets stage for ‘something bigger’

Teodosia Rivera 0
As Florida Baptists’ partnership with Ohio Baptists begins to take shape, leaders from both state conventions are…
Stories

Prison ministry sees more openness, needs at Christmas, chaplain says

Baptist Press 0
According to prison chaplain Paul Davis, the concepts that led to more than 85 decisions to follow Christ are not…

Central

Stories

Florida church’s ongoing carnival ministry reaching thousands

Baptist Press 0
Liberty Southern Baptist Church has become a light and staple for the workers of Florida’s biggest event you’ve…
Developing

25th anniversary Philippine International Christian Fellowship: ‘Beacon of hope…

Margaret Colson 0
In May 1998 Lito and Lilybeth Lucas moved to Lakeland with the firm belief that they were following God’s direction…
News

Florida Baptist Partnership with Ohio Baptists sets stage for ‘something bigger’

Teodosia Rivera 0
As Florida Baptists’ partnership with Ohio Baptists begins to take shape, leaders from both state conventions are…
News

Family Focus Leads Central Baptist to Serve Community

Jessica Pigg 0
Home to mangroves, lush botanical gardens, and world-renowned golf clubs is the seventh-largest city in…
Stories

Florida Baptist women serve seafarers: ‘An overseas mission field right in our…

Jessica Pigg 0
Thirteen women—from all corners of the Sunshine State—traveled from their Florida Baptist churches to the Canaveral…
Stories

Ministry leaders focus on reimagining small groups in church

Teodosia Rivera 0
Small Groups Reimagine, a shift from how we “do church” in post-pandemic church culture, was the focus of the…

Southwest

Expanding

Influx of Spanish-speaking families inspires church plant in Naples

Jessica Pigg 0
Recognizing that the tide is shifting in Naples, with more and more Spanish-speaking families moving to Florida’s…
Expanding

La entrada de familias de habla hispana inspira la plantación de iglesias en…

Jessica Pigg 0
Reconociendo que la marea está cambiando en Naples, con cada vez más familias de habla hispana mudándose a la…
Stories

Arcadia church maintains strength through two hurricanes/now ‘reaching forward’

Jessica Pigg 0
After enduring 150-mph winds and dangerous flooding from two of the most intense hurricanes to ever make landfall…
Stories

Happy Birthday Jesus Parties reach thousands of children with gospel

Jessica Pigg 0
LEHIGH ACRES—Whether it’s on the side of a mountain, in a remote village or in a neighborhood park, Misión Hispana…
Stories

Fellowship Church honors deacon for 40 years of service

Jessica Pigg 0
Pictured above: Bill coaching his 4-5 year old flag football team. IMMOKALEE— For 40 years, he has loved. He has…
Stories

‘Incredibly gracious and big God’ fuels partnerships between churches/regions

Jessica Pigg 0
The long, scenic miles across Alligator Alley could not hinder southwest Florida Baptist pastors from coming “right…

SouthEast

News

Miami pastor murdered/suspect arrested

Margaret Colson 0
Pastor AD Lenoir, senior pastor of Westview Baptist Church in Miami since 2009, was stabbed to death on the steps…
Cooperative Program

God is on the move on college campuses/local churches joining the movement

Keila Diaz 0
When atheist students are open to attending a Bible study on their college campus it becomes evident that young…
Sharing

‘Beacon of hope for community’: Radiant City Church marks third year with 13…

Keila Diaz 0
The new year at Radiant City Church in Boca Raton brought with it a wave of renewal and celebration as the…
News

Florida Baptist pastor uses cancer treatment as gospel-sharing opportunity

Jessica Pigg 0
Six-hour sessions of chemotherapy, four dozen radiation appointments and countless medical procedures. This has…
Stories

Saint Andrew Missionary Baptist Church will be ‘home’ for Christmas

Keila Diaz 0
For members of Saint Andrew Missionary Baptist Church in Miami, the Christmas song, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,”…
Stories

Revival of Union Femenil Misionera Bautista in Florida: A New Chapter Begins

Keila Diaz 1
Under the leadership of Claudia Rojas, the once-dormant Union Femenil Misionera Bautista is experiencing a…

News

News

Florida Baptist executive director-treasurer search team named

Margaret Colson 0
The Florida Baptist Convention has named a search team dedicated to searching for the next Executive…
News

Miami pastor murdered/suspect arrested

Margaret Colson 0
Pastor AD Lenoir, senior pastor of Westview Baptist Church in Miami since 2009, was stabbed to death on the steps…
News

State Board affirms retirement announcement of Green/adopts recommendations…

Margaret Colson 0
In the Spring 2024 meeting, the Florida Baptist State Board of Missions learned that Tommy Green, Florida Baptists’…
News

Florida Baptists’ Tommy Green announces retirement

Margaret Colson 0
Tommy Green has announced his retirement after serving Florida Baptists as executive director-treasurer since June…
News

Pastor on sabbatical plants church on Caribbean island

Jessica Pigg 0
MAARTEN—Fine white sand and turquoise waters sound like the perfect setting for rest and relaxation. But for one…
News

Haitian fellowship, Florida Baptists to open migrant center in Mexico

Baptist Press 0
Haitian Southern Baptist pastors are spearheading work to open a welcome center and two churches in Mexico to serve…