Brian Koonce

KANSAS CITY (BP) – Most preachers wouldn’t dare to tackle writing a sermon and a hymn for their congregation, but that was par for the course for Pastor John and his peers. On New Year’s 1773, he was preaching through 1 Chronicles 17, expositing God’s promise to David.

BRIDGETON, Mo. (BP) -- Religious liberty can seem an abstract concept, but consider Kevin. Kevin is one of more than 13,000 children in Missouri's foster care system. Kevin has been waiting for adoption since he was 6. That was 10 years ago. Back in December, Kevin appeared on KOLR Channel 10 in Springfield, Mo. In a weekly segment, the station features foster kids like Kevin, who are in search of a home and forever family.

BIRMINGHAM. Ala. (BP) -- The Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting drew 8,183 messengers to Birmingham, Ala., June 11-12, outgoing SBC registration secretary Don Currence said in releasing the unofficial total. Official attendance numbers will be released later in June, Currence, of First Baptist Church in Ozark, Mo., said.

DALLAS (BP) -- The Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting drew 9,637 messengers to Dallas June 12-13. The unofficial total is nearly double last year's 5,015 messengers in Phoenix, topping that total by 11 a.m. the day before the meeting even began. When registered guests, exhibitors and others are included, the count of those at the SBC annual meeting rose to approximately 15,000, according to the convention manager.

DALLAS (BP) -- Messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention proposed 20 motions during two 15-minute scheduled segments of the 2018 annual meeting in Dallas June 12. Messengers debated then defeated June 13 a motion by Tom Hatley of Immanuel Baptist Church in Rogers, Ark., that messengers dismiss Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's trustee Executive Committee. The debate included comments from two current SWBTS trustees, a former convention president and a laywoman.

The Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting drew 5,018 messengers to Phoenix June 13-14, according to a not-yet-official count. When registered guests, exhibitors and others are added, the number of those at the SBC annual meeting rose to 9,318.

ST. LOUIS (BP) -- The Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting drew 7,321 messengers to St. Louis June 14-15 from the nation's 46,000-plus Southern Baptist churches. The unofficial total is 35 percent above last year's 5,407 messengers in Columbus, Ohio. When registered guests, exhibitors and others are included, the count of those at the SBC annual meeting rose to 11,581 as of Wednesday morning.

Dale Mitchell took the mound in front of 40,085 roaring fans for the defending American League Champion Kansas City Royals' home opener against the Chicago White Sox. His cap pulled low, Mitchell cocked his arm and let his pitch fly. At age 90, Mitchell had the honor of throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. A former high school second baseman, Mitchell and a grandson practiced the pitch on Easter and the next day it was Royals' star third baseman Mike Moustakas on the receiving end.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (BP) -- The Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting drew 5,406 messengers to Columbus June 16-17 from the nation's 46,000-plus Southern Baptist churches. The unofficial total is a 2 percent rise from last year's 5,295 messengers in Baltimore. SBC registration secretary Jim Wells said the results were slightly below his pre-annual meeting guess, but good nonetheless, especially from Ohio.

Even with a new rifle and scope, Missouri writer Brian Koonce was missing the mark with his Remington. Where did he go wrong?