News Articles by Paul Chitwood

RICHMOND, Va. (BP) – I recently had the privilege of preaching at First Baptist Church of Murray, Ky., in conjunction with the celebration of the church’s 175th anniversary. One of the many unique aspects of this historic church is the fact that the Cooperative Program was birthed at First Murray where, in 1900, Pastor H. Boyce Taylor led the church to adopt a unified budget plan to provide more resources for mission work.

Dear Church Family, It’s been a difficult year and, we’d all agree, it still is. That’s as true for our Southern Baptist overseas missionaries as it is for the rest of us.

The 2020 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goal is $175 million. That number is significant because 2020 marks the 175th anniversary of Southern Baptists sending workers to the nations.

“Is winning everything?” I asked. “No. But winning is important. If you don’t win, they fire you,” replied Coach Bowden.

Paul Chitwood explores the vision laid out in Revelation 7:9 and urges young adults to make the vision their own and get involved in seeing it fulfilled.

A letter of encouragement from IMB President Paul Chitwood.

Paul Chitwood relays a message he received from a missionary reflecting the broad scope of Southern Baptists' work supported by the Cooperative Program.

International Mission Board President Paul Chitwood highlights the broad scope of work by state Baptist conventions.

VENEZUELA (BP) -- With tears streaming down her face, an elderly woman stood before me half way across the Simon Bolivar International Bridge between Colombia and Venezuela. She was one of thousands to cross the bridge on foot that day. Most carried food, medicine, and other essential items. They came to Colombia to secure whatever they could carry in their hands or on their backs before making the long journey back home. Others had no plans to return. Instead, they were already miles deep in the Colombian mountains with hopes of making their way to other South American countries. They had heard there were places where refugees are welcome, jobs are available, and a better life awaits.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (BP) -- Standing on the observation deck of the tallest building in Africa and looking out across the sprawling city below, I was powerfully reminded of the eternal importance of the cooperative mission work of Southern Baptists. Johannesburg, the city that was below me, is among the world's 50 largest cities. It is home to immigrants from 32 of the 50 nations on the World Watch List, indicating where religious persecution is most severe.