News

They’re Canceling Christmas! What?

A couple of years ago we started to hear rumblings. It was not that long after we published our Good News, October 2019 issue when we featured the First Baptist Fort Lauderdale “The Fort Lauderdale CHRISTMAS PAGEANT” as our front cover feature along with my companion column when I mentioned attending my first, First Baptist pageant in 2005, the first of many years of hosting my friends.  You can read about that here. digital.goodnewsfl.org/2019/October/4/ At that point the Christmas Pageant was returning for the 36th consecutive year. A colossal extravaganza.  First Baptist Fort Lauderdale had a new Lead Pastor, James Welch, and rumblings […]

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Lead Pastor Resigns at First Baptist Fort Lauderdale

Lead Pastor James Welch preached his last sermon at First Baptist Fort Lauderdale on March 5th, announcing his “desire to pursue other interests.” Welch has served at the church since 2019 and has made some controversial decisions including the cancellation of the popular Christmas pageant and a real estate sale. Disagreements led to a lawsuit between former congregants and church leadership. The church also had its membership in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) suspended in October, pending review of its use of resources. Trustees addressed the congregation on Sunday, March 12, saying Welch, “has been a strong leader” […]

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Spontaneous Revival

Signs of revival are appearing across our land. It began with an outpouring at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky, on February 8, 2023, when a regularly scheduled chapel service spontaneously transformed into 15 days of nonstop worship, confession, repentance and prayer, drawing tens of thousands of people from across the world to witness a move of the Holy Spirit. The sparks flew from there to more than 20 college campuses as the world witnessed Generation Z’s fervor for an authentic encounter with God. During this awakening, Jesus also showed up in the Super Bowl on February 12th. As millions of […]

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Pray For Nashville

On Monday morning the Nashville community was turned upside down as we witnessed the horror at The Covenant School, a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church. Many of you know that this church is a part of our denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America. Our hearts break for the victims’ families that are understandably grieving and shocked. We stand with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ as they deal with this tragedy, including Senior Pastor Chad Scruggs who lost his nine-year-old daughter. Shortly after the shooting he shared these words expressing his hope in the gospel, “Through tears we trust […]

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Broward Health Recognizes Fire Rescue Crew

Pompano Fire Rescue Crew Awarded by Broward Health Broward Health North leadership, on February 4th, presented a Pompano Beach Fire Rescue crew with the Broward Health Trauma Services Challenge Coin in recognition of their excellent trauma care. Congratulations to Lieutenant Robert Smith, Firefighter/Paramedic Erik Bentley and Firefighter/Paramedic D’Andre Nickle! For more Out & About, visit https://www.goodnewsfl.org/topic/news/

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Food For The Poor Responds to Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria

Food For The Poor (FFTP) is urgently responding with trusted partners to the devastation from a massive earthquake in Turkey and Syria. Helping Recovery from the Earthquakes  MAP International and Brother’s Brother Foundation are addressing health needs such as medicines and medical supplies. Feed My Starving Children will provide MannaPack rice meals to supply critically needed food and nutrition, and Water Mission is assisting with safe water. The death toll from the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria that struck on Feb. 6 surpassed 50,000 on Friday, according to Reuters. “The images of the damage are shocking and the stories of […]

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USA Today Names 10Best Religious Museums

Once again, the Ark Encounter, featuring a 510-foot-long Noah’s Ark as its centerpiece, has been chosen the best religious museum in the United States. The results of the “USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice” poll, with 18 nominees, were announced on February 24, 2023. The Ark’s sister attraction, the high-tech Creation Museum, finished second in the voting.   USA Today’s Top 10 Religious Museums USA Today’s newspaper subscribers and on-line readers were asked to make their choice among museums that represent diverse religious groups and faith communities.  Destinations ranked in order of the most votes, include: No. 1: Ark Encounter, Williamstown, Kentucky; […]

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How a Local Church in South Florida is Making a Global Impact

“I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isaiah 6:8 NIV).   Last month during Global Week, Doug Sauder, lead pastor of Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale, shared how the body of Christ came together to bring hope and rebuild lives in the wake of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas and in Germany in response to the war in Ukraine.   Rebuilding in the Bahamas In 2019 Hurricane Dorian made landfall in the Bahamas as a powerful Category 5 storm with 185 mph […]

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Gigi Graham Tchividjian on God’s Faithfulness to Their Legacy Family

Conversing with Author and Speaker Virginia “Gigi” Graham Tchividjian is like being transported to a cozy cottage in the mountains of North Carolina, where “mother” and “daddy” raised her and her four younger siblings on Southern manners and blackberry cobbler. “They call me Mama G,” she said, fondly referring to her 22 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. The matriarch of “the first family of faith,” Gigi is the daughter of the late Rev. Billy Graham, the world’s best-known evangelist who prayed with U.S. presidents and foreign dignitaries and preached at large evangelical crusades worldwide. However, Gigi said she has lived in […]

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How old will I be in Heaven?

This is not a topic I’m entirely comfortable with. Providing it’s an invitation and as such being invited always seems conditional. In this case I understand the conditions; it’s written in the Book and my hope is I keep my end of the bargain and the invitation is not withdrawn due to me being an idiot. How old in heaven? So, my earthly body goes into the dirt and my spirit travels up to heaven. Good so far, but do I stay an old geezer for eternity? Do I have a vote in that matter?  A tragic accident and a toddler dies […]

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