ATLANTA – Following the Star, an online devotional series during Advent, has been a popular stop so far during the Christmas season. More than 2,500 people complete online sessions per day, according to David Burroughs, president of Passport Inc., which produces the devotional series with sponsorship from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and AlabamaCBF. 

The devotional series began Nov. 28, the first Sunday of Advent, and will go through Epiphany on Jan. 6. Devotions were written by former Passport summer staff, Student.Go personnel, pastors and youth ministers on the Advent themes of hope, joy, love and peace.

Over the years, readership has grown numerically and in scope to include a variety of denominations and readers from more than 59 countries, according to Following the Star co-editor Melissa Browning, who also serves as one of CBF’s Global Missions field personnel through Global Service Corps. “We put it out there as a youth-friendly devotional, but our readership represents a larger diversity,” she said.

While Baptists are finding the series through links on Baptist Web sites, others are finding it through Internet search engines such as Google.

Following the Star devotions can be found at www.followingthestar.org.

Passport Inc. is a non-profit company based in Birmingham, Ala. A CBF partner, Passport provides integrated, ecumenical and inspirational weeks of summer camp for youth and children.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.