By Jeff Brumley Trying to figure out what teens are saying to each other in acronym-heavy text messages can drive parents and youth ministers batty. The lexicon has gone far beyond LOL and ROFL to what often looks like more…
Oklahoma church paves way on interfaith and missions
By Jeff Brumley Last fall, an Oklahoma Guardsman and member of a Baptist church met an Afghan doctor who had just immigrated to the United States after years interpreting for American combat troops. The soldier essentially adopted the Muslim man…
Baptist chaplains wage offensive for military care
By Vicki Brown and Jeff Brumley American military personnel and their families have gone all-out during more than 10 years of continuous war, enduring unprecedented spikes in the tempo and duration of deployments. That’s why it takes an equally all-out…
Baptist leaders eye hopes, fears for church in 2015
By Jeff Brumley Some congregational coaches hope to see a return to Christ-centered values in the American church, while some Baptist scholars are eager for Christians in the United States to hear and feel the pain suffered by persecuted counterparts…
Baptist leaders eye hopes, dreams for church in 2015
Finding the Christian response in the death of a congregation
By Jeff Brumley The death of a church isn’t an easy subject, particularly to those who are losing their spiritual home. But it is something being talked about more and more as church closings are becoming an increasingly regular occurrence…
U.S. Baptists emphasize local context in overseas theological education
By George Henson and Jeff Brumley Keeping it simple — and local — are essential for U.S. Christian groups involved in overseas theological education, American church leaders say. Translated, that means letting native residents in nations where theological training is lacking take…
Experts say gratitude generates the generosity needed for sustained giving
By Lori Fogelman and Jeff Brumley A Baylor University professor has been preaching a message some may consider radical in American society — even during the holidays: generosity. It’s also a concept close to the hearts of pastors struggling to convince shrinking…
1914 Christmas truce inspires debate, hope for peace in modern times
By Jeff Brumley The Christmas Truce of 1914 has been called heart-warming, inspiring and even miraculous. But could it ever be called repeatable? The historic event occurred on Christmas Day that year during World War I, when German and Allied…
Baptist church in Ohio hosts protest over killing
By Jeff Brumley The mother of a Cleveland, Ohio boy killed by police expressed gratitude for participants of a protest organized by a Baptist church. “The police murdered my son,” Samaria Rice said in a story published by the Columbus Dispatch….
Anonymous gift helps Va. church pay off mortgage, minister to African immigrants
By Jeff Brumley Christmas came early for Africa Lighthouse Baptist Temple in the form of an anonymous donation that will pay off the church mortgage. The donation to the Albemarle County, Va., congregation was discovered by a church staffer who…
Bellevue Baptist in Memphis evacuated, searched in police manhunt
By Jeff Brumley A pair of robbers being chased by police turned Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis into the scene of more than Christmas drama on Monday. According to media reports, the Southern Baptist Convention megachurch was evacuated and searched…