By Jeff Brumley Mercer University’s McAfee School of Theology hopes a new weekly cable television series featuring its students, graduates and faculty will inspire some viewers to hear and heed their callings into ministry. “I believe most people are looking…
Presidents of two Baptist-affiliated universities in N.C. to retire
By Jeff Brumley The presidents of two North Carolina universities with Baptist affiliations have announced their impending retirements. Wingate University’s Jerry E. McGee announced in April he would retire in May 2015. He is Wingate’s 13th and longest serving president with…
Experience on Broadway enriches Baptist couple’s calling to special needs advocacy
By Jeff Brumley For most performers, making it to Broadway would be considered the apex of a career, the end-all, be-all of performing on stage. But for Amy and Ben Wright, who are deacons at First Baptist Church in Wilmington, N.C.,…
Multisite movement inspires growth, debate
By Jeff Brumley It’s been a decade since the Virginia Baptist Mission Board embraced the then-budding multisite church concept, becoming one of the first state organizations of any denomination to throw their institutional and financial weight into the movement. So, was…
Theology of workflow connects dots between spirituality and efficiency
By Jeff Brumley As assistant executive director of the Virginia Baptist Missions Board, Glenn Akins is charged with all kinds of big-picture kingdom work, including keeping churches up to speed on cultural trends and demographics. “It’s important for churches to…
CBF appeals for disaster response volunteers
By Jeff Brumley With assessments conducted and even some initial responses underway, disaster responders with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship are now calling for volunteers for long-term tornado recovery projects. CBF U.S. Disaster Response Director Tommy Deal today issued a call…
Labyrinth transforms prayer life, Baptists say
By Jeff Brumley Rita Martin knows a thing or two about prayer as a lifelong Baptist who raised a family in the church. Or at least she thought she did until this past Maundy Thursday when she participated in a…
‘Most Bible-minded city’ status doesn’t impress Baptist pastors
By Jeff Brumley Leading a church in a city recently described as the most “Bible-minded” in America does have its advantages, Thomas Quisenberry said. Mainly: not a lot of necessity to explain the backstory during sermons and Scripture discussions, said…
CBF Fla. gathering has international, interfaith flavor
By Jeff Brumley Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Florida members have a wide range of interfaith and international topics to choose from at their Spring Celebration in Orlando this week. The meeting, May 2-3 at College Park Baptist Church, includes workshops,…
Baptists survey ‘hurricane like’ tornado damage
By Jeff Brumley In 2013, Roy Peterson led a team to the Oklahoma City area immediately after a massive tornado roared through the city of Moore and other neighboring communities. They were there when more twisters ravaged the state. “We…
Baptists getting, staying busy in disaster areas
By Jeff Brumley Baptist disaster-relief groups are mobilizing now that they have a clearer picture of the need and permission to enter Arkansas and other parts of the South pounded by vicious waves of tornadoes since Sunday. The Cooperative Baptist…
Activists reflect on Baptist peacemaking in wake of Stassen death
By Jeff Brumley The term “Baptist peacemaking” conjures up images of President Jimmy Carter observing elections on troubled continents. For others it means human rights activists brokering peace deals between warring factions in Africa or the Middle East. But it…