Last month I provided lots of meaty facts and figures to support the design of worship space. In many ways, however, I feel that I put the cart before the horse — for the place to begin in this discussion…
HERITAGE: The new humanity
America is obsessed with race. Slavery has been gone for 150 years. Segregation crumbled in the 1960s and ’70s. Relationships have improved between the races yet race remains a defining issue in so many phases of American life. Virginia Baptists…
OUT LOUD
“One culture still is dependent on church bulletins and announcements. The other culture is totally inundated with Facebook, Twitter and social media. One culture lifts James Cleveland. The other culture is going to see Jay-Z in a few moments. The…
Evangelicals urge caution with nuclear weapons, more disarmament
WASHINGTON (RNS) — The National Association of Evangelicals on Nov. 8 called for greater precautions with nuclear weapons and a renewed effort toward disarmament. “The rules have changed in the past 25 years,” NAE President Leith Anderson said. “Nuclear weapons…
The BGAV annual meeting in brief
No more election day conflicts. A motion was adopted by the BGAV messengers ensuring that future meetings of the state association not coincide with local, state or federal election days. This year’s meeting opened on Nov. 8, the same day…
Karel Harris shares the pains and joys of ministering to single mothers
GLEN ALLEN, Va. — If you ask Karel Harris to describe the ministry to single mothers she founded you will get a quick disclaimer. “I call myself a co-founder,” she says with humility. Harris is director of “Thrive!Moms,” a ministry…
N.C. CBF leader urges CBF of Virginia to be ‘missionally-faithful’
RICHMOND, Va. — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship must increase its ability to fulfill its calling as a “spiritually-healthy, missionally-faithful expression of the family of God,” a North Carolina CBF leader told members of Virginia’s state affiliate Nov. 8. “Baptists believe…
VITAL SIGNS: The tired arms of ministers
A friend recently shared with me a daily devotion that pointed out the story in Exodus 17 regarding Moses’ arms. Remember? As long as Moses held his staff with his arms aloft, the Israelites prevailed in their battle with the…
Two from Mid-Atlantic on search committee for CBF coordinator
ATLANTA (ABP) — Two Baptists from the Mid-Atlantic are on a nine-member search committee to find a replacement for Cooperative Baptist Fellowship executive coordinator Daniel Vestal, who will retire June 30, 2012. Jack Glasgow, senior pastor of Zebulon (N.C.) Baptist…
BGAV elects first African-American president, restores ties to Averett
RICHMOND, Va. — For the first time in 188 years, the predominantly white Baptist General Association of Virginia has an African-American president. Suffolk, Va., pastor Mark Croston was elected to the top spot during the BGAV’s annual meeting Nov. 8-9…
Virginia Baptists elect first black president, restore ties to Averett University
RICHMOND, Va. — For the first time in 188 years, the predominantly white Baptist General Association of Virginia has an African-American president. Suffolk, Va., pastor Mark Croston was elected to the top spot during the BGAV’s annual meeting Nov. 8-9…
Fresh Expressions is focus of BGAV’s annual pastors’ conference
GLEN ALLEN, Va. — Resisting the temptation to provide a “sermon buffet,” officers of this year’s Virginia Baptist Pastors Conference opted instead to emphasize Fresh Expressions, a church revitalization movement supported by the Baptist General Association of Virginia. Fresh Expressions,…