One of the most precarious tasks a preacher faces is that of being a prophet. The role of prophet is one that many ministers feel a deep ambivalence toward. All preachers know that relevant preaching must address the great issues…
OUT LOUD
“The story of evangelical theology is not so much getting someone saved and getting them to heaven, but it is Christ redeeming not only the individual person but all creation as well. You’re seeing a transformation of, or a maturity…
EDITORIAL: Pewboy asks the right questions about baptism
Long ago on a Sunday afternoon in early August, I gathered with other baptismal candidates, our families and our church family on the bank of Sandy Creek near Antonia, Mo. After singing a hymn, and shooing the cows we waded…
BTSR’s School of Christian Ministry schedules online courses to start in May
RICHMOND, Va. — Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond School of Christian Ministry announces four online courses beginning May 24 for which continuing education units are available for both clergy and lay leaders. For more information contact the School of Christian…
Haitian projects developing as Va. Baptists and overseas partners meet
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Baptist mission leaders are developing projects in earthquake-devastated Haiti which they hope will lead to long-term relationships on the island and to self-sustaining operations. That was the assessment of Dean Miller, Virginia missions coordinator for the…
For shy worshippers, church can be overwhelming
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — If Jesus were to take a Myers-Briggs personality test, would he rank as an introvert or an extrovert? He was, after all, popular with crowds, but often retreated to pray in solitude. As an undergrad, Daniel…
Associations partner to impact Southwest Virginia
NICKELSVILLE, Va. — Clinch Valley, Powell River and Wise Baptist associations, and the Virginia Baptist Mission Board are emphasizing missions projects in the Lee, Scott and Wise counties of Southwest Virginia. Volunteers from Salem Baptist in Sparta (left to right):…
Virginia Baptist Women in Ministry are told their voices can change the world
RICHMOND, Va. — There's a scene from the Oscar-winning film Precious — the story of a black teenager sexually abused by her father but trying to change her life by going to school — where she tells her class that…
Deep water dilemma: Can Baptists agree on baptism?
“Other denominations certainly have tended to see it [believer’s baptism by immersion] as what set Baptists apart. For centuries, it has been the most obvious answer to the question: What makes Baptists different?” said James Leo Garrett, distinguished professor emeritus…
Let ’em ring: Federal court says church bells are legal religious expression
WASHINGTON (RNS) — A federal court on April 19 ruled an ordinance in Phoenix, Ariz., trying to limit the sound of church bells is an unconstitutional impingement on religious expression. In 2007, one day after Christ the King Cathedral moved…
Hundreds gather to remember Cecil Sherman in Richmond memorial service
RICHMOND, Va. — Friends and family members of Cecil Edwin Sherman filled the spacious sanctuary of River Road Church, Baptist, in Richmond, Va., April 20 to celebrate his life in the first of two scheduled memorial services. Michael Clingenpeel, pastor…
Cecil Sherman dies of complications following massive heart attack
ATLANTA — Cecil Sherman, longtime moderate Baptist leader and a key figure in the development of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, died from complications of a heart attack April 17 in Richmond, Va. Sherman, the first coordinator of the CBF, suffered…