The business district of Douglasville, Ga., was under water Sept. 22. RICHMOND — Virginia Baptists’ disaster relief ministry is gearing up to assist victims of “epic” floods in Georgia that killed at least 10 people the week of Sept. 20….
For these volunteers, a missional lifestyle doesn’t demand travel
RICHMOND, Va. — For more than 10 years, Clement “Mickey” Woodward has made a mission trip once a month. His mission experience (or, more accurately, his over 5,000 mission experiences) has typically taken him no more than 30 miles from…
Muslims pray for ‘soul of America’ at U.S. Capitol in first ever event
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Swapping prayer rugs for massive plastic rain tarps, an estimated 3,500 Muslims gathered at the foot of the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 25 to pray for “the soul of America” in a grassroots demonstration of religious and…
As BTSR’s marks 20th year, its first homecoming is scheduled
RICHMOND — The two-decade old Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond will host its first homecoming celebration Oct. 16-17, welcoming alumni back to campus for two days of festivities. Homecoming will offer the school, which this year is in the midst…
Seeking allies for Israel, Jews reach out to Latino evangelicals
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — Early on a weekday morning, dozens of Latino evangelical leaders stream into a large church on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Greeting one another in Spanish, they sip coffee and share pastries until they are informed…
Love your enemies, civility advocates say as they initiate project
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Mark DeMoss, to borrow a line from the U2 song, still hasn’t found what he’s looking for. The veteran Christian public relations executive couldn’t find it last year when he advised Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign. It was…
Faith-based mutual insurers worry about health care reform
WASHINGTON (RNS) — As Congress debates whether to mandate health insurance for all Americans, several Christian ministries whose members share each other’s medical costs are hoping the final version of health care reform doesn’t put them out of business. Officials…
Faith-based providers propose models for health reform, fill gaps in system
Faith-based health care providers can lead the way in developing new models that emphasize wellness and prevention — and create accountable-care organizations focused on the needs of patients and their families, the president of Baylor Health Care System believes. Eighty…
Ethicists view health care as basic right, not a luxury commodity
Human beings are fragile creatures needing health care to flourish and — in many cases — survive, said David Gushee, distinguished university professor of Christian ethics at Mercer University. And that universal need for health care makes it a human…
FAITHSHAPERS: Family ministry
In my last article I suggested visiting nursing homes with children as a teaching method. There are many other forms of service ministry that children can participate in and learn from. Two major problems often keep us from giving our…
A New Voice Media Group series on Christians and health-care reform
Nilson Fanini, former Baptist World Alliance president, dies at 77
BEDFORD, Texas — Nilson Fanini, Brazilian pastor and evangelist who served as president of the Baptist World Alliance from 1995 to 2000, died Sept. 19. He was 77. During his term as BWA president, Fanini viewed the BWA’s primary role…