Life is full of events which remind us how far we are, at times, from the peaceful kingdom promised to us by Jesus. For the last week, so many of us have been saddened by the bombing of the Boston…
OLD EDITORIAL: What’s this talk about a merger?
EDITORIAL: What’s this talk about a merger? The Religious Herald is more accustomed to reporting news than making it, so the story about a potential merger between the Herald and Associated Baptist Press makes me a bit uneasy. In some…
TRENDING: ‘Virginia Baptist’ to ‘General Association’
Ten years ago, American prophet and all-time dean of church consultants Lyle Schaller wrote one of my favorite of his 96 books. From Geography to Affinity: How Congregations Can Learn From One Another was a prescient look at the fundamental…
VITAL SIGNS: There’s no excuse
Are you an excuse maker? When someone makes a compelling case for action or movement, are you prone to start your response with the phrase “Yes, but …”? Do you see yourself as an exception to most rules? Making excuses…
OPINION: Returning to Schleitheim
In February 1527, an Anabaptist group known as the Swiss Brethren gathered together at Schleitheim, Switzerland, to help solidify and establish this small movement on the brink of disintegration. The movement had begun less than two years earlier one night…
OPINION: Creating contexts for conversion, part 2
How do we create communities which form the likeliest context for an unchurched person to embrace Jesus and his movement? While churches today often get tied up in many different things, this should be the question that drives them harder than…
Richmond church aims to bring Kingdom of Heaven to its community through year-long ‘mission trip’
RICHMOND — If you are one of those people who likes to decipher custom license plates, here’s one for you: KOH2RVA. It’s an acronym for “Kingdom of Heaven to Richmond, Virginia” and if you happen to spot this plate you’re…
BGAV’s unwieldy governing structure must be ‘modified or replaced,’ says study committee
RICHMOND — Baptist General Association of Virginia governing structures are “too large, cumbersome and disjointed to be efficient and effective” and must be “modified or replaced,” says a committee authorized last fall to propose changes in the way the 190-year-old…
Eddie Stratton to retire Dec. 31 after 11 years as Baptist General Association of Virginia treasurer
RICHMOND — Eddie Stratton will retire Dec. 31 as treasurer of the Baptist General Association of Virginia after more than 11 years in the role, he announced April 16. Stratton, who also serves as the Virginia Baptist Mission Board’s treasurer,…