PRIDDY, Texas — Their church building may be small and unassuming, but the members of Priddy Baptist Church in Priddy, Texas, are making a powerful impact on children living in the ghetto of Skopje, Macedonia. A few years ago, Cooperative…
Bluefield College board approves strategic plan
BLUEFIELD (ABP) — Bluefield College will focus on academics, global service, expanded resources and partnerships as part of its new five-year strategic plan. Trustees of the Virginia Baptist school approved the four-part plan at their April board session. The strategic…
FIRST PERSON: A child’s scream in a Kenyan shack
EDITOR'S NOTE: Sue Sprenkle, the International Mission Board's overseas correspondent for Africa, has reported from that continent for the last 10 years. She remains haunted by the atrocities she witnessed during Kenya's post-election violence earlier this year—and continues to wonder…
EDITORIAL: May the better candidate win
I hesitate to say anything about the presidential race because my comments seem always to be construed as subtle endorsements of particular candidates. That's understandable I suppose. But since I don't even know yet who I'm going to vote for…
Stewardship leader encourages Christians to take the road less traveled
EDITOR'S NOTE: Stephen McSwain served as the keynote speaker for the Virginia Baptist Historical Society's stewardship convocation and annual meeting at Bon Air Baptist Church in Richmond May 20. Donald J. Campbell, stewardship director for the Virginia Baptist Mission Board,…
FAITHSHAPERS: Teaching tricky topics: The Trinity (2)
God sent Jesus partly to make himself real to us, and his reality makes Jesus the easiest topic among the Trinity. By teaching children about the nature of Jesus, we also teach them about the nature of God and the…
Hazards for both sides when politicians court pastors
WASHINGTON (RNS)—Mitt Romney and his Mormon faith. Mike Huckabee and his “Christian leader” ads. John McCain and John Hagee. Hillary Clinton and her “prayer warriors.” Barack Obama and Jeremiah Wright. To put it mildly, the 2008 election has featured an…
OUT LOUD
“One final thing, Lord, I promise. This November could you keep an eye on all of us and see that the change that we embrace comes from Arizona and not Illinois?” James Lisante The Catholic priest from Long Island, N.Y.,…
Beulah Church braves weather for missions
Amid torrential downpours of rain and a tornado watch, a mission team from Beulah Baptist Church in Warsaw spent three days at Camp Piankatank, May 8–10, doing repairs and pressure washing and painting the cabins. Camp Piankatank is a Baptist…
N.Y. governor sued over marriage directive
(RNS) A conservative Christian legal group filed suit against New York Gov. David Paterson after he issued a directive permitting the recognition of same-sex marriages from other states. The Alliance Defense Fund filed the complaint June 3 on behalf of…
News about Virginia Baptists and their ministries for June 12, 2008
STAFF CHANGES • Reed Ness, to Amherst Church, Amherst, as pastor. • Robert Dawson, to First Church, Petersburg, as pastor. He had been serving as interim. • Jeff Conrow, to Lower Northampton Church, Townsend, as pastor. • Greg Compton, to…
S.C. gets ‘I Believe’ license plates for state’s vehicles
(RNS) Without the approval of the governor, the state of South Carolina will now permit drivers to put “I Believe” license plates on their vehicles. The legislation, which passed unanimously by the General Assembly on May 22, calls for the…