Jehovah's Witnesses are the fastest-growing church body in the U.S. and Canada, now with more than 1 million members, according to new figures that track church membership in the U.S. and Canada. Although Jehovah's Witnesses ranked 24th on the list…
CBF council approves budget, reports shortfall
ATLANTA (ABP) — Leaders of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship approved a $16.5 million budget for the 2008-2009 fiscal year and heard of budget shortfalls during the CBF Coordinating Council's Feb. 7-8 meeting in Decatur, Ga. The council's finance committee reported…
Former Virginian shows God’s love in Hell’s Kitchen
NEW YORK — Walking along the streets of New York, Amanda Hambrick is reminded that life can be unfair. She passes people sleeping in doorways and alleys — fixtures of the city's sidewalks — and she asks herself, “How do…
Randel Everett tapped as Texas nominee
DALLAS (ABP) — Randel Everett, who has headed a seminary and served as pastor of prominent churches in four states, is the nominee for the executive director position of the largest statewide Baptist convention. Baptist General Convention of Texas officials…
Church security demands all hands on deck — but maybe not with arms
FORT WORTH — Travis Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Worth has employed personnel to patrol its campus, escort women to their cars after dark and ensure buildings are locked since before Russ Hibner became the church's facilities manager seven years…
What’s next for New Baptist Covenant?
ATLANTA (ABP) — Fifteen thousand participants in the New Baptist Covenant convocation arrived in Atlanta Jan. 30 seeking unity in Christ and departed Feb. 1 wondering where their quest will lead. In the meantime, they demonstrated racial, theological and geographic…
No politics in celebration
Making good on his promise that the New Baptist Covenant celebration would not be political in nature, former president Jimmy Carter set the tone for the meeting in a news conference before the opening session. Asked by a reporter from…
EDITORIAL: Was the celebration a success?
I was asked by a friend at breakfast the morning after the New Baptist Covenant Celebration what three things stood out as having made the greatest impact. I thought back over the three-day meeting, and what follows are the three…
Axioms of religion
Exactly a century ago this year, in 1908, Edgar Young Mullins, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, published his landmark interpretation of Baptist faith and principles which he entitled The Axioms of Religion. Baptists in the pews and Baptists…
Former BGAV leader Ken McFarland Smith dies
ARLINGTON — Ken McFarlane Smith, former president of the Baptist General Association of Virginia, died Jan. 20. Smith, an attorney and member of First Baptist Church of Clarendon in Arlington, was BGAV president in 1977. He also has served as…
Baptist ministry assistants gather for certification
Baptist Ministry Assistants of Virginia (BMAV) will gather in Virginia Beach April 1-4 for professional certification and skillshops at the Quality Inn & Suites — Oceanfront. The theme for this conference is “Teaching by the Seaside” and is taken from…
Essay contest announced
RICHMOND — High school students are invited to enter the third annual Roots & Wings Young Scholars Essay Contest sponsored by the Center for Baptist Heritage & Studies. The contest is open to all 11th and 12th grade high school…