DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (ABP) — Only teetotalers will be allowed to serve as trustees of the Florida Baptist Convention's agencies and boards, as a result of a vote at the convention's annual meeting. With no discussion and less than half…
FAITH DIGEST
Black Baptist prof told to choose college or church. Professor Denise Isom loves her work at Calvin College and her Grand Rapids church, Messiah Missionary Baptist. But her employer has told she must choose one or the other. The Calvin…
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s … a superhero in a burqa?
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Move over, Fantastic Four. There's a new team of superheroes in town. Meet Jabbar the Powerful, a Hulk-like strong man, and Noora the Light, who can create holograms. Darr the Afflicter wields powerful pain waves. One hero,…
IMB trustees define contextualization
RICHMOND (BP) — Making the gospel more accessible to the world's 6,500 unreached people groups is the goal of new guidelines adopted by trustees of the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board Nov. 6-7. Trustees outlined five “principles of contextualization”…
Church building ministry at work in 45 countries
HAMPTON — Dois Rosser claims that his story is not a testimony of what one man can do for Christ. Rather, he says it is a testimony of what God can do with one man. Dois Rosser isn't a preacher….
Neurotheology opens doors for scientific study of belief
NEW YORK (ABP) — Some scientists say neurotheology — an emerging discipline that addresses the correlation between neurological and spiritual activity — proves God created the brain. Others claim “the brain created the god.” At the root of the debate,…
Bluefield College to assist children of CBF missionaries
BLUEFIELD — Bluefield College will offer undergraduate tuition scholarships for children of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship global missions field personnel, it was announced last week. The school will offer an eight-semester scholarship for full-time study to field personnel dependents who meet…
Episcopal churches in Virginia in court over property dispute
FAIRFAX — A two-week trial began Nov. 13 that will determine whether a state law from 1867 governs the property dispute between the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia and 11 congregations that voted to leave the church. The congregations, among them…
European indigenous mission project expands to 24 countries
WASHINGTON (BWA) — The European Baptist Federation, with the generous help of mission partners, has developed a mission project to facilitate evangelism and the planting of new Baptist churches in Europe and the Middle East. The Indigenous Mission Project, one…
Moderates, conservatives each get mixed bag during Tennessee convention
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (ABP) — Neither an organized conservative group nor a coalition of moderates and unaligned conservatives were the clear-cut winners during the Tennessee Baptist Convention annual meeting, held Nov. 13-14 in Kingsport, Tenn. Messengers elected presidential and vice presidential…
First Church, Coeburn, opens Hope Center to meet needs
First Baptist Church in Coeburn held the grand opening for its Hope Center on Oct. 27. The Hope Center Ministry began as a vision one year ago with a desire to utilize a large empty space in the church that…
New book probes poetry’s power to stir the soul
CHICAGO (RNS) — Poetry is that unusual combination of words with the power to move, delight, nurture and transport readers beyond the here-and-now. It also can nourish our souls, according to the authors of a new book celebrating how poetry…