I received an email prayer request from a friend whose daughter lost her job. Tough times loom for her, but much of his request was that God would use this trauma to illuminate her need to trust Jesus Christ for…
VITAL SIGNS: A new ministerial role
For centuries the church has taken Ephesians 4 to heart and suggested that there are five primary roles for a minister to fulfill. Modern ministers are expected to embody these roles as needed and with a significant level of expertise…
OUT LOUD
“The recent burning of the Qur’an by a church that is not representative of the larger American Christian community is an act that we deplore and causes us to reaffirm our historic Baptist commitment to religious liberty for all people…
HERITAGE: A missionary’s story
Margaret Allen used to pray about becoming a missionary in Africa. Her prayers were answered but her mission field was in Richmond, Va., among people living in the inner city. In 1986 she began service as a community missionary of…
District of Columbia Baptists represent diverse constituency
WASHINGTON — Ricky Creech leads one of the most diverse Baptist bodies in America following his election March 28 as executive director of the District of Columbia Baptist Convention. The D.C. convention’s 153 churches include pastors who self-identify both as…
Virginia Baptist Homes hosts golf tournament to benefit fund
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Baptist Homes Foundation is hosting its annual Lakewood Manor Golf Tournament at Independence Golf Club April 21. Registration begins at 10 a.m., followed by lunch and a 12 noon shotgun start. All proceeds from the tournament…
VBHS to sponsor hymn festival
RICHMOND, Va. — “Sing Praises Old & New” is the theme for a hymn festival to be held at the annual meeting of the Virginia Baptist Historical Society May 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Grace Baptist Church in Richmond. The…
CBFVA explores what it means to be Baptist in the 21st century
MECHANICSVILLE, Va. — Baptists must acknowledge their reputation is suffering in many quarters of American life, but society has regarded Baptists with suspicion since the movement was born in the 17th century. That was the assessment of church historian Bill…
State CBF challenges churches for global missions
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — Saying Fellowship Baptists need to “keep the promises” made to missionaries and the neglected peoples they serve, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina has issued a $100,000 challenge on behalf of the CBF Offering for…
‘Heaven’s Rain’ filmmaker honored by Attorney General
WASHINGTON (ABP) – A former state senator-turned-filmmaker was honored April 8 by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder for pioneering legislation for the rights of crime victims. Brooks Douglass, currently touring the country with his feature film, Heaven’s Rain, which tells…
Death Row inmates’ families find refuge at Hospitality House
HUNTSVILLE, Texas (ABP) — Two young men spent the day listening to music and weaving beaded bracelets, laughing and talking, seemingly nonchalant. That abruptly changed when their grandmother entered the room cursing angrily, shouting, then sobbing uncontrollably. She had witnessed…
Volunteer service bridges the generation gap
DALLAS (ABP) — Intergenerational volunteer programs benefit both youth and elders, studies show. For young people, spending time with older adults can improve their social skills, boost their school performance, introduce an element of stability into their lives and cut…