The United States of America is one of the most religious and certainly the most religiously diverse nation on the face of the earth. Despite our country’s religiosity, many of us were surprised by a recent poll widely reported in…
OPINION: Freedom and its fruit
When we were missionaries in Taiwan I remember being asked what the Bible is all about. What would you say the Bible is all about? I couldn’t use any religious vocabulary like salvation, redemption, sin, eschatology. In Mandarin there is…
OPINION: When Baptists actually come together
Walking around at the Baptist General Association of Virginia meeting in Hampton I realized how fortunate I was to be a pastor in Virginia. I’m not from these parts but have traveled in the BGAV twice in my life now. …
ASK THE ARCHITECT: Sacred spaces and places
We begin with the profound question: Can we design a space with assurance that it will be perceived as a sacred place by those who experience it? Even more profound is this awesome yet humbling responsibility we have, as architects,…
HERITAGE: A lily for Dr. Taylor
For the past year I have been engrossed with researching and writing the life of George Braxton Taylor, who is best known in Baptist history for founding in 1886 the Sunbeams, the earliest organization to teach Baptist children about missions….
From the Eastern Shore to Cumberland Gap
STAFF CHANGES • Todd Blake, to Madison Heights Church, Madison Heights, as pastor. • Christopher D. “Chris” Fowler, to Orcutt Church, Newport News, as senior pastor. • Dorothy Kingston Troup, to Middleburg Church, Middleburg, as music director. RECOGNITION: Charles Millsaps…
Love of God communicated best in multi-ethnic churches, pastor insists
KELLER, Texas (ABP) — Churches in the United States are 10 times more segregated than the neighborhoods in which they are located and 20 times more homogeneous than the nearest public schools, the pastor of a multi-ethnic church in Arkansas…
SBCV reduces budget, increases funds for Southern Baptist Convention
LYNCHBURG, Va. (BP) — The Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia approved two resolutions Nov. 8-9 calling for continued support of its Cooperative Program unified giving plan, as well as increased CP commitment from its churches. During its annual meeting, the…
Georgia Baptist Convention ousts second church with woman pastor
ALBANY, Ga. (ABP) — For the second year in a row, the Georgia Baptist Convention has withdrawn fellowship from one of its most historic member churches for calling a woman as pastor. Geogia Baptists have declared a second church led…
EDITORIAL: Hard questions for hard times
We can all only hope that economic pundits who say we are experiencing a recovery know what they are talking about. For the present, however, times are tough all over. In presenting a budget to the messengers gathered last week…
End-times theology hurts Christians, speaker says
KELLER—End times theology that equates the modern state of Israel with the Israel of biblical prophecy has caused some evangelical Christians to let eschatology trump ethics when it comes to the Middle East, a Palestinian-American Christian told a general session…
Former British Baptist head David Russell dies
BRISTOL, England (ABP) – David Russell, who served as general secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain during a crucial period, has died. He was 94. David Russell As British Baptists’ top executive from 1967 to 1982, Russell aided…