WASHINGTON (ABP) — The Supreme Court has declined to hear a case that could have allowed it to clarify its rules on displaying the 10 Commandments and other religious artifacts on government property. And, as a result, an Oklahoma county…
Baptist expert says Establishment Clause applies to foreign policy
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A Baptist church-state specialist is voicing concern about a think-tank report urging a new direction for United States foreign policy focused on the role religion plays in world affairs. Writing for the On Faith blog at WashingtonPost.com,…
Former Baptist editor Fletcher Allen dies at 78
FRANKLIN, Tenn. (ABP) — A retired denominational journalist who worked three decades for Baptist newspapers in three states died Feb. 27 after a long battle with cancer. Fletcher Allen Fletcher Allen, 78, of Franklin, Tenn., worked 17 years as associate…
‘Turnaround churches’: Have Baptists something to learn from Anglicans?
If turning around a declining church were easy, more declining churches would be reversing course. And if Christians in the United States think turning around a church is difficult, think of trying it in the Church of England, where tradition…
At Carter’s church, former president still a draw
PLAINS, Ga. (RNS) — With its aging storefronts and small train depot, its graceful pecan trees and clipped fields of peanuts, cottons and hay, peace still seems possible in this tiny town. And nowhere is that peace protected more fiercely…
Consider revitalizing models for declining churches
One sees them occasionally. Abandoned church buildings in rural areas stand in mute witness of changing times. In urban areas, big brick structures, once crowded with eager worshipers, now house restaurants, community centers or even nightclubs. Sometimes churches die. Like…
Historical revisionism or accurate rendering?
WASHINGTON (RNS) — For centuries, Jesus has been a subject of choice for countless artists. But it’s fair to say that seldom has he been depicted quite like this. In artist Jon McNaughton’s “One Nation Under God,” Jesus stands front…
‘A time to be born, a time to die’ holds true for churches, some experts insist
Is a church’s death inevitable? Who can give congregations permission to die? Should church members feel guilty for closing their facility’s doors? Peter Bush, author of In Dying We are Born: The Challenge and the Hope for Congregations, believes every…
Churches’ contributions listed
A detailed summary of Cooperative Mission gifts given through the Baptist General Association of Virginia's treasurer's office from churches affiliated with the BGAV for the period Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2009 is available by clicking this link. Questions about the report…
New churches: The key to continued evangelism and growth
According to Chris Backert, emerging church strategist with the Virginia Baptist Mission Board, no greater need exists in the body of Christ today than effective church planting. “Over the last decade a wide variety of church commentators, Christian authors, and…
VITAL SIGNS: Facing the raging blizzard
Why a regular column about healthy churches and healthy ministers? Some would argue that such a thing doesn’t exist. For far too many clergy and laity alike, healthy is not the word they use to describe their life in a…
Life & Faith Tour plans to ‘give back’
In its debut year, the Life & Faith Tour, a Christian festival, will kick off in a big way in three cities this summer: Richmond (June 19), Rockingham, NC (July 10) and Atlanta (July 24). The diverse line-up for the…