My pastor tells me that, with the downturn in the economy, more people are requesting assistance from our church. We have limited funds. What can we do? Your church is not alone in facing the extra strain on resources. Having…
Ministers seek investigation into police shootings
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (ABP) — Black Baptist preachers in Jacksonville, Fla., are calling for an independent investigation into a rash of recent shootings by police. Family members said Kiko Battle, fatally shot by police, wanted to be a barber. The…
Baptist ministers facing sex charges appear in court
LIBERTY, Mo. (ABP) — Southern Baptist ministers facing molestation charges in three states had recent days in court. Robert M. Black, 40, pastor of New Home Baptist Church near St. Joseph, Mo., pleaded not guilty June 18 to felony…
Baptist leaders urge Congress to pass climate-change bill
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — A total of 140 moderate Baptist leaders signed a June 18 letter urging passage of a comprehensive energy bill that includes caps on emissions linked to global warming. Drafted by the Baptist Center for Ethics, a…
Sewing skills are key for Portsmouth congregation’s ministry
PORTSMOUTH — It started with a sewing pattern and a mission conference. Bruce Powers, pastor of Westhaven Baptist Church in Portsmouth, attended the MC2 conference sponsored by the VBMB last summer at Eagle Eyrie. Staffers of the Woman’s Missionary Union…
Weakley elected to national Baptist secretaries position
RICHMOND — Sandy Weakley, administrative assistant for the Dover Baptist Association, has been elected to a two-year term as secretary-treasurer of the National Association of Southern Baptist Secretaries (NASBS). Weakley She has also been active in the Baptist Ministry Assistants…
Virginia Baptists responds to W. Va. flash floods
GILBERT, W.Va. (BP) — In the wake of flash floods that washed away rural roads and even mountainsides over six southern West Virginia counties on Mother’s Day weekend, Virginia Baptists joined other Baptist disaster relief feeding units and mud-out crews…
Before building, congregations should ‘get it right,’ says Baptist consultant
Because buildings are so costly and so permanent, churches better take time to get it right before they rush into construction, says Rod Hale, church facilities consultant for the Virginia Baptist Mission Board. Get organized. Churches contemplating building new space…
Virginia Baptist Foundation awards $101,000 to 53 scholarship recipients
RICHMOND — Ann F. Brown, chair of the scholarship committee of the Virginia Baptist Foundation, announced 53 scholarship recipients totaling $101,000 during the second annual Scholarship Recognition Service held May 31, at the Virginia Baptist Resource Center. Scholarship recipients gathered…
Fork Union inducts athletes into school’s Sports Hall of Fame
FORK UNION — Vinny Testaverde has traveled far and wide throughout his long NFL career, and has earned many honors and accolades, but this week he returned to Fork Union, where his dream of earning a scholarship to play college…
From the Eastern Shore to Cumberland Gap
STAFF CHANGES • Dale Seley, to First Church, Newport News, as senior pastor, effective in August. • Neil Seward, to Bethel Church, Phenix, as pastor. • Curtis Barnes, to Mount Pleasant Church, Colonial Heights, as senior pastor. • John Minter,…
Baptists’ grass-roots identity helped spread key ideas
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (ABP) — While Baptists may not be able to claim sole credit as the originators of ideas such as religious liberty and the modern missionary movement, the denomination’s identification with common folk helped them become “popularizers” of these…