JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (ABP) — David Tolliver, who served as interim executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention for the past 22 months, has been has been named the new executive director. The MBC Executive Board voted overwhelmingly to call…
Habitat for Humanity founder Millard Fuller dies
AMERICUS, Ga. (ABP) — Millard Fuller, a millionaire entrepreneur who gave away his fortune to create Habitat for Humanity International in 1976, died Feb. 3 after a brief illness. Fuller, 74, led the worldwide house-building ministry with his wife, Linda,…
Appeals court sides with Missouri Baptist conference center
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (ABP) — Windermere Baptist Conference Center acted within its legal rights when it changed its articles of incorporation, a Missouri appellate court ruled Feb. 3. A three-judge panel of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, unanimously…
First regional New Baptist Covenant event focuses on reconciliation
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) — Former President Jimmy Carter went to a shrine of the Civil Rights Movement Jan. 31 to drive home a point about racial reconciliation among Baptists, stepping up into the pulpit of the Birmingham, Ala., church where…
Obama picks religious adviser DuBois for faith-based post; questions remain
WASHINGTON (ABP) — President Obama has selected a 26-year-old Pentecostal minister who served as his top religion adviser during the presidential campaign to head a revamped White House office on faith-based social services. Critics of President Bush’s attempt to expand…
Opinion: God as athletic director
(ABP) We have all seen it. A football player makes a big play, scores the winning touchdown, drops to one knee and points a finger towards the heavens. What does it mean when in a moment of success a player…
Recession forces cutbacks at Southern Baptist agencies
DALLAS (ABP) — Several Southern Baptist Convention entities are tightening the belt in response to budget shortfalls in a flagging economy. GuideStone Financial Resources said Jan. 27 it just implemented a hiring freeze and is giving no raises to employees, with…
Churches in 18 Virginia associations complete 2008 ACP
Virginia Baptist leaders are acknowledging the 18 district associations affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia in which all churches completed the 2008 Annual Church Profile (ACP). Leaders also have praised the contact persons who collected the information. Each…
What does Obama’s inauguration mean for Christians and Americans in general?
Transformation: From exclusion to inclusion By Elwanda Cornelius More than ever the world has looked to our nation as it is being transformed from being exclusive to becoming inclusive. This dream is becoming more of a reality with the election…
Virginia Baptists fall just shy of funding 2008 BGAV budget
RICHMOND—Virginia Baptists funded their 2008 budget at almost 98 percent—a noteworthy event in the midst of a severe economic crisis, said leaders of the Baptist General Association of Virginia. Last year, BGAV churches contributed $14,092,291 toward the state association's Cooperative…
BTSR’s SCM offers classes
Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond's School of Christian Ministry has announced several online continuing education opportunities open to anyone regardless of educational background, beginning in March. Each course is $125, with scholarships available to cover 50 percent of the registration…
VBMB sets up fund to help struggling churches
RICHMOND—The Virginia Baptist Mission Board's executive committee voted Jan. 12 to establish a Helping Hands Fund to assist churches that are experiencing difficulty due to financial circumstances beyond their control. The fund has been established with an initial gift of…