The Program Committee is responsible for preparing the order of business for the annual meeting of the Baptist General Association of Virginia and assuring that worship is emphasized during the meeting. In response to the changing demographics of our communities,…
Continuing the dream
With appropriate academic fanfare, Ronald W. Crawford, 56, was inaugurated as president of the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond on Oct. 22. A crowd of about 300, which included BTSR faculty, administrators, members of the board of trustees, guests and…
BGAV REPORTS: Committee on Boards and Committees
The committee on boards and committees is assigned the mission of bringing to the association nominees for boards of partnering agencies, schools, institutions, and for the standing committees of the association. We are guided in this task by two concerns….
Connect:2008
Virginia Baptists will gather in Roanoke Nov. 11-12 for Connect:2008, the annual meeting of the Baptist General Association of Virginia. Although preregistration has now closed, churches that have not preregistered all of their eligible messengers may register messengers on-site. On-site…
BGAV REPORTS: VBMB Recommendations — Special Observances & Emphases
Recommendation I Amendment to 2009 Special Observances and Emphases Items in bold are additions; items in italic are to be deleted Observances and Emphases January 4: Collegiate Ministries Emphasis Day January 18: Sanctity of Human Life Sunday February 7: Baptist…
EDITORIAL: The financial fine line
Churches all across the Old Dominion are facing some difficult decisions. As the impact of an economy in full recession begins to affect financial decisions, churches are understandably cautious. In many cases, churches already feeling the financial pinch are facing…
BGAV REPORTS: VBMB Recommendation — Constitution & Bylaw Changes
Recommendation IV Constitution and Bylaw Changes Items in bold are additions; items in italic are to be deleted BGAV CONSTITUTION ARTICLE III: Meetings and Composition Section B: Composition The General Association shall be composed of the officers of the General…
Baptist criminal-justice activist applauds Ga. stay of execution
ARLINGTON, Texas (ABP) — An American Baptist minister who advocates criminal-justice reform hailed as a “miracle” the latest stay of execution for a black man convicted of murdering a white Georgia police officer nearly 20 years ago. Alan Bean of…
Faculty, students, alumni want voice in Baylor presidential search
WACO, Texas (ABP) — Baylor University’s faculty, alumni and students want a vote in choosing the school’s next president, according to statements approved by representative bodies of each group. The statements reflect continuing controversy over leadership at the Texas school,…
Religious ‘test’ for public
office? Yes and no
WASHINGTON (ABP) — American Christians may pledge loyalty to the United States Constitution. But behind the closed curtain of the polling booth, many violate the spirit of the constitutional prohibition on any religious test for public office. And several church-state…
Constitution aside, why should churches avoid partisanship?
WASHINGTON (ABP)—The forbidden idea of churches and other tax-exempt organizations endorsing political parties or candidates has started to sound like a good one, in recent decades, to many conservative evangelicals in the United States. In fact, a group of pastors…
‘Values’ distinguish both
candidates and voters
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (ABP) — “Values voters” — a term popularized by conservative evangelicals after the 2004 elections — may bring a wide array of values to the polls. Here’s a rundown of the two presidential candidates’ views on a number…