ATLANTA (ABP) — The Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board will reorganize over the next year to focus more on local churches’ involvement in missions and provide flexibility to reach people groups across geographical lines. At their Sept. 8-10 meeting…
Survey: Megachurches more intimate, believers less gullible than stereotypes
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A new survey by Baylor University researchers suggests that megachurches are more intimate, believers less gullible and atheism less prevalent than popular stereotypes would suggest. Results of the 2008 Baylor Religion Survey were released in a Sept….
‘Red-letter’ Christians can transcend partisan politics, Campolo insists
WACO, Texas (ABP) — “Red-letter” Christians committed to taking Christ’s teachings seriously have the potential to transform society in a way that moves beyond partisan politics, author and educator Tony Campolo told a recent ethics conference at Baylor University’s George…
EDITORIAL: Aunt Ida visits Bluebell Baptist
Dear Jimmy, I can tell I'm slowin' down ‘cause my mind is laggin' behind the calendar by several months. It seems like it ought to be about May with the summer comin' on instead of the middle of September with…
FIRST HAND: Up close and personal in China
Even before the Beijing Olympics captured the world's attention in early August, some Virginia Baptists were experiencing China “up close and personal.” In early July, Lorrie Brooks of Westhampton Baptist Church in Richmond and Amy Abshire a recent graduate of…
SECOND OPINION: Forgiving without forgetting
As we stood on the roof of his new six-story apartment building in Greenwich Village, my oldest son pointed south and asked, “Could we have seen the World Trade Center from here?” “Yes,” I replied. At 110 stories, the twin…
ERLC urges U.S. action on Orissa violence
WASHINGTON (BP) — The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission has called on President Bush and congressional leaders to intervene to bring an end to anti-Christian violence in the Indian state of Orissa. The request for action by the…
Hostess with the mostest
Eva Vest Easley of Bluefield was the hostess with the mostest. In her stately stone house, which guests aptly called “The Easley Mansion,” she and her husband, Tyler, entertained a parade of Baptist ministers, missionaries, denominational leaders, agency and institution…
Scientology to face court trial in France
PARIS (RNS) — The Church of Scientology and seven of its members will be tried for fraud and other allegations in a groundbreaking case that could lead to a ban on the church's operations in France, legal sources cited by…
OUT LOUD
“We're here to show Christ's love, be servants and witness to the lost using chainsaws as our tools to open doors.” Steve Cabler The member of First Baptist Church in Bartlesville, Okla., was part of a disaster relief team working…
Disaser relief, recovery efforts begin after Hurricane Ike ravages Texas coast
GALVESTON, Texas (ABP) — Less than 24 hours after Hurricane Ike ravaged the Texas and Louisiana Gulf coasts Sept. 12, Baptist groups were mobilizing supplies and relief workers for the disaster zone. The massive storm — rated as a strong…
Megachurches are growing, but in different ways
Megachurches — known for their big buildings, big schools and big crowds — continue to grow, but a new study detects shifts in the way they are expanding. “The general growth pattern is that about 90 percent of megachurches report…