WASHINGTON (BWA) — Baptists in South Africa have come to the aid of those displaced by ethnic violence. More than 60 immigrants from other countries have been killed and almost 700 injured in violence that erupted in Johannesburg, Cape Town…
Central Texas church touches lives of children, families in Macedonia
PRIDDY, Texas — Their church building may be small and unassuming, but the members of Priddy Baptist Church in Priddy, Texas, are making a powerful impact on children living in the ghetto of Skopje, Macedonia. A few years ago, Cooperative…
BWA to build baptism center in Jordan
WASHINGTON (BWA) — The government of Jordan has offered a plot of land to the Baptist World Alliance to build a baptism center. The land offered is closely approximate to the region known as Bethany beyond Jordan, where it is…
Their names may be lost to history, but their stories endure
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Lot's wife and daughters. Two thieves crucified with Jesus. Three Wise Men. They're all iconic figures from the Bible, yet they all have one thing in common. Officially, they have no names. The Bible is riddled with…
Pastor challenges couples to marry
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Daneisha Dunbar was never so happy to see her children cry. But there they were: 13-year-old Jheran, 10-year-old Aryn and 5-year-old Taryn, shedding tears and squealing with joy at the news that their mommy and daddy are…
FAITH DIGEST
Christians accused of hate crime for witnessing. A Muslim community police officer accused two Christian preachers from the United States of a hate crime after they handed out evangelical tracts in a predominantly Muslim area in England. Arthur Cunningham and…
IMB supporters opposed missionary rules
RICHMOND (ABP) — A group of current and former missionaries, former mission-board trustees and pastors is calling for the Southern Baptist Convention International Mission Board to reverse controversial guidelines for missionaries enacted in 2005. The guidelines prohibit the appointment of…
Volunteers in missions: Texas church’s reach extends to Macedonia’s families
PRIDDY, Texas (ABP) — Their church building may be small and unassuming, but members of one tiny Texas church are making a powerful impact on children living in the ghetto of Skojpe, Macedonia. A few years ago, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship…
SBC officials reject idea of sex-offender database
INDIANAPOLIS (ABP) — Citing Baptists' “belief in the autonomy of each local church,” a Southern Baptist Convention official announced May 10 that the denomination's Executive Committee would not support the creation of a database of sexual offenders in SBC churches….
SBC business items include bids to re-join BWA, oust churches
INDIANAPOLIS (ABP) — The Southern Baptist Convention will consider rejoining the Baptist World Alliance, removing churches that hire women pastors and restricting agency heads from serving as SBC president. Messengers presented those and 20 other motions during the SBC annual…
Volunteers in missions: Short-term workers make long-term impact
COLUMBIA, Mo. (ABP) — Kevin and Naomi Scantlan of Columbia, Mo. feel called to international missions. But as integrated technology services analysts at University of Missouri Health Care and church lay leaders, committing to years abroad really isn't feasible. That's…
Baptists to have place to worship, baptize near historic Jordanian site
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Baptist visitors to Jordan will soon have a place to worship near the historic spot traditionally viewed as the site of Jesus' baptism. King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein of Jordan has conveyed a plot of land…