NEW YORK (RNS) — C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia book series is so revered by Christian readers, adapting the books into film becomes a delicate tightrope. Changes risk alienating fans, but what works in the books doesn't always translate well…
Longtime Baptist musician, seminary professor dies in Florida at 86
ORANGE PARK, Fla. (ABP) — Longtime Baptist hymn writer and music professor Hugh McElrath passed away May 8 at his winter home in Penney Farms, Fla. He also resided in Louisville, Ky. He was 86. McElrath was a professor of…
Bible printing plant opens in China, plans 12 million Bibles each year
NANJING, China — A huge new printing plant opened May 18 in suburban Nanjing. It is one of the largest facilities in the world dedicated to printing Bibles. Amity Printing Company was established to print Bibles for mainland China, though…
Ginn named SBCV’s executive
RICHMOND (BP) — The executive board of the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia has selected a Richmond-area pastor, Jeffery Ginn, as the state convention's new executive director-treasurer, effective June 2. Ginn, senior pastor of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Colonial…
Furman faculty, students divided over Bush speech
GREENVILLE, S.C. (ABP) – Students, administrators, faculty and alumni of Furman University are in an uproar over a speech by President Bush, scheduled for the school's May 31 commencement exercises in Greenville, S.C. The controversy at the moderate school –…
Pass the Popcorn: Christians struggle to decide how best to engage culture
(ABP) — If Christians don't learn to engage the popular culture that surrounds them, they will drown in it, experts insist. “Christians tend to hear the words ‘popular culture' and react as if spitting something yucky from their mouths,” said…
Bluefield College board approves strategic plan
BLUEFIELD, Va. (ABP) — Bluefield College will focus on academics, global service, expanded resources and partnerships as part of its new five-year strategic plan. Trustees of the Virginia Baptist school approved the four-part plan at their April board session. The…
Donor offers giving challenge at BTSR
RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — The Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond could receive up to $1 million in new giving by the end of next April due to an anonymous donor's challenge to churches, seminary officials have announced. The donor —…
CBF worker reaches internationals at Mississippi State University
STARKVILLE, Miss. (ABP) — Diana Bridges is an avenue to God in Northern Mississippi for internationals like the Muslim woman who always asks Bridges to pray for her. “God listens when you pray,” she told Bridges. With a call to…
Pass the popcorn: Christians called to make culture; let God handle transformation
(ABP) — Andy Crouch feels uncomfortable when Christians talk about “transforming culture” or “making an impact on society.” But he strongly believes churches should do far more to encourage Christians to make culture — right where they live. “I'm all…
Pass the Popcorn Analysis: Engage culture without assuming it
(ABP) — I've got to be brutally honest; I'm not a Rob Bell fan, although many of my students are. He has two best-selling books: Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith (2005) and Sex God: Exploring the Endless Connections between…
Pass the Popcorn: Popular culture challenges Christians to ‘think outside the box’
HOUSTON (ABP) — It can be difficult to hear God's word in today's media-saturated culture of iPods, YouTube, satellite radio, and DirecTV with over 500 channels and on demand movies. That's the conclusion reached by two culture observers on the…