OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (ABP) — American Baptist Churches USA officials have sent aid in the aftermath of a gas blast that leveled the nearly century-old sanctuary of one of their churches. First Baptist Church of Oconomowoc, Wis., was destroyed in the…
Virginia native named CBF leader
ATLANTA (ABP) — Jim Smith has been named the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's director of field team ministries for CBF global missions. The position was previously held by Jack Snell, who died in October after a six-month battle with pancreatic cancer….
British Baptist to lead U.S. seminary
CHICAGO (ABP) — The head of British Baptists' mission agency will become the head of an American Baptist seminary, according to the Baptist World Alliance. Alistair Brown, general director of BMS World Mission since 1996, has been selected to be…
No cancer found in Mohler surgery
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (ABP) — As expected, a tumor removed from the colon of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Al Mohler proved not to be cancerous, according to a seminary news release. Mohler underwent surgery March 20 to remove the mass….
Alliance leaders approve development consultant
NEW ORLEANS (ABP) — The Alliance of Baptists has agreed to work with Hewett Consulting of Charlotte, N.C., to design a development strategy to help strengthen its financial situation as it moves forward with a new administrative structure. The progressive…
McCain’s faith: Pastor describes senator as devout, but low-key
PHOENIX (ABP) — John McCain has a deep and personal Christian commitment despite his reluctance to speak publicly about it, according to the man the presumptive GOP presidential nominee claims as his pastor. Dan Yeary, pastor of North Phoenix Baptist…
Bluefield College unveils new published history of the school
BLUEFIELD — Lighthouse on the Hill: The Bluefield College Story is now available for sale to the public. The book, the school's first published history since 1972, was originally unveiled to alumni, faculty, staff and students during the college's Homecoming…
BOOK REVIEW: Preaching doctrine that dances
Preaching a sermon in the Internet age comes pretty easily. In fact, spend just a few hours doing some research on your text, copy and paste from a few different sources, squeeze in a personal story or two and you…
Will Baptists be counted in the ‘evangelical center’?
If an “evangelical center” emerges from the current shake-up in American politics, will moderate Baptists be part of it? It depends on how comfortable moderate Baptists are with being considered “evangelicals” in the first place. Moderate and progressive Baptists certainly…
NBC leaders plan repeat but no new structure
ATLANTA (ABP) — Organizers of the recent New Baptist Covenant celebration are recommending a repeat of the historic pan-Baptist event in 2011 but not a new denomination or other permanent organization. The event drew an estimated 15,000 Baptists from across…
EDITORIAL: How far should understanding go?
If you are like me, you have grown weary of hearing the comments of Barack Obama's former pastor, Jeremiah Wright. Still, something about his comments and the story are so compelling that I can't leave them alone. I understand that…
Churches, with gas ‘buy-downs,’ ease neighbors’ pain at pumps
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (ABP) — When it comes to ministry in Jesus' name, relieving “oppression” takes many forms — including the oppression of today's gasoline prices. As gas prices hit record levels across the country, a growing number of churches are…