WASHINGTON (ABP) — British Baptist pastor Steve Chalke has been appointed as a special advisor to the United Nation's Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking. Chalke, chair of Stop the Traffic, a group of 1,000 organizations in 60 countries that…
New Texas exec elected, wants to help Baptists fulfill ‘kingdom assignment’
DALLAS (ABP) — Commitment to a “kingdom assignment” — namely, ensuring that every person in Texas has the opportunity to respond to Christ by Easter 2010 — can help unite Texas Baptists, Randel Everett told the Baptist General Convention of…
FIRST HAND: International ministry at UVA touches lives
As a first year student at the University of Virginia in the fall of 2006, I was approached by my Baptist collegiate minister, Leanne Sanders, with an idea: she felt called by God to begin an international student ministry at…
Virginia Baptist ministry partners in India complete, dedicate new children’s home
KOTTAYAM, India — At the invitation of Kunjumon Chacko, 13 Virginia Baptists traveled to Kottayam, India, to celebrate the completion and participate in the dedication of the new Precious Children's International Village. Although the dining hall and first dormitory are…
Fort Worth congregation subject of latest Internet-fueled struggle
FORT WORTH, Texas (ABP) — The latest prominent Baptist church caught in a highly publicized, Internet-fueled controversy is a historically moderate one — and similar struggles may await other moderate congregations. Members of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas,…
Longwood Baptist alumni plan reunion in April
FARMVILLE — The Baptist Collegiate Ministries (formerly the Baptist Student Union) at Longwood University is forming an alumni association. Its first reunion will be held Saturday, April 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Heritage Baptist Church, 700 Milnwood…
Precious Children of India
• Children make up 30 % (348 million) of the Indian population • 158 million (75 million girls) are below the age of 7 • 190 million are between ages 7 and 14 • 59 million children have never seen…
Baptists provide opportunities to oft-shunned Roma people
ATLANTA (ABP) — Susan and Wes Craig learned early during their three-year assignment to Romania that most locals are disgusted by the minority Roma people, who are often called “gypsies.” And that's what made a particular church meeting so powerful….
EDITORIAL: Images of India
Images of India were etched on my mind during my recent trip there. Not just the traffic, vendors, multitudes, poverty and tropical vegetation — although those will long be remembered as well. Most of all, I will remember the children,…
Virginia mission leader Jerry Jones given doctor of divinity by Indian seminary
KOTTAYAM, India — As part of its fifth graduation exercises on Feb. 8, the India Baptist Theological Seminary awarded the doctor of divinity degree to Jerry Jones, team leader of the Virginia Baptists Mission Board's glocal missions and evangelism team….
Guest opinion: New Covenant may come in old wineskins
(ABP) — Many of my friends and ministerial colleagues recently returned from the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant in Atlanta full of enthusiasm. I myself have yet to feel much excitement. Not that I'm not happy to see African-American…
SECOND OPINION: Pursuing edification and discernment
I recently had the privilege of enjoying the hospitality of the Englewood Christian Church of Indianapolis. This congregation isn't as well known as Saddleback, nor has its pastor (Michael Bowling) ever been interviewed by Larry King, but its story is…