WASHINGTON (RNS) — The nation's religion writers considered political grappling of evangelicals for a GOP presidential candidate the top religion story of 2007. Members of the Religion Newswriters Association named their Top 10 list of religion stories for the year….
Virginia Baptist woman donates RV to VBMB’s disaster relief ministry
RICHMOND — While John McCracken prepared his will, he told his wife, Dorothy, “If you can sell the RV, fine. If not, give it to the Baptists.” After John went to be with the Lord two years ago, Dorothy half-heartedly…
New Baptist Covenant, Huckabee rank as top stories in ’07, journalists say
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The biggest news story among Baptists in 2007 was about an event that has not even happened yet — the announcement of an unprecedented meeting of Baptists from across North America — according to an informal survey…
Petersburg Sunday school class brings home soldier from abroad, to delight of wife and kids
PETERSBURG — Most Baptist churches discourage deceit, but Immanuel Baptist Church in Petersburg celebrated subterfuge on Sunday, Dec. 13, when it brought one of its members home from Germany to surprise his wife and family. Photo by Kimberly Carter Alicia…
Students in Southwest Virginia find ministry on campuses
GATE CITY — Look up “emerging leader” in your Virginia Baptist Kingdom Advance Unabridged Dictionary and you will find pictures of Mark Estepp and Jessica Roloff. Both are students at the University of Virginia's College at Wise and are active…
New Hampshire exit-poll statistics muddy picture of religious voters
WASHINGTON (ABP) — In the Jan. 8 New Hampshire primary, each party's newly minted front-runner didn't score as well among voters — religious or otherwise — as they did in the previous week's Iowa caucuses, according to exit-poll data. Hillary…
Vietnamese Baptists to hold first general conference
HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam (ABP) — Baptists in Vietnam will reach a milestone when they hold their first legal national conference Jan. 10-12. An expected 400 people from 13 southern provinces and cities are expected for the meeting in…
Attempt at dialogue with Muslims inspires further criticism of NAE
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The National Association of Evangelicals is under attack again from some prominent Christian conservatives, this time for its involvement in an attempt at Muslim-Christian dialogue. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Al Mohler, former presidential candidate Gary Bauer…
Christians in Kenya analyze violence, administer aid, as unrest continues
NAIROBI, Kenya (ABP) — Still-simmering violence sparked by disputed elections in Kenya continues to affect Baptist organizations and missionaries in the previously stable nation. Gunfire erupted Jan. 7 in Limuru, a small town less than half a mile from Kenya…
Investigators say arson unlikely in Jacksonville church fire
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (ABP) — There is no evidence of arson in the Dec. 23 fire that consumed the sanctuary of Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., but the destruction was so complete that the exact cause will likely never…
Opinion: Care about politics? Begin with the church
Politics is intoxicating, especially in election season, and especially in a time of such high drama in this particular presidential campaign. In future weeks, I will undoubtedly be writing about the elections of 2008. But in this first offering of…
Time to revamp discipleship methods? Some experts say, ‘Absolutely, yes’
(ABP) — More than two decades after he helped many Baptist churches breathe new life into discipleship training, Roy Edgemon believes it's time to take a new look at how churches make disciples. In the early 1980s, the Southern Baptist…