Having gone on record last year in the Religious Herald as being “optimistic” about the potential to be both a Virginia Baptist and a Southern Baptist, I must admit that my optimism is being greatly tested by the actions of…
Search committees
In light of the recent article of Chamberlayne Baptist Church's success with calling a new pastor [“Insights gleaned from a pastor search committee,” Feb. 22], I wanted to submit this letter I wrote a number of months ago to a…
Hands to the plow
Members of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board's glocal missions and evangelism team staff are accustomed to sending Virginia Baptists within the state, across the United States and throughout the world as volunteers in mission service. But between Jan. 24 and…
Gays in churches
Maybe I'm missing something, but the article about the North Carolina Baptist convention [“Gay-friendly church in N.C. invites investigation,” Feb. 22] seems to lack a detail. Does Myers Park Baptist Church encourage people with abnormal orientation to hold positions of…
World’s Baptists gather to say goodbye to Lotz
A capacity crowd of 750 Baptists gathered in the ballroom of a Washington, D.C., area hotel last week to honor the life and ministry of Denton Lotz, general secretary of the Baptist World Alliance, as he plans to retire. The…
Thanks for issue
The Feb. 22 edition, your editoral and the whole issue, was one of the finest. Thanks! Bob Boggs, Glen Allen
Saddleback’s Rick Muchow shares experiences of worship leading
For 20 years, Rick Muchow, worship leader of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., has shared the platform with Rick Warren. While others might have wilted under the intensity of this experience, Muchow has thrived. In Richmond to lead the…
Fine editorial
Yours has to be one of the very finest editorials I have read in my 54 years of Christian service! God bless you for presenting that continuing harangue in such a fine manner. It said so much! Thank you for…
Campbell to direct board’s stewardship
Donald J. Campbell, pastor of Poroporone Baptist Church in Shacklefords, has been named director of stewardship development for the Virginia Baptist Mission Board. Campbell, who will serve in the position on a part-time basis, will continue as pastor of Poroporone…
The man from Mount Vernon
William James Cumbie was a mover and shaker on the Virginia Baptist scene for nearly 60 years. He first appeared on the Virginia scene in 1948 when, at age 25, he was the energetic new pastor of the First Baptist…
Workshop to focus on ‘organic leaders’
Organic leadership in churches will be the focus of a series of workshops sponsored by the Southwest Virginia Christian Leadership Network. Bob Dale, most recently assistant executive director of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board and founding director of the Ray…
ANOTHER VIEW: ‘Aunt Ida’ is very perceptive
The excellent editorial in the Jan. 24 issue of the Religious Herald, entitled “Aunt Ida preaches to preachers,” highlighted the profile of most forced terminations. The epidemic is much wider spread than most realize. And the effects are deeper and…