When Keith Ellison, the Minnesota Democrat who last month was elected the first Muslim in Congress, announced he would take his oath of office on Islam's holy book, the Quran, he provoked sharp criticism. The ensuing discussion has revived the…
His ‘dream come true’ carries nativity to the big screen
Ironically, production of The Nativity Story took about as long as the period of time the movie portrays—from just before Christ's immaculate conception to just after his miraculous birth. That such a breakneck production schedule actually worked and the movie…
Theological opportunity?
Perhaps I'm an opportunist, but whenever things happen that are not likely to happen again, I try to take advantage. As, for example, in 1986 while spending a weekend with my family in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park when…
ANOTHER VIEW: Waiting with a purpose
When I was giving birth to our first child, one of the nurses asked my husband how he was doing, since he was just standing there, having nothing to do but watch me struggle through labor. My husband, who would…
Face toward Mount Gilead
On a recent Sunday morning, this columnist—like Jacob of old—arose, turned the ignition in his Pontiac van (well, that part was unlike Jacob) and set his face toward Mount Gilead. The Mount Gilead in this story is due west from…
News about Virginia Baptist and their Ministries for December 14, 2006
Christmas Music & Drama Abingdon Church, Abingdon; “A Great and Mighty Wonder,” Dec. 17 at 11 a.m. Bedford Church, Bedford; “Noel, Jesus Is Born,” Dec. 17 at 11 a.m. Berea Church, Rockville; “A World of Christmas,” Dec. 17 at 11…
Survey: Faith doesn’t determine spending habits for Christmas
DALLAS (ABP) — Christians won't spend as much money this Christmas as their non-religious counterparts, but the Christian retail industry continues to expand exponentially, according to recent reports. Researchers who conducted a recent Gallup Poll said no relationship exists between…
Small church, big impact
To borrow from Abe Lincoln, “God must have loved small churches because he made so many of them.” One of them is Chatham Baptist Church, set to celebrate its 150th anniversary this summer. Chatham Baptist is much like many other…
After nurses, clergy rank among nation’s most ethical
DALLAS (ABP) — Americans may trust their pastors almost as much as they trust their nurses. That's according to a Dec. 12 USA Today/Gallup Poll. For the sixth year in a row, nursing topped the list as the most ethical…
BCM at Longwood hosts 2 days of continuous prayer
The Baptist Student Center at Longwood University hosted 48 hours of continuous prayer Nov. 17-19, joined by all seven Christian campus organizations at the school. Beginning at 7 p.m. Friday night, students came for hour-long shifts to pray for the…
Group asks to widen Pentagon probe to see if evangelical group given aid
ARLINGTON, Va. (ABP) — A watchdog group wants to know if high-ranking Pentagon officials not only allowed uniformed officers to appear in a video promoting an evangelical ministry, but also if they gave the ministry Pentagon office space or any…
Church revival
Loudoun County's Ketoctin Baptist Church has an outhouse instead of a bathroom. White painted numbers beneath the front gable date the brick building to 1854, and a plaque inside proclaims the congregation has been teaching “plain and simple truth since…