In churches across the Commonwealth, many of them Baptist, the Advent season was initiated by the lighting of the first Advent candle. The four candles on the wreath traditionally stand for hope, peace, joy and love—attributes of Christ's presence in…
ANOTHER VIEW: The Pension Protection Act of 2006
In 1930 author Watty Piper introduced to the world The Little Engine that Could, coining the now familiar refrain, “I think I can, I think I can.” This timeless adage has taught generations of Americans the powerful truth that positive…
Play acting at Beaver Dam
When the trophies are awarded to church anniversary committees, please send a large one to the 175th anniversary committee of Beaver Dam Baptist Church in Fluvanna County. The plans for the D-Day invasion were not as well conceived and detailed!…
Thanks for conference
After all the dust has settled I wanted to write and say what a good job John Chandler did with the Virginia Baptist Pastors conference this year in Virginia Beach. I enjoyed listening to the story of the other pastors…
News about Virginia Baptists and their ministries for December 7, 2006
Staff Changes Lewis Yancey II, to Second Liberty Church, Quinton, as pastor. Michael S. Lee, to First Church, Altavista, as pastor. Wayne Underwood, resigning as pastor of Brent-Lox Church, Chesapeake. Ray Hall, resigning as pastor of New Life Church, Chesapeake….
New leaders
The Virginia Baptist Mission Board elected new officers Nov. 28 and examined challenges facing Virginia Baptists in the 21st century. At their organizational meeting, held each year following the annual session of the Baptist General Association of Virginia, the board…
SBCV marks 10th anniversary
The Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia kicked off their annual meeting Nov. 13-14 with a look back at the 10-year-old convention's history through videos and testimonies telling the story of God's work through the SBCV's nearly 500 churches. Nearly 1,300…
Evangelical Forum meets in Virginia Beach
A gifted pastor and a professor were enlisted this year to address the Evangelical Forum. Using Romans 11:33 as his focal passage, Andrew Davis, pastor of First Baptist Church in Durham, N.C., modeled doctrinal preaching in delivering an expository sermon…
Md./Del. Baptists encouraged to ‘Embrace the Call’
Baptists in Maryland and Delaware were challenged to “Embrace the Call” to worship, disciple, serve and witness during their 171st annual meeting in Solomons, Md., Nov. 13-14. Robert Smith Jr., an associate professor of divinity at Beeson Divinity School in…
FIRST PERSON: Oh God, it’s not my time!
Unless it was your birthday, not many of you will recall exactly where you were on the evening of Oct. 2. It wasn't a holiday. No unusual weather pattern created a crisis. It was just an ordinary old Monday, the…
Maryland court to hear arguments in marriage case
For a few months at least, the epicenter of the nationwide legal debate over gay marriage will reside in Maryland. The state's highest court was to hear oral arguments Monday, Dec. 4, in a case that could make the Old…
In the beginning
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! But not on April 4, 1987, of all days. It was our first meeting to organize the Virginia Baptist Secretaries Association and it did snow. In fact, several groups from the…