DALLAS (ABP) — An investigation that uncovered evidence of mismanagement and misuse of Texas Baptist church-starting funds in the Rio Grande Valley presents major challenges for the Baptist General Convention of Texas — and especially Executive Director Charles Wade, some…
N.J. court gives gays marriage rights, but not claim to name
The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled Oct. 25 that the state's constitution requires that marriage rights be available to same-sex couples on an equal basis with heterosexuals. But the court left state legislators to decide whether to refer to the…
Arkansans approve task force report, potential Baptist building move
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (ABP) — Messengers to the 153rd annual meeting of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention approved a ministry task force report that includes recommendations to regionalize Executive Board ministries, increase the percentage of Cooperative Program funds forwarded to…
Questions and answers on N.J. gay marriage decision
Q: What did the New Jersey Supreme Court rule? A: The majority said that while there is no “fundamental right to same sex-marriage” in New Jersey, it is unconstitutional to deny gay couples the same rights as married couples. Q:…
Mississippi Baptists approve record Cooperative Program budget
JACKSON, Miss. (ABP) — Messengers from the Mississippi Baptist Convention's 2,114 churches approved without opposition a record Cooperative Program budget of more than $33 million during their annual meeting Oct. 31-Nov. 1. The $33,188,934-budget for 2007 represents an almost six-percent…
WMU children’s curriculum to make education easier
Today's children are tomorrow's missionaries and missions leaders in Baptist churches, so Woman's Missionary Union is taking children's missions education to the next level, describing their new materials as “relevant, redesigned and ready-to-use.” “Think about it,” said Mitzi Eaker, children's…
Missouri panel wants to exclude 18 churches
If a Missouri Baptist Convention committee has its way, messengers to the convention's annual meeting Oct. 31 were expected to effectively eject 18 congregations. If messengers agree to the move, it would likely be the largest such exclusion of congregations…
Missouri panel wants to exclude 18 churches
If a Missouri Baptist Convention committee has its way, messengers to the convention's annual meeting Oct. 31 were expected to effectively eject 18 congregations. If messengers agree to the move, it would likely be the largest such exclusion of congregations…
Independent Drake won’t accept traditional obscurity role of 2nd VP
The Southern Baptist Convention expects very little from its vice presidents–nothing, in fact–unless the SBC president becomes incapacitated. Traditionally, those elected each year to the mostly honorary VP positions are seen but not heard. But when Southern Baptists elected Wiley…
Independent Drake won’t accept traditional obscurity role of 2nd VP
The Southern Baptist Convention expects very little from its vice presidents–nothing, in fact–unless the SBC president becomes incapacitated. Traditionally, those elected each year to the mostly honorary VP positions are seen but not heard. But when Southern Baptists elected Wiley…
The Virginia Baptist tradition
Editor's Note: As Virginia Baptists move toward their annual meeting, Nov. 9-10 in Virginia Beach, and face a national election Nov. 7, it seemed to be a good time to remind us of who we are. A classic statement of…
The real Calvinism
Your recent editorial confusing evangelical Calvinism with the “straw man” of hyper-Calvinism [“Pewboy meets Calvin,” Sept. 28] reminded me of a letter Virginia Baptist John A. Broadus wrote to Kentucky Baptists' Western Recorder in 1891 after a European tour that…