PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss. (ABP) — One of the clearest demonstrations of Hurricane Katrina's power as it decimated the Mississippi Gulf Coast Aug. 29, 2005, is the shell of a large three-story steel-reinforced concrete building in the once-charming town of Pass…
Progressive National Baptists pick president, decry war in Iraq
CINCINNATI (ABP) — The Progressive National Baptist Convention has named T. DeWitt Smith as its new president. Elected at the convention's annual summer session, Smith will succeed Major Jemison as leader of the Washington, D.C.-based denomination. Smith is pastor of…
Trustee McKissic endorses prayer tongue during chapel sermon at Southwestern
FORT WORTH, Texas (ABP) — A trustee at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary endorsed the concept of a private prayer language in an Aug. 29 chapel sermon at the institution, setting off a wave of discussion in the Southern Baptist blogosphere…
Katherine Harris tries to quell furor over remarks in Baptist newspaper
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (ABP) — Rep. Katherine Harris (R-Fla.) has caused a major stir with comments, published in the Florida Baptist Convention's newspaper, suggesting that the separation of church and state is “a lie” and that failing to elect Christians to…
West Palm megachurch pastor resigns amid debt, résumé exposé
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (ABP) — Embattled pastor Steven Flockhart resigned from First Baptist Church of West Palm Beach, Fla. — less than three months after he was hired to lead the 10,000-member church — reportedly because he lied about…
2 churches cited in Alliance fine get Cuba travel licenses anyway
WASHINGTON (ABP) — At least two congregations whose activities in Cuba triggered a $34,000 fine for the Alliance of Baptists have been granted their own travel licenses by the same agency that issued the fine. The Treasury Department recently approved…
Habitat official among victims of Comair crash in Kentucky
LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABP) — A Habitat for Humanity official headed to the Gulf Coast was among 49 people killed in an early morning plane crash Aug. 27 in Lexington, Ky. Pat Smith of Lexington, a member of Habitat for Humanity…
Knoxville church partners with Baptists in Croatia to train pastors, laity
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — A local Tennessee church and the Croatian Baptist Union have formed a unique partnership to help support a pastoral center in ?akovec, Croatia. First Baptist Church of Knoxville, Tenn., and the Baptist Union will provide writing,…
Bluefield College ranked among top 50 colleges in the South
Bluefield College has been ranked among the Top 50 “Best Comprehensive Undergraduate Colleges in the South” in U.S.News & World Report's celebrated issue “America's Best Colleges: 2007.” The number 49 ranking for Bluefield College marks the fourth consecutive year the…
Virginia Baptist annual meeting to be ‘Voyage to Discovery’
Join with fellow Virginia Baptists at Connect:2006, the annual meeting of the Baptist General Association of Virginia, on Nov. 9-10 at the brand-new Virginia Beach Convention Center. Participants will set sail on a “Voyage to Discovery” as a course is…
Muslim refugees say goodbye to Lebanese Baptist shelters
Hundreds of Lebanese Muslims who had taken refuge in Lebanese Baptist institutions said good-bye to their hosts Aug. 17. Meanwhile, Lebanese Christian leaders continued to care for refugees still in Beirut. As a cease-fire took hold in the month-long conflict…
On mission at the Gulf: Virginia Baptists make ‘impact’ after Katrina
When something is plumb, it's lined up properly. In the context of a statewide mission endeavor, plumb means “straight for the Lord.” In conjunction with that theme, this year's Impact Gulf Coast had church volunteer workers going on a 19-hour…