The Baptist General Association of Virginia's Sunday School Summit, set for Sept. 15-16 at Eagle Eyrie Baptist Conference Center, will be a little different this year. In addition to the always practical age-group workshops, the Summit will offer pastors, staff…
The Word of God as sword or stick?
Perhaps you heard the story on national news or read it on the internet. The pastor and board of First Baptist Church of Watertown, N.Y., fired a Sunday school teacher for being a woman. The teacher, 81-year-old Mary Lambert, received…
Mel Gibson’s acts
By now, everyone on the planet is aware of Mel Gibson's colossal blunder, which he compounded by tripping over his own tongue. His critics made little of his drunkeness, nor placed much significance on his drunk driving arrest. His anti-Semitic…
On stem cell research
Here is an idea concerning embryonic stem cell research, in vitro fertilization and Plan B. Although there are yet many exceptions, evidence suggests we are increasingly becoming a self-centered and terribly selfish people. This evening while surfing the news, I…
Down by the Old Mill Stream
Virginia Singleton Darnell has done it all in the First Baptist Church of Richmond. She has broken the gender barrier time and again. She was in the “second batch” of women to be elected as deacons about 1979; and in…
News about Virginia Baptists and their ministries for August 31, 2006
Revivals & Homecomings Belmont Church, Charlottesville; 57th anniversary/homecoming on Sept. 17 at 11 a.m.; Suzanne Smith, chaplain at Martha Jefferson Hospital, guest speaker; following a meal there will be an organ concert by Oliver Wolcott. Bethel Church, Midlothian; revival Sept….
Franklin Owen, retired Baptist exec, remembered for vision, integrity
LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABP) — Franklin Owen, executive secretary of the Kentucky Baptist Convention from 1972-1983, died Aug. 30 in Lexington, Ky. He was 93. A longtime Kentucky Baptist pastor and denominational leader, Owen was lauded by peers as a man…
Virginia churches help with Caribbean VBS this summer
When Hurricane Ivan pummeled the island of Grenada on Sept. 7, 2004, with winds gusting to 145 mph, 89 per cent of the homes of the 100,000 residents were severely damaged. Thirty percent (10,000 homes) were completely destroyed. In addition,…
BTSR’s Graves to retire in 2007 citing health reasons
RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) –Thomas Graves, president of Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond since 1991, has announced plans to retire next year. Citing health reasons, Graves, 58, will step down July 1, 2007. He announced his plans during a special called…
McKissic responds to Patterson’s criticism of statement on tongues in chapel sermon
ARLINGTON, Texas (ABP) — One of Southern Baptists' most prominent African-American leaders responded Aug. 30 to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's rationale for partially censoring a chapel sermon he preached there a day before. In an open letter, Dwight McKissic told…
Donations to non-hurricane charities strong despite record Katrina giving
NEW ORLEANS (ABP) — Despite expectations to the contrary, donations to many charities not related to Hurricane Katrina held steady or increased last year, according to reports from Charity Navigator, a nonprofit watchdog group that monitors the financial health of…
Inexperienced charities complicated post-Katrina relief, watchdog says
NEW ORLEANS (ABP) — Although Hurricane Katrina inspired an unprecedented relief response, some of the groups who answered the call were inexperienced and ineffective, according to a charity watchdog group. The deluge of new and inexperienced charities that responded to…