“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). The leaders of a certain fishing society promoted global fishing. They built fishing lodges and held conferences to encourage society members to fish. They wrote…
ANOTHER VIEW: An oasis in the deserts of life
“To be faithful to the gospel may mean death.” The words were spoken so calmly and matter-of-factly that their incredible impact caught me off guard. There I was, sitting in a meeting of the Baptist World Alliance's Freedom and Justice…
A miracle in Franklin County!
On Sunday, June 4, the members and friends of the Franklin Heights Baptist Church in Rocky Mount, Virginia, entered their new sanctuary for the first time. It was a moment which was long anticipated. When 6-year-old Cassidy James Anderson entered…
Bush uses first veto in office on popular stem-cell bill
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Simultaneously pleasing his socially conservative base and overruling large majorities in Congress and the public, President Bush used the first veto of his political career July 19 to kill a bill that would have expanded embryonic stem-cell…
House passes bill to strip courts of ability to hear pledge cases
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Angering civil libertarians and supporters of church-state separation, the House of Representatives voted July 19 to strip the federal courts of the ability to decide cases involving the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools. The so-called “Pledge…
As expected, House again defeats Federal Marriage Amendment
WASHINGTON (ABP) — As expected, the House of Representatives July 18 defeated a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage — for the second time in as many election years and after the Senate had defeated the same proposal. Known by its…
Bugg to step down from post as Gardner-Webb dean
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. (ABP) — Barely a year after he became dean of Gardner-Webb University's school of divinity, Charles Bugg has resigned from the position. Bugg, who assumed the position in June 2005, as dean of Gardner-Webb University's school of…
For Baptists, libation debate continues in pages of Dallas Morning News
DALLAS (ABP) — Two prominent players in the Southern Baptist Convention's debate over alcohol consumption have taken it to a new forum — a major secular newspaper. On July 15, the Dallas Morning News ran an essay by Daniel Akin,…
American, other Baptists in Lebanon safe for now, helping refugees
BEIRUT (ABP) — Baptist personnel and organizations in Lebanon were reportedly safe July 18 but are asking for prayers from their Christian brothers and sisters around the world as they hunker down against ongoing air raids from neighboring Israel and…
Calif. missionary Stewart terminated after dispute with NAMB leader
Editor's Note: This article will be reissued later in two parts and in an abbreviated version. GILROY, Calif. (ABP) — Michael Stewart of California, a Baptist associational director who has crossed swords publicly with national Southern Baptist leaders, has been…
Baylor school gets $1.1 million grant to equip churches for social ministry
WACO, Texas (ABP) — Thanks to a $1.1 million grant, a Baylor University center will be able to help local congregations learn how to do more effective social ministry. The donation, announced June 21, will go to the Baylor Center…
NAMB meeting, July 30, 2006
This is a rough, uncorrected transcript of an audiotape recorded and transcribed by the North American Mission Board. Harry Lewis: Let me just say I appreciate you gentlemen coming. As we said we are recording this and I am understanding…