OXFORDSHIRE, England (ABP) — In a move members will approve April 28, the Council of the Baptist Union of Great Britain has nominated Jonathan Edwards as its next general secretary. The nomination followed the retirement announcement of former General Secretary…
UPDATED: Surviving Christian activists reportedly freed from Iraqi captors
BAGHDAD (ABP) — Three Christian peace activists have been freed from captivity in Iraq, according to the organization under whose aegis they traveled to the war-torn country. Christian Peacemaker Teams learned early March 23 that British Baptist Norman Kember, 74;…
Ouachita trustees urge feasibility study for graduate program in theology
ARKADELPHIA, Ark. (ABP) — Ouachita Baptist University trustees, meeting in executive session March 9, urged the OBU administration to explore the feasibility of launching a graduate program in theology. The action came in the form of a resolution by a…
Tennessee couple encourages others while battling cancer
JACKSON, Tenn. (ABP) — When Eric and Sharon Langshur's son, Matthew, was born five years ago with a congenital heart defect, they created a simple web site to provide updates, a message board, and a photo gallery for friends and…
Alabama fires suspects stay in jail, face arson and burglary charges
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) — The three men charged in the string of 10 church fires in rural Alabama will not seek release on bond from their federal charges, their lawyers said. Matthew Lee Cloyd, 20; Benjamin Moseley, 19; and Russell…
Diverse groups urge administration to intervene in Afghan man’s case
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The plight of an Afghan man who could face the death penalty for converting from Islam to Christianity has united a broad array of religious, human-rights and advocacy groups that often find themselves ideologically opposed to each…
North Carolina CBF approves budget, elects new leaders
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — In its 13th General Assembly, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina reelected Don Horton, a layman from Zebulon Baptist Church, as moderator. Gail Coulter, pastor of Providence Baptist Church in Hendersonville, became moderator-elect. “It was…
IMB won’t remove blogging trustee but prohibits dissent in future actions
TAMPA, Fla. (ABP) — Trustees of the International Mission Board decided not to seek the removal of one of their own for criticizing trustee actions, but they adopted new guidelines to prohibit and punish such criticism in the future. After…
Robertson loses seat on NRB board
Christian Broadcasting Network founder Pat Robertson of Chesapeake has lost his place on the board of directors of the National Religious Broadcasters, following a recent vote at the NRB’s annual meeting. NRB officials declined to say whether the voters may…
Virginia Baptists’ assistance to children’s home is making a difference in the l
By Robert Dilday Associate Editor From the beginning of Kunjumon Chacko's work with Prison Fellowship, it was the children of inmates that tugged at his heart-and eventually led to his network of children's homes across India. Last year, when thousands…
Disaster relief unit will provide basis for children’s ministry
Thanks to a contribution from a former Richmond church, Virginia Baptists will soon have a children’s ministry disaster response unit. The unit, a 16-foot long, 8-foot wide trailer, will be added to Virginia Baptists growing disaster relief program and provide…
Three students charged with Alabama church fires
By Hannah Elliott Associated Baptist Press Law enforcement officials arrested three men March 8 in connection with nine fires at Baptist churches in rural Alabama. Benjamin Nathan Moseley and Russell Lee Debusk, both 19-year-old students at Birmingham-Southern College, said they…