ROME, Ga. (ABP) — A Georgia church has voted to leave its state convention and affiliate with another statewide body more in line with its theological stance — but headquartered nearly 600 miles away. On March 13, First Baptist Church…
Pitching in
Volunteer labor is making a reality out of a dream long held by Baptists in Southside Virginia to build a home for adults with developmental disabilities. Now the Virginia Baptist Children's Home and Family Services facility is well on its…
Fuller still seeking reinstatement at Habitat; forms parallel organization
AMERICUS, Ga. (ABP) – The Jan. 31 decision by the executive committee of Habitat for Humanity International to dismiss founding president Millard Fuller was affirmed by the housing ministry's full board March 8. But Fuller and many longtime supporters are…
Baptist World Alliance will vote to accept Virginia, Texas conventions
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (ABP) — The Baptist General Association of Virginia and the Baptist General Convention of Texas will be recommended for full membership in the Baptist World Alliance, the group's membership committee reported March 9. British Baptist Alistair Brown,…
Words from the past: Like all state conventions, the BGAV is autonomous
Membership in the Baptist World Alliance is contingent on member bodies not being an integral part of any other Baptist denomination in their countries. That requirement posed no problem for Virginia in its quest to join the BWA even as…
BWA will vote on Virginia, Texas membership
By Robert Marus The Baptist General Association of Virginia and the Baptist General Convention of Texas will be recommended for full membership in the Baptist World Alliance, the group's membership committee reported March 9. British Baptist Alistair Brown, who sits…
Gay pride week clouds ties between Virginia Baptists, Averett
Ties between the Baptist General Association of Virginia and Averett University, already strained from a dispute last year over homosexuality, suffered another setback when one of the school's student organizations hosted a gay pride week on campus Feb. 21-26. The…
Tsunami aid groups seek to apply Baptist generosity for long term
(ABP) — Tsunami disaster relief is not a race between the tortoise and the hare. It's more like a relay effort by the two. According to Baptist groups that remain deeply involved in helping victims of the catastrophe, the sprint…
Baptist NCC leader issues cautions for Christian tsunami relief
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A Baptist minister who is a Sri Lanka native has issued a set of guidelines for Christians doing relief work in the wake of the Dec. 26 South Asian tsunamis. Shanta Premawardhana, the director of interfaith relations…
Senate ready to pass bankruptcy bill despite Christian opposition
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A bill that would make it much more difficult for many middle-income Americans to get out of debt appeared on its way to passage in the Senate March 10. The “Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act…
Church historian Walter Shurden to be honored by Baptists Today
MACON, Ga. (ABP) — Church historian Walter Shurden, founding executive director of Mercer University's Center for Baptist Studies, will receive the fifth annual Judson-Rice Award from Baptists Today. Mercer President Kirby Godsey will present the award on behalf of the…
Faith-based groups got $2 billion in ’04, Bush says
President Bush told a group of religious leaders that his administration allocated $2 billion to faith-based organizations last year to assist in their work of showing compassion toward Americans in need. “No matter what your faith is, we're united in…