The Southern Baptist Convention held last week was hailed by many as an historic event — a changing of the guard; a broadening of the tent; a defining of their values. I hope this is so. I hope and pray…
ANALYSIS: Will election of president deal blow to neo-Calvinism?
When Southern Baptist Convention messengers elected dark-horse candidate Frank Page of South Carolina as president, they not only sent a populist message to the powerbrokers who backed other candidates, but also — at least in the eyes of some observers…
Surprise ending!
Virginia Sanders sleeps beneath a painting of her long-time home on Sabot Street in Richmond's West End. The painting and plenty of memories remind her of the days when she was a busy homemaker with a professor-husband and four active…
ANOTHER VIEW: Called, trained and too young
My experience at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond was a blessed journey. Seminary expanded my theological perspective, gave me many tools that will aid me indefinitely and validated God's call for my life — a calling to serve God through…
New SBC president upsets power brokers in razor-thin victory
In a major upset, outsider Frank Page of South Carolina was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention over two candidates closely tied to the SBC's conservative power structure. Page, who described his election as a victory for grassroots Baptists,…
Baptist history on alcohol: not totally teetotaling
GREENSBORO, N.C. (ABP) — Question: Why do you always take two Baptists with you when you go fishing? Answer: Because if you only bring one, he'll drink all your beer. Most everybody who grew up in the South has a…
BWA delegation presses Vietnamese government on religious freedom
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (ABP) — A Baptist World Alliance-led delegation recently returned from Vietnam, where they pressed government officials to ensure greater religious freedom in the rapidly Westernizing nation. Though conditions for religious groups — especially Protestant groups — have…
Former mission board worker fights for NAMB support for ailing wife
WACO, Texas (ABP) — In his day, Nathan Porter jokes, he was the sex symbol of the Southern Baptist Convention. These days, he said, he's the sex symbol of the AARP. No matter. The tall 73-year-old Brazilian with blueberry eyes…
CBF leaders elect Rob Nash to global missions post
ATLANTA (ABP) — With a standing ovation, leaders of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship unanimously approved Rob Nash as the group's new global missions coordinator June 21. The CBF Coordinating Council approved Nash to head up the organization's missionary force in…