The man spearheading President Bush's effort to increase government grants to religious social service agencies said the initiative will continue in Bush's second term, although he offered few specifics as to how that will happen. Speaking during a Washington conference…
Hunger kills more than 5 million children a year, says UN food agency
Hunger and malnutrition kill more than 5 million children a year and cost developing countries billions of dollars in lost productivity and national income, according to a United Nations report. “The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2004,” issued…
State Baptist meetings offer mixed results for supporters of BWA
By Greg Warner If the Baptist World Alliance, which lost its largest member and funder earlier this year, hoped to recoup some of that funding from state Baptist conventions, the organization got little encouragement during the recent round of convention…
Reaching the goal: Virginia Baptists surpass 2004 budget
Virginia Baptist leaders praised the generosity of the Baptist General Association of Virginia's churches last week as they announced it has surpassed its 2004 missions and ministry budget for only the second time in almost a quarter of a century….
Messenger study provides snapshot of BGAV meeting
If every church eligible to send a messenger to the annual meeting of the Baptist General Association of Virginia had sent its maximum number to the meeting in Roanoke last month, attendance would have soared to 10,668. That bit of…
ABP launches weekly summary of news for churches, others
Associated Baptist Press, an independent news agency based in Jacksonville, Fla., has begun publishing a free weekly news summary for use by churches and other organizations. ABP Headlines includes abbreviated versions of the organization's latest news stories, along with occasional…
FROM THE EDITORIAL DESK: Voting with our pocketbooks
Stories about money — where it's spent, how it's earned, who's got the most of it — are the stock-in-trade of newspapers, even (maybe especially) Baptist newspapers. You'll find plenty to read along those lines this week. If one definition…
Controversial Bush nominee retires rather than face fight anew
WASHINGTON (ABP) — One of President Bush's most controversial appeals-court nominees announced Dec. 9 he will retire rather than face another battle over his confirmation. Judge Charles Pickering announced in Mississippi that he will retire from the federal bench rather…
Canadian Supreme Court OKs gay-marriage legislation
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The Supreme Court of Canada has given legislators the green light to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide. In an advisory opinion, known in Canada as a “reference,” the court's justices ruled Dec. 9 that the Canadian Constitution and…