Elijah Zehyoue has been building toward ministry for nearly a decade. Growing up in the church in Baton Rouge, La., he began discerning God’s call as a 16-year-old. He graduated from Morehouse College as part of the Phi Beta Kappa…
KBF, historically black college, join forces to fight poverty
By Bob Allen Black and white churches in Louisville, Ky., announced a new working partnership Sept. 23 aimed at tackling urban poverty. The Kentucky Baptist Fellowship joined historically black Simmons College of Kentucky in spearheading the new coalition of urban…
Baptist leaders mark pope’s visit with call to action on climate change
By Bob Allen Leaders of two Baptist groups were among 34 interfaith leaders across the United States sending a letter to Congress in light of the pope’s visit and his call for action to fight climate change. Paula Clayton Dempsey,…
Hope blooms in the Arkansas Delta, thanks to ministry team
Twenty-year-old Ira Nealy is from an economically distressed, high-crime community in the Arkansas Delta. Plenty of men his age in his hometown of Helena, Ark., don’t have bright futures. But such statistics don’t define Ira Nealy — thanks, he says,…
Faith leaders pledge to fight hunger
By Bob Allen Baptist leaders were among nearly 100 top officials from all major faith groups on the eve of Pope Francis’ arrival calling for a shift in national priorities to end hunger and poverty. Faith leaders gathered Sept. 21…
Diana Garland, social work educator and bridge builder, dies
By Marv Knox Diana Richmond Garland, founding dean of Baylor University’s school of social work that now bears her name, died Sept. 21 after a five-month battle with pancreatic cancer. Garland, 65, trained generations of Christian social workers to express…
Baptist Standard suspends merger talks with Baptist News Global
By Bob Allen The board of directors of Baptist Standard Publishing voted in mid-September to put on hold talks of exploring a possible merger with Baptist News Global. A year ago the governing boards of the two news agencies entered…
CBF Virginia launches coordinator search
By Bob Allen The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia recognized Rob Fox, who stepped down in August after seven years as field coordinator to become vice president of institutional advancement at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, and appointed a search…
Christian colleges group loses 2 members over homosexuality
By Bob Allen Two Christian colleges who added sexual orientation to their non-discrimination policies have dropped out of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. Earlier this year, Eastern Mennonite University and Goshen College sparked controversy over membership standards for…
Baptists excited and hopeful about papal visit
By Jeff Brumley Think Catholics are pumped about Pope Francis’ U.S. visit this week? Turns out some Baptists are pretty excited, too. And those who aren’t, probably should be for a number of reasons, said Curtis Freeman. One reason is…
Mission strategy, fundraising are priorities for the year, CBF leadership group hears
By Bob Allen The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Governing Board discussed a forthcoming restructuring of global missions in a two-and-a-half hour executive session during the final afternoon of its Sept. 17-18 fall meeting at First Baptist Church in Decatur, Ga. After…
Florida Baptists downsize, send more money to SBC
By Bob Allen The Florida Baptist State Board of Missions approved a reorganization Sept. 18 reducing the number of statewide employees from 115 to 61. The 47-percent staff reduction implements a proposed 2016 Florida Baptist Cooperative Program budget of $29…