CHARLOTTE (ABP) — Richard Land, who last year announced plans to retire in October after 25 years as president of the Southern Baptist Convention Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, has been named president of Southern Evangelical Seminary, a non-denominational school…
Taking Jesus’ words to heart, church sends volunteers across Radford in acts of service
RADFORD, Va. — The patrons of a Radford laundromat thought the seven women wearing red T-shirts and handing out quarters Saturday, April 20, were pranksters or a crew from a reality television show, but they soon learned that they were…
New Cooperative Baptist Fellowship executive shares vision on five-city tour of Virginia
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship executive coordinator Suzii Paynter kicked-off a five-city tour April 20-25 of CBF churches in Virginia. First Baptist Church in Richmond hosted a gathering Saturday evening, April 20, for local pastors and supporters. Paynter shared with the group…
HeraldBeat: Tracking Baptists across the Mid-Atlantic
Accepted a new call? Been ordained? Church celebrating an anniversary? Mission trip or project that you would like highlighted on the HeraldBeat page? Send info to HeraldBeat editor Barbara Francis at [email protected]. Transitions ON THE MOVE Sam King, to Hardy…
Former ‘Jesus freak’ traces evolution of Christian rock
(RNS) — Bob Gersztyn owned a fine collection of 300 rock ‘n’ roll albums in 1971, the year he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. Among them were some choice 1960s vinyl from Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles,…
Modern hymn writers revive a lost musical art, with success
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) — Most songwriters in Nashville want to get their songs on the radio. Keith and Kristyn Getty hope their songs end up in dusty old hymnbooks. The Gettys, originally from Belfast, Ireland, hope to revive the art…
‘God’s Smart Aleck’ is rising Hollywood star
(ABP) — Nowadays, comedian Michael Joiner is billed as “God’s Smart Aleck” to gently remind audiences that his clean humor comes from a Christian perspective. But there was a time when the Indiana native, raised a Baptist, was anything but…
British faith groups reclaim St. George as symbol of inclusivity
(ABP) — The Baptist Union of Great Britain joined other faith groups in a letter reclaiming St. George’s Day, celebrated April 23, from right-wing group’s using England’s patron saint to promote Islamophobia and hatred. “We want to promote a new,…
Spiritual journeys show similarities, differences
Abraham Sarker, executive director of Gospel for Muslims, was brought up in a devout Muslim home but became a follower of Jesus Christ. Abdullah Smith, an imam in Houston, grew up in a nominal Christian home but eventually embraced Islam….
Paynter, ‘CBF 2.0’ visit Fla. gathering
By Jeff Brumley The promise from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Florida during its spring meeting Friday and Saturday was to “Re-vision, Re-Imagine, Renew” the Fellowship – and Suzii Paynter delivered. In light-hearted and serious moments, CBF’s new executive coordinator…
Haiti trauma tool works in Newtown
By Bob Allen A tool designed to help pastors deal with trauma following the 2010 Haiti earthquakes is translating well into other cultures, said a Mercer University professor who used the storytelling-based exercise April 26 with clergy in the Newtown,…
Wayland fires CFO for alleged theft
By Bob Allen A Texas Baptist university has fired and sued its chief financial officer over alleged financial mismanagement. Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas, filed a civil lawsuit April 24 against James E. Smith in Hale County District Court,…