MOUNT VERNON, Va. — Jean Nelson Woodward, 88, died Jan. 7 in a hospice care center in Northern Virginia. For the past nine years she was a resident of Sunrise in Mount Vernon, Va. Woodward Woodward was president of…
LETTER: BGAV’s action creates new Baptist challenge
The Baptist General Association of Virginia’s precedent in response to Ginter Park Baptist Church’s ordination creates a brand-new challenge for Virginia Baptists. In acting to “disfellowship” from Ginter Park over its decision to ordain a particular member, the BGAV has…
OPINION: Instructions on living a life
A short poem by Mary Oliver: Instructions for Living a Life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it. I wonder what it would be like to live with this as a motto for my year. Lisa Cole Smith I sometimes…
OPINION: The Golden Rule and gun violence
A few days following the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., Richard Land, recent head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, was interviewed on National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered.” The interviewer was…
OPINION: Football realignments and the church
Those who know me know that I absolutely love college football. I love the pageantry, the tradition and, of course, the tailgating. My most magical season reached its annual conclusion last week with Alabama’s rolling 42-14 victory over Notre Dame…
Tithe: More theory than practice?
Tithe: More theory than practice? Vicki Brown The issue of tithing — traditionally understood as 10 percent — has perplexed churchgoers for years. Interpretation and denominational practice usually set the tone for givers, often with tension between giving as law…
Does God or money shape a church’s ministry?
Does God or money shape a church’s ministry? Vicki Brown Ask a Christian whether God or money concerns determine how a church operates. Most likely, the response would be: “Of course, God does.” But John L. and Sylvia Ronsvalle believe…
EDITORIAL: The unoffended Christian
With the fiscal cliff narrowly averted, the nation’s attention was drawn to the gridiron as perennial powerhouse Alabama squared off against the Irish of Notre Dame for the national college football championship. As Bama’s Crimson Tide rolled mercilessly over the…
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 Brooks Gale, to Millfield…
Exploring ‘God Behaving Badly’
By Jeff Brumley Kevin Glenn is already hearing the grumbling about his nine-week sermon series on “God Behaving Badly,” and it hasn’t even begun yet. “I have people complaining about the title,” said Glenn, pastor of Memorial Baptist Church in…
Campolo sees future ‘red letter’ church
By Bob Allen The church of the future will focus less on saving souls and more on following Jesus, author and sociologist Tony Campolo said Jan. 10 at a minister’s conference on the campus of Georgetown College in Kentucky. “The…
Giglio out of inauguration
By Bob Allen An evangelical preacher withdrew acceptance of his invitation to pray at President Obama’s inauguration Jan. 10 after coming under fire when an old sermon denouncing homosexuality circulated on the Internet. A day after the White House announced…