BELTON, Texas — The story of black Baptists in the 20th century reflects the larger story of African-Americans’ quest for equality, says Virginia Union University historian Adam Bond. African-American Baptists shared a common goal of “racial uplift,” but their approaches…
Pair of boots becomes symbol for congregation’s renewal
PROVIDENCE FORGE, Va. — A pair of work boots sprayed with grey paint has become a symbol of renewal for the members of Emmaus Baptist Church, a congregation in New Kent County, Va. “Emmaus Baptist Church is well known for…
Midwestern seminary elects president
By Bob Allen Trustees of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary voted 29-2 on Oct. 15 to elect Southern Baptist Theological Seminary administrator Jason Allen as the Kansas City-based school’s fifth president. Allen, 35, succeeds former president Phil Roberts, who resigned in…
Flynt: Religious/political ties ‘complicated’
By Ken Camp Polarized politics in 21st century America are rooted in the cultural conflict of the 1960s, with race and religion at the forefront, historian Wayne Flynt told a conference at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas….
Prof: Feminism left mark on Baptists
By Ken Camp The women’s movement of the 1960s and 1970s deeply affected Southern Baptist life, an Oregon State University women’s studies professor said during a two-day conference on how Baptists have shaped American culture. Ironically, feminism made a stronger…
BGAV budget proposal would reduce allocations in 2013
LYNCHBURG, Va. — The Baptist General Association of Virginia will consider in November a slightly reduced overall budget for 2013 which significantly decreases allocations for most of its partner agencies while increasing by about 6.5 percent funding for ministries of its…
African-American Baptists followed divergent paths toward goal of racial uplift
BELTON—The story of Black Baptists in the 20th century reflects the larger story of African-Americans’ quest for equality, historian Adam Bond said. African-American Baptists shared a common goal of “racial uplift,” but their approaches varied from social-gospel reform to a…
NEW: BGAV budget proposal would reduce allocations in 2013
LYNCHBURG, Va. — The Baptist General Association of Virginia will consider in November a slightly reduced overall budget for 2013 which significantly decreases allocations for most of its partner agencies while increasing by about 6.5 percent funding for ministries of its…
Motorcycle ‘thunder’ rolls again at Eagle Eyrie
LYNCHBURG, Va. — Despite threat of rain and the thickest fog in recent memory settling on the Skyline drive, 40 intrepid riders gathered at Eagle Eyrie for the third annual Thunder in the Hills motorcycle rally sponsored by the Virginia…
Pastors and musicians: allies or rivals?
(RNS) — Eileen Guenther, the national president of the American Guild of Organists, reveals behind-the-scenes church struggles in her new book, Rivals or a Team?: Clergy-Musician Relationships in the Twenty-First Century. Guenther, an associate professor of church music at Washington’s…
God and Caesar: What does it mean to be a faithful citizen?
Since the earliest days of Christianity, followers of Jesus have wrestled with the demands of dual citizenship — as citizens of God’s kingdom and of the nations of this world. Jesus established the principle: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s…
Online community seen as mission field
(ABP) — Jim Somerville pastors a Baptist congregation in Virginia that, thanks to the Internet, includes people living in Austria, India and Slovakia. And now, he learned recently, some guy in Iowa. “He said ‘I tune in online and consider…