By Bob Allen The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Arkansas joined the campus community of a historically African-American college in Little Rock in mourning the senseless murder of a student Sept. 27. Derek Olivier, 19, a freshman from New Iberia, La.,…
Coalition faces ‘post-Christian’ challenges
By Robert Dilday A diverse coalition of pastors and theological educators has launched an initiative offering a platform for evangelicals to develop theology and practice for mission and ministry in “post-Christian” North America.” The Missio Alliance will “provide a place…
Roanoke pastor to be nominated as BGAV’s 2nd VP
ROANOKE — Roanoke pastor Kevin Meadows will be nominated for second vice president of the Baptist General Association of Virginia during its annual meeting next month. Traci Powers, pastor of Westhaven Baptist Church in Portsmouth, Va., said Sept. 28 she…
Youth recuperating from church van crash
By Bob Allen One girl remained hospitalized two weeks after a church van crash killed two, injured 10 others and left a Tennessee Cooperative Baptist Fellowship congregation reeling. “Things are going pretty well,” Bob Lynch, pastor of Cedar Grove Baptist…
EBF leaders endorse seminary move
By Bob Allen Leaders of the European Baptist Federation voted overwhelmingly Sept. 28 to move the International Baptist Theological Seminary from Prague to Amsterdam as an international Baptist studies and research center with close ties to the Union of Baptist…
New coalition to help evangelical leaders engage ‘post-Christian’ challenges, say organizers
RICHMOND — A diverse coalition of pastors and theological educators has launched an initiative they hope will offer a platform for evangelical leaders to “work for a Kingdom-driven, gospel-centered, biblically-grounded theology and ecclesial practice for God’s mission in North America.”…
Racism should be test of fellowship, says prof
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (ABP) — A Southern Baptist seminary professor says the Southern Baptist Convention should withdraw fellowship from a Mississippi congregation if it doesn’t discipline a minority of members who managed to block an African-American couple from getting married at…
OPINION: Purifying the source
The recent YouTube clip denigrating Muhammed can’t really be called art or legitimate film in my opinion, but the questions surrounding it about responsibility are particularly interesting to me. What is the responsibility of the artist? I do not believe…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Larry Leader’s favorite sin
Larry’s driving his truck to his company’s work site for the day, mentally reviewing his to-do list. Then, from the radio tuned to Country K93, Kenny Chesney’s voice preaches the gospel to Larry: “It’s always your favorite sins that do…
Black churches split over support for Obama and resistance to endorsing gay marriage
(RNS) — At Charity Missionary Baptist Church in North Charleston, S.C., Nelson B. Rivers III supports and follows his African-American congregation’s policy: They will only conduct marriages between one man and one woman. But the vice president of the NAACP…
VITAL SIGNS: Boundaries 101
The headlines are relentless. I wince every time I hear of a minister violating sexual or moral boundaries. I listen sadly as clergy describe unrealistic demands placed upon them by their congregation. Over the years I have seen the great…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Are you sure you want to grow?
If deacons were surveyed, they would almost universally say they want people to join their churches. After all, reaching new people is one of our basic tenants as Baptists. We give much effort and even more lipservice to reaching new…