By Bob Allen Thousands, if not millions, of church members sitting in America’s pews aren’t really born-again Christians, a Washington, D.C., pastor said April 10 to a pastors’ conference in Louisville, Ky. Mark Dever Mark Dever, senior pastor of Capitol…
Five years later, mother of Va. Tech victim finds peace
CENTREVILLE, Va. (RNS)—It’s been five years since Celeste Peterson’s only daughter was killed in a shooting rampage at Virginia Tech and she’s finally made peace with God. Which is not to say it’s been easy. The five-year anniversary of the…
BTSR to offer M.Div. concentration in justice, peace
By Robert Dilday A concentration in justice and peacebuilding will be available to master of divinity degree students at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmondbeginning this fall, in a collaborative effort a seminary spokesman said would help the school “live out”…
Book says young Christians want more than politics
By Bob Allen Today’s young Christians aren’t interested in enlisting for the culture wars that created a brand of Christianity focused more on the ballot box than serving others, author and cultural commentator Jonathan Merritt says in a new book…
Former Baptist camp director pleads guilty to sex crime
By Bob Allen A former Louisiana Baptist camp director has pleaded guilty to sending pornographic photos of himself over the Internet to an undercover police officer posing as a 14-year-old girl, according to media reports. Michael P. Latham, 45, faces…
Questions remain after Christian painter Kinkade dies
NEW YORK (RNS)—The unexpected death of Thomas Kinkade on April 6 prompted an outpouring of grief for the hugely successful painter of pastoral landscapes, but also raised questions about the troubled final years of an artist whose use of Christian…
Anglos, Latinos unite in making, distributing blankets
FREDERICKSBURG, Va.—A collaboration between five Anglo women from suburban Washington and about a dozen Latin American immigrants in Fredericksburg, Va., has resulted in the distribution of nearly 100 blankets to the homeless and other needy groups. Members of a Women…
‘Family’ is focus of two-weekend Mission Madness
RICHMOND, Va.—Nearly 500 youth and their sponsors fleshed out an expression of “family” during a two-weekend Mission Madness event in two Virginia cities, coordinated by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia. At more than 25 mission sites in Richmond and…
Prayer event was spiritually compelling, say Virginians
WASHINGTON—This year’s Easter prayer breakfast at the White House was a spiritually compelling event, say two Virginia Baptists who attended the April 4 breakfast hosted by President Obama. At his third annual prayer breakfast held during Holy Week, Obama told…
Youth learn what living in the ‘image of God’ means
SMITHFIELD, Va.—Youth in southeastern Virginia explored through worship and community service what it means to be created in the image of God during Youth EnCounter at Smithfield (Va.) Baptist Church last month. Craig Morrison challenged youth to live in the…
BTSR grant will support mission immersion program
RICHMOND, Va.—Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond has been awarded a grant to undergird its Mission Immersion Experience, an intercultural requirement for all students in the seminary’s master of divinity degree program. The $18,000 from the Wabash Center, an organization which…
BTSR to offer M.Div. concentration in justice, peace
RICHMOND, Va.—A concentration in justice and peacebuilding will be available to master of divinity degree students at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond beginning this fall, in a collaborative effort a seminary spokesman said would help the school “live out” its…