WASHINGTON — Ask most American Christians where the largest Bible printing facility in the world is and they might imagine Nashville, Dallas or London to hold that honor. Few would guess the correct answer: China. Discussing the Bible exhibit are…
Rob Bell leaving Mars Hill to focus on writing
GRANDVILLE, Mich. (RNS) — Megachurch pastor Rob Bell, whose best-selling book raised evangelical eyebrows by questioning traditional beliefs on hell, knew it was time to address the “giant, glowing, loud” elephant in the room on Sunday morning, Sept. 25. What’s…
BGCT moves forward with funding cut, new agreement with Baylor
DALLAS (ABP) – The Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board voted Sept. 27 to recommend a budget that reduces funding for Baylor University while giving more dollars to 10 other schools. The spending plan, to be recommended to messengers…
CBF young leader network sponsoring Kentucky retreat
GEORGETOWN, Ky. (ABP) – Current, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s young leaders’ network, is sponsoring three regional meetings as a way to reach out to a new crop of young seminarians and those in their first call as clergy. The first…
Leland Center relocates
ARLINGTON, Va. — The John Leland Center for Theological Studies moved at the end of August to new quarters in the busy Clarendon section of Arlington, Va., about three miles from central Washington, D.C. The Church at Clarendon's new 10-story…
After 20 years, BTSR celebrates its past, looks toward the future
RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond will celebrate the 20th anniversary of inaugural classes that first met in the fall of 1991 with a celebration dinner Oct. 17 at First Baptist Church in Richmond, Va. A highlight…
OUT LOUD
“Sadly, the constituency for human rights and religious freedom issues is growing smaller and smaller in Washington and in this Congress. These issues have become second-class citizens in this Congress and in this town.” Rep. Frank Wolf The Republican congressman…
TRENDING: New Zealand clues — Elder-led governance
“I left you behind in Crete for this reason, so that you should put in order what remained to be done, and should appoint elders in every town, as I directed you” (Titus 1:5, NRSV). It is standard Baptist…
Leonard named to Wake’s new chair of Baptist studies named for Dunns
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — Church history professor Bill J. Leonard has been named the first James and Marilyn Dunn Chair of Baptist Studies at the Wake Forest University School of Divinity, officials at the school in Winston-Salem, N.C., announced Sept….
Briton says sharing faith means providing better understanding of God
GLORIETA, N.M. (BP) — Seeing a life changed because of Jesus will draw people to faith, says Dennis Pethers, a British evangelist who closely observes dynamics in the United Kingdom’s increasingly post-Christian society. A former atheist, he credits C.S. Lewis…
EDITORIAL: Getting churches and pastors right — or wrong?
Dear Jimmy, Well, your Uncle Orley and I have pret’ near wrapped up all the loose ends of summer. The garden has played out and every shelf in the cellar is filled with clear quart or pint jars full of…
OPINION: Whom shall we kill?
Troy Davis has been denied clemency by the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles. Our country witnesses, once again, a flawed system at work. From the pope to Jimmy Carter, leaders are calling for a stay in the execution,…