Baptist News Global

At Carter’s church, former president still a draw

PLAINS, Ga. (RNS) — With its aging storefronts and small train depot, its graceful pecan trees and clipped fields of peanuts, cottons and hay, peace still seems possible in this tiny town. And nowhere is that peace protected more fiercely…

Historical revisionism or accurate rendering?

WASHINGTON (RNS) — For centuries, Jesus has been a subject of choice for countless artists. But it’s fair to say that seldom has he been depicted quite like this. In artist Jon McNaughton’s “One Nation Under God,” Jesus stands front…

Churches’ contributions listed

A detailed summary of Cooperative Mission gifts given through the Baptist General Association of Virginia's treasurer's office from churches affiliated with the BGAV for the period Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2009 is available by clicking this link. Questions about the report…

VITAL SIGNS: Facing the raging blizzard

Why a regular column about healthy churches and healthy ministers? Some would argue that such a thing doesn’t exist. For far too many clergy and laity alike, healthy is not the word they use to describe their life in a…

A Time to Die: Church plants and re-plants key to continued witness

RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — According to Chris Backert, emerging church strategist with the Virginia Baptist Mission Board, no greater need exists in the Body of Christ today than effective church planting. Chris Backert (VBMB photo) “Over the last decade a…

A Time to Die: Church renewal depends on leadership, Baucom says

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (ABP) — Jim Baucom, pastor of Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church, Va., has helped lead three established congregations to renewal and growth. He says doing the same thing in other churches, while not easy, is possible…

Baptists pledge support for earthquake victims in Chile

ATLANTA (ABP) — As Baptists began to dig in for a long-term response to the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti, focus shifted Feb. 27 to another quake that killed hundreds and caused billions of dollars in property damage in Chile. …

For principled and practical immigration reform — now

By David Gushee A coalition of law-enforcement, labor, policy, religious and other groups is gearing up for a major push for comprehensive immigration reform this spring. Serious behind-the-scenes efforts are underway to secure broad and bipartisan sponsorship for new immigration-reform…

Baptists pledge support for earthquake victims in Chile as death toll nears 700

Relief launched for quake in Chile described as ‘without parallel’

CONCEPCION, Chile – Southern Baptists have released $50,000 for immediate relief needs in Chile, where the death toll has climbed past 700 in an earthquake disaster described by the country’s president as “without parallel in Chile's history.” A Southern Baptist…

Youth minister, young-adult pastor honored by CBF for their ministries

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — A young associate pastor and a longtime youth minister have been honored by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship for their dedication to ministry. Fran Patterson, left, and Amy Grizzle, right, with CBF's Bo Prosser were honored at…

A Time to Die: Can Baptists learn from Anglican revitalization?

(ABP) — If turning around a declining church were easy, more declining churches would be reversing course. And if Christians in the United States think turning around a church is difficult, think of trying it in the Church of England,…

Supreme Court slides into partisanship

Before the fireworks, be careful what you drink

The contemptible case of Clarence Thomas

The permanent paradoxes of Christian thinking about war