Baptist News Global

Economy may affect churches in ways other than giving

(ABP) — The bottoming markets, soaring gas and food prices and a steady stream of home foreclosures may be affecting other sectors of the economy, but that doesn’t mean church budgets will necessarily feel the pinch. But local congregations may…

Third World faith: The new center of Christianity

Laughter, tambourines and native instruments fill the air of a tiny apartment as a small group of Christians gather for fervent worship. Despite the oppression they have experienced under Islam and the Soviet system, these Central Asian Christians dance and…

Vatican reports growth in Africa

VATICAN CITY (RNS)—Africa is the Catholic Church's region of biggest growth, with rising numbers of faithful, clergy and religious orders, according to Vatican statistics. IMB Photo Christian Fulanis in Nigeria meet at a local home for a Sunday morning Bible…

Impacting Port Sulphur

RICHMOND—In the early morning hours when most in the surrounding community was still sleeping, 10 members of North Run Baptist Church in Richmond departed on a 21-hour Impact NOW! trip to Port Sulphur, La., in lower Plaquemines Parish. Among the…

Impact Virginia! offers variety of programs

• Impact Virginia! This one-week program provides service in four areas across the state: Staunton, Bluefield, Culpepper and Bowling Green. Projects focus on home repair and renovation. • Impact NOW! This project responds to natural disasters across the country. The…

Liberian student plans study at Oak Hill

Talk about culture shock. When Jimishua Beauty Dahn leaves Baptist-affiliated Ricks Institute in Liberia to attend Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, she will stepping into a different world. Dahn was selected by the faculty and staff of Ricks…

Virginia judge sides with churches

WASHINGTON (RNS)—A Civil War-era law that lets Virginia churches keep their property when leaving a denomination where a “division” has occurred is constitutional, a county judge ruled June 27, siding with 11 former Episcopal parishes. Fairfax County Judge Randy I….

Bluefield group performs twice at Carnegie

BLUEFIELD—Piano virtuoso Authur Rubinstein was once approached on a New York City street near Carnegie Hall and asked, “Pardon me sir, but how do I get to Carnegie Hall?” He replied, “Practice, practice, practice.” Although Rubinstein's comment is legend, the…

EDITORIAL: SBC continues its snub of the BGAV

Since some of the more conservative among us withdrew from the Baptist General Association of Virginia in 1996, the BGAV has given to the Southern Baptist Convention through designated and undesignated gifts more than $85 million. Yet, in that length…

Reaching for a star

In May this columnist was a guest speaker at Manly Memorial Baptist Church in Lexington. The announced topic was on examples of loyalty from within the history of the congregation. While his mouth was speaking, his eyes were scanning the…

SECOND OPINION: Who’s in, who’s out—and who decides?

BodyZenSoul Salon is located beside the ZED Café near Francos in the conservative Richmond neighborhood of Lakeside. I doubt that full blown Buddhism is practiced there, but eastern vibes are unmistakable. Just down the street is Divine Magic, complete with…

OUT LOUD

“I looked on the church paper as a voice to influence the church rather than just a mouthpiece reflecting what was happening in it. It needs to be a trumpet giving a good sound and having a powerful influence.” Kenneth…

What Disclosure Day reveals about evangelicals’ fears

Insufficient

6 ways the Reflecting Pool boondoggle mirrors Trump and MAGA

Pilate asked Jesus, ‘What is truth?’