Baptist News Global

Baptist assistance project offered to churches

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) — With nearly half of the 43,000 churches in the Southern Baptist Convention baptizing three or fewer people, according to 2007 statistics, the Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists, the North American Mission Board and state and local…

California court legalizes gay marriage

SAN FRANCISCO (BP) — The California Supreme Court May 15 issued a much-anticipated and landmark decision by ordering the state to legalize gay marriage, making it the second in the nation to do so and also setting up a dramatic…

Evangelical manifesto draws praise, criticism

WASHINGTON (ABP) — If the authors of “An Evangelical Manifesto,” released May 7, aimed to inspire conversation and self-reflection among their kindred, they certainly succeeded. Among Baptists at the intersection of faith and public life, the conversation and reflection have…

English service held at Chinese church

NANJING, China — I have been attending St. Paul's Church in Nanjing for a number of years. About five years ago, the senior pastor, Kan Renping, began an English Bible study on Thursday nights. This went on for about a…

FIRST PERSON: My way to Jesus

Since I was a small boy, I knew I was different from the other boys. My grandfather is a pastor who stays at his church in the town and he has recently retired at the age of 90. My aunt…

Furman faculty, students divided over Bush speech

GREENVILLE, S.C. (ABP) – Students, administrators, faculty and alumni of Furman University are in an uproar over a speech by President Bush, scheduled for the school's May 31 commencement exercises in Greenville, S.C. The controversy at the moderate school –…

Pass the Popcorn: Christians struggle to decide how best to engage culture

(ABP) — If Christians don't learn to engage the popular culture that surrounds them, they will drown in it, experts insist. “Christians tend to hear the words ‘popular culture' and react as if spitting something yucky from their mouths,” said…

Bluefield College board approves strategic plan

BLUEFIELD, Va. (ABP) — Bluefield College will focus on academics, global service, expanded resources and partnerships as part of its new five-year strategic plan. Trustees of the Virginia Baptist school approved the four-part plan at their April board session. The…

Donor offers giving challenge at BTSR

RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — The Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond could receive up to $1 million in new giving by the end of next April due to an anonymous donor's challenge to churches, seminary officials have announced. The donor —…

CBF worker reaches internationals at Mississippi State University

STARKVILLE, Miss. (ABP) — Diana Bridges is an avenue to God in Northern Mississippi for internationals like the Muslim woman who always asks Bridges to pray for her. “God listens when you pray,” she told Bridges. With a call to…

Pass the popcorn: Christians called to make culture; let God handle transformation

(ABP) — Andy Crouch feels uncomfortable when Christians talk about “transforming culture” or “making an impact on society.” But he strongly believes churches should do far more to encourage Christians to make culture — right where they live. “I'm all…

Pass the Popcorn Analysis: Engage culture without assuming it

(ABP) — I've got to be brutally honest; I'm not a Rob Bell fan, although many of my students are. He has two best-selling books: Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith (2005) and Sex God: Exploring the Endless Connections between…

Lindsey Graham spoke at Baptist church a week before his death

When leaders know better but choose a different path

On the death of Lindsey Graham

Farewell, Three Amigos