Baptist News Global

Virginia Baptist 2007 contributions exceed budget by almost $250,000

RICHMOND — Virginia Baptists surpassed their 2007 budget goal by almost $250,000, a finance officer announced last week. Churches affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia gave a total of $14,442,553, almost a 2 percent increase over the $14.2…

Plenary details released for New Baptist Covenant

ATLANTA — Organizers of the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant scheduled for Jan. 30 through Feb. 1, 2008, in Atlanta, have released a detailed schedule of the plenary sessions and the speakers. The session at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan….

Baptist center’s Heritage Fellows provide hope for tomorrow

RICHMOND — Sometimes in Baptist life we ask the question, “Who will lead Baptists tomorrow?” The question is an excellent one considering the recent strife among Baptists as well as the move away from denominationalism. It also is the question…

EDITORIAL: Pewboy makes up his mind

Pewboy folded the morning paper and placed it on the counter with one hand while raising a cup of coffee to his lips with the other. Despite being largely misunderstood by many of his coworkers, he was glad to be…

SECOND OPINION: Who is master of the house?

In recent discussions about Baptist identity, the phrase “spiritual master” has been seen as a roadblock to Christian liberty. And why not? “Master” sounds so, well, oppressive. Perhaps you are familiar with William Ernest Henley's poem Invictus (i.e., “Unconquered”). It…

Free to profess

Last week, on Wednesday, Jan. 16, the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom turned 222 years young. It was enacted by the Virginia General Assembly on that date in 1786. Virginia had just passed through a paradigm shift, moving from a…

OUT LOUD

“It is not a sanctuary that will help us reach a new generation.” Robert Jeffress The pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas was discussing plans to replace the 1891 sanctuary which launched the careers of legendary Baptist pastors George…

Death penalty opponents find new allies among evangelicals

CARRBORO, N.C. (RNS) — Stephen Dear has spent the past 10 years waging an uphill battle to abolish the death penalty in the American South — with virtually no help from the region's powerful evangelical ministers. But unlike in years…

Survey: Unchurched Americans say church is full of hypocrites

WASHINGTON (RNS) — Almost three-quarters of Americans who haven't darkened the door of a church in the last six months think it is “full of hypocrites,” and even more of them consider Christianity to be more about organized religion than…

RIGHT OR WRONG

Reading what the Apostle Paul said about our bodies being “the temple of God,” I became convicted about what I allow my children to eat — too many sweets, etc. But my husband resists my words of caution and models…

Rob Bell: Christians shouldn’t fear controversy over doctrine

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (ABP) — Precise definitions and formulations of doctrines aren't necessary prerequisites to evangelism or Christian unity, said author Rob Bell, pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., who has become an increasingly controversial figure among…

FAITH DIGEST

Evolution and religion compatible, scientists insist. A top panel of scientists has published a new book asserting that belief in the theory of evolution and religious faith “can be fully compatible,” and creationism has no place in science classes. The…

Islamophobia is the next bogeyman

The Black Church cannot remain America’s emergency moral infrastructure

We are manna

Webinar explores religious context of America’s Founders