To engage high school students in church-state issues and to generate interest from a wide range of Baptists, the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty has launched the 2008 Religious Liberty Essay Contest. Open to all Baptist high school students…
Memphis church gives new meaning to ‘I Surrender All’
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (RNS) — Nineteen-year-old Edacious recently came to New Salem Missionary Baptist Church, to surrender — and not just to Jesus. There was a warrant for her arrest on marijuana charges, and she had come to church to turn…
Missouri convention overwhelmingly rejects Moran-allied candidates
OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (ABP) — For the first time in eight years, messengers to the Missouri Baptist Convention annual meeting have rejected a slate of officer candidates allied with an organized fundamentalist faction. Meeting Oct. 29-31 at a resort on…
FAITHSHAPERS: Positive behaviors
Last month we discussed ways to extinct undesirable behaviors. Now we will turn our attention to the other side of the coin. Reducing our reinforcement of negative behaviors is a great start, but we also have to be purposeful about…
Tennessee Baptists gear up for struggle over trustees
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (ABP) — Tennessee Baptists are gearing up to fight a battle that most Southern Baptist state conventions finished a decade ago. Many of the state's moderates feel it is no longer worth fighting. Nonetheless, some conservatives and moderates…
Church welcomes the ‘Scum of the Earth’
DENVER — The people who worship with Pastor Mike Sares at this rented space are mostly young, many of them students, some clean cut, some a little raggedy. More than a few of the 300 congregants have grappled with depression,…
Annual meeting of Baptists in Texas sees election of woman, budget approval
AMARILLO, Texas (ABP) — Messengers to the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting narrowly elected the first woman president of the state convention — and continued a two-decade string of officers endorsed by the moderate Texas Baptists Committed organization….
Opportunities remain to take part in Connect:2007 in Richmond
RICHMOND — Although pre-registration for the Connect:2007 BGAV annual meeting has now closed, there are still many opportunities to participate in this annual gathering of Virginia Baptists, Nov. 13-14 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Churches that have not pre-registered…
Warren challenges Baptists to promote peace worldwide, starting in Texas
AMARILLO, Texas (ABP) — Developing a heart for missions can be simple, according to best-selling author and California pastor Rick Warren. “If you want the blessing of God in your life, the power of God in your life, the anointing…