College students who feel a calling into ministry passionately want to make a difference for God's kingdom. But a significant number don't believe the local-church setting is the place to do it, according to guidance directors for ministerial students at…
Lowesville VBS participants provide water for Malawi gardens
LOWESVILLE — Rural kids know something about gardens. At least, they understand gardens needing water. If it doesn't rain, they need water from somewhere. They also understand more about sacrifice than most of us. They taught us some of that…
Sharing sport and spirit: International soccer players offer more than skill tips
Churches in the Fredericksburg area regularly send members to foreign countries to do mission work. In early August, three foreign countries sent missionaries to Frederick-sburg to help local children sharpen their soccer skills and their faith. The event was hosted…
Baptist educator joins Bluefield College as vice president for enrollment
Bluefield College recently welcomed a new vice president to manage recruitment and enrollment initiatives for the school. Toby Ziglar, an admissions director and former college professor and pastor with strong ties to Virginia Baptists, joined the BC family Aug. 1…
VIRGINIA BRIEFS
Lawsuit dismissed against Clarendon Church. A circuit court judge has dismissed a lawsuit against First Baptist Church of Clarendon in Arlington, which is seeking to build condominiums that will provide affordable housing for Arlington County's residents, according to the Washington…
OUT LOUD
“The day of working an 80-hour week must come to an end. The church does not own us.” Dean Coridan The president of the Iowa-Missouri conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church described what he tells ministers at workshops in encouraging…
Virginia church boosts Slavic ministry in western North Carolina
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The sound sent chills. The youthful sound of American and Ukrainian teenagers voicing a worship song together — it brought tears, too. “It gave everybody chills because you felt real unity [of] Christians together,” said Mandy Allen,…
Faith changes little over a lifetime, research reveals
WASHINGTON (RNS)—Michele Dillon and Paul Wink have interviewed scores of septuagenarians about their faith—or lack thereof—and compared their answers to those they gave during their teens and middle age. What did they discover? People really don't change much over time—religiosity…
S3 to make a difference through discipleship
RICHMOND, Va. — Spiritual formation and making disciples is the focus of S3, Sunday School Summit 2007, to be held at the Eagle Eyrie Baptist Conference Center, Sept. 14-15. With the theme “Make a Difference — Change Lives,” the summit…
Most Muslims worldwide say suicide bombings unjustified
WASHINGTON (RNS)—George Bush and Osama bin Laden are both losing the battle for Muslim hearts and minds, a new report shows. The Pew Global Attitudes Project, a 47-nation survey, found that rising prosperity in the Islamic world has helped slash…
College students find focus for summer ministry
RICHMOND — This summer Virginia Baptist Collegiate Ministries was directly involved in sending over 47 students to do various summer mission projects. You may have heard about the 3 GO (Global Outreach) teams that went to London, Italy and South…
Breakaway agencies could amend charters, Mo. convention concedes
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (ABP) — The Missouri Baptist Convention's Executive Board has abandoned its contention that trustees of five institutions acted illegally when they changed their charters to elect their own board members. Convention lawyers agreed at a July 18…