WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.—Churches that go through the intentional interim ministry process show lasting benefits, recent research has demonstrated. The Center for Congregational Health examined churches 24 to 36 months after they completed the intentional interim process, paying particular attention to how…
Missouri associate Jim Austin tapped for top Baptist spot in South Carolina
COLUMBIA, S. C. — After spending less than two years as associate executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention, Jim Austin is expected to become new executive director-treasurer of the South Carolina Baptist Convention. A South Carolina search committee announced…
Churches seeking pastors put plenty of hooks in the water
RICHMOND—What's in a name? For churches seeking a new minister, the bottom line is collecting names of candidates—and lots of them. That's not always an easy task, and search committees typically discover it takes a variety of approaches to create…
Florida pastor leads church to ministry-based evangelism
Charles Roesel served as the pastor of First Baptist Church, Leesburg, Fla., for almost 30 years. He retired in the spring of 2006. Under his leadership First Baptist, Leesburg, was in the top 1 percent of the nation in evangelism…
Self-examination benefits church with pastor, too
PLAINVIEW, Texas—At some point, every church needs to step back and re-evaluate its purpose. Micheal Summers, Wayland Baptist University's director of church services, believes an intentional interim minister can most effectively lead churches through that process, but churches with pastors…
Masters winner buoyed by faith, marriage
The day before Johnson won the tournament April 8, J.B. Collingsworth, president of the Marriage and Family Matters ministry, sent the golfer a text message of Psalm 16:8: “I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at…
Herald launches publishing partnership with Baptist media
RICHMOND — The Religious Herald has launched a publishing partnership with three other Baptist news organizations which will allow it to expand its news coverage and offer more attractive and dynamic design features. Joining the Herald in the venture —…
Baptist Briefs
ABP opens New York bureau. Associated Baptist Press has launched a news bureau in New York City. ABP Assistant Editor Hannah Elliott opened the independent news service's New York bureau March 15, a little more than a year after she…
April marks first anniversary for Virginia Baptists’ Advance Notice electronic newsletter
RICHMOND — When it was launched on April 4, 2006, the Virginia Baptist Mission Board's Advance Notice e-newsletter was the first monthly electronic source of information for Virginia Baptists of the 1,400-plus member churches of the Baptist General Association of…
Baptist college professor accused of embezzling
COLUMBIA, S.C. – An economics professor at a South Carolina Baptist university was charged with fraud April 5, after federal authorities discovered $134 million missing from investment funds he managed. The academic has since claimed amnesia and reportedly checked into…
Charlottesville church connects with China
Tom Leland, pastor of University Baptist Church in Charlottesville, leaned back in his swivel chair in his spacious office and smiled broadly. Clearly, talking about the church and it's ministries is a topic in which he is well-versed and one…
New about Virginia Baptists and their ministries for April 19, 2007
Staff changes • Bernard Camden, to Fellowship Church, Chester, as pastor. • Jeff Hudgins, to Heritage Church, Farmville, as pastor. • Tim Mathia, resigning as pastor of Mentow Church, Huddleston. • Bill Welch, to Woodville Church, Woodville, as interim pastor….