(ABP) — Baptists continue to mobilize supplies and prayer in an effort to minister to victims of natural disasters in China and Myanmar. News reports May 22 indicated the death toll in China had risen to 50,000, with 220,000 injured,…
Pass the popcorn
Christians tend to hear the words ‘popular culture' and react as if spitting something yucky from their mouths,” said David Dark, author of Everyday Apocalypse: The Sacred Revealed in Radiohead, The Simpsons and Other Pop Culture Icons and The Gospel…
Virginia Baptists focused on China, Myanmar
RICHMOND — Virginia Baptists are responding to the natural disasters in both China and Myanmar through the Virginia Baptist Mission Board's glocal missions and evangelism team. Terry Raines, the board's disaster relief coordinator, participated in a May 24 meeting of…
Christians called to make culture; let God handle transformation
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 for cultural…
Musician’s daughter killed in car accident
FRANKLIN, Tenn. (BP) — Maria Sue, the 5-year-old daughter of Christian musician Steven Curtis Chapman, died May 21 after she was struck by an SUV driven by her teenage brother in the family's driveway south of Nashville, Tenn. The Tennessean…
Popular culture challenges Christians to ‘think outside the box,’ scholars insist
It can be difficult to hear God's word in today's media-saturated culture of iPods, YouTube, satellite radio, and DirecTV with over 500 channels and on-demand movies, two culture observers at Houston Baptist University conclude. “We are shaped by popular culture…
Southern gospel music legend Dottie Rambo dies in crash
MOUNT VERNON, Mo. (ABP) — Southern gospel music singer and songwriter Dottie Rambo, 74, was killed when her tour bus ran off a highway near Mount Vernon, Mo., May 11. She was en route to an engagement in Texas after…
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…
Crowded SBC presidential field grows by two
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (ABP) — A crowded field of hopefuls for the Southern Baptist Convention presidency appears to be developing, with two high-profile candidates set to join three already-announced nominees. Retired SBC International Mission Board executive Avery Willis and Atlanta-area pastor…
Megachurch fails to oust members
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — A May 4 vote to oust 71 dissident members of Nashville, Tenn., megachurch Two Rivers Baptist Church failed by four votes. The ouster attempt was proposed by embattled pastor Jerry Sutton and the deacon chair. Exactly…
Evangelicals lament a politicized faith
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Evangelical Christians should be defined by their theology — and not their politics — to avoid becoming “useful idiots” of a political party, a group of leaders said May 7 in a new statement. The document, “An…
Blogging Baptists
For some people, blogs are like a family reunion where people barely know each other. There's a lot of talking going on, but there's little agreement on much of anything. But for many of the increasing number of Baptist bloggers,…