The most important federal reporting obligation for most churches is withholding and reporting employee income taxes and Social Security (FICA) taxes. A number of unique rules apply to churches and “ministers for tax purposes.” Yet many churches do not comply…
Missouri Baptists again elect ‘SOC’ slate
ST. LOUIS (ABP) — Messengers to the Missouri Baptist Convention annual meeting Oct. 27-29 once again elected officers sympathetic to a reform movement within the state convention, while hearing a report about the difficult work of an ad hoc “peace…
Pastors Conference celebrates the Lord’s undergirding
The annual pastors conference of the Baptist General Association of Virginia met on Nov. 10 at North Roanoke Baptist Church in Roanoke, the day prior to the BGAV annual meeting. Pastors conference president Mark Croston presided and introduced speakers, who…
Ga. Baptists reject church with woman pastor
JONESBORO, Ga. (ABP) — The Georgia Baptist Convention has decided to refuse gifts from a historic member church that last year called a woman as pastor. Messengers to the Nov. 9-11 annual meeting approved a policy change authorizing convention leaders…
SBCV welcomes new executive director
ROANOKE (BP) — The 12th annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia Nov. 10-11 drew 950 messengers and 250 guests to First Baptist Church in Roanoke, where messengers adopted a $9.5 million budget, welcomed 25 new churches, celebrated…
Md./Del. cuts budget amid financial hardships
DOVER, Del. (BP) — Messengers to the Nov. 10-11 annual meeting of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware approved an overall budget of $6.2 million for the coming year, down from $7.1 million in 2008. Anticipated Cooperative Program giving from churches…
EDITORIAL: Being a contented pastor’s wife
Dear Jimmy, I'm writing to tell you about a conversation I had this afternoon when we were over at Dolly Mayhew's that I think might make a good article for the Religious Herald. Her daughter Kelly and her new husband…
N.C. Baptists nix plan to forward CBF gifts
GREENSBORO, N.C. (ABP) — North Carolina Baptist churches soon won't be able to support the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship through the state convention, messengers decided at their annual meeting Nov. 12. The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina voted to kill…
Gentle warrior
Earl Scott claimed that he was “no hero.” As proof, he cited that he won no medals. But he did have war stories. He liked to tell about his “window on the Battle of the Bulge.” It was a pilot's…