BOURNEMOUTH, England (ABP) — British Baptists marked the 400th anniversary of the founding of the first Baptist congregation in 1609 in an annual meeting of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and BMS World Mission May 1-4. This year's Baptist…
SBC may deploy disaster relief for swine flu, leader says
ALPHARETTA, Ga. (ABP) — The Southern Baptist Convention could deploy its nationwide disaster-relief network if the international outbreak of swine flu becomes a pandemic in the United States, said a spokesman for the North American Mission Board. "Now is the…
SBC president calls for ‘Great Commission Resurgence’
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) — A declaration released by Southern Baptist Convention president Johnny Hunt calling for a “Great Commission Resurgence” among Southern Baptists has drawn more than 700 signatures since it was posted on the Internet April 27. Jim Law,…
Bluefield trustees consider new academic programs
BLUEFIELD – Trustees of Bluefield College explored new academic programs and were updated on the school’s new strategic plan during their annual spring meeting, April 17-18. During their two-day meeting, trustees approved a teacher licensure curriculum for traditional students in…
Study: Ranks of religiously unaffiliated grow, but remain often open to faith
WASHINGTON (ABP) — While the fastest-growing religious segment of the United States population is those who are not affiliated with a particular religion, that group is not necessarily comprised of secularists and largely remains open to faith, a new study…
Young evangelicals call for end to nuclear weapons
AUSTIN, Texas (ABP) — A group of under-40 evangelicals attending a leadership meeting in Texas announced April 28 a new initiative to mobilize American Christians to eliminate nuclear weapons. "We have all heard about this broadening of the evangelical agenda,"…
Carter says Baptist strife hurting evangelism
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — Former President Jimmy Carter said baptisms are declining in the Southern Baptist Convention because doctrinal bickering gives Christianity a bad name. Carter, a Baptist Sunday school teacher for 66 years who publicly parted ways with the…
Maya Angelou challenges Baptists to fight racism
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — With an African-American population estimated as high as 50 million, the "blight of racism" is "still an epidemic assailing" the United States, writer Maya Angelou said April 24 at the Southeast regional gathering of the New…
Virginia Baptist educator receives award
RICHMOND — The Baptist Association of Christian Educators recently awarded its Educator of the Year award to Lucy Dorr, long-time Virginia Baptist educator. Lucy Dorr receives award from the Baptist Association of Christian Educators. A graduate of Southern Baptist Theological…
Historical Society to examine diversity among Baptists
RICHMOND — Past and current diversity among Baptists will be examined at the Virginia Baptist Historical Society’s annual meeting, set for Tuesday, May 19, at First Baptist Church in Richmond. “The Swirling Center: The Prospect of Diversity in the Church”…
Groups urge Obama to proclaim ‘inclusive’ day of prayer
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Two religious-liberty organizations are calling on President Obama to proclaim an "inclusive" national day of prayer May 7 instead of endorsing a National Day of Prayer Task Force headed by the wife of a prominent Religious Right…
Southern Seminary closing School of Church Music
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (ABP) — Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is closing its 65-year-old School of Church Music and Worship, combining it with the School of Leadership and Church Ministry into a new School of Church Ministries. The seminary's board of trustees…