In researching for this issue of the Religious Herald, I was impressed again with Virginia Baptists. Pastor Gregory Loewer was willing to sacrifice his career, if necessary, to lead his church to face a glorious end and to live again…
BGAV’s 2009 church gifts are listed
A detailed summary of Cooperative Mission gifts from churches affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia through the BGAV’s treasurer’s office for the period Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2009 is available by clicking this link. Questions about the report may…
HERITAGE: Return to Pamplin
Elon stands with twin white towers and columned portico shaded by giant trees. The interior looks like a jewel box with its beautiful stained-glass windows and gold carpeting. Last October the church celebrated its 150th anniversary and on the big…
VITAL SIGNS: Facing the raging blizzard
Why a regular column about healthy churches and healthy ministers? Some would argue that such a thing doesn’t exist. For far too many clergy and laity alike, healthy is not the word they use to describe their life in a…
Congregational turnarounds depend on staff leadership, says Baucom
Jim Baucom, pastor of Columbia Baptist in Falls Church, has seen three congregations under his leadership experience renewal. “I think it should be said that growing a church to relevance and vitality from near-death is an extremely rare incidence that…
‘Turnaround churches’: Have Baptists something to learn from Anglicans?
If turning around a declining church were easy, more declining churches would be reversing course. And if Christians in the United States think turning around a church is difficult, think of trying it in the Church of England, where tradition…
Baptist expert says Establishment Clause applies to foreign policy
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A Baptist church-state specialist voiced concern about a think-tank report urging a new direction for U.S. foreign policy focused on the role religion plays in world affairs. Writing for the On Faith blog WashingtonPost.com, Brent Walker, executive…
Consider revitalizing models for declining churches
One sees them occasionally. Abandoned church buildings in rural areas stand in mute witness of changing times. In urban areas, big brick structures, once crowded with eager worshipers, now house restaurants, community centers or even nightclubs. Sometimes churches die. Like…
Baptists pledge support for earthquake victims in Chile as death toll nears 700
ATLANTA (ABP) — As Baptists began to dig in for a long-term response to the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti, focus shifted Feb. 27 to another quake that killed hundreds and caused billions of dollars in property damage in Chile. …