KARACHAYEVO-CHERKESSIA, Russia (ABP) — Political and religious leaders in Russia's mainly Muslim North Caucasus denounced arson attacks on two Russian Orthodox churches and one Baptist church overnight on Nov. 1. An Orthodox church in the village of Ordzhonikidzevsky in the…
Richmond seminary starts D.Min. in contextual leadership
RICHMOND, Va. — Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond will welcome the first students in the summer of 2011 to its newly-focused doctor of ministry degree in contextual leadership, the school has announced. “The doctor of ministry is an advanced professional…
Iraqi Baptist pastor says Baghdad’s Christians living in fear after attack
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (ABP) — A Baptist pastor in Baghdad told a European Baptist leader that Christians there are living in fear following an Oct. 31 attack on a Catholic church in Iraq's capital that left more than 50 dead….
Leland to partner with Northern Seminary to offer doctorate in missional leadership
FALLS CHURCH, Va. — Two Baptist seminaries — one a 10-year-old school in suburban Washington and the other a nearly century old institution in suburban Chicago — are partnering to offer a doctor of ministry degree with an emphasis on…
Virginia Baptist projects continue in Haiti, despite cholera outbreak
RICHMOND, Va. — Despite the recent outbreak of cholera in Haiti, Virginia Baptists and their partners continue to focus on rebuilding homes destroyed in last January’s earthquake and constructing an orphanage for victims of the disaster. Meanwhile, the Baptist World…
How big is your back door?
For several months a recruiter had been building a relationship with a likely volunteer, speaking persuasively about a career in the army. He had spoken of the war and the need for recruits. Mostly, however, he had emphasized the retirement…
From the Eastern Shore to Cumberland Gap
STAFF CHANGES • Terry Spencer, to Calvary Church, Newport News, as pastor. • Gregory L. Soult, to Mentow Church, Huddleston, as full-time pastor, effective Nov. 14. ‘NEW’ CONGREGATION: Following several years of working together in combined ministries, the congregations of…
HERITAGE: On to Hampton
In 1755 some 1,100 Acadians came in exile to Hampton. They remained on their ships while negotiations ensued. Governor Dinwiddie thought that “it was unkind of the Governor of Nova Scotia to send such a number of people here without…
Church implodes buildings to make way for $130 million project
DALLAS (ABP) — One of Southern Baptists’ most historic and prominent congregations has officially embarked — with four simultaneous Oct. 30 building implosions — on what it is calling the biggest church renovation-and-expansion project in modern history. An architect’s rendering…
Why do people leave churches?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — Many churches and denominations put a lot of effort into attracting new members only to lose many of them through a “back door”—a term used to describe people who regularly attended a church in the past…
‘Unchurched’ studies seek to understand why people leave
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — Seeking to develop strategies to prevent formerly active members from leaving through the so-called “back door,” LifeWay Research has conducted surveys to better understand why people leave. “I think we have a lot of strategies for…
Study finds large churches can do better at retaining members
HARTFORD, Conn. — Large congregations are more likely than small churches to emphasize evangelism and recruitment of new members but significantly less likely to contact members who stop attending, according to a recent study. A little more than half of…