WASHINGTON (RNS) — While Americans have debated whether Osama bin Laden’s body belongs at the bottom of the Arabian Sea, most agree on the final destination of his soul — in hell. A new poll reports most Americans (82 percent)…
J. Alfred Smith finds Gardner-Webb University open to diversity
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. (ABP) — A predominantly white Baptist college in rural North Carolina might seem an unlikely place to find an urban African-American pastor from California known for an agenda of prophetic justice, but Gardner-Webb University just said goodbye…
Alliance of Baptists acts out call for economic justice with staff salaries
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (ABP) — At its recent convocation in Louisville, Ky., the Alliance of Baptists not only adopted a statement on economic justice but implemented the commitment by equalizing salaries for members of the organization’s leadership team. Denouncing public policy…
Relief offered in counties devastated by deadly sweep of April tornadoes
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Baptists’ disaster relief ministry is winding down its initial efforts in Virginia counties hard hit by a series of deadly tornadoes that touched down April 27-28 — the third time in less than a month the…
It takes a tractor: Church’s ministry in Ghana had small beginning
TAPPAHANNOCK, Va. — Ghana is one part of the world where Beale Memorial Baptist Church in Tappahannock, Va., is involved in missions, and it started with a tractor. Mission team members from Beale Memorial Baptist Church Bryan and Nancy Taliaferro,…
EDITORIAL: Soldiers of the Cross must make sacrifices, too
In the May 16, 1861, issue of the Religious Herald an article appeared noting that the New York Bible Society had distributed 14,000 Bibles to soldiers and sailors volunteering for service in the North. Alfred E. Dickenson, who later became…
HERITAGE: Songs in the night
In April Westhampton Baptist Church in Richmond, Va., celebrated its centennial in grand style and with a packed sanctuary. People were stretched around its narrow gallery peering down upon the floor below. The choir loft was full. Bill Hardison, the…
OUT LOUD
“Look, Mom, Jesus protected our house, but he forgot to take care of his own house.” Gracie ‘Bug’ Briscoe The 6-year-old from Vaughn, Ga., was referring to her trailer home, which was missed by tornadoes that destroyed the United Methodist…
ASK THE ARCHITECT: Spring into the great outdoors
When it comes to capturing the maximum opportunities that a church site has to offer, look to the master planning leadership that your architect can provide in tandem with a landscape architect. In that vein, this month’s article is a…
VITAL SIGNS: A week to remember
Some weeks fade from memory quickly, others stand out for their significance and impact. This year, the week of Easter and following was a memorable week for us to learn some indispensible things about being a vibrant and healthy church…
One church, one message, multiple locations
ABINGDON, Va. — If you are a member of Highlands Fellowship, you may have attended worship in Abingdon, Va., last Sunday. Or you could have been in Bristol, Va., or Marion, Va., or Johnson City, Tenn. Among its four campuses,…
Roundup of Baptists in the Mid-Atlantic
Got news? Send information for this page to Barbara Francis at [email protected]. Even better — add us to your newsletter’s e-mail list, send a link to your newsletter page or mail it to 2828 Emerywood Parkway, Richmond, VA 23294. STAFF…