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…
Hybrid multisite model uses multiple approaches
HUNTSVILLE, Texas — Covenant Fellowship in Huntsville, Texas, functions as a hybrid multicampus church as a means to give birth to autonomous congregations across the state and the nation. While he was pastor of First Baptist Church in Huntsville, David…
Multisite multiplication
The term “multisite” or “multicampus” church might first bring megachurches to mind. But as it has developed, the church-growth model has taken on many forms to serve a variety of purposes and ministry contexts. Ministry Some churches use the multicampus…
Multisite fans view approach as good stewardship
Proponents of the multicampus church option cite flexibility, stewardship and the “spark” that newness can bring to ministry. “You get the big-church bang … but you also get the pop and sizzle of a new church,” said Rodney Harrison, vice…
Texas congregation takes church to Air Force base
WICHITA FALLS, Texas — When Pastor Bob McCartney arrived at First Baptist Church in Wichita Falls, he wanted to lead the congregation to minister better to two distinct populations — students at Midwestern State University and the airmen and their…
Church start or church satellite? Decision can be difficult
Perhaps a congregation has discovered a neighborhood or nearby community with no evangelical or other church presence. Or maybe the church has found a demographic that isn’t being reached with the gospel. Church leaders believe God is leading their congregation…
Multisite ministry by any other name
LEWISVILLE, Texas — Before a church launches a multisite ministry, it must select and secure a site, assemble a leadership team, raise funds and work through logistical details. But Northview Baptist Church in Lewisville, Texas, has discovered the most difficult…