The first thing Bill Gwathmey sees every morning is the fields at Rose Mount, the farm where he has lived since 1954. At 90 he does not work in the fields but chooses to lease them. He likewise no longer…
VITAL SIGNS: Words from a master
I recently had the privilege of hearing Fred Craddock preach. For many clergy, Craddock represents the personification of a stream of preaching that emphasizes narrative and intuition over expository and logic. For some it is extremely appealing, not so much…
OUT LOUD
“Zoar will not be resurrected, because in order to be resurrected the church had to be dead and it was never dead.” John Snow The pastor of Zoar Baptist Church in Deltaville, Va., was describing his congregation’s response to a…
Virginia Baptist contributions to Haiti relief top half a million dollars
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Baptists have given more than half a million dollars for relief efforts in Haiti since the Caribbean nation was struck by a devastating earthquake on Jan. 12, 2010. Those funds will support the completion of several…
Virginia Baptist women ministers feast on food and Word at gathering
RICHMOND, Va. — Women ministers from across Virginia affirmed their role as nurturers — encouraging other women who feel called to ministerial roles — during the annual gathering of Virginia Baptist Women in Ministry April 15. “We are part of…
From the Eastern Shore to Cumberland Gap
STAFF CHANGES • David Clay, to Amherst Church, Amherst, as pastor. • Bill Wheeler, to First Church, Lynchburg, as acting pastor. • Russell Leonard, resigning as pastor of Whitehead’s Grove Church, Smithfield. • John Moxley, resigning as pastor of Azalea…
Pastor tapped as editor of North Carolina convention’s newspaper
RALEIGH, N.C. (ABP) – North Carolina Baptists have chosen a pastor as editor of their state newspaper. The Biblical Recorder reported April 24 on the April 18 election of Alan Blume, pastor of Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Boone, N.C.,…
Concord Baptist Association team adds room to church in South Africa
SOUTH HILL, Va. — Virginia Baptists’ partnership with South Africa has provided the opportunity for many churches and associations to sponsor church plants with the Free State Baptist Association, one of seven regional associations of the Baptist Union of Southern…
Woman’s Missionary Union of North Carolina celebrates 125th year
RIDGECREST, N.C. — Celebrating the 125th anniversary of its organization, Woman’s Missionary Union of North Carolina gathered April 8-10 at Ridgecrest (N.C.) Baptist Conference Center for its annual Missions Extravaganza. More than 1,100 strong, they came from all parts of…
Christianity a ‘translated religion’ — into Living Word and written word
WACO, Texas — Translation of Scripture grows naturally out of a central Christian theme — God making himself known by identifying with the commonplace, said Lamin Sanneh, professor of mission and world Christianity at Yale University. “Translation into the common…
Some African-Americans bristle at ‘slave of Christ’ language
WASHINGTON (RNS) — For evangelical author John MacArthur, the best way to explain a Christian’s relationship to Jesus is what appears to be a simple metaphor — one often used by the Apostle Paul himself. “To be a Christian is…
Global south Christians love the Bible books Luther hated
WACO, Texas — Regions Martin Luther never knew have embraced biblical books the Protestant reformer never liked, author and educator Philip Jenkins said. “If Luther hated it, it goes down great in Africa,” said Jenkins, professor of humanities at Penn…