For centuries the church has taken Ephesians 4 to heart and suggested that there are five primary roles for a minister to fulfill. Modern ministers are expected to embody these roles as needed and with a significant level of expertise…
Virginia Baptist Homes hosts golf tournament to benefit fund
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Baptist Homes Foundation is hosting its annual Lakewood Manor Golf Tournament at Independence Golf Club April 21. Registration begins at 10 a.m., followed by lunch and a 12 noon shotgun start. All proceeds from the tournament…
FAITH DIGEST
Thou shalt not eat potluck? Young adults who regularly attend religious activities are 50 percent more likely to become obese when they reach middle age than their nonreligious peers, a new study shows. Based on their findings, researchers at Northwestern…
RIGHT or WRONG? Keeping the Sabbath
So many people talk about observing the Sabbath on Sundays. But isn’t the Sabbath a deeper principle than just a day of the week? How should Christians incorporate the Sabbath principle into their lives? Old Testament law commanded people of…
Common values, mission draw Christians together across lines of age
Community usually is defined by the word “common.” What do people hold in common that draws them or binds them together? The way believers “do” or embody the church often is defined in communal terms. Whether they cross generational lines…
American Baptists denounce Quran burning by Florida pastor
VALLEY FORGE, Pa. (ABP) — American Baptist leaders joined at regional and national levels in a joint statement April 8 denouncing the burning of a Quran at a Florida church. The general executive council of American Baptist Churches USA called…
Relationship-building vital to bridging gulf between generations at church
A gap exists between generations in the church, experts seem to agree — and building strong relationships may be the way to bridge it. “There is difficulty in reaching across generations,” said Chris Gambill, congregational health service manager for the…
Ministering together the first step toward intergenerational community
Churches often segregate their members along age lines. Sunday morning usually sees children in one wing in age-graded Bible study, with adults in another area and often split up age segments. But many congregations will cross age barriers in ministry,…
Many churches are intentionally seeking to bridge the generation gap
While many congregations — particularly older, established churches — have members from several generations, often one generation dominates either in leadership or in numbers. But many churches intentionally look for ways to bridge generation gaps because they value the contributions each generation…
A second New Baptist Covenant gathering slated for November
ATLANTA (ABP) — Three years after the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant drew 15,000 persons from various Baptist groups to Atlanta, a second major event is being planned for mid-November with large church-based gatherings to be held across the…
Does God punish through natural disasters? Most Americans say, ‘No’
WASHINGTON (RNS) — We may never know why bad things happen to good people, but most Americans — except evangelicals — reject the idea that natural disasters are divine punishment, a test of faith or some other sign from God,…
Security service, airlines tread carefully on religious expression
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Air travelers want to feel safe, and federal security officials want to make sure they actually are safe. If only it were that simple. Misunderstandings over religious expression have led to recent incidents that prompted apologies from…