A friend recently shared with me a daily devotion that pointed out the story in Exodus 17 regarding Moses’ arms. Remember? As long as Moses held his staff with his arms aloft, the Israelites prevailed in their battle with the…
Two from Mid-Atlantic on search committee for CBF coordinator
ATLANTA (ABP) — Two Baptists from the Mid-Atlantic are on a nine-member search committee to find a replacement for Cooperative Baptist Fellowship executive coordinator Daniel Vestal, who will retire June 30, 2012. Jack Glasgow, senior pastor of Zebulon (N.C.) Baptist…
BGAV elects first African-American president, restores ties to Averett
RICHMOND, Va. — For the first time in 188 years, the predominantly white Baptist General Association of Virginia has an African-American president. Suffolk, Va., pastor Mark Croston was elected to the top spot during the BGAV’s annual meeting Nov. 8-9…
North Carolina Baptist convention supports state gay-marriage ban
GREENSBORO, N.C. (ABP) — The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina adopted a resolution endorsing a state proposed constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage. Meeting Nov. 7-8 in Greensboro, the convention encouraged member churches to “vigorously organize a strong effort”…
Fresh Expressions is focus of BGAV’s annual pastors’ conference
GLEN ALLEN, Va. — Resisting the temptation to provide a “sermon buffet,” officers of this year’s Virginia Baptist Pastors Conference opted instead to emphasize Fresh Expressions, a church revitalization movement supported by the Baptist General Association of Virginia. Fresh Expressions,…
Historic chalice seals relationship between ‘Georgia’ Baptists
ATLANTA (ABP) — A friendship between the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia and Baptists in the Caucasus Republic of Georgia that began with the coincidence of being “Georgians” grew deeper with return of a long-lost communion chalice that carries deep…
Break through barriers, national leader tell WMUV annual meeting
LYNCHBURG, Va — God offers a way for Christians to break through barriers they encounter in being faithful disciples of Jesus, a national Woman’s Missionary Union leader told members of the organization’s Virginia affiliate Nov. 5. “I’m reminded here of…
Attorneys challenge Virginia county’s stance in 10 Commandments case
NARROWS, Va. — Attorneys challenging a Southwest Virginia county school board’s decision to hang the Ten Commandments in a high school hallway are calling “absurd” the board’s claim that is isn’t responsible for the display, the Roanoke (Va.) Times has…
BWA leaders bring “fullness of what it means to be Baptist†to peace summit
ASSISI, Italy — Two top leaders of the Baptist World Alliance brought “the fullness of what it means to be Baptist” to an interfaith summit of peace and justice, hosted Oct. 27 by Pope Benedict XVI and attended by about…
New Baptist Covenant II speakers include prominent Virginia evangelist
A suburban Washington-based church planter and evangelist who serves as president of a prominent African-American Baptist denomination will be among the speakers at the New Baptist Covenant II, it was announced Nov. 2. Carroll Baltimore of Gainesville, Va., president of…
Mercer University grants domestic-partner benefits to gays
MACON, Ga. (ABP) — As one university affiliated with the Georgia Baptist Convention captured headlines with a new policy that effectively bans gay employees, another historically Georgia Baptist school announced adoption of a domestic-partner benefit policy providing access to health…
N.C. county petitions U.S. Supreme Court to hear prayer case
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A North Carolina county is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn an appeals court’s ruling that prayers offered in Jesus’ name at meetings of the county’s board of commissioners are a constitutionally impermissible endorsement of religion….