WASHINGTON — A two-year “season of Jubilee” will prepare the District of Columbia Baptist Convention for a possible strategic realignment of its ministries, delegates to the convention’s annual meeting agreed Dec. 4. “I’m excited and we’re looking toward transformation,” said…
Baptist World Alliance observes Human Rights Day Dec. 9
(ABP) — Timed nearest to the anniversary of the Dec. 10, 1948, adoption of the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights, Human Rights Day has been sponsored for more than 20 years by the Baptist World Alliance. This year the date…
Exhibit highlights Tiffany’s lasting impact on American church design
NEW YORK (RNS) — Louis C. Tiffany is perhaps best known for his intricate glass lamps, but a new exhibit at the Museum of Biblical Art reveals a spiritual side to the master designer and craftsman whose studio single-handedly shaped…
Herald trustees approve fundraising proposal, adopt budget for 2013, elect new board members
RICHMOND — The Religious Herald’s board of trustees adopted a comprehensive fundraising proposal Nov. 30, giving their approval to a plan developed over several months by a fundraising and management consultancy. During its fall meeting, the 24-member board also adopted…
OPINION: In search of empathy through country and rap
My first professional concert felt like a rite of passage. No longer was I to be contented by listening to the sweet tones emanating from my mom’s Maxima’s stereo. No, I was going to see it live and in person,…
Some church leaders increasingly uneasy about ‘missional’ label
DENVER — The bio on the back of Kathy Escobar’s 2011 book describes her as a “nationally recognized voice in missional church development.” And by all accounts the Denver-based pastor and church-start consultant is certainly that. But Escobar insisted she…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Leadership’s dances: From the center, to the edges, across the gaps
An ancient wise man was approached by a despondent villager who asked for healing. The wise man asked three telling questions: When did you stop singing? When did you stop dancing? When did you stop telling stories? These questions echo…
Learning communities explore how to minister in new culture
FARMINGTON, Maine — Five years ago, five older women in Farmington, Maine, knew they faced a choice—watch their church die, or participate in a project that might help bring new life to their congregation. They were the only remaining members….
CBF leader issues ‘missional’ challenge
For former Cooperative Baptist Fel-lowship leader Daniel Vestal, understanding what it means to be “missional” begins with two phrases: “Christ is in me. Christ is in us.” “If you really believe that, that will change how you see the church,”…
On his 200th birthday, Charles Dickens remains a global Christmas theme
WILMINGTON (RNS) — ‘Tis the season for “Bah, humbug” and “God bless us every one,” especially as the world caps off a year of celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens. As Advent begins, cities across…
Pastor wanders streets seeking to understand homelessness
NORMAN, Okla. (RNS) — Pastor Dustin Buff traded in his job, his house and his sense of security for a backpack, a Bible, a sleeping bag, one change of clothes, identification and a cell phone. For 10 days, Buff and…
RIGHT OR WRONG?: Being or doing
I’ve seen God described as “not only the Ground of all Being, but also the Ground of all Doing.” Help me understand how to appreciate that characterization. Paul Tillich (1886-1965) was a German-American philosopher and theologian who coined the term…