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,…
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…
OPINION: A Christian nation? Yes!
In recent years many Americans have become distressed by the obvious decline of social and moral values, which is evident in all regions and levels of national life. Crime has increased, organized gang activity is up, drug abuse is surging,…
OPINION: What Baptists can learn from Twinkies
(ABP) — Hostess Cup cakes are going out of business. Twinkies, Zingers and all the rest are endangered species. Hoarders are buying boxes and putting them on eBay. True fans are hoping someone will buy them soon. The blame for…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Inspiring members to give
(ABP) — When I meet with church leaders, they often ask me to help them devise a strategy for increasing giving among their members. While there is no simple plan that works everywhere, there are several ways to cultivate positive…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Alternative gifts counter commercialism
(ABP) — When it began nearly a decade ago, the Alternative Christmas Gift Fair at Boulevard Baptist attracted barely 100 church members and generated a few thousand dollars for participating nonprofits and mission groups. But it has since generated $200,000…