ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (ABP) — Messengers to the 92nd annual meeting of the Baptist Convention of New Mexico adopted a record budget, gave their retiring executive emeritus status, and adopted two resolutions addressing public affairs when they met in Alamogordo Oct….
Debate over believers’ priesthood reveals tension between individual, community
(ABP) — Do Baptists affirm the priesthood of the believer or the priesthood of believers? To outsiders, that question — singular or plural — may seem as esoteric as “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?”…
Falwell comment on terrorism draws response from fellow Baptists
(ABP) — If American troops kill Osama bin Laden, it should be “in the name of justice,” not “in the name of the Lord” as televangelist Jerry Falwell suggests, according to one Southern Baptist ethicist. Falwell, perhaps the best-known Southern…
Conservative-backed proposal would nix N.C. funding for moderate causes
DURHAM, N.C. (ABP) — A conservative leader will propose scrapping the optional funding plans that are part of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina's budget, which would eliminate funding of causes popular among moderate Baptists in the state. Ted…
Texas Baptists OK restructuring, elect first Hispanic president
SAN ANTONIO (ABP) — Messengers to the Baptist General Convention of Texas gave initial approval to the convention's most significant reorganization in almost five decades and elected its first non-Anglo president. At the BGCT's annual meeting in San Antonio Nov….
Southeastern audit finds ‘no criminality,’suggests changes, trustee leaders say
WAKE FOREST, N.C. (ABP) — Auditors have made “a number of constructive suggestions for improvements” to financial procedures at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C. The recommendations came after reports surfaced about a car given to an aide…
High demands, easy access tempt pastors to plagiarize sermons
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) — Look out, church! Megachurch pastor Rick Warren may be filling your pulpit this Sunday morning. Actually, he might have been there before too. The question is, did you recognize him? Warren's sermons, along with those of…
New CBF missions program links missionaries with local churches
SAN ANTONIO (ABP) — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is launching a new category of mission service that will allow churches directly to fund specific missionaries who work through the Fellowship. The program — called AsYouGo — allows missionaries to affiliate…
Student conference to explore God’s calling through dialogue
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) – “An antiphonal choir sings two parts in a musical conversation,” according to David Burroughs. And that is the idea behind a new conference designed to give young adults a forum to explore and discuss the call…