By Aaron Weaver April 27, 1994. That’s the date that South Africa held its first democratic election, forming a multi-racial coalition government and officially doing away with the country’s brutal, five-decade long system of racial segregation and oppression. Nelson Mandela…
School, outreach open a ‘whole new world’ to Roma children
By Blake Tommey Estera loves to read. In her fifth-grade class at the Ruth School, Estera’s favorite subject by far is the Romanian language, and she lives to devour children’s novels. But some of her most cherished stories are the…
Creativity, patience needed to minister overseas
By Ken Camp and Jeff Brumley A Korean-American Baptist minister who has traveled to North Korea more than two dozen times in the last 19 years, delivering tons of corn and wheat noodles to schools, orphanages and hospitals, was denied…
Taking refugee work to the next level in North Carolina’s Research Triangle
By Jeff Brumley Stacie Blake knows a thing or two about refugees and refugee resettlement in the United States. Most importantly, it’s a massive job. As the director of government and community relations for the Washington-based U.S. Committee for Refugees…
Baptists aid effort to rescue abandoned babies in South Africa
By Aaron Weaver In the sixteenth chapter of Genesis, God promises the weary and desperate Hagar a future for her unborn son, Ishmael, offering the Egyptian maidservant hope and strength as she wanders through the burning Judean desert. Stopped at…
Pastor trades unconventional pulpit for traditional church — and a challenge
By Jeff Brumley Bob Ballance said he’s expecting the question from all quarters: why is he leaving his Colorado church popular with Millennials for one that’s more traditional in a small Virginia town? And he admits there will be some…
S.C. churches stepping up to help flood victims
By Jeff Brumley The heavy rains that began Saturday, Oct. 3, in South Carolina became a deluge of seemingly biblical proportions by Sunday. And that’s when Merianna Harrelson’s phone started blowing up. “I had church members calling to say ‘what…
Miami ministry celebrates 20 years — and expansion of impact through merger
By Jeff Brumley Martin Villa, a 21-year-old film major, devoted a recent weeknight, as he does on many weeknights, helping children with their math and reading homework at a faith-based after-school program in West Homestead, Fla. He worked patiently and…
Baptist leaders gather to defend religious liberty at New Orleans event
By Aaron Weaver Leaders from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty and Southern Baptist Convention joined Tuesday to discuss the importance of religious liberty around the world. During the event at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary,…