The Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee president, Frank Page, hopes the convention can unify. (See “Team named to address Calvinism in SBC,” Herald, Aug. 20, 2012). He’s not talking about those of us who adhere to the 1963 Baptist Faith…
EDITORIAL: What happens in Washington doesn’t stay in Washington
In a recent conversation with Eddie Heath, one of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board’s field strategists, he expressed concern that five churches in his region had lost their pastors, some under difficult circumstances. “I have never seen it like this…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Good stewardship means being wise in your giving
Years ago I served as the treasurer of the ministerial alliance in our town. I soon learned that some people had become highly skilled in separating well-meaning Christians and even churches from their money! Good stewardship takes seriously Jesus’ admonition…
EDITORIAL: Aunt Ida learns about fresh expressions from an unlikely source
Dear Jimmy, Well, its Sunday and Uncle Orley and I are at church waitin’ with one of the Howe young’uns for his folks to come back and get him. Today all the Howe daughters and sons and grandkids came to…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Does your church need an administrator?
I sometimes recall with nostalgia that courageous country church that called me as its college-student pastor. This group of deeply committed Christians allowed me to gain valuable experience and also served to mentor me since many of them knew more…
EDITORIAL: What’s this talk about a merger?
The Religious Herald is more accustomed to reporting news than making it, so the story about a potential merger between the Herald and Associated Baptist Press makes me a bit uneasy. In some respects the news is premature. Before an…
OLD EDITORIAL: What’s this talk about a merger?
EDITORIAL: What’s this talk about a merger? The Religious Herald is more accustomed to reporting news than making it, so the story about a potential merger between the Herald and Associated Baptist Press makes me a bit uneasy. In some…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Church staffs need to pray more and play more
I don’t have a study to back up my assumption that church staff members need to pray more, but based on my own observations I feel comfortable making the assertion. As Yogi Berra is credited with saying, “You can observe…
EDITORIAL: It’s not easy being the church
Last week a federal judge ruled that the Pittsylvania County (Va.) board of supervisors could no longer begin their meetings with prayers that reflect a specific religious point of view. Citing the faith of our nation’s founders, the judge was…
Shorthand written by religious liberty icon Roger Williams decoded after 300 years, revealing essay
DURHAM, N.C. — A team of scholars that helped translate an original theological essay written in shorthand by early American Baptist Roger Williams and interpret its significance presented its findings during a seminar at Duke Divinity School’s Baptist House of…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Church members who never belong to the church
Have you noticed that some people join your church and eventually become leaders while others join and eventually drop out? It is easy to assume that people in the latter group just weren’t that interested in spiritual things. Perhaps this…
EDITORIAL: Rightly dividing the word of truth
As you can read here, the Richmond Baptist Association voted on Tuesday evening, March 19, 2013, “to embrace Ginter Park Baptist Church as a sister church.” As many have pointed out, the vote was not a ringing endorsement of ordaining…