By Terry Goodrich More than a third of American clergy members are obese, with stress, longer hours, low pay and lack of self-care among the culprits, a Baylor University study has found. But the profession has some built-in prevention methods…
Veteran Baptist communicator Orville Scott dies
By Ken Camp Orville Lindsey Scott, whose service as a Baptist communicator spanned four decades, died Jan. 12 in Grand Saline, Texas, at age 80. Funeral arrangements are pending with Eubank Funeral Home in Canton, Texas. Scott was born July…
In thick of Syrian refugee crisis, couple learns to ‘love the enemy’
By Aaron Weaver For Chaouki Boulos, learning to love his enemy has been a Christ-celebrating, and life changing, process. And it’s been a 30-year process as Chaouki has shared Christ with anyone willing to listen. Today, he and his wife,…
Former international seminary head John David Hopper dies
By Bob Allen John David Hopper, president of the European-based International Baptist Theological Seminary when the Southern Baptist Convention’s Foreign Mission Board suddenly defunded the school in 1992, died Jan. 10 at age 80. Despite having promised four years before…
Lobbyist’s wife still missing after six months
By Bob Allen Jan. 7 marked the six-month anniversary of the mysterious disappearance of a Missouri Baptist lobbyist’s wife. Lynn Messer, 52, wife of Missouri Family Network leader Kerry Messer, vanished in the middle of the night July 8 from…
Pastor credits God for transforming once-seedy neighborhood
By Ken Camp Elmo Johnson rejects any personal credit for transforming Houston’s 4th Ward since he arrived as pastor of Rose of Sharon Missionary Baptist Church 30 years ago. But he’s eager to give God the glory. “The Lord has done some…
Carolyn Weatherford Crumpler remembered as hero in Baptist life
By Bob Allen A memorial service for Carolyn Weatherford Crumpler — former head of the Southern Baptist Convention Woman’s Missionary Union and an early champion of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship who died Jan. 2 after a long illness — is scheduled for…
Missions leader Carolyn Crumpler dies
By Bob Allen Carolyn Weatherford Crumpler, who promoted Southern Baptist missions for 31 years as head of Woman’s Missionary Union before helping to form the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in 1991, died Jan. 2 in Cincinnati. Crumpler, 84, was executive director…
Deaths in 2014
By Bob Allen Malcolm Tolbert, a former missionary to Brazil who taught at two Southern Baptist Convention seminaries, died Thanksgiving Day at age 90. James “Tripp” Battle III, lead pastor of Bayshore Baptist Church in Bradenton, Fla., died Dec. 4…