“Christianity is a faith and not a musical genre.” Chad Butler The drummer in the band Switchfoot was discussing with the Dallas Observer the group's reluctance to describe themselves as a “Christian band.” “An alternate name and the election of…
‘Confusing’ BGAV budget needs clarifying, say leaders
RICHMOND, Va.—The Baptist General Association of Virginia’s budget has become an overly complex and unwieldy document that needs to be recast to more clearly articulate the BGAV’s mission priorities, three top BGAV leaders said April 17. In addition, allocations for…
Organizations step into role of curriculum publishers
Local congregations aren’t alone in discovering that developing Christian education resources can meet a critical need. Other organizations have expanded their missions to include creating Bible study materials. Both the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Nashville, Tenn.-based Baptist…
OUT LOUD
“If every Muslim does that then within a year we will have supplied every person in Germany with a Quran translation and they will not label us as terrorists or radicals or anything else, when they read Allah’s book.” Ibrahim…
Anglos, Latinos unite in making, distributing blankets
FREDERICKSBURG, Va.—A collaboration between five Anglo women from suburban Washington and about a dozen Latin American immigrants in Fredericksburg, Va., has resulted in the distribution of nearly 100 blankets to the homeless and other needy groups. Members of a Women…
‘Family’ is focus of two-weekend Mission Madness
RICHMOND, Va.—Nearly 500 youth and their sponsors fleshed out an expression of “family” during a two-weekend Mission Madness event in two Virginia cities, coordinated by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia. At more than 25 mission sites in Richmond and…
Prayer event was spiritually compelling, say Virginians
WASHINGTON—This year’s Easter prayer breakfast at the White House was a spiritually compelling event, say two Virginia Baptists who attended the April 4 breakfast hosted by President Obama. At his third annual prayer breakfast held during Holy Week, Obama told…
Youth learn what living in the ‘image of God’ means
SMITHFIELD, Va.—Youth in southeastern Virginia explored through worship and community service what it means to be created in the image of God during Youth EnCounter at Smithfield (Va.) Baptist Church last month. Craig Morrison challenged youth to live in the…
BTSR to offer M.Div. concentration in justice, peace
RICHMOND, Va.—A concentration in justice and peacebuilding will be available to master of divinity degree students at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond beginning this fall, in a collaborative effort a seminary spokesman said would help the school “live out” its…
Baptist leaders meet with Russian Orthodox primate
MOSCOW—Despite significant theological differences, Baptists and the Russian Orthodox Church appear to share views on some moral issues, the primate of the Russian church told Baptist representatives—including Baptist World Alliance president John Upton—March 29. The meeting with Kirill I, patriarch…
OUT LOUD
“If you don’t love America, if you don’t like the way we do things, I have one thing to say—get out! We don’t worship Buddha … we don’t worship Muhammad, we don’t worship Allah, we worship God, we worship God’s…
North Carolina’s CBF focuses on reconciliation at assembly
RALEIGH, N.C. – Reconciliation topped the agenda of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina’s annual general assembly March 23-24, as worship services and workshops explored the organization’s role in enhancing Christian unity. “The division of the church is out…