ORLANDO, Fla. — The much debated recommendations of the Great Commission Resurgence task force won easy approval June 15 from messengers attending the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, but only after the report was amended twice to strengthen…
Virginia governor lifts ban on police chaplains’ sectarian prayers
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has lifted a two-year-old ban on sectarian prayers –including those referring to Jesus Christ — led by Virginia State Police chaplains at department-sanctioned public events. The recently-elected Republican governor instructed state police superintendent…
Glenn Beck, Paige Patterson to speak at Liberty’s commencement
LYNCHBURG, Va. — Two prominent conservative voices in the nation’s culture wars — Fox News commentator Glenn Beck and seminary president Paige Patterson — will speak at Liberty University’s commencement exercises May 15, the school has announced. Chancellor Jerry Falwell…
Haitian projects developing as Va. Baptists and overseas partners meet
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Baptist mission leaders are developing projects in earthquake-devastated Haiti which they hope will lead to long-term relationships on the island and to self-sustaining operations. That was the assessment of Dean Miller, Virginia missions coordinator for the…
Churches try varied ways to approach question of membership and baptism
Baptism and local church membership have been inextricably linked historically in the minds of many Baptists. But that view is shifting as a decline in denominational loyalty and the easy movement of American Christians among churches of all stripes have…
Gospel is both local and viral, say contributors to newly-released book
RICHMOND, Va. — The gospel is universal but it takes new shapes in new settings — and spreads in ways that can only be called “viral.” That’s the assessment of a just-released book featuring the insights of 50 youngish leaders…
South Africans get access to clean water, thanks to teens’ pocket change
RICHMOND, Va. — About 300 families in a northeastern South African village soon will have access to clean water, thanks to pocket change collected last year by hundreds of Virginia Baptist youths. On April 7, work crews in Ngwenani, about…
Christians outside the West view Bible differently from affluent westerners
RICHMOND, Va. — Christians in the developing nations read Scripture differently than their brothers and sister in the affluent West, according to missiologist Caleb Oladipo. “The way we read the Scriptures in the western world particularly is through empirical knowledge—that…
BTSR to suspend operations of its continuing education component
RICHMOND, Va. — Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond will suspend operations of its School of Christian Ministry in July, a move the seminary’s president says will benefit both BTSR and its six-year-old continuing education component. The last group of classes…
Virginia Baptists contribute nearly $350,000 in relief for Haiti’s victims
RICHMOND, Va. — Almost $350,000 to assist victims of Haiti’s recent earthquake has been contributed in the past two months through the Baptist General Association of Virginia’s treasurer’s office, a financial officer said March 19. Virginia Baptist individuals, churches and…
Virginia Baptists contribute nearly $350,000 in relief for Haiti’s victims
RICHMOND, Va. — Almost $350,000 to assist victims of Haiti’s recent earthquake has been contributed in the past two months through the Baptist General Association of Virginia’s treasurer’s office, a financial officer said March 19. Virginia Baptist individuals, churches and…
‘Buckets of Hope’ to aid Haiti victims
RICHMOND — Many Virginia Baptist churches are filling buckets with food this month to assist victims of Haiti’s Jan. 12 earthquake. “Buckets of Hope” is a nationwide emphasis of the Southern Baptist Convention to provide food for Haitians. “Individuals, families,…