By Robert Dilday The Virginia Baptist Mission Board has launched a response to the burgeoning Ebola crisis in West Africa, allocating funds for relief and educational work and partnering with a group of Liberian expatriates who are mobilizing support in…
Anti-malaria campaign making an impact, say Baptist groups
By Robert Dilday Christian groups battling malaria by distributing insecticide-treated mosquito nets are seeing indications their efforts are paying off, says the leader of one organization engaged in West Africa, where the disease is a leading cause of death. A…
Disaster relief groups challenged by border crisis
By Jeff Brumley Baptist disaster relief agencies are pressing hard to determine what, if anything, they can to do aid the immigrant children flooding into the nation along the southern border by the tens of thousands. While some help has…
Multisite movement inspires growth, debate
By Jeff Brumley It’s been a decade since the Virginia Baptist Mission Board embraced the then-budding multisite church concept, becoming one of the first state organizations of any denomination to throw their institutional and financial weight into the movement. So, was…
Declining attendance prompts call to merge BWA’s congress, youth conference
By Robert Dilday Dwindling attendance at both the Baptist World Alliance’s world congress and youth conference has prompted a proposal to merge the two international meetings, held every five years though not simultaneously. BWA general secretary Neville Callam told the…
Creative ministry takes on a life of its own among Panamanian Baptists
LA CHORRERA, Panama — When church leaders plan a meeting, there are always some “clowns” who show up. Usually leaders just hope they don’t all show up at once and dominate the meeting. But that’s exactly what Panamanian Baptists are…
For first time, interns to spend summer in worship and church music ministry
RICHMOND — The Virginia Baptist Mission Board’s office of worship and church music ministries has chosen its inaugural group of summer worship arts and music camp interns. The internship program is a new project this year and was established in…
Church management guidebook released at annual meeting
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Nearly 150 people received copies of the newly-published Church Management Guidebook at a Nov. 17 luncheon hosted by the Virginia Baptist Mission Board’s support services team. The luncheon was held during the annual meeting of the Baptist…
Virginia Baptists conclude two-year recovery effort in south Louisiana
PORT SULPHUR, La. — Virginia Baptists concluded their more than two-year assistance to south Louisiana’s victims of Hurricane Katrina with a Sept. 26-27 celebration at Port Sulphur Baptist Church — one of the congreations hardest hit and the focus of…