Two Virginia pastors were honored Feb. 26 for their outstanding leadership during the opening day of ChurchWorks, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s annual conference for Christian educators meeting at Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio, Texas. ChurchWorks is three-day event for all practitioners of education and spiritual formation in the congregational setting.
Trump insult making life difficult for overseas missionaries
The outrage over the comment made to senators in a meeting on immigration, and which the president eventually denied, has faded as Trump deals with newer scandals, including revelations of a tryst with a porn star. But there are those who continue to simmer about the “shithole” reference, including American Christians who have served as long- and short-term missionaries in some of the African and other nations Trump disparaged.
Mission work takes on legal dimensions for Va.-based field personnel
Mission work and ministry are taking on a dizzying array of new looks in the 21st century. Just ask Greg and Sue Smith, Baptist missionaries who spent years performing traditional mission work in Latin America before opening a ministry serving…
At Women’s Get-Away, participants challenged to hear and tell stories of God’s work in their lives
LYNCHBURG, Va. — Fall colors and bright sunshine highlighted the Nov. 1-3 Women’s Get-Away, an annual event sponsored by Woman’s Missionary Union of Virginia, which this year drew almost 800 women to Eagle Eyrie Baptist Conference Center around the theme,…
Three leaders draw kudos from BGAV, which also commends new Baptist media platform
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — A trio of Virginia Baptist leaders — a financial officer, a staff administrator and a veteran editor — were honored for distinguished service Nov. 13 by the Baptist General Association of Virginia, which also commended the upcoming…
Former Bluefield College president Roy Dobyns, whose tenure saw enrollment growth, dies at 82
DANDRIDGE, Tenn. — Roy A. Dobyns, the eighth president of Bluefield College, died Nov. 12 in a Dandridge, Tenn., nursing home. He was 82. Roy Dobyns Dobyns was president of the Baptist-affiliated school from 1989 until he retired in 1996,…
Virginia Baptist ministries looking at largely unchanged funding levels in BGAV’s 2014 budget
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Virginia Baptist ministries next year will be funded essentially at 2013 levels following adoption of a $12,214,00 budget by the Baptist General Association of Virginia Nov. 13. The 2014 budget, approved at the BGAV’s annual meeting without…
Don’t adopt proposed prayer amendment, BGAV tells General Assembly in resolution
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — An amendment to the Virginia constitution aimed at permitting prayer in public schools and government meetings should be rejected by the state’s General Assembly, according to Virginia’s oldest Baptist network of churches. A resolution adopted during the…
BGAV elects Blacksburg pastor as president, names Waynesboro pastor and former banker as treasurer
In an uncontested vote Nov. 13, Blacksburg, Va., pastor Tommy McDearis was elected president of the Baptist General Association of Virginia in an annual meeting which also featured the election of Waynesboro, Va., pastor David Washburn as treasurer of the…