2006 Archives
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Valley probe forthcoming
Posted: 10/27/06
Valley probe forthcoming
The Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board will hold a special called meeting Oct. 31 to hear the findings of an investigation regarding alleged misappropriation of church-starting funds in the Rio Grande Valley.
Officers of the BGCT and its Executive Board had enlisted Brownsville attorney Diane Dillard to conduct an independent investigation of alleged mishandling of church-starting funds in the Valley.
The board endorsed the probe at its May meeting, approved $50,000 from contingency funds for the investigation and granted the board’s chair and the BGCT executive director the ability to authorize another $50,000 if needed. Last month, the board authorized up to an additional $50,000 for the investigation.
The probe centered on suspicions regarding the large number of cell-group missions reported as church starts in the lower Rio Grande Valley from 1996 to 2000. Critics alleged some church starts that received financial help from the BGCT never existed except on paper, and some individuals may have profited by claiming to start multiple, nonexistent “mystery missions.”
10/27/2006 - By John Rutledge
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Empty bowls help fill ministry’s empty shelves
Posted: 10/27/06
Gary Glass, Plainview fire chief, signs his name to the bottom of a bowl he created for the Empty Bowls project during a pottery session. Glass and wife Melody joined the women’s basketball squad in creating pots for the hunger relief effort. Empty bowls help fill ministry’s empty shelves
By Teresa Young
Wayland Baptist University
PLAINVIEW—Normally, a lump of clay has nothing to do with the plight of world hunger. But for a project at Wayland Baptist University, the two are tightly interwoven.
The university’s fine arts division is participating in the Empty Bowls project, where people from all walks of life create unique pottery bowls with guidance from an instructor. The bowls are then sold to raise money for local hunger-relief organizations. But there’s another purpose for the project, as well.
Stephanie Shaw, assistant coach to the Wayland Flying Queens, works on her bowl alongside Mark Hilliard, assistant professor of art, at a bowl-making session held recently. Shaw and the other Queens players created two bowls each during the evening. 10/27/2006 - By John Rutledge
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CBF names Truett as identity partner
Posted: 10/27/06
CBF names Truett as identity partner
By Hannah Elliott
Associated Baptist Press
ATLANTA (ABP)—The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship coordinating council has approved four schools—including Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary—as identity partners eligible for significant financial support.
10/26/2006 - By John Rutledge
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Coalition urges end to Darfur genocide
Posted: 10/27/06
Coalition urges end to Darfur genocide
By Hannah Elliott
Associated Baptist Press
DALLAS (ABP)—A politically diverse coalition of 24 evangelical leaders placed full-page ads in leading U.S. newspapers Oct. 18 calling for President Bush and the American public to stop genocide in Darfur.
10/26/2006 - By John Rutledge
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Brazil mission trip seen as ‘anything but average’
Posted: 10/27/06
Iroma Applewhite (left), Morris Applewhite (2nd from right) and Ron Hanby (right), all from First Baptist Church in Hale Center, and their Brazilian interpreter present a New Testament to a young mother during a home visit in Brazil. The team of 16 members from churches in Caprock Plains and Lubbock Baptist associations held Bible studies in almost 100 homes in Salvador, Brazil, resulting in about 300 adults making professions of faith in Christ. Brazil mission trip seen as ‘anything but average'
By John Hall
Texas Baptist Communications
LUBBOCK—Troy Burke describes himself as “kind of average.” He’s a large man, but not overly large. He’s a pharmacist—an interesting-enough profession, but by his own admission it’s hardly one that stands out. But recently, he participated in a mission trip that he described as anything but average.
10/26/2006 - By John Rutledge
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From far North to Deep South, DBU volunteers serve
Posted: 10/27/06
Twelve young men from DBU set out on a 14-mile journey to test spirit, soul, and strength. From far North to Deep South, DBU volunteers serve
By Tim Gingrich
Dallas Baptist University
DALLAS—From the frozen north to the Deep South, Dallas Baptist University students devoted their fall break to missions.
10/26/2006 - By John Rutledge
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BGCT reorganized but not downsized
Posted: 10/27/06
BGCT reorganized but not downsized
By Ken Camp
Managing Editor
DALLAS—Two years into a major restructuring of the Baptist Building, a focus on streamlined response to churches has not resulted in the significantly downsized organization some outside observers had anticipated.
Senior administrators point to a Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board staff who stay in closer contact with churches, respond more rapidly to congregations’ needs, demonstrate greater ethnic diversity—and are slightly larger in number.
10/26/2006 - By John Rutledge
