Garza raised money for the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor campus missionary fund and the school’s general missions fund Veteran’s Day weekend by running and walking from Austin to Belton—70 miles in less than 24 hours.

12/01/2006 - By John Rutledge

When a Congregation is Betrayed: Responding to Clergy Misconduct by Beth Ann Gaede, editor (The Alban Institute)

The difficult topic of this new book is this: Adult, heterosexual misconduct by ministers in a church setting. Clergy sexual misconduct devastates the victim or victims, the minister’s family and the congregation.

Gaede’s collection of 30 chapters written by 12 experts (plus an extended bibliography), offers a thorough treatment of the dynamics that lead to such events. Then, with clear, step-by-step instructions, the reader learns how to respond.

What are you reading that other Texas Baptists would find helpful? Send suggestions and reviews to books@baptiststandard.com.

The authors consider different ways to care for victims, church leaders, the congregation, the perpetrator and his (the book points out it is overwhelmingly a male perpetrator) family, and even the “Afterpastor” interims and ministers.

12/01/2006 - By John Rutledge

Alabama Baptists pray for Wal-Mart. At the Alabama Baptist State Convention’s annual meeting, messengers approved a resolution that calls on Baptists to pray for the store’s leaders and asks local and national Wal-Mart officials to reconsider their recent decision to join the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. A resolution dealing with the conflict in Western Sudan called for Baptists to pray for the suffering people of the Darfur region, as well as offer advocacy and humanitarian aid on their behalf. A resolution on ethics in government urged messengers to ask state governments to ensure that officials cannot use power for personal or private gain.

CBF needs volunteers in Louisiana. The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship needs volunteers to build houses and build hope for Hurricane Katrina victims April 23-May 5 in Baton Rouge, La. More than 325 volunteers a day are needed for the two-week Habitat for Humanity build. Twelve families who lost their homes during Katrina will be chosen for the new homes. Habitat for Humanity subsidized the cost of the homes, with several Baptist organizations contributing the remainder. The Fellowship has given $105,000 to the effort, which included an initial three-house build in October. Both skilled and unskilled volunteers are needed to work in a variety of areas, including construction, hospitality, landscaping and painting. Volunteers are invited to stay for the entire two-week build or for just a few days. Fellowship volunteers should register and receive additional information through CBF’s volunteer office, which is coordinating the Fellowship’s volunteer efforts on this project. A $100 per week fee covers three meals a day and lodging. If other lodging facilities are used, the fee is $50. For more information, contact Timothy Wood at (800) 782-2451 or twood@thefellowship.info.

12/01/2006 - By John Rutledge

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. (ABP)—Leaders of the American Baptist Churches USA have approved selling the organization’s Pennsylvania headquarters building and confirmed the appointment of a new head for the denomination’s international missions organization.

The ABC’s General Board voted nearly unanimously recently to sell the ABC-USA Mission Center in Valley Forge, near Philadelphia. Of those present, 72 voted in favor of a recommendation from the board’s executive committee to begin the process. There was one abstention, according to the American Baptist News Service.

12/01/2006 - By John Rutledge

This issue surfaced again in the past few days, when some fundamentalist Christians demanded California pastor Rick Warren remove Sen. Barack Obama (D.-Ill.) from the program of his global AIDS summit because Obama does not oppose abortion.

Warren’s ministry innovation spans almost three decades, since he started Saddleback Church in his California apartment in the late 1970s. The church engages about 20,000 worshippers each week. It has started scores of congregations, and his training conferences have helped thousands of pastors. Purpose Driven Ministries—based on his books The Purpose Driven Church and The Purpose Driven Life—has impacted millions of people. The AIDS summit is a key ingredient in Warren’s latest initiative, the P.E.A.C.E. plan, which ministers to the people Jesus called “the least of these.” P.E.A.C.E. plans to plant churches, equip servant leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick and educate the next generation.

The AIDS summit took aim at two of the P.E.A.C.E. initiatives, assisting the poor and caring for the sick. The P.E.A.C.E. website reports more than 40 million people are infected with HIV/AIDS. Compassion International notes more than 25 million people have died of AIDS, nine out of 10 children with AIDS live in Africa, and 25 million children will lose both parents to AIDS in the next four years. Warren’s efforts embody the gospel. One can only wonder what might happen if all those pastors who looked to Warren to help build up their congregations would follow his lead in P.E.A.C.E. Our planet would be a vastly better place.

12/01/2006 - By John Rutledge

Church members were the primary preparers of Thanksgiving meals for more than 20,000 people Nov. 24-25. The effort is part of an outreach coordinated by Hands of Luke Medical Ministries, an organization led by Marco Samaniego, pastor of Lakeside Baptist.

12/01/2006 - By John Rutledge

MARSHALL—Two student groups from East Texas Baptist University responded to a request by Texas Baptist Men Disaster Relief to help meet ongoing needs in Southeast Texas one year after Hurricane Rita.

“I received a phone call from a TBM representative asking if ETBU students would help with a tremendous need to gut houses and hang sheetrock,” said Allan Thompson, director of the university’s Great Commission Center.

12/01/2006 - By John Rutledge

Pastor Bedilu Yirga of Ethiopian Evangelical Baptist Church in Garland and his congregation have partnered with churches in Ethiopia to reach members of the Berta tribe, who live along the border of Ethiopia and Sudan.

12/01/2006 - By John Rutledge