First, the board approved a 15-member search committee to nominate the convention’s next executive director. This leader will help shape and focus the convention during the coming years, and the influence could extend for decades.

Second, the board accepted the suggestion of Stephen Wakefield, the convention’s attorney, not to file lawsuits to recover funds lost in the Rio Grande Valley church-starting scandal. “The likelihood of recovery of significant funds is speculative at best,” Wakefield told the board. Although many Texas Baptists are disappointed, his logic is solid. And while criminal charges still may be filed, this brings one portion of this sad saga to a close.

Third, the board allocated proceeds from a recent gift to help retire the debt on Breckenridge Village at Tyler. The ministry to special-needs adults has been strapped since it opened about a decade ago. By ensuring financial viability, the board can secure care for many of God’s children for generations.

05/25/2007 - By John Rutledge

Many professors take dim view of evangelicals. About half of nonevangelical university faculty acknowledge they don’t have warm feelings about evangelical Christians, a new survey shows. A survey released by the San Francisco-based Institute for Jewish & Community Research found 53 percent said they have “cool/unfavorable feelings” toward evangelical Christians. In comparison, 30 percent said they had favorable feelings toward them, 9 percent were neutral, 4 percent said they didn’t know and 4 percent refused to answer. One-third of non-Mormon faculty reported unfavorable views of Mormons. Views about other religious groups were more positive, with Muslims getting a 22 percent unfavorable rating, followed by atheists (18 percent), Catholics (13 percent), persons not practicing any religion (10 percent), nonevangelical Christians (9 percent), Buddhists (4 percent) and Jews (3 percent). Faculty from any particular group were excluded from rating other members of their faith. Results of the online survey were based on a sample of 1,269 faculty members at 712 four-year colleges and universities. The margin of error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Archaeologists uncover Herod’s tomb. Israeli archaeologists believe they have discovered the tomb of King Herod. Professor Ehud Netzer from the Institute of Archaeology at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem said his team discovered the tomb during ongoing excavations at Herodium, a once-magnificent palace located nine miles south of Jerusalem, in what is now the West Bank. Pointing to intricately carved remains from the excavation, Netzer said his team discovered a grave, fragments from a sarcophagus and a mausoleum on Mount Herodium’s northeastern slope. “The location and the unique nature of the findings, as well as the historical record leave no doubt that this was Herod’s burial site,” Netzer said. Herod, who was appointed by the Romans, ruled Judea from 37 to 4 B.C. The New Testament says Jesus was born during Herod’s reign and Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt because the king planned to kill the infant Jesus.

05/25/2007 - By John Rutledge

WASHINGTON (ABP)—It may face an uphill battle in Congress, but some Christian leaders are saying the Senate’s latest immigration-reform proposal is better than doing nothing on the issue.

The legislation passed an initial test when the Senate voted May 21 to move forward with considering it. However, the bill’s sponsors conceded that evening that it likely would be impossible to get to a final vote on it prior to the chamber’s long Memorial Day vacation. That meant critics would have more time to organize opposition to the proposal.

05/25/2007 - By John Rutledge

Francis Beckwith stated he returned to Roman Catholicism because he “became convinced that the Early Church is more Catholic than Protestant” (May 14).

This is according to how “early” he means. If he means the fourth century church of Constantine, then there may be room for debate.

Letters are welcomed. Send them to marvknox@baptiststandard.com; 250 words maximum.

“I feel I’m being tested right now—my character, my faith, how I conduct myself. It’s different. But I love it. If God allows this test to be on me, hey, I’m willing to carry it.” Mariano Rivera Closer for the New York Yankees, on his poor start this season (New York Daily News/RNS) “My party has to demonstrate that it’s not afraid to deal with the faith issue and has a candidate who the public thinks knows there’s something bigger than he or she is and is comfortable with that. We treat it like a third rail within our party.” Joe Biden Democratic presidential candidate (Associated Press/RNS) “Speaking as a private citizen and not on behalf of any organization or party, I cannot, and will not, vote for Rudy Giuliani in 2008. It is an irrevocable decision.” James Dobson Radio talk-show host and fundamentalist leader (WorldNetDaily/RNS)

But if “early” refers to the New Testament church, then there is little resemblance to Roman Catholicism.

05/25/2007 - By John Rutledge

Leaders of the Washington Area Coalition of Men’s Ministries and the National Coalition of Men’s Ministries are sponsoring the Stand in the Gap 2007 event. It is set to take place Oct. 6, a decade after Promise Keepers, an evangelical Christian men’s ministry, brought tens of thousands of men to the National Mall.

05/25/2007 - By John Rutledge

Baylor regents change chairs. The Baylor University regents elected a new chairman and approved a $345 million operating budget for the university at their May meeting. Regents elected Harold Cunningham of Crawford as chair, effective June 1. He succeeds Jim Turner, who served a one-year term as chair. Howard Batson of Amarillo was elected vice chair. Next year’s budget, which takes effect June 1, reflects an increase of $19 million or 5.9 percent over the adjusted 2006-2007 budget. The new budget includes an increase of $12.8 million or 16.9 percent in merit and need-based scholarships, and graduate assistantships. Four regents were re-elected to three-year terms—Joe Armes of Dallas, Albert Black of Dallas, Tommy Bowman of Waco and Buddy Jones of Austin. Five regents completed their terms on the board—Bill Brian of Amarillo, Joe Coleman of Houston, Will Davis of Austin, Laree Estes Perez of Albuquerque, N.M., and John Wilkerson of Lubbock.

Baptist Church Loan Corporation names president. The Baptist Church Loan Corporation’s board of directors elected Gerald James as the nonprofit corporation’s president and chief executive officer. He assumed his new role May 11 upon the retirement of Charles Pruett. James, who began his career with the Baptist Church Loan Corporation in 2000 after 17 years in the banking industry, served as the corporation’s executive vice president prior to his promotion. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Baylor University and graduated from the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University. James serves as a deacon at Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas. He and his wife, Laura, have two children.

05/25/2007 - By John Rutledge