2007 Archives
-
Competing state conventions challenge associations
Posted: 5/11/07
Competing state conventions challenge associations
By Ken Camp & Robert Dilday
Baptist Standard & Religious Herald
Dual—and sometimes dueling—state conventions often present a challenge for associations of churches.
In keeping with Baptist polity, associations are autonomous, stand-alone organizations, just as Baptist churches and state and national conventions are. But in practice, associations have maintained close ties to state conventions—often sharing funding and even staff positions.
In keeping with Baptist polity, associations are autonomous, stand-alone organizations, just as Baptist churches and state and national conventions are. But in practice, associations have maintained close ties to state conventions—often sharing funding and even staff positions.
05/11/2007 - By John Rutledge
-
NETWORKS: New label or a new way for churches to relate?
Posted: 5/11/07
NETWORKS:
New label or a new way for churches to relate?By Ken Camp
Managing Editor
Some associations of churches call themselves “networks” now. And their directors of missions insist it’s more than just a trendy change in terminology.
As missions director for a West Texas area that included both Midland and Odessa Baptist associations, Wayne Keller observed a steady decline in participation in associational life. About two years ago, he decided the associations faced a choice—change or die.
05/11/2007 - By John Rutledge
-
Woven Together: Associations’ survival depends on willingness to change
Posted: 5/11/07
WOVEN TOGETHER:
Associations’ survival depends
on willingness to changeBy Robert Dilday
Virginia Religious Herald
The drive to weave ties among local churches is housed deep in the Baptist DNA, some observers of denominational life say. It’s an instinct almost as visceral as another, often competing, Baptist characteristic—a fierce independence of thought and practice.
Geography is no longer the tie that binds Baptists…. For many Baptists, the term “cooperation” carries almost as much theological resonance as “believer’s baptism by immersion” and “priesthood of the believer.” And from their earliest years, Baptists in North America have experimented with congregational links, convinced that what their churches couldn’t do on their own, they could do together.
05/11/2007 - By John Rutledge
-
-
Kimball responds to ‘Allah’ controversy
Updated: 5/11/07
Kimball responds to 'Allah' controversy
By Ken Camp
Managing Editor
A religion professor’s statements at a Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission conference that Christianity and Islam talk about “the same God” prompted two associations of churches to ask Baptist General Convention of Texas leaders to clarify the convention’s doctrinal position.
At a February Christian Life Commission conference in Austin, Charles Kimball of Wake Forest University said regarding Islamic teaching about Allah: “It’s the same God that Jews and Christians are talking about.”
Charles Kimball, religion professor at Wake Forest University, says his address was not significantly different than “anything I’ve been saying for 30-something years.” 05/10/2007 - By John Rutledge
-
Evangelicals unite to push immigration reform
Posted: 5/10/07
Evangelicals unite to push immigration reform
By Robert Marus
ABP Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON (ABP)—A broad variety of evangelicals and other Christian groups and leaders launched a new campaign May 7 to get Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
With a Washington press conference and ads in two major Capitol Hill publications, Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform launched a campaign that will include both a media strategy in states with large numbers of immigrants and a grassroots organizing campaign.
05/10/2007 - By John Rutledge
-
Ethiopian child finds a place to call home
Posted: 5/04/07
Ethiopian child finds a place to call home
By Miranda Bradley
Children At Heart Foundation
Ask 8-year-old Israel about his family, he becomes quiet. Already shy, the boy looks down at his small hands, quietly refusing to respond. But ask him about Texas Baptist Children’s Home, and he has no trouble expressing his joy.
It’s a far cry from two years ago, when Israel arrived from Ethiopia—unable to speak English and unable to find a place to call home.
Eight-year-old Israel from Ethiopia. 05/04/2007 - By John Rutledge
-
UMHB students learn as they serve through Habitat
Posted: 5/04/07
Students from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor learned carpentry as they helped on a Habitat for Humanity project. UMHB students learn as
they serve through Habitat
By Jennifer Sicking
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
BELTON—When Sherman Wilkins participated in a University of Mary Hardin-Baylor outreach program his first year, he “fell in love” with the idea of voluntering with Habitat for Humanity. Never mind he didn’t know much about using a hammer and saw.
“My first day on a habitat job site, I was clueless on what services the different tools functioned for,” said Wilkins, a senior from Hamlet, N.C., who is now president of the UMHB Habitat for Humanity chapter. “During every scheduled volunteer build, Habitat provides supervisors to oversee the construction in which they educate inexperienced individuals on the proper technique for the use the tools.”
05/04/2007 - By John Rutledge
