Archives
-
Continuous ministry key to transforming neighborhood
Posted: 3/02/07
Former Hardin-Simmons University students Lindsey Snodgrass (left) and Cassie Cash help decorate a Friendship House designed to bring a community together. (HSU Photo) Continuous ministry key
to transforming neighborhood
By John Hall
Texas Baptist Communications
ABILENE—Two years ago, Hardin-Simmons University called Danyel and Brandon Rogers to a special task—transform a neighborhood.
After moving into the community and building relationships with their neighbors, they started ministry programs for children and mothers.
03/03/2007 - By John Rutledge
-
-
Page cautiously optimistic about Southern Baptists
Posted: 3/02/07
Page cautiously optimistic about Southern Baptists
By Tony Cartledge
North Carolina Biblical Recorder
PHILADELPHIA—The future is bright for the Southern Baptist Convention if its members have the right mindset, follow the right motives and adopt the right methodology, SBC President Frank Page told a group of Baptist state newspaper editors.
Repeating themes he has emphasized in several recent speeches, Page said he is challenging the SBC to be “more authentic in faith and more intentional in sharing the gospel,” to “reach the lost and challenge the saved.”
03/03/2007 - By John Rutledge
-
-
-
Texas Baptist Forum
Posted: 3/02/07
Texas Baptist Forum
‘All will be well’
The Feb. 19 editorial notes valid concerns of the Baptist General Convention of Texas—missions funding, recent parliamentary rulings, etc. I believe reports from the Executive Board and the convention’s executive leadership will very much satisfy the concerns of all Texas Baptists who can be satisfied.
• Jump to online-only letters below Letters are welcomed. Send them to marvknox@baptiststandard.com; 250 words maximum.
“The Holy Spirit works best when we’re weak. There’s pressure in the church to look like you’re strong; it’s a false sense of what it’s like to be in Christ.”
Kenneth Fong
Pastor of Evergreen Church in Los Angeles (Baptist World Alliance)“I’m running for a secular position. I subscribe to what Abraham Lincoln called America’s political religion. The Constitution and the rule of law are the highest promises I would make in taking the oath of office.”
Mitt Romney
Presidential candidate, discussing the potential impact of his Mormon faith (USA Today/RNS)“If your name is Barack Hussein Obama, you can expect it, some of that. I think the majority of voters know that I’m a member of the United Church of Christ, and that I take my faith seriously.”
Barack Obama
Presidential candidate, explaining he doesn't believe voters have a ‘litmus test” on religion or his childhood years spent in Indonesia, a predominantly Muslim country (RNS)“If God is on anyone’s side in this mess, he’s on everyone’s side.”
Oliver Thomas
Minister and lawyer, commenting on strife in the Middle East (USA Today/RNS)The matters this editorial mentions have been and are being addressed in appropriate ways by appropriate leaders, and all will be well, and we should not doubt that that is so.
For every true or perceived problem in church life, 1,000 great things are happening. They certainly deserve Texas Baptists’ continued attention while problems are being corrected.
03/03/2007 - By John Rutledge
-
Mainstream Baptists cite freedom as Baptist hallmark
Posted: 3/02/07
Mainstream Baptists cite
freedom as Baptist hallmark
By Marv Knox
Editor
IRVING—A refrain of freedom echoed throughout the Mainstream Baptist Network convocation Feb. 23-24.
About 80 participants gathered from across the South and Southwest for the sixth-annual event. The Mainstream movement is composed of Baptists who strive to preserve traditional Baptist doctrine and distinctives in the face of fundamentalism.
03/03/2007 - By John Rutledge
-
Christians use movie to spotlight modern-day human trafficking
Posted: 3/02/07
Christians use movie to spotlight
modern-day human trafficking
By Robert Marus
ABP Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON (ABP)—Nearly 200 years after William Wilberforce brought an end to England’s slave trade, a wide audience has a chance to see his story told on film. But the producers of Amazing Grace, and a wide coalition of Christian and other groups, hope the legendary reformer’s inspiring tale will focus the West’s attention on a more disturbing story—the modern-day slave trade.
The feature-length film uses the beloved hymn for its title and organizing theme in telling Wilberforce’s story. After rediscovering his Christian faith in his 20s, the member of Parliament struggled for nearly three decades in the 18th and 19th centuries to abolish England’s trade in African slaves.
Actor Youssou N'Dour portrays freed slave Oloudah Equiano in Amazing Grace, a new film about British abolitionist William Wilberforce. Equiano worked with Wilberforce to ban slavery in the British Empire. (RNS photo courtesy Samuel Goldwyn Films) 03/03/2007 - By John Rutledge
-
-
Students’ political identities don’t fit religious beliefs on social issues
Posted: 3/02/07
Students’ political identities don’t
fit religious beliefs on social issues
By Katherine Boyle
Religion News Service
WASHINGTON (RNS)—American college students’ stated political views frequently don’t reflect their religious beliefs or attitudes on social issues, a survey by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA revealed.
In 2004 and 2006, students were asked to define their political views as far left, liberal, middle-of-the-road, conservative or far right. Despite holding traditionally conservative or liberal views, the most popular political label for students was “middle-of-the-road,” chosen by 43 percent of those surveyed in 2006.
03/03/2007 - By John Rutledge
-
TOGETHER: Valley situation leads to new process
Posted: 3/02/07
TOGETHER:
Valley situation leads to new process
It’s good to be a Baptist for many reasons. One of those reasons is we seek to acknowledge our mistakes, fix them and move on.
The Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board has worked with me for more than a year in trying to understand what happened with our church-starting efforts and what needed to be done to fix any problems. Because of the ongoing nature of the investigation and our response to it, I have not spoken much about the details. I wanted to let the process work. Now, I would like to give a brief recap.
When told there were problems in our church-starting efforts in the Valley, I sought to get answers and explanations. I paid attention to a variety of voices on my staff and to pastors and leaders in the Valley. Although there were differences of opinion expressed, I trusted the words of my staff, as well as the affirmations of several in the Valley, and decided to go forward with our efforts.
Executive Director
BGCT Executive Board
I did, however, keep my eyes and ears open. I continued to listen and went through another round of visitation and conversation with those in the Valley. I continued to work to resolve the concerns and was assured again that our approach was right.
03/03/2007 - By John Rutledge
