Baptist Women in Ministry track growth

Posted: 8/04/06

Baptist Women in Ministry track growth

By Hannah Elliott

Associated Baptist Press

ATLANTA (ABP)—About 1,600 Baptist women have been ordained to the ministry in the United States, a new report released by Baptist Women in Ministry revealed.

Authors Eileen Campbell-Reed and Pamela Durso presented their report, “The State of Women in Baptist Life,” at the organization’s annual meeting this summer in Atlanta.

08/04/2006 - By John Rutledge

Faith goes to work as business accommodates belief

Posted: 8/04/06

Faith goes to work as
business accommodates belief

By Candace Goforth

Religion News Service

WASHINGTON (RNS)—A Muslim employee’s daily prayers. A lunchtime Bible study group. A Jewish employee’s observance of the High Holy Days. What does any of this have to do with conducting business? These days, plenty.

More Americans are bringing their faith to work, and employers need to be sure their workplace policies are keeping pace with the trend, cultural observers have noted.

08/04/2006 - By John Rutledge

Poll: Americans not quite ready for Mormon president

Posted: 8/04/06

Poll: Americans not quite
ready for Mormon president

By Hannah Elliott

Associated Baptist Press

DALLAS (ABP)—With a Mormon looking like a serious contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008, it may be time to ask: Is the country ready to elect a Mormon president? If a Los Angeles Times poll is accurate, then the answer is: Maybe not.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known simply as “LDS”) is one of the fastest-growing religions in the world, with more than 5.5 million members in the United States alone. There are currently 16 Mormons in Congress—five senators and 11 representatives.

08/04/2006 - By John Rutledge

BGCT aids El Paso flood victims

Posted: 8/04/06

BGCT aids El Paso flood victims

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

The Baptist General Convention of Texas will provide $15,000 to help victims of flooding in El Paso and Juarez.

The convention will send $12,500 in funds from a designated disaster response account and the Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas Missions to the El Paso Baptist Association to assist Texas Baptists affected by flooding.

08/04/2006 - By John Rutledge

RIGHT OR WRONG? The ‘servant leadership’ model

Posted: 8/04/06

RIGHT OR WRONG?
The 'servant leadership' model

I’m hearing more about servant leadership as a model for pastoral leadership. As I understand the terms pastor/elder/overseer in the New Testament, servant leadership just doesn’t seem to be an appropriate pastoral leadership model. Are we simply picking up some cultural model and imposing it on our churches?

08/04/2006 - By John Rutledge

Bivocational ministers gather to sharpen skills, and worship and fellowship

Posted: 7/28/06

Bivocational Ministers Conference marks 20 years

By Eric Guel

Texas Baptist Communications

BELTON—Leaders of Texas Baptist bivocational and small churches didn’t let distance or cost keep them from their annual get-together this summer.

For the 20th consecutive year, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor hosted them for the annual Bivocational and Smaller Church Ministers and Spouses Statewide Conference.

08/03/2006 - By John Rutledge

Family Bible Series for August 13: Maintaining A Heavenly Focus

Posted: 8/03/06

Family Bible Series for August 13

Maintaining A Heavenly Focus

• Colossians 2:20-3:17

By Greg Ammons

08/03/2006 - By John Rutledge

BaptistWay Bible Series for August 13: Life in the Fellowship of Faith

Posted: 8/01/06

BaptistWay Bible Series for August 13

Life in the Fellowship of Faith

• Titus 2:1-14

By Joseph Matos

08/02/2006 - By John Rutledge

Explore the Bible Series for August 13: The Teacher focuses on integrity

Posted: 8/01/06

Explore the Bible Series for August 13

The Teacher focuses on integrity

• Ecclesiastes 9:1-11:6

By James Adair

Baptist University of the Americas, San Antonio

About six years ago, a non-profit corporation called Foundation for a Better Life started putting messages on billboards around the country. The billboards weren't trying to sell a product, promote a candidate, or push an agenda. Each one had a single image, a brief message and a note encouraging people to pass that message on to others. The messages were inspirational, and they used real people (for the most part)—both famous and largely unknown—to illustrate a principle of character.

08/02/2006 - By John Rutledge

American, European Baptists call for Lebanon cease-fire

Posted: 8/02/06

American, European Baptists call for Lebanon cease-fire

By Robert Marus

ABP Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (ABP)—American and European Baptist leaders called for an immediate cease-fire of hostilities between Israel and militant wings of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, but President Bush and other key United State leaders dismissed any cease-fire that does not include disarming Hezbollah.

Leaders of the European Baptist Federation passed a resolution July 26 in which the 51-nation group “joins the call of the United Nations Secretary General, the European Union and others for an immediate cessation of hostilities, praying for a just and lasting peace for all peoples and a negotiated cease-fire.”

08/02/2006 - By John Rutledge

Survey finds 60 Baptist women ordained for ministry in 2005

Posted: 7/05/06

Survey finds 60 Baptist women
ordained for ministry in 2005

By Hannah Elliott

Associated Baptist Press

ATLANTA (ABP)—About 1,600 Baptist women have been ordained to the ministry in the United States, a new report released by Baptist Women in Ministry revealed.

07/28/2006 - By John Rutledge

Cybercolumn by Jeanie Miley: Baptist definitions

Posted: 7/28/06

CYBER COLUMN:
Baptist definitions

By Jeanie Miley

“Don’t let anyone crowd you,” my father told me when I was an adolescent. And “Watch extremes!”

What he told me “took,” especially when it comes to being backed into the corner of a religious, denominational or political label!

07/28/2006 - By John Rutledge