Churches rediscovering Lent and ‘full impact’ of Easter

Posted: 3/24/06

Churches rediscovering Lent
and 'full impact' of Easter

By Hannah Elliott

Associated Baptist Press

DALLAS (ABP)—For Ray Vickrey and Mike Clingenpeel, Easter doesn’t mean much without about 40 days of reflection and repentance before it.

03/24/2006 - By John Rutledge

Cybercolumn by Brett Younger: The joy of socks

Posted: 3/24/06

CYBER COLUMN:
The joy of socks

By Brett Younger

Most biblical scholars neglect to point out how prominent footwear is in Scripture. In Ezekiel 16:10, the prophet predicts $200 tennis shoes, “I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers’ skin, and girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk.”

The name of Jacob, one of Israel’s patriarchs, means “one who grabs the heel”—which could be paraphrased “one who grabs the sock.”

Brett Younger

03/24/2006 - By John Rutledge

BaptistWay Bible Series for April 2: Every choice carries its own consequence

Posted: 3/21/06

BaptistWay Bible Series for April 2

Every choice carries its own consequence

• 1 Samuel 12

By Joseph Matos

03/21/2006 - By John Rutledge

Family Bible Series for April 2: Honor Christ’s suffering with persistent service

Posted: 3/21/06

Family Bible Series for April 2

Honor Christ’s suffering with persistent service

• Luke 22:14-20, 24-27, 31-34

By Greg Ammons

03/21/2006 - By John Rutledge

Explore the Bible Series for April 2: Put trust only in God

Posted: 3/21/06

Explore the Bible Series for April 2

Put trust only in God

• Isaiah 24:1-31:9

By James Adair

Baptist University of the Americas, San Antonio

Isaiah 24-27 is a collection of oracles, probably from different periods of time, dealing primarily with judgment of Israel’s enemies, though some prophecies of salvation for Israel also appear.

03/21/2006 - By John Rutledge

Satellite photos fuel controversy about Noah’s ark

Posted: 3/20/06

Satellite photos fuel
controversy about Noah's ark

By Hannah Elliott

Associated Baptist Press

DALLAS (ABP)—Recently released satellite images of an unknown formation or object on Mt. Ararat in Turkey have added fuel to archeologists’ ongoing quest to find Noah’s ark.

03/20/2006 - By John Rutledge

Network hopes to avert clergy shortage

Posted: 3/17/06

Network hopes to avert clergy shortage

By Hannah Elliott

Associated Baptist Press

DURHAM, N.C., (ABP)—In a demonstration of their commitment to develop young ministers, about 40 churches have signed a covenant to coordinate their efforts and—they hope—avert a clergy shortage.

03/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

2nd Opinion: Partisan churches will feel IRS heat

Posted: 3/17/06

2nd Opinion:
Partisan churches will feel IRS heat

By Melissa Rogers

Consider yourself warned. That’s a key message the Internal Revenue Service sent to churches and charities with the materials it recently released on impermissible electioneering. While the IRS has merely slapped the wrists of most noncomplying organizations in the past, the new materials put churches and charities on notice that it will react more vigorously to violations in future election cycles.

Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code provides an exemption from tax for organizations with charitable, religious or educational purposes. The code also flatly prohibits these organizations from directly or indirectly participating or intervening in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for elective public office. In short, this tax benefit is intended to flow to charitable, religious or education work, not partisan political activity.

03/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

EDITORIAL: Forget holy smoke, what about people?

Posted: 3/17/06

EDITORIAL:
Forget holy smoke, what about people?

Does God expect you to be holy?

Do you know what “holy” means?

If you answered yes to either question, welcome to the minority. Not just the minority of Americans, but Christians.

03/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

Faith-based funding figures disputed

Posted: 3/17/06

Faith-based funding figures disputed

By Robert Marus

ABP Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (ABP)—In response to growing criticism of his “faith-based initiative,” President Bush touted White House figures showing growth in federal funding of religious charities last year.

03/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

Church: Help families cope

Posted: 3/17/06

Church: Help families cope

Many people bring their family to church with one question in mind, said Bo Prosser of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship—“Can your Jesus help us cope?”

“Our job as ministers is to help people be connected enough that God can work in their lives,” Prosser said at Family Ministry 101, a recent training event at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas.

Prosser, CBF coordinator of congregational life, and Diana Garland, dean of Baylor University’s School of Social Work, led the one-day workshop. Family Ministry 101 is one of three workshops being offered in the newly launched Family Ministry Academy, a continuing education opportunity provided by the School of Social Work’s Center for Family and Community Ministries.

03/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

IMB chair urges committee to reconsider

Posted: 3/17/06

IMB chair urges committee to reconsider

By Steve DeVane

North Carolina Biblical Recorder

RICHMOND, Va. (ABP)—The chairman of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board is asking the board’s personnel committee to take another look at two controversial measures the board passed in November.

03/17/2006 - By John Rutledge