Buckner seeks hosts for ‘angels from abroad’_122004

Posted: 12/17/04

Buckner seeks hosts for 'angels from abroad'

DALLAS–Angels from Abroad, a Buckner International Adoption program to expose American families to international adoption, will be offered again in 2005.

The program allows adoption-minded families to host orphan children ages 7 to 14 when they visit the United States during their summer vacation June 4-20.

“Angels from Abroad offers host families the opportunity to make a difference in the life of a Russian child visiting the United States,” said Mary Ann Hamby, community relations coordinator for Buckner International Adoption. “Hosting is a great way for potentially adoptive families to participate in the experience of having a child from Russia living in their home as they consider international adoption as an option for parenting.”

12/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

Advocates for BWA look for ways to rebuild group’s financial support_122004

Posted: 12/17/04

Advocates for BWA look for ways
to rebuild group's financial support

By Greg Warner

Associated Baptist Press

ATLANTA (ABP)–About 20 former Southern Baptist leaders met in Atlanta this month to seek ways to rebuild financial support for the Baptist World Alliance, which lost its largest member and funding source in October.

12/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

Texas Baptist students devote Christmas break to missions, ministries_122004

Posted: 12/17/04

Texas Baptist students devote
Christmas break to missions, ministries

By Ferrell Foster

Texas Baptist Communication

Texas Baptist college students are not just going home for the holidays; they're spreading out around the world to tell others about Christ.

12/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

Colleyville church feeds 2,800, leads 138 to faith in Christ_122004

Posted: 12/17/04

Colleyville church feeds 2,800, leads 138 to faith in Christ

By Gregory Tomlin

Baptist Press

COLLEYVILLE (BP)–It wasn't quite comparable to the New Testament feeding of the 5,000, but an army of volunteers served hot meals and passed out sacks of groceries to more than 2,800 people.

12/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

ANOTHER VIEW: There’ll always be a Christmas_122004

Posted: 12/17/04

ANOTHER VIEW:
There'll always be a Christmas

As one grows older, the valuables of life become more treasured. Friendships are rooted more deeply in the soil of human need. Homes are marked within and without with meaningful “hand-me-downs,” pictures of the children and grandchildren, reminders of visits by joy-bringers, gracious serendipities that have added so much to the journey.

We would be hard-pressed to place pricetags on the presence of special individuals, who at trying times have felt voicemail was hardly sufficient. They knew that we needed broad shoulders to lean upon and how to adjust in the crowded world we live in.

There have been the constant pressures to downgrade our moral values; plus a mindset equipped to deal with the gray climate brought upon us by the terrorist who cannot have the priceless gift of peace, nor properly evaluate hope for international brothering.

12/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

DBU offers master’s-level credit for participants at Epicenter conference_122004

Posted: 12/17/04

DBU offers master's-level credit for
participants at Epicenter conference

Dallas Baptist University is offering master's-level credit for participants in Epicenter, the Baptist General Convention of Texas' annual evangelism and missions conference.

DBU students in the Gary Cook Graduate School of Leadership and Christian Education can earn three hours of course credit for attending all Epicenter sessions, making reports and creating plans to implement ideas learned during the conference.

Students must enroll in the “Local Church on Mission” class and pay the standard DBU tuition. Matching grants for tuition assistance are available. Class assignments will be submitted online.

12/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

DOWN HOME: He’s pathetic or just blessed_122004

Posted: 12/17/04

DOWN HOME:
He's pathetic or just blessed

Every year about this time, I wind up in the same ol' doghouse. Or, considering the season, maybe it's the reindeer house.

That's because I never can come up with a Christmas wish-list of sufficient length to satisfy my wife.

“Marv,” she said the other day. (Come to think of it, about the only time Joanna calls me by my name is when I'm in trouble.) “You haven't given me a single idea about what to get you for Christmas.”

12/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

EDITORIAL: Avoid shepherds’ temptation: Leaving baby in a manger_122004

Posted: 12/17/04

EDITORIAL:
Avoid shepherds' temptation: Leaving baby in a manger

Whatever happened to the shepherds?

The Gospel of Luke describes how they became eyewitnesses to the birth of Jesus. The evening started like any other. They camped “out in the fields” of the Judean hillside, herding their flock. Then all heaven started breaking loose: An angel popped up, scaring them out of their sandals. Realizing their fear, the angel told them to calm down and announced that the long-awaited Messiah–“a Savior who is Christ the Lord”–had just been born in Bethlehem. As proof, the angel said, in effect: “If you don't believe me, go see for yourself. He's a baby, bundled up, bedded down in a feed trough.” Next, they heard the best concert ever, sung by an angel choir that proclaimed glory to God and promised peace. And then, when the angels sang their last note, the shepherds ran to Bethlehem, where everything the first angel told them came true. They hovered over the manger, ogling the Baby, amazed that the angel described everything to a T. After that, of course, they hurried back to their sheep, all the while “glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.”

That's it. The shepherds get 13 brief-but-beautiful verses in Luke 2. And then they pass off the scene as fast as fifth-grade “shepherds” sling off their bathrobes after a church Christmas pageant. We never hear from the shepherds again.

12/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

El Paso Baptists’ 2004 church-starts nearly double previous year’s number_122004

Posted: 12/17/04

El Paso Baptists' 2004 church-starts
nearly double previous year's number

EL PASO–Baptists in El Paso already held their annual church-planting banquet, but they've got room at the table for others who want to help them start churches.

They had plenty to celebrate at this year's banquet, reported Josué Valerio, director of missions for El Paso Baptist Association.

“In 2003, we started 16 churches, but by the end of this year, we will have started 30 churches in 2004,” Valerio said. “This is a remarkable accomplishment for one association with limited ministry resources in an impoverished area. We thank God for this blessing.”

12/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

Shared holiday meal fills El Paso Baptists with renewed passion for missions_122004

Posted: 12/17/04

Shared holiday meal fills El Paso
Baptists with renewed passion for missions

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

EL PASO–A holiday meal filled several Texas Baptists from El Paso with a renewed desire to see and meet needs around them.

12/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for Dec. 26: Be a good steward of the riches God has given_122004

Posted: 12/17/04

LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for Dec. 26

Be a good steward of the riches God has given

Lesson Passage: Luke 16:1-13

By Pakon Chan

Chinese Baptist Church, Arlington

12/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for Jan. 2: Don’t let Christ’s return catch you unprepared_122004

Posted: 12/17/04

LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for Jan. 2

Don't let Christ's return catch you unprepared

Luke 17:20-37

By Pakon Chan

Chinese Baptist Church, Arlington

12/17/2004 - By John Rutledge