Ministry assistants find support, training at statewide event_61404

Posted: 6/11/04

Lora Thomas (left) of Denton Baptist Association and Cindy Webb of Cisco Baptist Association enjoy a time of fellowship at the Texas Baptist Ministry Assistants statewide conference.	“Sister Act”–sometimes known as Valerie Dacus (left) and Donna McClendon of First Baptist Church in Denton, provide entertainment at the conference.

Ministry assistants find support, training at statewide event

By George Henson

Staff Writer

“Other duties as assigned” is the part of the job description many church secretaries know best. They perform a myriad of duties, some of which they may not have been trained to do.

06/11/2004 - By John Rutledge

Students follow God’s calling to mission fields_61404

Posted: 6/11/04

Students follow God's calling to mission fields

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

RICHARDSON–Record numbers of Baptist General Convention of Texas student missionaries are following God's will onto the mission field, where lives are sure to change, a speaker told mission volunteers during their commissioning service.

06/11/2004 - By John Rutledge

Student missionaries return from Kenya_61404

Posted: 6/11/04

Student missionaries return from Kenya

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

While most student summer missionaries are traveling to their ministry locations, several groups already have returned and are praising God for the fruit he produced during their trips.

06/11/2004 - By John Rutledge

Student missionaries share stories of their calling from God_61404

Posted: 6/11/04

Student missionaries share
stories of their calling from God

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

RICHARDSON–For some Texas Baptist student missionaries, the call to missions was a voice. For others, it was an impression. For still others yet, it was a realization.

06/11/2004 - By John Rutledge

Senior Saints Summit_61404

Posted: 6/11/04 Senior Saints Summit More than 240 senior adults gathered on the campus of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton for a recent Senior Saints Summit. Lester Collins,…

06/11/2004 - By John Rutledge

Survey shows Christians more likely than agnostics to buy lottery tickets_61404

Posted: 6/11/04

Survey shows Christians more likely
than agnostics to buy lottery tickets

WASHINGTON (RNS)–Christians are more likely to invest in lottery tickets than non-Christians while non-Christians are twice as likely as Christians to fast, a newly released survey shows.

The Barna Group, a Ventura, Calif.-based research and analysis company, looked at the relation between faith and lifestyles in a survey of 1,002 adults.

Researchers found that 15 percent of born-again Christians and 23 percent of notional Christians–people who say they are Christian but haven't made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ–bought lottery tickets in a typical week. That compared to 10 percent of adherents of non-Christian faiths and 12 percent of atheists and agnostics.

06/11/2004 - By John Rutledge

Baptists want churches to help them with personal needs, survey reveals_61404

Posted: 6/11/04

Baptists want churches to help them
with personal needs, survey reveals

By Polly House

LifeWay Christian Resources

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Ask 16,000 Baptists what they need, and their responses will show the real answer is discipleship.

06/11/2004 - By John Rutledge

Texas Baptist Men offer clean-up service and meals to flood victims_61404

Posted: 6/11/04

Texas Baptist Men offer clean-up
service and meals to flood victims

By Mary Crouch

Texas Baptist Communications

WHITE SETTLEMENT–Texas Baptist Men dispatched three disaster relief units to help victims of flood-ravaged north Fort Worth.

06/11/2004 - By John Rutledge

Texas Tidbits_61404

Posted: 6/11/04

Texas Tidbits

Retiree retreat set. Retired Pastor Jess Moody will preach and Bill Pinson, executive director emeritus of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, will be the Bible study leader at the annual Retiree Ministries Retreat at Glorieta Conference Center, Sept. 13-17. The retreat is sponsored by the Baptist General Convention of Texas and Glorieta Conference Center. Special-interest seminars will be offered on healthy lifestyles, ministry opportunities, financial planning and other topics. Cost is $319.50 for a couple or $185.25 for singles. This includes four nights' lodging and buffet meals Monday dinner through Friday breakfast, as well as program expenses. A $60 conference fee will be charged for those staying in private residences. RV parking is available. For reservations, call toll-free (800) 797-4222.

BUA issues diplomas, grants degrees. Thirty-one students graduated after the spring semester at the Baptist University of the Americas in San Antonio. They included five Bible college students–two from Texas, two from Colombia and one from Brazil–who received bachelor's degrees in biblical and theological studies. Maria Hernandez Ferrier, principal adviser to the U.S. secretary of education on all matters related to limited English-proficient students, was the commencement speaker.

Committee meeting set. The Committee to Nominate Executive Board members for the Baptist General Convention of Texas will meet at 9:30 a.m., Aug. 19, in the Landes A Conference Room of the Baptist Building, 333 N. Washington in Dallas. Cassandra Northcutt, member of First Baptist Church in Longview, is chairperson of the committee.

06/11/2004 - By John Rutledge

TOGETHER: Thank God for servants who lead_61404

Posted: 6/11/04

TOGETHER:
Thank God for servants who lead

The nation has turned its attention to life and death this past week. Americans bid farewell to Ronald Reagan. Millions of us watched the coverage of his life, politics, and service and gave thanks for him and other presidents who served this nation faithfully and well

And in the midst of this, I attended two funerals of Texas Baptist deacons who were faithful stewards of the trust God and his people placed in them.

One was Noble Hurley, well known for his involvement in the development of Dallas. He was a generous Baptist General Convention of Texas benefactor. When he died, those who knew him best thought of David's lament regarding the death of Abner, “Do you not realize that a prince and a great man has fallen in Israel this day?” (2 Samuel 3:38)

06/11/2004 - By John Rutledge

Devotions for unemployed offered_61404

Posted: 6/11/04

Devotions for unemployed offered

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (RNS)–When Richard Malone lost his job in 2001, he prayed to God. Not once, not twice, not only when he lost himself in despair, but every day. And he took notes.

Malone, of Murfreesboro, Tenn., spent six months mourning his old job and finding a new one. And then he published his notes.

The result is “Devotions for Job Seekers: Daily Encouragement Along the Way.”

06/11/2004 - By John Rutledge

Storylist for 5/31 issue_53104

Storylist for 5/31/04 issue GO TO SECTIONS: • Texas       • Baptists       • Faith       • Departments      • Opinion       • Bible Study       FRONT PAGE ARTICLES • Flood…

06/11/2004 - By John Rutledge