Evangelical leaders endorse racial reconciliation

WASHINGTON (RNS)—Several prominent evangelical leaders have endorsed a “Reconciliation Referendum” that says Sen. Barack Obama’s recent address on race did not go far enough and pushes church leaders to speak up more about the need to address racism.

04/28/2008 - By admin

On the Move

Reports of changes in staff positions from Texas churches:

• Martin Akins to First Church in Bedford as pastor from First Church in Hobbs, N.M.

04/28/2008 - By admin

Missouri Baptist groups agree to peace committee

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (ABP)—Seven members of rival groups in the Missouri Baptist Convention will go to mediation in an effort to bring about peace within the battle-torn statewide group.

The Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board voted to create a peace committee that will submit to Christian mediation.

04/28/2008 - By admin

Mission Lubbock fights hunger, delivers hope

LUBBOCK—When people think of Lubbock, they think of unending cotton fields, hearty dust storms, flat plains and Texas Tech football. Few think of people like Cheryl Tannery.

Tannery, who raised three boys as a single mom, is just one of thousands of people in the Lubbock area who have been stricken by poverty and experienced hunger firsthand. But Mission Lubbock has stepped in to help rebuild the lives of people in need by providing food, clothing and furniture and showing hope that only can come from Christ.

04/28/2008 - By admin

Court dismisses Baptist church-state case

WASHINGTON (RNS)—A federal court has dismissed a 10-year-old legal challenge brought by Kentucky taxpayers who questioned government funding of a Baptist social service agency.

The case involving Sunrise Children’s Services, formerly known as Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children, initially centered on the dismissal of Alicia Pedreira, who the agency learned was a lesbian. In 2001, a federal judge in Louisville, Ky., dismissed her claims of religious discrimination.

04/28/2008 - By admin

Faith Digest: Bible tops America’s bookshelf

The Bible is the favorite book of all time for American adults…along with Lord of the Rings and, um… The Da Vinco Code.

04/28/2008 - By admin

Calvinism: Tiptoe through the TULIP

Can Calvinist and non-Calvinist Baptists work together?
It depends, some advocates of Reformed theology say, on whether Christians on both sides are willing to tiptoe through the TULIP–the acrostic for five doctrinal points that set apart Calvinists.

04/28/2008 - By admin

TULIP: The Doctrines held by Calvinists

Theologians past and present have used a bouquet of initials and analogies to describe Calvinist doctrine.

Historically, the Reformed Synod of Dort in the Netherlands delineated the differences between Calvinism and the teachings of James Jacobus Arminius. For the sake of simplicity—and playing on an association with the best-known Dutch flower—those teachings have been summarized through the TULIP acrostic.

04/28/2008 - By admin

Baby Boomer Baptist theologians tilt toward Calvinism

BROWNWOOD—Among Baptist Baby Boomer theologians, at least half of the major authors are committed to Calvinism, an influential Baptist theologian of an earlier generation has noted.

James Leo Garrett Jr., emeritus distinguished professor of theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, examined 10 Baptist theologians of the Baby Boomer generation during a plenary address at Howard Payne University’s Christian doctrines colloquy in Brownwood.

04/28/2008 - By admin

Baptist Briefs: ABP honors BGCT

Directors of Associated Baptist Press honored the Baptist General Convention of Texas and announced a $100,000 matching-funds challenge from a Texas Baptist family during a meeting in San Antonio. The BGCT has long been one of the major financial supporters of the independent Baptist news service. Executive Editor Greg Warner announced a $100,000 matching-funds challenge from the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation. The foundation has promised to match all individual donations to the news service, up to $100,000, until the end of 2008. John and Eula Mae Baugh’s granddaughter, Jackie Moore of San Antonio, serves as an ABP director and on the Baugh Foundation board.

04/28/2008 - By admin

Youth ranch accepts 75 children from FLDS compound

LULING—Seventy-five children removed from a polygamist sect's ranch have been placed with Baptist Children’s Home Youth Ranch near Luling.

04/28/2008 - By admin

Autistic children enjoy art event hosted by UMHB

BELTON—For several hours on a recent Saturday, a University of Mary Hardin-Baylor gymnasium was transformed into an artists’ paradise. From pencils and paint to canvas and cardboard puzzle pieces, children with autism expressed themselves through original artwork during an Autism in Action event, sponsored by the Student Government Association of Texas State Technical College in Waco.

04/28/2008 - By admin