By Carol Pipes Baptist Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. — LifeWay Christian Resources President and CEO Thom S. Rainer announced today (Aug. 27) his plans to retire in the coming year.
By Grace Thornton Baptist Press GREENVILLE, S.C. — In 37 years as a pastor, Rudy Gray sat at the bedside of many terminally ill church members. He stood at gravesides with many grieving families. He sought to speak comforting words — at least he hopes they were comforting. But one thing he is sure of — he wasn’t fully ready to deal with bereavement in his early years of ministry.
By David Roach Baptist Press CLARKSVILLE — Like many retirees, you can find James Shepherd, 84, fishing in his boat several days each week. But he’s set apart from many other retirees by what he’s fishing for. When he and a friend bought a pontoon boat four years ago, he sensed the Lord saying, “Why don’t you fish for men off this?” So Shepherd made signs that said, “Get in
Baptist Press DALLAS — A federal judge in Oklahoma issued a final judgment July 17 in favor of the Southern Baptist Convention’s health and financial benefits entity, as well as ministries it serves, GuideStone reported Aug. 8. The ruling brought to an end GuideStone’s challenge of a 2011 rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that helped implement a controversial health-care law enacted the previous year.
Baptist Press ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The North American Mission Board is launching an evangelism and leadership group that will promote evangelism among Southern Baptist churches, provide evangelistic resources and equip pastors to help their congregations be more evangelistically active. Jim Law, who currently serves as executive pastor at First Baptist Church Woodstock, Ga., will serve as executive director of the new group.
By Aaron Wilson Baptist Press HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. — “What does it mean to be a man?” asked James MacDonald to more than 2,900 men at this year’s Main Event conference presented by LifeWay Christian Resources. “There’s a ton of confusion on that point,” said MacDonald, senior pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicago, as he read from 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 where Paul essentially tells brothers in the Lord to “man
By Tom Strode and Roy Hayhurst Baptist Press DALLAS — GuideStone Financial Resources has secured a conclusive victory in its lengthy, legal battle against the Obama-era abortion/contraception mandate.
Baptist Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — A little-noticed provision of last year’s Republican tax legislation which taxes employee parking at nonprofit organizations “will be a problem” for churches and other Christian ministries, one of the Southern Baptist Convention’s attorneys says. The only question is how many churches and ministries will be affected. “Until the regulations come out and we start seeing how the IRS is going to treat this issue, we
Baptist and Reflector ROANOKE, Va. — Charles Fuller, a Virginia pastor who chaired the SBC’s Peace Committee, died July 28 in Roanoke, Va. He was 86. Formed in 1985 in response to a motion at the SBC annual meeting, the Peace Committee was charged to “seek to determine the sources” of controversy amid the convention’s Conservative Resurgence and “make findings and recommendations.”
Baptist Press CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Jordan Easley, who chaired the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee’s 22-member Young Leaders Advisory Council, has accepted the call of First Baptist Church in Cleveland as senior pastor. Easley also was a member of the Evangelism Task Force appointed by former SBC President Steve Gaines and is a trustee of the International Mission Board. He has been senior pastor of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson,
By Carol Pipes Baptist Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. — LifeWay Christian Resources President and CEO Thom S. Rainer announced today (Aug. 27) his plans to retire
By Grace Thornton Baptist Press GREENVILLE, S.C. — In 37 years as a pastor, Rudy Gray sat at the bedside of many terminally ill church
By David Roach Baptist Press CLARKSVILLE — Like many retirees, you can find James Shepherd, 84, fishing in his boat several days each week. But
Baptist Press DALLAS — A federal judge in Oklahoma issued a final judgment July 17 in favor of the Southern Baptist Convention’s health and financial
Baptist Press ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The North American Mission Board is launching an evangelism and leadership group that will promote evangelism among Southern Baptist churches,
By Aaron Wilson Baptist Press HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. — “What does it mean to be a man?” asked James MacDonald to more than 2,900 men at
By Tom Strode and Roy Hayhurst Baptist Press DALLAS — GuideStone Financial Resources has secured a conclusive victory in its lengthy, legal battle against the
Baptist Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — A little-noticed provision of last year’s Republican tax legislation which taxes employee parking at nonprofit organizations “will be a problem”
Baptist and Reflector ROANOKE, Va. — Charles Fuller, a Virginia pastor who chaired the SBC’s Peace Committee, died July 28 in Roanoke, Va. He was
Baptist Press CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Jordan Easley, who chaired the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee’s 22-member Young Leaders Advisory Council, has accepted the call of
