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Home on the Range Georgia's cowboy church serves up country gospel in Henry County horse barn By Thailan Pham, Index Intern Published September 23, 2004

Cowboy boots and flip-flops shift among plastic chairs as the rhythmic fanning of programs barely alleviates 90 degrees of late summer heat. The freedom of open air is only 15 paces to the right of the pulpit through a set of doublewide doors, but the devoted congregation has gathered for relief beyond corporal comfort.

GBC Executive Committee approves 2005 budget, accepts gift from Baptist Health Care System to name chapel for Louie D. Newton By Gerald Harris, Editor Published September 23, 2004

Dean Haun, pastor of Jonesboro's First Baptist Church and chairman of the Georgia Baptist Convention Budget Planning Committee, presented the proposed 2005 Cooperative Program budget of $48,750,000 for the GBC at the September 14 meeting of the Executive Committee. Haun explained that the budget represented a 4.84% increase over the current year's budget, and that present giving trends indicate that the budget goal is realistic and reachable.

Richmond Hill minister recounts time in Iraq Former Army chaplain says soldiers need U.S. support & faith in God By Joni B. Hannigan Published September 23, 2004

Noting that America's freedom did not come without loss of life, a former Army chaplain who was with the first troops to enter Baghdad last year said people critical of the war in Iraq should take a few cues from history.

Ga. Supreme Court to hear case pitting Georgia Baptist Convention v. Shorter College By Art Toalston Published September 23, 2004

The Georgia Supreme Court is the next stop in the legal battle between the Georgia Baptist Convention and Shorter College over the college's intent to separate itself from the convention.

In March, the college lost in the Georgia Court of Appeals, which ruled in favor of the Georgia convention's position that Shorter had acted illegally in April 2003 in dissolving itself and transferring all its assets to a new corporation with a self-perpetuating board of trustees.

Schrader resigns, accepts presidency at Brenau Published September 23, 2004

Shorter College President Ed L. Schrader, who orchestrated the attempt to sever the college's ties with the Georgia Baptist Convention, resigned on Sept. 16 to accept the presidency of Brenau University.

Pastor Rastus Salter of Second Baptist Church in Warner Robins recounts his 48 years at the congregation By J. Gerald Harris, Editor Published September 23, 2004

Rastus Salter of Second Baptist Church in Warner Robbins has been a mainstay of the Houston County congregation for 48 years. Recently he sat down with Index editor Gerald Harris to talk about nearly half a century of ministry at Second Baptist

Bethany Baptist Church of Tennille celebrates 200 years Two centuries old, two centuries strong By Scott Barkley, Staff Writer Published September 23, 2004

With a flavor of the past meeting the present, Bethany Baptist Church in Tennille celebrated its 200th birthday Aug. 29.

Georgia Revival Update Published September 23, 2004

Scholarships Published September 23, 2004

Music and Worship Ministries of the Georgia Baptist Convention recently awarded eight scholarships at the 2004 Youth II Music Camp.

Georgia NewsBriefs

Georgia Baptist Convention minutes listing Published September 23, 2004: Lists of ordained ministers who are not serving in the pastorate at the present time and full-time evangelists in fellowship with a church in cooperation with the Georgia Baptist Convention will be published in the 2004 Georgia Baptist Convention Minutes.
Georgia disaster relief prepares for more cleanup after hurricanes pound Southeast Published September 23, 2004: Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief teams prepared to go back into areas suffering from damage brought on by Hurricane Ivan Sept. 17.

Baptist News Summary

Clinton criticizes SBC iVoteValues.com campaign in addressing NYC church Published September 23, 2004: Former President Bill Clinton criticized the Southern Baptist iVoteValues.com voter-awareness initiative Aug. 29, saying that the values debate should not be framed around the issues of abortion and same-sex "marriage."
FDA authority over tobacco products draws support from SBC ethics arm Published September 23, 2004: The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission is urging adoption of legislation that would authorize the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco products.
AB Funds Trust marks 3rd anniversary as a registered mutual fund family Published September 23, 2004: Funds Trust marked its third year as a registered mutual fund family on Aug. 27. Sponsored by GuideStone Financial Resources (formerly the Annuity Board) of the Southern Baptist Convention, the fund's assets were $7.5 billion on June 30 this year.
SBC funds helping Baptists minister in wake of Russian school massacre Published September 23, 2004: Southern Baptist relief funds are assisting victims' families and survivors of the Sept. 3 terrorist massacre in Beslan, Russia.
Republican convention hears from Ouachita Baptist Univ. student Published September 23, 2004: Twenty-year-old Princella Smith, a Ouachita Baptist University junior, savored a rare opportunity for someone her age as she addressed the Republican National Convention Aug. 31 in New York at the opening night's session.
FamilyNet staff reduction among steps toward financial viability Published September 23, 2004: The North American Mission Board has announced a staff reduction and other measures to strengthen the financial viability of its FamilyNet broadcasting network.
Names in the News Published September 23, 2004

Religious NewsBriefs

McCartney moves from men's movement to effort to support Messianic Jews Published September 23, 2004: Promise Keepers founder Bill McCartney has announced a new effort to reach out to Messianic Jews.
Some take offense in seeing Christian crosses at Republican convention lectern Published September 23, 2004: Some offended observers saw Christian crosses in the wood panels of lecterns at the Republican National Convention, but others say these critics are cross-eyed.
American Baptists face shortfall that could prompt missionary recall Published September 23, 2004: Leaders of the American Baptist Churches USA say they must close a $1.5 million budget gap to avert the recall of missionaries.
Representative retires amid rumors Published September 23, 2004: U.S. Rep. Edward L. Schrock, R.-Va., has announced his retirement amid rumors he is a homosexual. Schrock has been an outspoken opponent of gays in the military and a supporter of a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex "marriage."

People and Places

Anniversaries Published September 23, 2004
Honors Published September 23, 2004
Ordinations Published September 23, 2004
Retirements Published September 23, 2004
Revivals Published September 23, 2004
Ministerial Moves Published September 23, 2004

Cooperative Program Stories

BSU students at UGA reach their community with hoops, sand art, & face paint By Sherri Brown, Communications, GBC Published September 23, 2004: It isn't for them. It won't bring in any money to support their projects. But students at the University of Georgia Baptist Student Union are already starting to plan for their second annual spring basketball event.

Bible Study

Showing Love By Bill Harrell, Abilene Baptist Church, Martinez Published September 23, 2004
Hoping For Help By Bill Harrell, Abilene Baptist Church, Martinez Published September 23, 2004

Columns

Religious Freedom: Is it slipping away? By J. Gerald Harris, Editor Published September 23, 2004: News reports have indicated that in recent years Christians have been murdered in the Middle East, imprisoned in China, and enslaved in northern Africa. While such atrocities are almost inconceivable to us and these horrific reports come from far away, we must not be oblivious to the encroachments upon our religious freedom at home.
Sept. 11 has taught us to kill or be killed By David P. Gushee, Graves Professor of Moral Philosophy, Union University, Jackson, Tenn. Published September 23, 2004: I made a commitment to read the report of the Sept. 11 commission before the third anniversary of those horrible attacks arrived. Two movie images came into my mind as I read the parts of the report that discussed the organization and activities of the Islamist terrorist network, especially al-Qaida.
Why give to World Hunger? By Ricky Thrasher, Consultant, Church and Community Ministries, Georgia Published September 23, 2004: As we approach World Hunger Day on October 10, there is always the question: "Why give to World Hunger?" There are so many answers that can be given to that good question.
The Open Door By J. Robert White, Executive Director, GBC Published September 23, 2004: I work in my office today, Hurricane Ivan is bearing down on Georgia and my mind and heart are with our disaster relief workers who have been serving tirelessly and with great commitment now for several weeks. We should praise the Lord for every one of them and for their profound commitment to demonstrate through action what they believe in their heart - that God has called us to serve, to care for the broken-hearted, to uplift those who are suffering loss, to encourage the discouraged.
Explore treatment options for attention deficit disorder By James Dobson Published September 23, 2004

Forum

Emerging leadership By Marty Duren, Senior Pastor New Bethany Baptist Church Published September 23, 2004: It is with great interest that I read Jimmy Draper's comments about emerging leadership, The Index follow up article, and now Ed Stetzer's column "What Will It Take To Bring Young Leaders Back?". Everyone has an answer to the most difficult crisis that our convention will face in the near future - how do we relate to what Robert Webber calls the "younger evangelicals."
Gratitude for young leaders in GBC By Steve Moon, pastor Omega Baptist Church, Omega Published September 23, 2004: A lot has been written lately about our young SBC pastors and leaders leaving the convention. One reason that has been cited is that we are not invited to participate in the leadership of the convention and feel no ownership. With that in mind, I want to commend Dr. White and the Georgia Baptist Convention for calling young leaders and placing them in positions of leadership.
Supports removal of Ten Commandments By Bo Turner, pastor Tallulah Falls Baptist Church Published September 23, 2004: With more than casual interest, I read the Index piece concerning the Ten Commandments battle in Barrow County. It did not escape my attention that the leadership supporting posting the commandments in public buildings are Baptists - ministers and laypersons. Shame on them!

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