Archive Issue

News

Parents, teachers, and students measure up ministry opportunities abounding in public classrooms
By Scott Barkley, Staff Writer
Published March 31, 2005

For Kevin Richardson, it was about making a contribution.

Northwest Georgia churches witness 387 decisions in Congo
By Scott Barkley, Staff Writer
Published March 31, 2005

One could say that Cody Wallin had nothing to expect before a recent mission trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa.

Draper's listening session builds bridges, clears the way for the passing of the baton
Emerging Leaders roundtable held at North Metro First Church
By J. Gerald Harris, Editor
Published March 31, 2005

LAWRENCEVILLE - Jimmy Draper, president of LifeWay Christian Resources, is conducting a series of "listening sessions" in strategic locations across the country for Southern Baptists' emerging young leaders.

Georgia Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries follow Christ’s mandate to "Feed my lambs"
By J. Gerald Harris, Editor
Published March 31, 2005

My preacher grandfather used to say, "Woe to him who smiles not over a cradle, and weeps not over a tomb." I rejoiced at the birth of our three children and our ten grandchildren. In recent years few things have excited my glee as much as seeing the grandchildren playing, running, laughing, talking, singing and praying.

Georgia Baptist youth drives #316 to victory after victory
Using tracks as witnessing tools
By J. Gerald Harris, Editor
Published March 31, 2005

Chase Moody is an automobile racing champion at age 14. His mother had him pegged to be another Jeff Gordon from his infancy. Shondi Moody jokes that her son's first words were "vroom, vroom" and Chase admits, "I really wanted to race cars for as long as I can remember."

WAVE Revival Report
Published March 31, 2005

First she asked for soup labels, now its ink jet cartridges and cell phones
Missionary is part of Georgia-California state partnership
By Joe Westbury, Managing Editor
Published March 31, 2005

TAHOE CITY, Calif. - Most every time Debbie Wohler slips behind the steering wheel of one of three vans at First Baptist Church here, she whispers a prayer of thanksgiving to Georgia Baptists and others who helped make their purchase possible.

Georgia NewsBriefs

Smith, Warren keeping in touch on daily basis
Published March 31, 2005

(RNS) Best-selling author Rick Warren says he's keeping in touch with the Atlanta-area woman who recently used his Purpose Driven Life book to help free herself when she was held hostage.

Baptist News Summary

Mercer University named a national leader in public service
Published March 31, 2005

MACON - Mercer University is one of the nation's best colleges fostering social responsibility and public service, according to The Princeton Review and Campus Compact, a national organization committed to the civic purposes of higher education. The university is one of only two institutions in Georgia- along with Spelman College- featured in the forthcoming book, Colleges with a Conscience: 81 Great Schools with Outstanding Community Involvement, which will be available in bookstores on June 21.

Disaster relief: Records tallied in '04 by Baptist volunteers
Published March 31, 2005

ALPHARETTA (BP) - Southern Baptist Disaster Relief responses in 2004 reached an all-time high, including record numbers for meals prepared, buildings repaired and cleanup and recovery projects.

President of Zambia accepts Christ, is baptized at local Baptist church
Published March 31, 2005

LUSAKA, Zambia (BP) - The president of Zambia, in acknowledging his faith in Jesus Christ, recently was baptized in a public service, Southern Baptist missionaries report.

Professors' book spotlights Muslims who convert to Christianity
Published March 31, 2005

WAKE FOREST, NC (BP) - Those who abandon the Muslim faith of their fathers and their nation to follow Christ give up everything for a Gospel that may demand not only their life but their death.

Library, now completed, will serve as North American 'Tyndale House'
Published March 31, 2005

FORT WORTH, Texas (BP) - Southwestern Seminary President Paige Patterson joined members of the Fort Worth community and Texas State Rep. Anna Mowery in dedicating the International Reference Library for Biblical Research in Fort Worth March 12.

EveryoneCan.net to aid momentum for SBC evangelism thrust in June
Published March 31, 2005

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) - EveryoneCan.net, a new website to support the Everyone Can Kingdom Challenge evangelism blitz planned for June 17-19 in connection with the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, is now online.

Names in the News
Published March 31, 2005

Religious NewsBriefs

French National Assembly calls for religious education in public schools
Published March 31, 2005

PARIS (RNS) France's National Assembly has passed an education bill that includes a clause calling for religion and its history to be taught in French public schools.

Australian lawmakers protest school's attempt at replacing "Christ" with "Common Era"
Published March 31, 2005

(RNS) A school exam's attempt to replace the dating system term B.C. ("Before Christ") with B.C.E. ("Before Common Era") has created a stir among government officials in the Australian state of New South Wales.

Bans sought on occult activities by Moscow lawmakers, leads to religious freedom concerns
Published March 31, 2005

(RNS) Moscow city lawmakers are calling on the Russian government to impose a ban on fortune tellers, magicians, witches and others who offer occult services. But some Russian experts in the United States are concerned that the measure may limit religious freedom.

New York editor who oversaw off-color jokes about Pope quits newspaper job
Published March 31, 2005

(RNS) The editor of a New York newspaper that ran "The 52 funniest things about the upcoming death of the Pope" quit his job March 7, according to Editor & Publisher.

People and Places

Academic Achievements
Published March 31, 2005

Events
Published March 31, 2005

Obituaries
Published March 31, 2005

Ordinations
Published March 31, 2005

Revivals
Published March 31, 2005

Ministerial Moves
Published March 31, 2005

Cooperative Program Stories

Church size no factor in giving big to Cooperative Program
By Sherri Brown, Communications, GBC
Published March 31, 2005

Giving through the Cooperative Program is a way to touch the corners of the world, according to Earldene McCorvey, pastor of Calvary Church in Waycross.

Bible Study

Impartial Love
By Tony Romans, Senior Pastor, North Peachtree Baptist Church, Atlanta
Published March 31, 2005

Partiality, favoritism, bigotry, "respect of persons," what do these words or phrases mean? The root meaning of the words so translated means "to see the face." It carries the idea that after I see your face and determine who or what you are socially, then I'll decide how I'm going to treat you.

Controlled Speech
By Tony Romans, Senior Pastor, North Peachtree Baptist Church, Atlanta
Published March 31, 2005

We have all heard the joke about the church gossip who said, "I wanted to put my tongue on the altar" only to be told, "there's not an altar that long anywhere!" While the joke may be funny, there is nothing funny about a rogue tongue. The hurt, pain and damage an uncontrolled tongue can cause has been well documented in history and in far too many hearts.

Columns

How to stem a flood tide of anger
By J. Gerald Harris, Editor
Published March 31, 2005

Fresh from a killing spree and out of the darkness came Brian G. Nichols into the life of Ashley Smith. As the young widow attempted to find the key that opened her Gwinnett County apartment, the gun-wielding fugitive appeared and threatened to do her bodily harm if she screamed. Within seconds the man, who had terrorized a city and left in his wake a path of destruction, was inside the home of the woman he would later call "an angel sent from God."

Why the miraculous mystery of the Atlanta hostage drama haunts us
By Eugene Cullen Kennedy, c. 2005 Religion News Service
Published March 31, 2005

(RNS) Sometimes a story that seems a straightforward mystery solved, such as the brutal murders by a dangerous prisoner in Atlanta last week, contains within it an unanticipated mystery that turns it into two stories difficult for us to comprehend fully.

The Open Door
By J. Robert White, Executive Director, GBC
Published March 31, 2005

Family has always been important to me. I think it all started with a mother and father who loved the Lord and who were supremely devoted to their children and to quality time together as a family. If there is any word of advice I could give to young ministers' families it would be to make room for your family in your busy schedule.

Terri Schiavo's case reminds each of us of the importance of having a Living Will
By Douglas G. Couch, Vice President, Georgia Baptist Foundation
Published March 31, 2005

Each of us have rights concerning our health care. You have the right to accept or refuse treatment, and to determine in advance your wishes regarding medical decisions should you become incapacitated.

Older sibling of new baby needs attention, too
By James Dobson
Published March 31, 2005