News

Passing the Baton
An Analysis
By Joe Westbury, Managing Editor
Published June 23, 2005

This is the first in a two-part series dealing with coming foundational changes in the Southern and Georgia Baptist conventions. This installment focuses on the concerns of younger evangelicals in the denomination. The second installment, called "Stained Glass and Starbucks," will focus on new approaches to church planting and worship styles.

Georgians link hands, hearts with 4,500 other volunteers
Early figures show nearly 2,000 Crossover professions of faith
By Joe Westbury, Managing Editor
Published June 23, 2005

NASHVILLE - Georgia Baptists from at least 25 churches were among those who helped lead nearly 2,000 Tennesseans to faith in Christ during the Crossover Nashville weekend here.

Georgia's Dan Spencer to be nominated first VP at Southern Baptist Convention
By J. Gerald Harris, Editor
Published June 23, 2005

Dan Spencer, pastor of the 3,500-member First Baptist Church in Thomasville, is one of Southern Baptists' emerging young leaders. John Hannigan, a member of The Church at Ponte Vedra in Ponte Vedra, Fla., has announced his intention to nominate Spencer as first vice president of the SBC.

Charles Strickland accepts Brewton-Parker position
Published June 23, 2005

Charles Strickland has resigned as pastor of First Baptist Church of Centerville to become executive assistant to the president of Brewton Parker College. In this position Strickland will serve as liaison between the college and churches affiliated with the Georgia Baptist Convention.

Former georgia pastor delivering the gospel by way of trucking business
East bound and down ...
By Scott Barkley, Staff Writer
Published June 23, 2005

Cruising down Interstate 35 in Texas between Laredo and San Antonio, Roland Dann says he's found his calling in ministry.

Nine Georgians earn degrees from Southern Seminary
Published June 23, 2005

Nine graduates with Georgia ties participated in commencement exercises for Southern Seminary May 13.

Georgia NewsBriefs

Tarrer named consultant in GBC Mission Volunteers; was formerly at Byne Memorial
Published June 23, 2005

John Tarrer began his ministry as a consultant with Mission Volunteers of the Georgia Baptist Convention June 1. A native of Cordele, Tarrer previously served at Byne Memorial Baptist Church in Albany for 13 years as minister of administration. He also served the church the last two years as interim pastor.

McClure tabbed as new missionary in Northeast
Published June 23, 2005

Tim E. McClure has been called as the new area missionary for the Northeast Area Missions Program.

Thomas begins work as new associational missionary for Chattahoochee churches
Published June 23, 2005

G.J. "Jojo" Thomas has been named the new associational missionary for Chattahoochee Baptist Association.

Baptist News Summary

Lottie Moon offering nearly matches 2003 record amount
Published June 23, 2005

RICHMOND, Va. (BP) - Following a year when the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering giving shattered old records and removed appointment restrictions, Southern Baptists raised nearly that amount again by giving almost $134 million to overseas missions.

Church Social Work Network being facilitated by WMU
Published June 23, 2005

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) - Woman's Missionary Union has announced it is facilitating the launch of a new network for seminary graduates in Christian social ministries and church social work.

Baylor interim president fires provost who held opposing view
Published June 23, 2005

WACO, Texas (BP) - In his first day on the job as Baylor University's interim president, Bill Underwood replaced two members of the senior administration, including Provost David Jeffrey, who Underwood once challenged to a public debate over academic freedom.

Mo. convention wins appeals court ruling against breakaway entities
Published June 23, 2005

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP) - A Missouri appeals court on May 31 issued a unanimous 3-0 decision in favor of the Missouri Baptist Convention, reversing a trial judge's dismissal and rejecting major legal arguments by five breakaway entities.

Adrian Rogers begins chemotherapy
Published June 23, 2005

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (BP) - "I am doing well," Adrian Rogers said June 16, for someone "in my category" of battling cancer.

Names in the News
Published June 23, 2005

Religious NewsBriefs

British police may require religious information from suspects; Christians, Jews oppose
Published June 23, 2005

(RNS) British police are considering whether to have officers ask the religion of individuals they stop to search.

Suspects in India released after accusations they murdered missionary
Published June 23, 2005

(RNS) Seven people accused in the 1999 murder of a missionary in India were released from jail May 24, upsetting the country's Christian community.

Gospel singers hit the reality TV airwaves this fall through different shows
Published June 23, 2005

(RNS) Gospel singers - both established and aspiring - will be the focus of reality TV shows this fall.

Update: Danish pastor reinstated May 29 after reaffirming faith in God
Published June 23, 2005

(RNS) A Danish pastor was reinstated to his post May 29 after retracting statements made last year that he did not believe in God as his creator.

People and Places

Anniversaries
Published June 23, 2005

Graduations
Published June 23, 2005

Ministerial Moves
Published June 23, 2005

Cooperative Program Stories

Road Rules
BSU Students Traverse Europe in Missions Odyssey
Published June 23, 2005

When the woman at the ticket desk asked the college students, "What is your final destination?" They all replied, "We don't know."

Bible Study

Living Free
By Dan Spencer, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Thomasville
Published June 23, 2005

In a culture that encourages us to demand our rights, to live selfishly, and to push the limits of our liberty, Christians are called to another way of life. We enjoy freedom in Christ, Christian liberty. We have been set free from sin and we are "free indeed" (John 8:36). But with liberty comes responsibility.

Waging War
Published June 23, 2005

While many of our daily struggles are not spiritual in nature, Ephesians 6:12 gives us a quadruple warning of what and who we are up against. The Bible indicates that Christians are engaged in a real battle against real enemies and God gives us a strategy for victory in spiritual warfare.

Columns

The Exodus and the Emergence
By J. Gerald Harris, Editor
Published June 23, 2005

On June 23 of last year, Jimmy Draper got Southern Baptists' attention with his "LifeWay@Heart" column. He used the oft-told frog-in-the-kettle analogy to shake and awake us out of our lethargy in regards to evangelism.

Open Door
By J. Robert White, Executive Director, GBC
Published June 23, 2005

My wife, Janice, was with my daughter, Karen, this week when she took her car to one of those fast oil change places to get the oil changed. Before Karen left the house, her husband, Stephen, gave her some good advice. He said, "Now, you know how they always try to sell you on doing extra things to the car while you are there. Don't let them talk you into anything. Just get the oil changed. That's all that is needed right now."

Struggle for power dominates adolescent society
By James Dobson
Published June 23, 2005