News

Missions & missionaries mix with summer excitement at Camp Pinnacle
Camp Pinnacle meets a growing need for missions education among youth
By Joe Westbury, Managing Editor
Published August 4, 2005

Melissa Puentes of First Hispanic Baptist Church in Gainesville has never been to Romania but she experienced Gypsy life first hand during a week of missions camp in the North Georgia mountains.

Marietta woman escapes from Scientology, discusses faith in Christ
By Special to The Index
Published August 4, 2005

Karen Pressley has heard it all before.

Ten Commandments - Georgia is down, but not out
By Joe Westbury, Managing Editor
Published August 4, 2005

Ten Commandments - Georgia (TCG) may have been dealt a blow with the district Supreme Court ruling requiring the removal of the Ten Commandments from the Barrow County Courthouse, but it is not giving up in its battle to restore moral and spiritual values to society.

Jewish hip-hop artist moves to Christianity
By Alana B. Elias Kornfeld, c. 2005 Beliefnet
Published November 30, 1999

Jewish parody rap star 50 Shekel, who was once billed as "The World's Most Kosher MC," has shocked the Jewish world with an announcement on his Web site: he's accepted Jesus as the Messiah.

Bioethicists worry about effects of gender test
By Peggy O'Crowley, c. 2005 Religion News Service
Published August 4, 2005

Congratulations, you're pregnant! And it's a girl!

Metro Atlanta laymen develop Internet safeguard
Software provides safety in Web surfing
By J. Gerald Harris, Editor
Published August 4, 2005

"On a Screen Near You: Cyberporn"

Baptist Center employees thank construction workers at Topping Out ceremony
Occupancy set for Spring 2006
By Scott Barkley, Staff writer
Published August 4, 2005

Georgia Baptist Convention employees joined with workers constructing the new Baptist Center in a show of appreciation at a Topping Out ceremony and luncheon held on site July 22.

Megachurch moves into Houston Rockets' former home
Published August 4, 2005

A recent cultural phenomenon occurred in Houston when a fast-growing church moved its services to a 16,000-seat arena that the local NBA team once called home.

Scientology - more than just a celebrity Cruise
By Frank Bentayou, c. 2005 Religion News Service
Published August 4, 2005

A brash Hollywood actor with a boyish smile and slim tailored suits would not seem the first source ordinary folks seek out for psychiatric advice.

Georgia NewsBriefs

Tony Neal named consultant with Church Financial Services of GBC
Published August 4, 2005

Baptist News Summary

Official registration statistics released for SBC in Nashville
Published August 4, 2005

Georgia Baptists accounted for the largest number of out-of-state messengers with 1,021 from 400 churches attending June's Southern Baptist Convention held here. The final numbers are according to official statistics released by SBC Registration Secretary Jim Wells.

Glorieta's first major building project in nearly 25 years begins
Published August 4, 2005

Volunteers and staff of LifeWay Glorieta Conference Center broke ground June 29 for the first major building project at Glorieta in nearly 25 years.

Judge rules insurer must pay Missouri convention's legal fees
Published August 4, 2005

Church Mutual Insurance Company must pay part of the legal fees of the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) in the litigation with five agencies, a federal court has ruled.

IMB trustees update global goals for church starting & baptisms
Published August 4, 2005

International Mission Board trustees updated the board's strategic goals and objectives during their July 18-20 meeting at the Missionary Learning Center in Rockville, Va.

Welch unveils 'associational baptism rallies' as way of reaching 1 million
Published August 4, 2005

Following a successful launch of the "'Everyone Can' Kingdom Challenge" at the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting SBC President Bobby Welch is urgently challenging each of the 1,188 Baptist associations across the nation to hold two "associational baptism rallies" between Oct. 1 of this year and Sept. 30, 2006.

Southwestern News magazine highlights 5-year missions focus
Published August 4, 2005

The latest issue of Southwestern News magazine highlights Southwestern Seminary's five-year missions emphasis "behind the lines," or in countries where the Gospel has yet to penetrate specific regions or people groups.

Names in the News
Published August 4, 2005

Religious NewsBriefs

IRS investigating tax-exempt status for organization of faith healer Benny Hinn
Published August 4, 2005

A yearlong inquiry by the Internal Revenue Service has focused on the ministry of flamboyant faith healer Benny Hinn and questions about his organization's operations and finances, according to a newspaper report.

New Catholic church in Britain to try solar energy
Published August 4, 2005

In an experiment to create an environment-friendly sanctuary, a Catholic church being built at Walsingham is using alternative energy sources to try to reduce global warming.

Muslim countries to launch Islamic bank
Published August 4, 2005

A global Islamic bank, in which no interest is paid or charged on deposits and loans, will open next year, a group of investors announced June 22.

Company expanding 'Faith Nights' to more minor-league baseball parks
Published August 4, 2005

Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber are making guest appearances at minor-league baseball parks from coast to coast this year as a company that offered "Faith Nights" at Nashville Sounds' games last year takes the concept nationwide.

People and Places

Anniversaries
Published August 4, 2005

Obituaries
Published August 4, 2005

Homecomings
Published August 4, 2005

Ordinations
Published August 4, 2005

Ministerial Moves
Published August 4, 2005

Cooperative Program Stories

Student Achievement Awards
Outstanding students to attend Georgia Baptist colleges
Published August 4, 2005

This fall, 24 outstanding college freshmen will receive scholarships through the Georgia Baptist Student Achievement Award program. These young men and women were chosen from among 158 nominees and 40 applicants as a result of their scholastic achievement and outstanding involvement in both their churches and communities. The scholarships - amounting to $4,000 each and paid over four years - are funded through the Cooperative Program and provided jointly by Georgia Baptist colleges and the Georgia Baptist Convention.

Bible Study

I Shall Return
By Dan Spencer, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Thomasville
Published August 4, 2005

A few days before His crucifixion, Jesus shared many profound truths with His disciples. Luke 21 is a prophetic section in which Jesus speaks about future events surrounding His return. Many people today are fearful about the future. Political chaos, natural disasters, and personal turmoil feed those fears. While many look to the future and "faint from fear" (Luke 21:26), believers see the future in a different light - the light of Christ's return.

It's In The Books
By Dan Spencer, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Thomasville
Published August 4, 2005

R. G. Lee, a great Southern Baptist preacher of yesteryear, had a famous sermon called "Payday Someday." He preached it hundreds, if not thousands, of times to remind people that someday we will face a day of reckoning, a life audit.

Columns

How far is the courthouse from the church house?
By J. Gerald Harris, Editor
Published August 4, 2005

Senior United States District Judge William C. O'Kelly rendered his decision in the Civil Action Case of John Doe v. Barrow County on July 18. He ruled that the defendant (the Barrow County Commissioners) must "immediately remove the Ten Commandments picture currently hanging on the wall of the breezeway connecting the Barrow County Courthouse and the Courthouse annex."

Hardly a 'Godless Constitution'
By D. James Kennedy: c. 2005 Religion News Service
Published August 4, 2005

The U.S. Supreme Court split the difference in June when it ruled that a Texas Ten Commandments exhibit is constitutional but two Kentucky Decalogue displays are not. "Historical" displays, those graced with age, are fine, it seems, but "religious" displays, those graced by pastors, are not.

The Open Door
By J. Robert White, Executive Director, GBC
Published August 4, 2005

Recently Dr. Steve Parr produced a powerful brochure titled, "The Enrollment Brief: A Challenge to Georgia Baptist Sunday School Leaders." In this newly produced material, Steve asks the question, "What would happen if 100 Georgia Baptist leaders committed to lead their churches and those over whom they have influence to enroll 1,000 people in Sunday School in one year?" This number would include "all, 'open groups,' including cell groups, home groups, Sunday morning adult Bible Study, and/or any other name a church associated with its 'open group' strategy known in most churches as 'Sunday School.'"

Look for these symptoms to diagnose A.D.D.
By James Dobson
Published August 4, 2005