News

Samuel and Zachary, victims of spina bifida, answers to prayer
By J. Gerald Harris, Editor
Published January 19, 2006

Some folks have bedrock convictions that are unalterable and unshakeable. Alex and Julie Armas, members of Ephesus Baptist Church, are just those kinds of people, the kind that the Apostle Paul would call “steadfast and unmovable.”

Prison revival brings spiritual freedom to participants
By Scott Barkley, Staff Writer
Published January 19, 2006

When Andy Perryman views a convict behind bars, his perception is a little different from the general public’s.

Intelligent design gains momentum, raises eyebrows on campuses
By Sarah Price Brown, c. 2006 Religion News Service
Published January 19, 2006

When Hannah Maxson started an intelligent design club at Cornell University last fall, a handful of science majors showed up for the first meeting. Today, the high-profile club boasts more than 80 members.

Church members helping deer hunters provide for the hungry
By J. Gerald Harris, Editor
Published January 19, 2006

Royal Baptist Church has found a way to reach out to wild game hunters, help feed the hungry and manage Georgia’s overabundance of deer in one new, strategic ministry. Paul Dennis, Royal Baptist Church pastor, is excited about this new outreach ministry and beams with delight when asked about its potential.

Mission board trustees seek removal of trustee Burleson
Georgia trustee considers fellow board member’s action “unfortunate”
By Joe Westbury, Managing Editor, With additional reporting by Editor J. Gerald Harris and Baptist Press
Published January 19, 2006

A Marietta trustee of the International Mission Board is calling a fellow board member’s decision to post committee deliberations on the Internet “unfortunate” and one that could damage support of its missionaries.

For Abbeville pastor, home is where the pulpit is
By Scott Barkley, Staff Writer
Published January 19, 2006

As a kid Tommy Baker left his mark on Siloam Baptist Church by carving his name into some of the pews. Now, he leaves it by preaching and teaching from its pulpit.

Film tells story of slain missionary and a violent Amazon tribe transformed
By Charles Honey, c. 2005 Religion News Service
Published January 19, 2006

In the movie End of the Spear, 8-year-old Steve Saint watches as his missionary pilot father, Nate Saint, builds a miniature yellow airplane such as the one Nate flew into the jungles of the Amazon.

18,000 collegians at Passion 06 seek their part in the Great Commission
By Meredith Day
Published January 19, 2006

A capacity crowd of 18,000 college students from all 50 states and more than 20 countries filled Nashville’s Gaylord Entertainment Center Jan. 2-5 for Passion 06.

Artists team up for a tribute to Billy Graham
By Jason Kane, c. 2006 Religion News Service
Published January 19, 2006

When Princess Diana died in 1997, Elton John’s musical tribute, “Candle in the Wind,” captured the popular notion of the beloved princess, and with it, the world’s attention.

Georgia NewsBriefs

Camp Pinnacle to host January prayer walking conferences
Published January 19, 2006

Camp Pinnacle will host the fifth annual “Follow Me” prayer walking conference Jan. 26-28.

Johnson Ferry to host Intelligent Design forum
Published January 19, 2006

An upcoming dialogue between a key Intelligent Design proponent and a Darwinian evolutionist from Florida State University will be held Feb. 3 at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church here.

Baptist News Summary

Foy Valentine, dead at 82, led SBC moral concerns arm for 27 years
Published January 19, 2006

Foy Valentine, former executive director of the Southern Baptist Christian Life Commission (now the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission), died Jan. 7 at Baylor Medical Center in Dallas. Valentine, 82, was taken to the hospital by his wife of 58 years, Mary Louise, after suffering a heart attack at home.

LifeWay survey: 1 in 4 churches neglect ministry potential of the Internet
Published January 19, 2006

One out of every four Protestant churches in the United States has virtually no involvement with the World Wide Web, according to a new study conducted for LifeWay Christian Resources.

Adrian Rogers biography penned by wife
Published January 19, 2006

Joyce Rogers has recorded her unique perspective from 54 years of marriage to Adrian Rogers in Love Worth Finding: The Life of Adrian Rogers and His Philosophy of Preaching. The biography was released by Broadman & Holman Publishers prior to Rogers’ death Nov. 15 after a battle with cancer and pneumonia.

New Orleans Seminary holds first post-Katrina graduation in Birmingham
Published January 19, 2006

New Orleans Seminary celebrated an historic graduation Dec. 17 – its first since Hurricane Katrina. In spite of the disruption caused by the storm at the start of the semester, 137 graduates completed their degrees.

Louisiana College probation ends; president predicts growth
Published January 19, 2006

Louisiana College will remain fully accredited, according to a decision announced during the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Dec. 6 meeting in Atlanta.

Temporary order halts sale of Missouri entity’s acreage
Published January 19, 2006

Lawyers for the Windermere Baptist Conference Center admitted in court Dec. 19 that 1,000 of its 1,302 acres along the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri have been sold to a bank in a refinancing plan.

SBC Executive Committee member arrested for seeking lewd behavior
Published January 19, 2006

Lonnie Latham, pastor of South Tulsa Baptist Church in Tulsa, Okla., was arrested Jan. 3 in Oklahoma City for “offering to engage in an act of lewdness” according to various wire reports.

Names in the News
Published January 19, 2006

Religious NewsBriefs

Egypt changes restrictions on repairing churches
Published January 19, 2006

Christian churches in Egypt, an overwhelmingly Muslim country, will be able to carry out long-delayed repairs thanks to a decree by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Swedish designer makes waves with Satanic jeans
Published January 19, 2006

A Satanic logo, with a cross turned upside down on the forehead of a skull, has increased sales of a new jeans line among Swedish teens.

Baptist faculty oppose intelligent design lecture
Published January 19, 2006

A planned lecture by a proponent of intelligent design has upset Samford University faculty who don’t want the Baptist-affiliated school to be perceived as endorsing alternatives to evolution.

Schuller son to be Crystal Cathedral pastor
Published January 19, 2006

Robert H. Schuller, the longtime pastor of the Crystal Cathedral in southern California, has announced that his son, Robert A. Schuller, will become the church’s new senior pastor on Jan. 22.

People and Places

Honors
Published January 19, 2006

Obituaries
Published January 19, 2006

Ordinations
Published January 19, 2006

Special Birthdays
Published January 19, 2006

Ministerial Moves
Published January 19, 2006

Ten Georgians graduate Southwestern Seminary in winter
Published January 19, 2006

Southeastern Seminary awards degrees to students from Georgia
Published January 19, 2006

Eight with Georgia ties graduate from Southern Seminary at winter commencement
Published January 19, 2006

Cooperative Program Stories

YEC: Energy to change the world
By Sherri Brown, Communications, GBC
Published January 19, 2006

For 24 years students have headed for Macon the week after Christmas to hear well-known speakers and award-winning bands during the GBC Youth Evangelism Conference.

Bible Study

Sexual Purity Matters
By Tony Guthrie, Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministries/Preaching, Luther Rice Seminary
Published January 19, 2006

The flippant mindset of modern culture is heart-breaking. In a day when conservative radio personalities who espouse traditional values are ostracized as “out of step” with modern times, even Christians may struggle with whether standing for sexual and moral purity is worth the effort.

Starting Now
By Tony Guthrie, Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministries/Preaching, Luther Rice Seminary
Published January 19, 2006

The idea that God calls all believers to serve Him is novel to many of today’s adults. I have often wondered why so many “Christians” fail to involve themselves in God’s work. I have speculated over this idea for years.

Columns

Down Syndrome babies targeted for abortion
By J. Gerald Harris, Editor
Published January 19, 2006

Over 30 years ago Jane Roe (whose real name was Norma McCovey), a pregnant single woman who was residing in Dallas County, Texas, brought a class action challenging the constitutionality of the Texas criminal abortion laws, which proscribed procuring or attempting an abortion except on medical advise for the purpose of saving the mother’s life.

Why the church needs apologetics
By Mark Coppenger
Published January 19, 2006

Now and then apologetics has a direct impact on lost people, leading them toward conversion, or at least away from hostility. For instance, perennial skeptic Antony Flew now expresses a form of theism, in part because of the argument from intelligent design in nature. (See the interview at www.biola.edu/antonyflew/.)

The Open Door
By J. Robert White, Executive Director, GBC
Published January 19, 2006

I was emailed an Associated Press story yesterday that was absolutely incredible. I told Janice about it and she confirmed that the story was true and actually saw it reported on television.

Violent screen images have measurable impact on kids
By James Dobson
Published January 19, 2006