News

NAMB charts course for reducing lostness in North America
By Joe Westbury, Managing Editor
Published January 4, 2007

Evangelism. Church planting. Missions.

Fire signifies new beginning for South Georgia church
By Scott Barkley, sbarkley@christianindex.org
Published January 4, 2007

About a year ago the aging fellowship hall for Emit Grove Baptist Church was demolished to make way for a new family life center. Pastor Tim Huffingham and church members had no idea at the time they were actually building a new sanctuary as well.

Safety abroad important to ministry success
Georgia Baptists churches caught up in international conflicts
By Scott Barkley, sbarkley@christianindex.org
Published January 4, 2007

Two recent mission trips by Georgia Baptists are now prime examples of the importance of preparedness for overseas travel, says a representative of the International Mission Board.

Celebrating a birthday
By Ray Newman, Specialist, GBC Ethics and Public Affairs
Published January 4, 2007

As I write this article we are preparing to celebrate our son’s birthday. He is married with four children. The four most perfect grandchildren any granddaddy could ever delight in, if I must say so.

Couple that reaches out to truckers honored by NAMB
By James Dotson
Published January 4, 2007

Ted Keller had just finished singing a stirring solo at a community New Year’s Eve service in 1986 when he realized he was doing it for all the wrong reasons. His entire career in church music had been largely for his own glory, he said, rather than God’s.

'Missional' focus must include cooperative funding, report says
By Tammi Reed Ledbetter
Published January 4, 2007

“Missional” is a popular new term in some Southern Baptist churches describing an attitude of obedience to sharing the gospel around the world. And yet the concept is nothing new to the 161-year-old Southern Baptist Convention, according to the first line of the final report from the Ad Hoc Committee on the Cooperative Program.

Garth Pybas, 91, helped frame '63 BF&M, dies
By Gregory Tomlin
Published January 4, 2007

Garth Pybas, one of the last surviving members of the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message committee and a former president of what is now the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists, died Nov. 20 in Fort Smith, Ark. He was 91.

Reality show opens the closed-door life of a monastery for the world to view
By Ansley Roan, c. 2006 Religion News Service
Published January 4, 2007

The latest reality TV show has no snarky judges, no cash prizes, and no home makeovers. Instead, it follows five men where no American reality show has gone before: into a monastery.

Kidnapped missionary's tale testament to power of prayer
By Don Graham
Published January 4, 2007

Mendy Nantz was on the way to a funeral when it happened.

Grave beneath Rome church believed to be Apostle Paul's
By Stacy Meichtry, c. 2006 Religion News Service
Published January 4, 2007

Vatican officials on Dec. 11 identified a marble sarcophagus embedded in the foundations of a Rome basilica as the coffin believed to contain the remains of the Apostle Paul.

Watchdog group says TV open to spirituality, intolerant of religion
Published January 4, 2007

Network television in America is moderately tolerant of spirituality and openly hostile to organized religion, according to a new study by a conservative media watchdog group.

Religious NewsBriefs

German pastor sets himself on fire to protest increasing influence of Islam
Published January 4, 2007

A retired German pastor set himself on fire Oct. 31, apparently killing himself as a protest against what he saw as the increasing influence of Islam in his country.

NBA, Methodists team up to fight malaria
Published January 4, 2007

In an effort to stop the spread of malaria in Africa, where the disease is a leading killer of children, NBA Cares, Sports Illustrated, the United Methodist Church, and others announced a new campaign with the United Nations Foundation to provide mosquito nets to families in need.

Science fiction devotees want "Jedi" to be a recognized religion
Published January 4, 2007

A pair of London science fiction enthusiasts are petitioning the United Nations to formally recognize the Jedi Knights of “Star Wars” fame as a legitimate religion.

Vietnam dropped, Uzbekistan added to religious freedom watch list
Published January 4, 2007

The State Department has sent Congress its list of countries that are the worst violators of religious freedom, adding Uzbekistan but dropping Vietnam.

People and Places

Ordinations
Published January 4, 2007

Cooperative Program Stories

Numerous opportunities for finding your Judea
By Sherri Brown, Communications
Published January 4, 2007

It’s a new year and opportunities for missions are just around the corner. Georgia Baptists work across the state to minister in their Judea – their region.

Bible Study

What's the big problem?
By Jerry Peele, Pastor, First Baptist Eastman
Published January 4, 2007

Gen. 3:1-8, 15-19, 22-24
Related Sunday School Lesson, Bible Studies for Life, Jan. 14

What is Human Life Worth?
By Jerry Peele, Pastor, First Baptist Eastman
Published January 4, 2007

Gen. 9:5-6; Psalm 139:13-16, Prov. 1:10-11, 15-16, 18; 24:10-12
Related Sunday School Lesson, Bible Studies for Life, Jan. 21

Columns

Peddlin' papers
By J. Gerald Harris, Editor
Published January 4, 2007

It is 2007 and with the help of the Lord we will publish 26 copies of The Christian Index this year. I have been told that The Christian Index has never missed a deadline – not in 184 years, not during the Civil War, not during the Great Depression, not ever.

The world at America's doorstep
By Philip Connor
Published January 4, 2007

The news is out! According to census information released Aug. 15, the face of the United States is changing. CNN’s headline proclaimed, “Explosion of diversity sweeps U.S.” The New York Times said, “Immigrant Numbers Swell New York.” The Atlanta-Journal Constitution wrote of a local county, “Immigrants Transform Gwinnett.” These recent stories reflect the missional opportunities that exist within our nation.

The Open Door
By J. Robert White, Executive Director, GBC
Published January 4, 2007

One of the phenomenal ministry events of the past year was the film Facing The Giants written and produced through the ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. The film has grossed approximately ten million dollars and we are aware of some 800 professions of faith that have been made at screenings of Facing The Giants. Since Facing The Giants did not have the opportunity to get to more than 1,000 theaters, there are thousands of communities in America that never got the experience of seeing this fantastic Christian film.

Give your children the gift of independence
By James Dobson
Published January 4, 2007