Monday, November 13, 2017

• Sutherland Springs: Worship resumes with call to overcome

  by David Roach, posted Monday, November 13, 2017 (4 years ago)

  

  Screen capture from CNN.

  SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas (BP) -- Pastor Frank Pomeroy's first message to the surviving members of First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, was that they must overcome darkness with the light of Christ.

  Seven days after a gunman killed 26 worship attendees, Pomeroy -- who was out of town during the Nov. 5 attack -- delivered his message at a tent worship service blocks away from the church property. More than 500 people attended the Nov. 12 service, according to media estimates. That same day, the church building was opened as a memorial to the slain. Read More

• Iran-Iraq earthquake called 2017's deadliest yet

  by Grace Thornton, posted Monday, November 13, 2017 (4 years ago)

  

  ISAN-CNN screen capture.

  NASHVILLE (BP) -- The death toll continues to rise after the deadliest earthquake of 2017 shook the Iran-Iraq border late Sunday (Nov. 12).

  More than 450 people have been killed and 7,000 injured in the 7.3-magnitude quake, with major aftershocks continuing to shake the region, extending into Turkey, Kuwait, Pakistan and Lebanon, according to CNN.

  Iran and Iraq both have started major rescue efforts. Read More

• N.E. Baptists seek next generation, denounce racism

  by Kimber Ross, posted Monday, November 13, 2017 (4 years ago)

  

  Photo by Andy Haynes/Baptist Convention of New England

  AVON, Mass. (BP) -- How can New England Baptists reach the next generation? Fady Ghobrial, a millennial member of Arabic Baptist Church in Newton, Mass., believes the key is spiritually mentoring young leaders.

  Millennials are the most fatherless generation that has ever existed, Ghobrial said in the convention sermon during the annual meeting of the Baptist Convention of New England, with its theme of "Embracing the Future by Reaching the Next Generation."

  "We need fathers and coaches to do life with us, mentor us, give us feedback, ... Read More

• Iowa Baptists note church growth, increased giving

  by BCI Staff, posted Monday, November 13, 2017 (4 years ago)

  

  Photo by Jill Olsen/Baptist Convention of Iowa

  AMES, Iowa (BP) -- The 2017 Baptist Convention of Iowa annual meeting was held in conjunction with a two-day "For the Church" micro conference in partnership with Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

  Four hundred participants attended the Nov. 3-4 conference, which included featured speakers Jason K. Allen, MBTS president; Jared Wilson, MBTS director of content strategy; Jeff Dodge, lead pastor at Cornerstone Church in Ames; and Rechab Gray, teaching pastor at Cottage Grove Church in Des Moines. Read More

• Sex abuse prevention resources available at sbc.net

  by Diana Chandler, posted Monday, November 13, 2017 (4 years ago)

  

  Screen capture from SBC.net.

  NASHVILLE (BP) -- While a growing international storm of sexual abuse allegations and revelations has swirled for more than a month, the Southern Baptist Convention has long encouraged churches to be proactive in preventing abuse, SBC resources show.

  Spiritual leaders, churches and seminaries should model, exhort and teach the highest standards of moral and ministerial integrity, and churches should use legal resources and avenues to exclude sexual predators from leadership and influential positions including pastors and counselors, the SBC said as early as 2002. Read More

• FIRST-PERSON: A call to battle deadly disease

  by Jeff Palmer, posted Monday, November 13, 2017 (4 years ago)

  Jeff Palmer of Baptist Global Response: Ongoing U.S. funding to save millions of lives through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is "the Christ-like thing to do." Read More