Baptist Press Archive

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

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  • Churches feed hungry, share love of Christ
    by Tom Strode, posted Tuesday, March 17, 2015 (9 years ago)

    Photo by Angie Kretschmar
    WASHINGTON (BP) -- Southern Baptist churches of various sizes and in various settings are feeding the hungry in the U.S. And a sizable number of Americans remain in need of such help. Nearly 50 million Americans, or nearly one in six, live in "food insecure households," according to Feeding America, a nationwide network of two hundred food banks. Read More

  • Jailed pastor offers son 'gift of salvation'
    by Diana Chandler, posted Tuesday, March 17, 2015 (9 years ago)

    Photo from ACLJ.org
    BOISE, Idaho (BP) -- Written in the wobbly penmanship of a 7-year-old who has said he misses his dad "a thousand lots," Jacob's card invites his father to his birthday party today, March 17.

    But his father, American pastor Saeed Abedini, imprisoned since Sept. 26, 2012, under harsh conditions in Iran because of his Christian faith, cannot attend at the family's home in Boise, Idaho. Instead, Abedini wrote a letter offering his son the "gift of salvation." Read More

  • The real St. Patrick: 'incredible' missions zeal
    by David Roach, posted Tuesday, March 17, 2015 (9 years ago)

    NASHVILLE (BP) -- Emphasizing missions may be a more fitting way to observe St. Patrick's Day than wearing green and hailing Irish culture. That's because the March 17 celebration marks the traditional death date of Patrick of Ireland, the fifth-century Christian who was instrumental in spreading the Gospel to the Irish.

    Patrick's "incredible understanding of the Great Commission and his passion for mission and evangelism" were "in western Christianity in the fifth century almost completely unique," Michael Haykin, professor of church history and biblical spirituality at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, told Baptist Press. "Some Patrick scholars actually go so far as to say it is unique." Read More

  • Church plants: 5% gain in 2014
    by Kevin Ezell, posted Tuesday, March 17, 2015 (9 years ago)

    File photo by John Swain/NAMB
    ALPHARETTA, Ga., (BP) -- Southern Baptists planted 985 new churches in 2014 -- a 5 percent increase over 2013 church starts.

    This is very good news as we work toward diminishing the church-to-population deficit that steadily grew larger over the last century in the United States and Canada. It is also good because new churches, on average, reach people for Christ at a higher rate than existing churches.

    These are churches like Mosaic in Alberta, Canada. They launched on Easter 2014 and have already seen 200 people give their lives to Christ, with 40 of them being baptized. They started giving to the Cooperative Program shortly after they launched. Read More

  • Registration opens for SBC 'Great Awakening'
    by Staff, posted Tuesday, March 17, 2015 (9 years ago)

    COLUMBUS, Ohio (BP) -- Registration for messengers and local hotels has opened for the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Ohio's capital city. Read More

  • FIRST-PERSON: Staying in the Bay Area
    by Jeff Iorg, posted Tuesday, March 17, 2015 (9 years ago)

    As City Church San Francisco embraces same-sex marriage, Golden Gate Seminary President Jeff Iorg reminds that the SBC seminary is building a new Bay Area campus, maintaining its commitment to "shaping leaders who expand God's Kingdom in one of the most challenging ministry settings in North America." Read More