Tuesday, March 16, 1999

• Murders prompt neighboring churches to forge new ties in towns' crisis

  by Debbie Moore, posted Tuesday, March 16, 1999 (25 years ago)

  GONZALES, La. (BP)--Blood-stained pews and flooring, together with the rancid smell of gunpowder and vivid memories of an evening filled with petrifying horror March 10, made the New St. John Baptist Church in Gonzales, La., an unsuitable place for a memorial service. In fact, church leaders said they will never use their building again.

  The pastor and members of neighboring First Baptist Church of Gonzales, a Southern Baptist church a mile away, thus opened their doors and hearts to the Nati... Read More

• Missions day camp at SBC to explore ‘I Can Do It, Too!’

  by Lynne Jones, posted Tuesday, March 16, 1999 (25 years ago)

  ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--Special activities are planned again this year for children of parents attending the Southern Baptist Convention in Atlanta. The "I Can Do It, Too!" day camp will be Tuesday and Wednesday, June 15-16.

  The day camp is for boys and girls who will have completed grades one through six by June of this year. It is contracted through the mission education team of the North American Mission Board with Duane Ortego, childhood education consultant and former missionary to South K... Read More

• Most Texas Baptist churches still using LifeWay literature

  by Herb Hollinger, posted Tuesday, March 16, 1999 (25 years ago)

  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--More than 80 percent of the nearly 5,000 Baptist churches in Texas purchased Bible-based literature during the winter quarter from LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, LifeWay told Baptist Press.

  The March 12 response from the SBC publishing house was requested after media reports that the Baptist General Convention of Texas had approved spending up to $250,000 for the “development, production and distribution of literature” for Te... Read More

• BWA to send to United Nations reports of religious persecution

  by Wendy Ryan, posted Tuesday, March 16, 1999 (25 years ago)

  WASHINGTON (BP)--The Baptist World Alliance is asking Baptists around the world to document instances of religious persecution which then will be sent to the United Nations for action.

  "Religious freedom is under threat around the world,” said Denton Lotz, BWA general secretary. During the BWA executive committee meeting March 8-11 in Washington, Lotz distributed a form which Baptist leaders can use and send to the BWA offices in Washington. Forms are available from the BWA office and w... Read More

• BWA leaders endorse statement on issues facing at-risk children

  by Wendy Ryan, posted Tuesday, March 16, 1999 (25 years ago)

  WASHINGTON (BP)--The Baptist World Alliance executive committee endorsed "The Oxford Statement on Children at Risk" during its March 8-11 meeting in Washington.

  The statement asks Christian churches to be aware of problems facing children globally, to support programs to assist at-risk children and to pray regularly for these children and their families.

  Recommended to the executive committee by the BWA’s Baptist World Aid committee, the Oxford Statement was adopted at a consultation... Read More

• Expectant couple put trust in God over medical science’s hopelessness

  by Bryan Cribb, posted Tuesday, March 16, 1999 (25 years ago)

  LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--The two parents watched the screen anxiously and with awe. The head appeared. The arms twitched. Then the feet wiggled -- the feet of their 18-week-old baby.

  For Lee and Dena Smith, the day -- April 10, 1997 -- and the unborn child were answers to years of praying. Seven to be exact. The ultrasound technician could sense their excitement and smiled kindly as she cheerfully chatted about each new discovery.

  Then silence.

  As the second anniversary of that day approac... Read More

• Bible with visual design for teens also may appeal to ‘big peopleR

  by Terri Lackey, posted Tuesday, March 16, 1999 (25 years ago)

  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--If your kids aren’t interested in reading the KJV, NIV, RSV or even the Good News translations of the Bible, perhaps you could tempt them to indulge in a cartoon interpretation.

  Broadman & Holman Publishers has released a Bible designed in comic strip format to entice teenagers -- ages 14 and up -- to partake in God’s Word. B&H, the trade book division of LifeWay Christian Resources, purchased the rights from a British publishing firm, Lion, to sell the Grap... Read More