Thursday, December 22, 2016

• Church's Christmas story undaunted by hurricane

  by Lee Weeks, posted Thursday, December 22, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  Photo courtesy of Anastasia Baptist Church

  ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (BP) -- Michael Arnold and his family were among hundreds of St. Augustine residents who fled their homes two months ago as Hurricane Matthew trailed close behind.

  And while St. Augustine, known as the nation's oldest city, didn't take a direct hit from the hurricane, coastal flooding from its storm surge and near-hurricane-force winds wreaked havoc and destruction for many who call it home. Read More

• EDITORIAL: El regalo imposible

  by Por Luis R. Lopez, posted Thursday, December 22, 2016 (7 years ago)

  La Navidad es una época especial para regalos. Algunos aprovechan esta oportunidad para disfrutar de la creatividad e ingeniosidad humana al preparar regalos difíciles de abrir, tan envueltos que los hacen casi imposible disfrutar. ... Read More

• ERLC promotes 6 pro-life priorities for Trump, Congress

  by Tom Strode, posted Thursday, December 22, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  Image: iStock/License purchase required

  WASHINGTON (BP) -- The Southern Baptist Convention's ethics entity has called on President Trump and Congress to act quickly in the new year to protect unborn children.

  The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission recommended six pro-life priorities to the new administration and legislators in a Dec. 20 post at the entity's website. The items offered by Russell Moore, the ERLC's president, and Travis Wussow, the recently named vice president for public policy, included: Making the Hyde Amendment ban on federal funding of abortion permanent; nominating a pro-life ... Read More

• A family stitched together at Christmas

  by Robin Cornetet, posted Thursday, December 22, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  Photo by Robin Cornetet

  LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- As Christians worldwide prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, one Kentucky couple reflects on the day they say God stitched together their Christmas gift of a new family.

  On Dec. 18, Sam and Stephanie Patterson celebrated the second anniversary of the day they adopted four siblings from foster care.

  "That's our 'forever family' day," said Stephanie, a music ministry associate at Little Flock Baptist Church in Shepherdsville, Ky., just south of Louisville. Read More

• 5 ways IMB has seen faithfulness, vision in 2016

  by IMB staff, posted Thursday, December 22, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  IMB Photo

  RICHMOND, Va. (BP) -- During 2016, Southern Baptists, in partnership with thousands of International Mission Board personnel around the world, have shared reports of how they've seen the Gospel of Jesus Christ spread through faithfulness to the task of completing the Great Commission.

  The IMB reflected on the past year: Read More

• Christmas turkeys among college's gift to students

  by David Roach, posted Thursday, December 22, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  CCBBC photo

  PINEVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- At Kentucky's Clear Creek Baptist Bible College, every Christmas season includes "turkey day."

  On the designated day in December, all degree-seeking students taking at least six hours of classes at the eastern Kentucky college receive a frozen turkey, fixings for a holiday meal and a cash gift of at least $100 to help with Christmas expenses. A separate "shopping spree" gift helps student families buy presents for their children. Read More

• N.C. refusal to repeal restroom law draws support

  by Tom Strode, posted Thursday, December 22, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  Image: iStock/License purchase required

  WASHINGTON (BP) -- Southern Baptist leaders welcomed the North Carolina legislature's refusal to repeal its hotly debated restroom privacy law.

  The state Senate defeated in a 32-16 vote Wednesday night (Dec. 21) a proposal to rescind the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act, the controversial bill known as H.B. 2 that requires individuals in government buildings to use the restrooms of the sex on their birth certificates rather than of their gender identity. The House of Representatives took no action during a day-long special session. Read More

• NAMB 2016 highlights include launch of Send Relief

  by NAMB Staff, posted Thursday, December 22, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  Photo by John Swain/NAMB

  ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) -- Many churches and individuals lived their lives on mission in 2016, and the North American Mission Board has released a list of the year's highlights, spotlighting those who gave, served, loved their neighbors and shared the hope of Christ. Read More

• Transgender child on Nat. Geographic cover

  by Diana Chandler, posted Thursday, December 22, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  National Geographic photo

  NASHVILLE (BP) -- A 9-year-old boy who considers himself female is featured on the cover of the January 2017 National Geographic. The entire issue is dedicated to subjective gender identity primarily through the eyes of children while excluding biblical authority.

  But the idea of transgenderism or gender fluidity is itself a fallacy void not only of Scripture but also of science, Christian commentators told Baptist Press. Read More

• GuideStone reflects on year, gives thanks

  by Roy Hayhurst, posted Thursday, December 22, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  DALLAS (BP) -- O.S. Hawkins declared 2016 as the "Year of Influence," for GuideStone Financial Resources. He noted 2 Corinthians 10:13, which says, "But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you." Each year, the entity's president chooses a passage and theme to guide the ministry's work. Read More

• LifeWay celebrates milestones, focuses on future

  by Aaron Earls, posted Thursday, December 22, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  File photo

  NASHVILLE (BP) -- LifeWay Christian Resources celebrated two historic milestones in 2016, but remains focused on the future of the organization.

  In April, LifeWay held a chapel service to commemorate its 125th anniversary, then held a groundbreaking and prayer service on the downtown Nashville property that will house its new headquarters in 2017. Read More

• ERLC applies Gospel to issues in 2016

  by Tom Strode, posted Thursday, December 22, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  File photo by Rocket Republic

  NASHVILLE (BP) -- Gospel application to such issues as the sanctity of human life, sexuality and religious freedom marked the work of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission in 2016.

  The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) co-hosted a first-of-its-kind, pro-life conference in the opening month of 2016, sponsored a national conference on the Gospel and culture in the summer, and promoted scripturally based policies with the federal government throughout a year featuring an election campaign that divided evangelical Christians. Read More

• Bible Study: Dec. 25, 2016; Jan. 1, 2017

  by Staff/LifeWay Christian Resources, posted Thursday, December 22, 2016 (7 years ago)

  NASHVILLE (BP) -- This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, LifeWay publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups. Read More

• CHRISTMAS: Mary -- a picture of commitment

  by Rudy Gray, posted Thursday, December 22, 2016 (7 years ago)

  The extraordinary commitment of Mary is worth emulating, Rudy Gray writes: "I will be what you want me to be" and "I will do what you want me to do," she replied when the Angel Gabriel said she would give birth to the Son of God. Read More

• La guerra de la Navidad no deja 'a nadie … contento'

  Por David Roach, posted Thursday, December 22, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  Imagen: iStock/Se requiere permiso de licencia.

  NASHVILLE (BP) -- Un póster del personaje de Peanuts con un versículo bíblico, una cruz en el árbol de Navidad de un pueblo e inclusive la palabra "festivo" están entre los últimos campos de batalla en la sollamada guerra en contra de la Navidad.

  El presidente de la Convención Bautista del Sur, Steve Gaines le dijo a Baptist Press que el remolino de ataques de este año por las expresiones públicas de Navidad destaca la necesidad de salvaguardar la libertad religiosa. Read More

• EDITORIAL: Celebremos a Cristo

  Por Brian Hobbs/The Baptist Messenger, posted Thursday, December 22, 2016 (7 years ago)

  OKLAHOMA CITY (BP) -- El año 2016 ofrece una única oportunidad en la que Navidad cae domingo. Hace años, una mega iglesia sin denominación públicamente decidió cancelar sus cultos cuando Navidad caía domingo citando necesidades familiares de pasar tiempo juntos ese día y la inhabilidad de la iglesia de obtener suficientes voluntarios para hacer que los servicios funcionaran.

  Este movimiento, quizá involuntariamente mostró un gran malentendido del significado de la palabra Navidad en inglés: Christmas -- que traducido al español es: misa de Cristo. Ven, no solamente quita a Cristo de Christmas, quita esa ... Read More

• Regla protege Planned Parenthood en los últimos días de Obama

  Tom Strode, posted Thursday, December 22, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  WASHINGTON (BP) -- Los partidarios provida esperan que tenga una corta existencia la más reciente ley de la administración Obama que beneficia a Planned Parenthood y a otros proveedores de abortos.

  Casi cinco semanas antes que el Presidente Obama deje el puesto, el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos (HHS, por sus siglas en inglés) emitió un fallo final el 14 de diciembre que bloquearía efectivamente a los estados que prohibirían que fondos del Título X vayan a los proveedores de abortos. El gobierno federal provee fondos para la planificación familiar y servicios ... Read More

• EDITORIAL: El regalo imposible

  Por Luis R. Lopez, posted Thursday, December 22, 2016 (7 years ago)

  La Navidad es una época especial para regalos. Algunos aprovechan esta oportunidad para disfrutar de la creatividad e ingeniosidad humana al preparar regalos difíciles de abrir, tan envueltos que los hacen casi imposible disfrutar. Queriendo hacer una broma, algunos envuelven regalos en múltiples cajas de diferentes tamaños. Los cubren con ... Read More