Volunteers develop longterm love for borderland_92004

Posted: 9/17/04

Volunteers develop longterm love for borderland

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

GEORGETOWN–Travelers to the Mexican border town of Acuña find families living hard lives in great need. And if timed properly, they also witness a group of Texas Baptist churches ministering to the people living “an hour and a half past the Great Commission,” mission volunteers in one Central Texas community say.

09/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

Number of poor Americans lacking health insurance rises for third year_92004

Posted: 9/17/04

Number of poor Americans lacking
health insurance rises for third year

WASHINGTON (ABP)–The number of Americans living in poverty rose 3.4 percent last year, to 35.8 million people, while the number without health insurance climbed to 45.0 million, an increase of 1.4 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

It was the third straight annual increase for both categories.

About 12.5 percent of the population lived below the poverty line in 2003, an increase of 1.3 million from the 34.5 million in poverty in 2002. The number of children in poverty rose as well, to 12.9 million or 17.6 percent of those under 18 years old.

09/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

Texas Baptist Forum_92004

Posted: 9/17/04

TEXAS BAPTIST FORUM
Carter clarification

In your Aug. 23 issue and at other times, I have noticed an incorrect description of my belief concerning abortion.

As a Christian, I have never believed that Jesus Christ would approve abortions except, perhaps, to save the life of the mother.

Jimmy Carter

09/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

On the Move_92004

Posted: 9/17/04

On the Move

Robert Arrubla to Iglesia Nuevo Amanecer as pastor.

Carl Bilderback has completed an interim pastorate at Hyde Park Church in Denison.

Andy Buchanan to Calvary Church in Garland as pastor.

09/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

UMHB students ministered in Philippines_92004

Posted: 9/17/04 UMHB summer missionary back from Philippines Christy Crothers of Temple worked this summer with children on Isla Verde, a small island in the Philippines. She was among more…

09/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

U.S. News ranks six Texas Baptist schools among top half in nation_92004

Posted: 9/17/04

U.S. News ranks six Texas Baptist
schools among top half in nation

By Ferrell Foster

Texas Baptist Communications

This year's college rankings are in–at least according to U.S. News and World Report magazine–and six Texas Baptist schools are rated in the top halves of their respective categories.

09/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

Adrian Rogers announces retirement plans_92004

Posted: 9/17/04

Adrian Rogers announces retirement plans

CORDOVA, Tenn. (ABP)–Adrian Rogers, prominent pastor and standard-bearer for the Southern Baptist Convention's “conservative resurgence,” announced he will retire in six months from the church he has led 32 years.

Rogers, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn. a suburb of Memphis, announced his plans to the congregation Sept. 12, his 73rd birthday.

“He said tonight that he was announcing his retirement; that he would continue to pastor for six months,” said Mark Dougharty, Bellevue Baptist's associate pastor.

09/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

Shepherd church committed to obedience, no matter what_92004

Posted: 9/17/04

Shepherd church committed to obedience, no matter what

By George Henson

Staff Writer

SHEPHERD–Leaders of First Baptist Church in Shepherd believe the key thing about being a “key church” is obedience–even when obedience requires a double dose of persistence.

09/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

After 57 years of service, Levelland church secretary files away memories_92004

Posted: 9/17/04

After 57 years of service, Levelland
church secretary files away memories

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

LEVELLAND–When Charlene Shifflett started working at First Baptist Church in Levelland, she struggled to figure out office machines. Little did anyone–including Shifflett–realize she would outlast the machines many times over and become the “backbone of the congregation.”

09/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

Texas Tidbits_92004

Posted: 9/17/04

Texas Tidbits

Singles witness at state park. About 150 single adults spent part of a holiday weekend sharing their faith with vacationers at Garner State Park in south central Texas. It was the final event of the Single Adult Labor Day Conference at nearby Alto Frio Baptist Encampment, sponsored by the Baptist General Convention of Texas' Christian Life Commission. The singles divided themselves into teams–face-painting, bracelet-making, water-giveaway, prayer-walking–and spread out around the park. They ended the day by serving more than 500 hotdogs to visitors.

UMHB ministers' forum slated. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor's College of Christian Studies will sponsor a monthly on-campus forum open to ministers of any denomination. Tony Martin, UMHB religion professor, will speak on wisdom literature of Israel at the first lunchtime forum, 11:45 a.m. Sept. 23. Participants may purchase lunch at the school's dinning hall or bring their own. For more information about this or other College of Christian Studies programs, call (254) 295-5075.

Kingwood congregation marks church-starting milestone. Iglesia Bautista Hispana Woodridge in Kingwood recently was recognized as the 1,000th church start facilitated by the Baptist General Convention of Texas Church Multiplication Center since 2000. Eduardo Mecca is pastor. The congregation is tailored to reach middle- and upper-income Hispanics who prefer to worship in Spanish, a demographic few Texas Baptist churches are serving, said Abe Zabaneh, director of the center.

09/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

TOGETHER: Give generously to support missions_92004

Posted: 9/17/04

TOGETHER:
Give generously to support missions

In this new century, Texas Baptists already have started 1,008 new churches. We are ahead of our goals and grateful to God for his blessings on our efforts to work with established churches in giving birth to new congregations all across our state. Hispanic church starts number 608 of these, and there have been new churches started in 18 different languages.

You are doing some of your best mission work when you give through the Texas Cooperative Program and the Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas Missions. We have increased our commitment to new church starts through both of these missions-funding channels.

This year's Texas missions theme–“Plant … Water … Harvest”–comes from Paul's admonition to the Corinthian church that in God's economy of evangelism and missions, one person may plant a gospel seed, another may water the seed, but only God can give the harvest. But God does call us to plant and water, and he calls us to wait patiently for the harvest. At the appropriate time, God will send us into the fields to gather the harvest he has provided.

09/17/2004 - By John Rutledge

Overseas transplants may promote human organ trafficking_92004

Posted: 9/17/04

Overseas transplants may
promote human organ trafficking

By Mandy Morgan

Religion News Service

WASHINGTON (RNS)–If Thomas Diflo, a doctor, hears his patients talk about going abroad to buy a kidney, heart or lung, he advises against it. If they do travel out of the country to purchase an organ, he will refuse to provide follow-up treatment.

09/17/2004 - By John Rutledge