Caner refutes ‘Blasphemy Challenge’ – Prompted by the media attention being given to a the "Blasphemy Challenge" website urging people to deny the Holy Spirit, a seminary president has issued a challenge to atheists who want to ask relevant questions about the existence of God. "Our faith is hooked to the God who created all logic and all knowledge," Ergun Caner, president of Liberty Theological Seminary in Lynchburg, Va., said Feb. 7. "I’m telling you lazy Christianity will not change one person. It takes a heart committed to the cross, a mind committed to learn, a mouth committed to stand and speak, and a person committed to the simple act of courtesy in answering honest questions."   The "Rational Response Squad" is behind the Blasphemy Challenge website that urges people -- especially teens -- to submit videos in which they "damn themselves to hell" by stating the phrase "I deny the Holy Spirit." More than 1,000 videos reportedly have been submitted.   Caner said the Blasphemy Challenge is an ideal opportunity to answer the legitimate questions of skeptics while emphasizing the intellectual defenses of Christian theology, according to a news release from the seminary Feb. 8.   "They’re asking questions … [Read more...]

Characterizing the Baptist Faith and Message as a sufficient guide for trustees of Southern Baptist Convention entities, the SBC Executive Committee, during its Feb. 19-20 meeting in Nashville, Tenn., affirmed both the SBC’s trustee system of governance and its confession of faith, in effect suggesting that trustees do well when guided by the BF&M in crafting doctrinal policies.         NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Characterizing the Baptist Faith and Message as a sufficient guide for trustees of Southern Baptist Convention entities, the SBC Executive Committee, during its Feb. 19-20 meeting in Nashville, Tenn., affirmed both the SBC’s trustee system of governance and its confession of faith, in effect suggesting that trustees do well when guided by the BF&M in crafting doctrinal policies.   The Executive Committee adopted its statement under an SBC bylaw requiring that the convention’s entities respond to motions referred to them from the preceding SBC annual meeting.   The Executive Committee, in response to a BF&M-related motion at last year’s annual meeting in Greensboro, N.C., stated that it "acknowledges the Baptist Faith and Message is not a creed, or a complete statement of our faith, … [Read more...]

Southern Baptist missionaries in Guinea are asking for prayer after the African country’s president declared martial law last week in response to violent protests against his leadership. More than 100 people have died in the conflict.   CONAKRY, Guinea (BP) – Feb. 21 – Southern Baptist missionaries in Guinea are asking for prayer after the African country’s president declared martial law last week in response to violent protests against his leadership. More than 100 people have died in the conflict.   The International Mission Board evacuated two missionary families who were living in rural areas where violence had erupted. All other personnel in the West Africa region are safe.   Trade unions protesting the president shut down public transportation and many businesses and schools. One of the evacuated missionaries said how thankful he was for safety as his family fled to the border of Sierra Leone.   "As we drove out ... the kids and I held pillows next to the windows just in case rocks were thrown [by the protesters]. God protected us. Not one rock hit our truck," he said. "We arrived exhausted, yet glad that we did not have to remain [in Guinea] one more night with gunfire, mortar shootings and the thought of … [Read more...]

An "On Mission Celebration" (OMC) is coming to a Southern Baptist church near you.         ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) – An "On Mission Celebration" (OMC) is coming to a Southern Baptist church near you.   Over the years, thousands of Southern Baptists have attended OMCs, which were once called "Schools of Missions" in the 1950s and ’60s and World Mission Conferences in the ’70s through 1998.   Today’s OMCs are designed to inspire and mobilize participants to intentionally celebrate God’s activity in the world, anticipate their role in God’s mission and participate by making a commitment to being on mission for God.   With the cooperation and support of local SBC associations and churches, the North American Mission Board’s church relations group along with the International Mission Board will manage and resource nearly 60 OMCs throughout the United States between February and mid-November 2007. The first On Mission Celebration was scheduled for 18 churches in the Adams-Union Baptist Association in Natchez, Miss., Feb. 4-11. Some 70 OMCs took place in 2006.   In some associations, as many as 40 different churches will join together to hold a customized celebration, and dozens of international, North … [Read more...]

Mount Zion Baptist Church of Canton, N.C., gives 20 percent of its undesignated offerings to missions through Southern Baptists’ Cooperative Program for maximizing missions effectiveness. Member in 2006 also nearly tripled their Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goal for international missions.         NEW ORLEANS (BP) – Mount Zion Baptist Church of Canton, N.C., gives 20 percent of its undesignated offerings to missions through Southern Baptists’ Cooperative Program for maximizing missions effectiveness. Member in 2006 also nearly tripled their Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goal for international missions.   But missions is more than dollars and cents, senior pastor Perry Brindley said as he led a team of 14 volunteers to New Orleans to work with Operation NOAH.   "Not only do we want to give, we want to go," Brindley said.   Steve Gahagan, construction manager for Operation NOAH, told the North Carolina volunteers that Hurricane Katrina and subsequent flooding left an estimated 100,000 homes damaged or destroyed in the greater New Orleans area. NOAH’s goal is to rebuild 1,000 homes, representing 1 percent of the number affected.   "We have a tremendous job to do," Gahagan said. "But if we can … [Read more...]

"The two main problems we [Baptists] have are obesity and divorce," observed Charles Lowery in an article titled A Box of Chocolates. He added, "Baptist marriages are so short that some people are throwing Minute Rice at weddings." With these being "two main problems," where is a main emphasis to counteract them, particularly divorce, since it heaps total devastation on marriages and families? Tom Elliff noted last year that there are 5,471 divorces daily in the U.S. How long will we sit by while brothers and sisters in Christ are permanently harmed before taking action?   Michael Reagan, in his book Twice Adopted, says "Divorce is where two adults take everything that matters to a child – the child’s home, family, security, and sense of being loved and protected – and they smash it all up, leave it in ruins on the floor, then walk out and leave the child to clean up the mess."   Society says "Get on with your life, just move on." Sadly, the church is now saying the same thing as it pronounces a sick marriage dead.   For the church to give up on sick marriages is to say that there is something which God cannot do or does not care to do.   Since God has said "I hate divorce," He will not arrange or … [Read more...]

The birth and record survival of a baby less than 22 weeks gestation could have, and should have, an impact on the perception and treatment of unborn human beings, pro-life bioethics commentators say.         WASHINGTON (BP) – The birth and record survival of a baby less than 22 weeks gestation could have, and should have, an impact on the perception and treatment of unborn human beings, pro-life bioethics commentators say.   Amillia Sonja Taylor, born at 21 weeks and six days, went home Feb. 21 weighing four pounds after a nearly four-month stay at Baptist Children’s Hospital in Miami, Fla. When she was born Oct. 24, she weighed less than 10 ounces and was only 9 1/2 inches long.   She is the first baby known to have survived after less than 23 weeks gestation, according to the hospital. Infants who go to full term are born between 37 and 40 weeks. The hospital reported the death rate for babies born at 23 weeks is 70 percent, according to the American Association of Pediatrics.   Amillia’s miraculous survival could affect public policy, said Southern Baptist physician Don Buckley.   "It’s back to the drawing board for lawmakers who would base the right to life upon the age of viability of a … [Read more...]

The president search committee of the North American Mission Board’s trustees recommended March 1 that Geoffrey A. Hammond become the Southern Baptist entity’s next president. Hammond is senior associate director of the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia state convention. ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) – The president search committee of the North American Mission Board’s trustees recommended March 1 that Geoffrey A. Hammond become the Southern Baptist entity’s next president. Hammond is senior associate director of the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia state convention.   NAMB’s trustees will vote on the recommendation at a March 20-21 special meeting in Alpharetta, Ga. If approved, Hammond would become NAMB’s president-elect, officially beginning his duties at the May 8-9 board meeting and starting fulltime on May 22, search committee chairman Greg Faulls said.   "Dr. Hammond has proven himself to be a successful leader, strategist and practitioner in church planting missions and evangelism throughout his ministry career," Faulls said. "NAMB is a missions agency in need of a strong leader with the mind of a missiologist and with a vision to strategically mobilize an army of missionaries who will spread the Gospel and … [Read more...]

A group of at least 50 concerned citizens from Northern Rapides Parish met March 1 to respond to recent media reports that indicated Pineville's "dry" status could be threatened.     PINEVILLE – A group of concerned citizens from the Northern Rapides Parish met for the second time to do something to oppose the possible expansion of alcohol sales in their town. The group met March 1 at Louisiana College’s Granbury Conference Center at the invitation of Joe Aguillard, LC president, to respond to recent media reports that indicated Pineville’s "dry" status could be threatened. At least 50 people, including pastors, concerned laypeople, and current and former elected officials from Southern Baptist and other denominations attended the meeting. Aguillard called and led the meeting after receiving numerous requests from concerned citizens in the Pine-ville area, he said. Pineville Attorney Michael Johnson told the group the alcohol issue would ultimately wind up on the ballots of those areas north of the Red River once again. Because there is no absolute right to sell alcohol in the United States, alcohol sellers are licensed. The licensing of alcohol sales is a "local option" meaning that it is … [Read more...]

Although the Prayer Revival of 1857 had a less than overwhelming start, Jeremiah Lanphier and the six men who prayed with him at lunchtime in downtown New York City decided to meet again the following Wednesday, Sept. 30.         Second of two articles Although the Prayer Revival of 1857 had a less than overwhelming start, Jeremiah Lanphier and the six men who prayed with him at lunchtime in downtown New York City decided to meet again the following Wednesday, Sept. 30.   This time 20 men showed up to pray, the following week 30 or 40 filled the third floor. During that third meeting, the group determined a daily prayer time was in order rather than a weekly meeting.   The gathering began to increase in numbers so fast that by the end of the second month three large rooms were filled. Many unsaved people came and fell under conviction of sin. Within six months, 50,000 people were gathering in prayer meetings all over New York City.   The Prayer Revival couldn’t have come at a better time, because a national crisis loomed on the horizon. The time of great economic prosperity was about to succumb to the grip of panic. In his work, When Heaven Touched Earth, Roy Fish wrote, "The immediate era … [Read more...]