The old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” has proven to be true in the battle over abortion. The picture, painted by the decade-plus-long battle to ban the heinous procedure known as partial-birth abortion, has changed the debate. The old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” has proven to be true in the battle over abortion. The picture, painted by the decade-plus-long battle to ban the heinous procedure known as partial-birth abortion, has changed the debate. Americans are polling increasingly pro-life partly because we’ve had a gruesome demonstration of the baby who – under current law – can legally be murdered as long as his or her foot remains in the birth canal. The Supreme Court’s ruling on the constitutionality of the federal ban on partial-birth abortion will be announced next year, and hopefully that will put an end to these murders. But in the quest to end all abortions, it is necessary to continue painting pictures. Before ending the 109th Congress, members of the House of Representatives got out their art supplies once again. The December vote on the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act was taken under an expedited calendar, which allowed only 20 minutes of debate and … [Read more...]
Life Digest: from Baptist Press and more
When is physician-assisted suicide not really suicide? Apparently when medical professionals say it isn’t. Culture whitewashes words: WASHINGTON (BP) – When is physician-assisted suicide not really suicide? Apparently when medical professionals say it isn’t. The American Public Health Association has joined the Oregon Department of Human Services in redefining the act of a terminally ill person taking drugs to kill himself. Terms such as “suicide” or “physician-assisted suicide” should be rejected in favor of such phrases as “aid in dying” or “patient-directed dying,” the APHA decided in a resolution announced Dec. 20. The APHA’s Governing Council adopted the resolution in early November as an interim policy until it is confirmed in 2007. The resolution calls on reporters, public policy makers and medical personnel to use the “value-neutral terms” to describe a “mentally competent, terminally ill” person taking his own life. The council cited in its resolution Oregon’s October decision to halt the use of “physician-assisted suicide” to describe those who take their own lives with the aid of lethal prescriptions from doctors. Instead, the state’s Department of Human Services will refer to … [Read more...]
Church involvement said to be key to ending AIDS
Only the church has the authority to completely eradicate AIDS, said Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church and an increasingly prominent AIDS activist, during the 2006 Urbana Student Missions Conference, Dec. 27-31 in St. Louis. ST. LOUIS (BP) –- Only the church has the authority to completely eradicate AIDS, said Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church and an increasingly prominent AIDS activist, during the 2006 Urbana Student Missions Conference, Dec. 27-31 in St. Louis. “Even if we had drugs for everybody today, if we had a cure for everybody today, we could not get it to the people without [the help of] the churches. It’s not going to happen,” Warren said during a Dec. 30 news conference with his wife Kay and several AIDS activists with World Vision. “The church is the only global organization in the world,” the California pastor said. “It was global 200 years ago before anyone started talking about globalization. It’s bigger than China and India put together. People don’t realize it is the only network in the world. It meets in far more languages than the United Nations.” Because of its unique influence and spiritual mandate, Warren said the church should play a leading role in … [Read more...]
Young adults seek church friends, involvement
The most recent study by LifeWay Research reveals young adults are falling away from church and many are finding church irrelevant to their lives. NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The most recent study by LifeWay Research reveals young adults are falling away from church and many are finding church irrelevant to their lives. – According to the research, the need to reach people age 18 to 34 can be seen by simply comparing the following statistics: n In 1980, more than 100,000 young adults were baptized in Southern Baptist churches. In 2005, slightly more than 60,000 young adults were baptized in SBC churches; a number drastically lower with the United States population climbing above 300 million. • Seventy-three percent of church members and 47 percent of non-affiliated young adults indicated that community with other young adults is extremely important in their lives. • The second most important thing for young adult churchgoers is participation in small-group meetings to discuss life application of Scripture (71 percent). • The small-group atmosphere is where this generation can find “advice from individuals with similar experiences,” is one of the top five most important things to both … [Read more...]
Closing the gap in student ministry
Is the church losing out on its greatest resource? In underutilizing Millennials -- students born between 1977 and 2000 -– some missions workers believe Southern Baptists may miss out on the greatest opportunity to impact the Kingdom that the convention has seen in more than 50 years. ST. LOUIS (BP)--Is the church losing out on its greatest resource? In underutilizing Millennials -- students born between 1977 and 2000 -– some missions workers believe Southern Baptists may miss out on the greatest opportunity to impact the Kingdom that the convention has seen in more than 50 years. Touted for their global perspective and service-oriented personal goals, Millenials turned out in droves for the 2006 Urbana Student Missions Conference in St. Louis in late December. Yet, Southern Baptist workers indicate there is a downward shift in the number of students volunteering for mission projects. Mike Lopez, director for student mobilization for the SBC’s International Mission Board, says two years ago about 8,000 students signed up for missions through his office. In 2006, the number has dropped to 6,500. “I’m seeing that with other organizations too,” Lopez said. “I don’t want to say our numbers have disappeared, but … [Read more...]
LBC’s BCMs engage students
Baptist Collegiate Ministry is a Cooperative Program ministry on 34 campuses funded by the Louisiana Baptist Convention. It is a ministry that works to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ on campus, help students grow in their commitment to Christ and gives students the opportunity to serve locally and around the world. Baptist Collegiate Ministry is a Cooperative Program ministry on 34 campuses funded by the Louisiana Baptist Convention. It is a ministry that works to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ on campus, help students grow in their commitment to Christ and gives students the opportunity to serve locally and around the world. Mark Robinson is state director. Contact him at mark.robinson@lbc.org or call 318-448-3402 or (in Louisiana) 1-800-622-6549. The campus directors are: Reginald Alford, Grambling State University reginaldalford@bellsouth.net 318.255.1982 Scott Belmore, University of Lafayette scott@ullbcm.com 337.234.8732 Keith Cating, McNeese State University kcating@hotmail.com 337.477.4866 Bill Collins, Northwestern State University of Louisiana nsubcm@cox-internet.com 318.357.6464 Patrick Frey, Louisiana State University at Alexandria & Louisiana … [Read more...]
Tsunami victims say “thank you”
It has been nearly two years since an earthquake and a deadly tsunami hit parts of eight Asian nations, including Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Many survivors have tried to move on with their lives, while others are still working to regain normalcy and stability. RICHMOND, Va. (BP) – It has been nearly two years since an earthquake and a deadly tsunami hit parts of eight Asian nations, including Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Many survivors have tried to move on with their lives, while others are still working to regain normalcy and stability. There are constant reminders of the day family, friends, homes and businesses were lost. But many survivors have found hope through the Southern Baptist Convention. In a new website launched through the International Mission Board, tsunami victims thank Southern Baptists for helping them rebuild their lives. The new website features personal “thank yous” from tsunami survivors, video footage of the devastation and rebuilding efforts plus witnesses’ personal accounts of that tragic day. Many Southern Baptists traveled to South and Southeast Asia volunteering their time. Others offered $16.8 million in financial support to help hundreds of … [Read more...]
Who and what is the IMB?
The Southern Baptist Convention was formed in 1845 mainly to create two mission boards—the Foreign Mission Board and the Domestic Mission Board (now North American Mission Board). Staff International Mission Board RICHMOND, Va. – The Southern Baptist Convention was formed in 1845 mainly to create two mission boards—the Foreign Mission Board and the Domestic Mission Board (now North American Mission Board). This was precipitated by controversy with northern Baptists over appointing slave owners as missionaries. The Foreign Mission Board, in Richmond, Va., held its first commissioning service in 1846. Since then more than 15,000 missionaries have been appointed, a third of them still serving today. After Southern Baptists assumed support for some missionaries in China, the denomination’s missionary efforts grew slowly. The Civil War and the South’s agrarian economy made support difficult, and the board often was hampered by debt between 1861 and 1943. Significant growth in the board’s overseas work did not occur until after World War II. Empowered by the support of the Cooperative Program, founded in 1925, and an enlarged worldview, Southern Baptists answered the call, reaching 1,000 … [Read more...]
Speaker: porn staggers U.S.
“Society is staggering from the effects of over-promiscuity,” Philip Cosby of the National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families told a chapel audience at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. By Staff Baptist Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP) – “Society is staggering from the effects of over-promiscuity,” Philip Cosby of the National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families told a chapel audience at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Cosby, who heads the coalition’s work in the Kansas City, Mo., area, referenced Promise Keepers surveys showing that pornography had invaded the lives and homes of more than half the men in attendance. Since his retirement from a 22-year Army career, Cosby has been at the front lines of the war against pornography and, as the law calls them, “sexually oriented businesses” SOBs in three cities. Cosby first moved to Abilene, Kan., a “Norman Rockwell town” as he describes it, completely unprepared for the ambush of a pornography outlet, the Lion’s Den. Having just moved there, Cosby knew no one and no one knew him. However, he knew something had to be done, and his efforts resulted “Operation Daniel,” in which he and 140 … [Read more...]
Take protests to the streets
The influx of pornography and strip bars into American society can be stopped, a community values activist told a conference for state convention workers at the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission in Nashville, Tenn. By Samuel Smith Baptist Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – The influx of pornography and strip bars into American society can be stopped, a community values activist told a conference for state convention workers at the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission in Nashville, Tenn. Hardcore pornography is not protected by the First Amendment, said Phil Burress of Citizens for Community Values. “In Miller v. California in 1973, the United States Supreme Court said that every community is allowed to apply their own community standards.” In 45 of the 50 states, Burress said, strong laws are on the books that outlaw hardcore pornography, which involves actual or simulated sexual activity. The problem is, the laws are not being enforced, he noted. “Hardcore pornography is what is being sold in the backroom of video stores and in hotel rooms today,” he said. “The question is, ‘Will the prosecutor prosecute?’” Burress said the sale of … [Read more...]
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