A thuggish band of pushers stalks the children of the world, peddling a deadly poison that results in hope- less addiction, psychological devastation and societal upheaval. A thuggish band of pushers stalks the children of the world, peddling a deadly poison that results in hope- less addiction, psychological devastation and societal upheaval.   Despite efforts to stop them, these crafty schemers smuggle their wares across national borders at ever-escalating rates. The only solution appears to be a tough "zero tolerance" policy. After all, this scourge must not stand.   Those who think these characters are drug dealers or crime bosses would be wrong. They are missionaries.   Indeed, the aftermath of the recent tragedy in the skies over the Amazon River has revealed a jarring new element to the culture wars in the rhetoric of some secularist commentators - namely, an almost violent contempt for missionaries.   Independent Baptist missionary Roni Bowers and her newly-adopted baby, Charity, were killed when their plane was gunned down by a Peruvian fighter jet, which mistakenly believed the missionaries’ plane to belong to a drug cartel.   Just nights later, the … [Read more...]

What started out as a hunger for food in Uganda has turned into a hunger for Christ - and could spark a movement that takes the gospel across the nation. What started out as a hunger for food in Uganda has turned into a hunger for Christ - and could spark a movement that takes the gospel across the nation.   It all began in a refugee camp in the town of Kitgum.   Today, the sound of beating drums and singing drift down the walking path there, beckoning perons to join a celebration.   Joicemary Anyiri joins the singing as she picks up the pace on the short walk from her mud home. The barefoot old woman walks with a slight limp. It does not matter to her - like many of her neighbors, she is on her way to hear about Jesus.   As the Bible teaching begins, silence falls across the 200 people squeezing under the limited shade. Anyiri concentrates on every word the teacher speaks, trying to memorize each point so it can be recited later at home. Her older sister, Doloryina Obol, sits next to her doing the same.   At first glance, Padibe Baptist Church looks like any other. You would never guess that this group is only months old or that many of its leaders are even … [Read more...]

Even as some social commentators question the idea of global mission efforts, Southern Baptist Workers around the world are reporting unbelievable responses to the gospel of Jesus Christ Even as some social commentators question the idea of global mission efforts, Southern Baptist Workers around the world are reporting unbelievable responses to the gospel of Jesus Christ   All over the world, new Christians and new churches are multiplying in number – and changing the face of Southern Baptist missions in the process.   Consider two facts gleaned from Southern Baptist missionary reports on the year just past:   • Three church-planting movements played a major role in fueling a 37.4 percent increase in the total number of new churches during 1999.   • In East Asia, baptisms among just one people group exploded with 114,000 in one year. Just eight years ago, only 85 Christians and three churches existed in the province.   The emergence of church-planting movements - the spontaneous, rapid multiplication of new disciples and congregations - had a dramatic impact on Southern Baptist International Mission Board statistics in 2000. And observers expect even more … [Read more...]

New investment opportunities soon will be available to eligible Southern Baptist Annuity Board participants, including Individual Retirement Accounts and Personal Investment Accounts. New investment opportunities soon will be available to eligible Southern Baptist Annuity Board participants, including Individual Retirement Accounts and Personal Investment Accounts.   The approval of changes to the Annuity Board’s ministry assignment last year paved the way for the introduction of these new financial services.   Since that action at last year’s Southern Baptist Convention, Annuity Board trustees have approved the restructuring of the board’s investment funds to create AB Funds Trust, a family of 13 no-load, registered mutual funds. AB Funds Trust will serve as the investment vehicle for the Annuity Board’s retirement plans.   Arrangements were made for eligible participants to have IRAs and Personal Investment Accounts by purchasing shares in AB Funds Trust through PFPC Distributors, Inc., a registered broker-dealer. SBC Trust Services, Inc., also an Annuity Board affiliate, will serve as IRA custodian.   Launch of the new fund structure and products is anticipated to be … [Read more...]

Arizona Southern Baptists have agreed to restructure their convention, streamlining the staff and reorder- ing the way the denomination carries out its work in the state. Arizona Southern Baptists have agreed to restructure their convention, streamlining the staff and reorder- ing the way the denomination carries out its work in the state. The changes all were approved by more than two-thirds of messengers to a called convention session last month and became effective at the first of this month. Under the approved plans: •  The state convention structure and staff will be streamlined, with the Arizona Church Growth Board and Arizona State Mission Board dissolved at the end of last month. Dismantling those boards means the termination of 16 employees, with another five cut from the state convention staff. • The state convention changes its relationship with Arizona Baptist Children’s Services. The convention will no longer own and operate any agencies but will relate to the child services agency through a cooperative agreement. The agency’s board of trustees will become a self-perpetuating board but is committed to remaining Southern Baptist. Convention messengers also approved cooperative agreements … [Read more...]

Please, do not use the time of public prayer to preach or gripe or make points on your pet peeves. You are speaking to God, not your fellow worshipers. Please, do not use the time of public prayer to preach or gripe or make points on your pet peeves. You are speaking to God, not your fellow worshipers.   When the church gathers to worship, regardless of how small or great the number, participants have no higher calling and no more important task. Everyone participating in this sacred time should strive from beginning to end to invite a vital encounter with the Living God.   Haphazard, lackadaisical, thoughtless leadership in planning and leading worship itself seldom provides a significant encounter with God. Neither does such a poorly-planned and -executed process fulfill corporate worship’s important contingent purposes. Corporate worship, in addition to inviting a God-man encounter for a group of people, serves as a model for private or individual worship.   As part of gathered worship, public prayer should reflect the sacredness of the moment as presented by Jesus’ example and teachings. It should be guided by the examples and precepts of all Scripture.   Nowhere in the … [Read more...]

Anew poll indicates Americans hold an increasingly favorable view of homosexuality - with noteworthy changes on whether it is an acceptable alternative lifestyle and whether it is genetically caused. Anew poll indicates Americans hold an increasingly favorable view of homosexuality - with noteworthy changes on whether it is an acceptable alternative lifestyle and whether it is genetically caused.   The view that homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle jumped from 38 percent in 1992 to 52 percent this year, a new Gallup Poll indicates. Americans who say it is an unacceptable lifestyle declined from 57 percent to 43 percent.   For the first time, more people said homosexuality is genetic than said it is caused by factors such as environment and upbringing. This year, 40 percent said people are born as homosexuals, while 39 percent attributed it to other factors. When Gallup first asked the question in 1977, environment and upbringing were favored by 56 percent to 13 percent.   In other questions included in the poll:   • More than half (54 percent) of respondents said homosexual relations between consenting adults should be legal, while 42 percent disagreed. In 1996, only … [Read more...]