NAMB launches evangelism group, names executive director
ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) — The North American Mission Board (NAMB) is launching an evangelism and leadership group that will promote evangelism among Southern Baptist churches, provide evangelistic resources and equip pastors to help their congregations become more evangelistically active. Jim Law, who currently serves as executive pastor at First Baptist Church Woodstock, Ga., will serve as executive director of the new group. ...
John Bisagno, pastor & church innovator, dies at 84
NASHVILLE (BP)—John Bisagno, an evangelistic innovator and longtime pastor of Houston, Texas, First, died Aug. 5 in Nashville following a battle with cancer. He was 84. During Bisagno’s 30-year tenure at Houston’s First beginning in 1970, the congregation grew from fewer than 400 to 22,000 members, Baptist Press (BP) reported in 1999. During that period, the church also baptized 15,000 people, gave $250 million to missions,...
Campers impacted by biblical teaching and Gospel preaching at Falls Creek
DAVIS—Both Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center and CrossTimbers Children’s Mission Adventure Camp are rejoicing over the many spiritual decisions made by campers this summer. More than 56,000 total camp participants were on the grounds during the eight weeks of Youth Camp at Falls Creek Baptist Conference Centers. Completing its 101st summer, Falls Creek continues to reach students with biblical teaching and Gospel-sharing...
Makeover for ministry: Langston BSU/BCM building undergoing remodel
LANGSTON—In June 1993, the Baptist Messenger published news about building improvements made at the Langston University Baptist Student Union (BSU). Now, 25 years later—and after years of fruitful ministry at the building and on campus—the BSU, now called Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM), property once again is undergoing major improvements and enhancements. Volunteers with the Oklahoma Baptist State Convention and the Baptist...
Conventional Thinking: Now what?
The people have spoken. On June 26, Oklahoma voters approved State Question 788, presented to the voters “medical marijuana,” by a 57-43 margin. Ignoring reasonable voices of caution, including U.S. Senator James Lankford and Southern Baptist ethicist Russell Moore, as well as leaders from the business and medical community, Oklahoma voters took one giant leap toward marijuana with this ballot. While this should sadden Christians, it...
Conventional Thinking: Liberty takes the cake
Approximately six years ago, a man named Jack Phillips, who is a cake artist and owns the Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado, was asked by a same-sex couple to bake a cake for their wedding ceremony. At the time, same-sex marriage was not the law of the land in Colorado—or in America for that matter. Phillips, a devout Christian, decided his sincerely-held religious beliefs and conscience would not allow him to bake the cake, but said...
