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Children’s Homes celebrates centennial: LAKELAND (FBW)—In 1904 the Florida Baptist Orphanage ministered to 23 children. B.M. Bean served as superintendent and his wife, Jennie, as matron of a two-story facility in Arcadia.
768+ reasons to reach goal: LAKELAND (FBCH)—Indulge me for two quick but purposeful trivia questions. First, what do the Campbell Soup Kids and Florida Baptist Children’s Homes have in common? Answer: They share the same birth year.
Florida House sends parental notice to voters: TALLAHASSEE (FBW) – The Florida Legislature capped its 2004 Session near midnight April 30, with the House finally capitulating to the Senate on a bill which will place on November’s ballot a constitutional amendment requiring parents to be notified of a minor seeking an abortion.
Legislators welcome Rick Warren in session's final week: TALLAHASSEE (FBW) – In the midst of the waning days of the legislative session, members of the Florida Legislature and Gov. Jeb Bush welcomed author Rick Warren to the state capital to teach his book, The Purpose Driven Life. Visiting Tallahassee at the invitation of a bipartisan coalition of House and Senate members who participate in a weekly Bible study, Warren told a reception of local pastors that the U.S. is at the “tipping point” of a spiritual awakening.

Opinion

Editorial

After a century of caring, Florida Baptist Children’s Homes deserves our best support Editorial JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor: A few weeks ago, my parents retired from full-time Christian work after many years of ministry and they’re moving to Florida (of course!). Thinking about their retirement has caused me to remember all that they have done to serve not only the churches in which they have ministered, but also myself and their six other children.

Point of View

Window of gratitude open to help Haitian Baptists Point-of-View JOHN SULLIVAN Executive Director-Treasurer, Florida Baptist Convention

During the past two weeks, the leadership of the Florida Baptist Convention has made arrangements to deliver beans, rice and water to Baptist churches in Haiti. The Caribbean country has been plagued with a shortage of food since early February when revolutionaries overthrew the government of President Jean Bertrand Aristede. The rebels cut off food supplies to cities and towns outside of Port Au Prince, created a nation of lawlessness and exacerbated the extreme poverty of the people.

BREAKPOINT: Darwin's doubters: Changing paradigms, intelligently Point-of-View CHARLES COLSON

Intelligent design is the argument by scientists that the world shows clear signs that it was designed and is not simply the result of random evolution.

Tillman paid the ultimate price Point-of-View PETER BECK Southern Baptist Theological Seminaryprice

I’d never heard of Pat Tillman before he joined the Army two years ago.

Not being a big football fan, I had no idea that he played for the Arizona Cardinals. But the minute the story broke about his enlisting and volunteering to be a Ranger, I knew Pat Tillman because I was, at one time, just like Pat Tillman. I, too, was an Army Ranger.

Letters

Letters

Bibliocipher

Bibliocipher

Florida

Florida News

Senate president apologizes for Baptist pastor’s prayer: TALLAHASSEE (FBW) – Florida Senate President James E. “Jim” King (R-Jacksonville) apologized to members of the legislative body April 28 after Florida Baptist pastor Clayton Cloer invoked the name of Jesus in his prayer in the Senate chamber as guest chaplain of the day. King’s comments resulted in media coverage of the incident across the state, while the pastor of First Baptist Church of Central Florida in Orlando insisted that his prayer was consistent with guidelines given to guest chaplains.
Florida Senate resolution congratulates Florida Baptist Children's Homes for making a difference for 100 years: Photo
South Florida leader responds to changing times: FORT LAUDERDALE (FBC) — In 1953 Tanna Dawson moved to Broward County, which at the time was to a rural region overshadowed by its glitzy, older sibling to the south —metropolitan Miami.
Tournament winner says Jesus is best example of one who ‘guarded His mind’: In 1999 a 12-year-old Miami boy accidentally killed a six-year-old girl by pounding away at her until her body was limp. ... According to this yound man, he was imitating wrestling stunts he saw on a professional wrestling program. Another 13-year-old boy in Palm Beach County took a loaded gun to school and murdered his 35-year-old male teacher. This young man claimed he was just trying to scare his teacher when the gun went off. ...
HISTORICAL VIGNETTE: Children’s Homes have hosted children, cows, hogs and a pony: In 1904 the Florida Baptist Children’s Home had 23 residents. One hundred years later, in 2004, they had ministered to over 23,000 children. From the first year to the centennial year is a story of love, faith, professionalism, and caring.
Prayer before Florida House of Representatives by Rick Warren, April 28, 2004
Prayer before Florida Senate by Clayton Cloer, April 28, 2004

Baptism Report

Florida Baptist baptism drop follows SBC reduction: JACKSONVILLE (FBC)—Florida Baptists stirred the baptismal waters 34,274 times during 2003, surpassing the 30,000 mark for the tenth time in a row. In the past decade, Florida Baptist churches baptized 353,846 new converts, averaging more than 35,000 baptisms a year.

Florida News Brief

Former FBSC officer dies at 83: LOUISVILLE, KY (FBW)-Walter Allen Townsend, past member of the State Board of Missions from Choctaw Baptist Association and vice president of the Florida Baptist Convention, died April 26 in a Louisville, Ky., health-care facility. Townsend, 83, was an active member of First Baptist Church, Niceville, where he was a deacon.
‘Operation Beans and Rice’ underway: JACKSONVILLE (FBC) - The International Mission Board, SBC, has sent $30,000 in hunger funds to the Florida Baptist Convention to assist in “Operation: Beans and Rice,” an ambitious plan to distribute bags of food to 19,000 families in the villages and towns of Haiti.
United Christian Giving awards $168,000 in grants: FORT MYERS (FBW)-April 19 United Christian Giving held its award luncheon and distributed Challenge Grants totaling approximately $168,000 to 48 pre-selected Christian organizations throughout southwest Florida.
PBAU names School of Pharmacy for Gregory family benefactors: WEST PALM BEACH (PBAU)- Palm Beach Atlantic University trustees voted April 23 to name the School of Pharmacy for the patriarch of the Gregory family, benefactors of the university’s pharmacy program. The Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy joins the Marshall E. Rinker, Sr. School of Business and the Catherine T. MacArthur School of Continuing Education as Palm Beach Atlantic’s named schools.

Florida Focus

FLORIDA FOCUS

Training Update

Training Update

National

National News

Hamill media swarm is opportunity to ‘proclaim Christ’: MACON, Miss. (BP)—For Greg Duncan, May 2 began with a 6 a.m. knock on the door from a local police officer making his way through the small town of Macon, Miss., to relay the news they had all waited to hear.
Mayor says town’s nightly prayer vigils have been answered: MACON, Miss. (BP)—People in Thomas Hamill’s hometown of Macon, Miss., are praising God for the confirmation of his safety after the American contractor was held captive in Iraq for 23 days.

International News

Marines follow wooden cross in grueling 2-hour run: CAMP KINSER, Okinawa, Japan (BP)—At first glance, the formation looked like the usual Marine Corps early-morning troop run.
Leaders, defectors at Capitol rally call for N. Korea's freedom: WASHINGTON (BP)—Members of Congress and advocates of religious liberty and human rights joined with defectors from North Korea April 28 at a Capitol Hill rally for freedom from that Asian country’s oppressive regime.

National News Briefs

Retirement video made in three languages: DALLAS (BP)—The Annuity Board is responding to the growing needs of language congregations in the Southern Baptist Convention with the introduction of a new retirement video series. A 15-minute video in Spanish, Korean and English is now available to ministers and church employees.
Former President Bush to speak at Union Univ.: JACKSON, Tenn. (BP)—President George Bush will be the keynote speaker Sept. 21 for Union University’s eighth annual Scholarship Banquet at the Carl Perkins Civic Center in Jackson, Tenn.

Feature

Evangelism

Evangelist Luis Palau profiled in WMU mag: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP)—Christian evangelist and writer Luis Palau will be profiled in the July 2004 issue of Nuestra Tarea, the premier Spanish-language missions and ministries magazine produced by national Woman’s Missionary Union.
Clothing store owner takes ‘mobile store’ mission on the road: JACKSONVILLE (FBC)—Jim Tatum is a layperson who leads by example. Whether he is witnessing or selling suits, his gift of giving is more than a personality trait and his servitude and concern for others are more than a lifestyle. To Tatum these are all an answer to God’s claim on his life.

Bible Study

Family Bible Study

May 9: Loving Spouses 1 Corinthians 7:1-7; Ephesians 5:22-25, 28-33: Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.
May 16: Nurturing Family Relationships Ephesians 6:1-4; 1 Timothy 5:1-8: Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

Explore the Bible

May 9: Confidently Serving 2 Timothy 4: Steve Smartt is pastor of Moultrie Baptist Church in St. Augustine.
May 16: Excellent Leadership Titus 1: Steve Smartt is pastor of Moultrie Baptist Church in St. Augustine.