In the Witness this week

NAMB photo by John K Swain

North American Mission Board resort missionary Jeff Ford (left) plans beach evangelism strategy with summer missionaries Derrick Fields (center) and Matt Goins on the beach at Gulf Shores, Ala. Some six million people visit Alabama?s Gulf Coast beaches each season?only 30 percent of them are Christians, according to Ford.

2007 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering Ford nabs chances to share with beachgoers Published March 22, 2007: GULF SHORES/ORANGE BEACH, ALA. (NAMB)-The Gulf Coast of Alabama is blessed with a usually warm, emerald-green ocean for swimming and sugar-white, soft-sand beaches for sunning. It's a paradise that draws 6 million people a year, but 70 percent of them don't know Christ.
Christians must 'confront culture,' seminary presidents say Published March 22, 2007: Brandon (FBW)?Part revival, part apologetics conference, First Baptist Church in Brandon held a unique series of services recently featuring three Southern Baptist seminary presidents and its host pastor to instruct believers in how they should confront a decaying culture that rejects Christianity.
Welch to expand SBC global relationships Published March 22, 2007: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)?Bobby Welch has been named to the position of Strategist for Global Evangelical Relations with the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee.
Gen. Pace defends Pentagon ban on homosexuals in the military Published March 22, 2007: WASHINGTON (BP)?The chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff has defended the Pentagon's ban on homosexuals in the military by saying same-sex acts are "immoral" and similar to adultery.

Opinion

Point of View

Abused, neglected and forgotten: A call to conscience KEN CONNOR Special to Florida Baptist Witness: In recent weeks, NBC Nightly News has begun a series of reports entitled "Trading Places: Caring for your Parents." The series began with the personal stories of NBC reporters like Brian Williams, Tim Russert, and Ann Curry, each of whom is dealing with an increasingly common question: what should I do with my aging parents? Baby boomers are beginning to experience sleepless nights as they worry about their mothers and fathers, and legislators should start to worry, too. The fact is that eldercare is already a national problem, and soon will become a national crisis.
Was it something I said? Continuing to think about homosexuality R. ALBERT MOHLER JR. AlbertMohler.com: Well, never doubt the power of the media. My recent article on homosexuality ignited a firestorm in the public square. Why? We may never know?but the controversy represents both a challenge and an opportunity.
The truth about population control, part one CHARLES COLSON Breakpoint: According to its Academy of Social Sciences, China "suffers from the world's most severe brain drain." Approximately two-thirds of the Chinese who have studied abroad in the past two decades did not return home.

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor Published March 22, 2007: Letters to the Editor may not reflect the views or opinions of the Witness. Letters may be mailed, faxed or submitted using our online form. Only letters marked clearly for publication, signed with address will be considered for use. Letters are subject to editing. Please limit letters to 250 words.

Florida

Florida News

Christians must 'confront culture,' seminary presidents say: Brandon (FBW)?Part revival, part apologetics conference, First Baptist Church in Brandon held a unique series of services recently featuring three Southern Baptist seminary presidents and its host pastor to instruct believers in how they should confront a decaying culture that rejects Christianity.
Welch to expand SBC global relationships: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)?Bobby Welch has been named to the position of Strategist for Global Evangelical Relations with the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee.
2007 VBS Associational Clinics offer training: JACKSONVILLE (FBC)?Each year, associational Vacation Bible School clinics provide training for about 5,000 Florida VBS workers. Florida Baptist churches will enroll thousands of children in Vacation Bible School this summer, an opportunity that represents the most extensive outreach, evangelism, and prospect-discovering event available to Florida Baptist churches. The following is a list of associational training clinics for the summer Vacation Bible School curriculum. For more information contact your association office or the Florida Baptist Convention Sunday School Department at 800-226-8584, ext. 3079.
BCF faculty members lead conferences in Gainesville, Marianna: GRACEVILLE (FBW)?During one March weekend, faculty of the Baptist College of Florida in Graceville led conferences in Gainesville and Marianna which explored theology and worship leadership.
Florida Baptists start 14 new churches: JACKSONVILLE (FBC)?According to a report released by the Florida Baptist Convention's Church Planting Department, Florida Baptists started 14 new churches in February. The following is a listing of new churches by association:
Lawyers ask judge to dismiss charges against men distributing Bibles to Key Largo schoolchildren Gideons argued with police when asked to leave; principal says men approached cars, creating a safety issue: KEY LARGO (FBW)?Lawyers for two men arrested in Key Largo earlier this year for passing out Bibles in front of an elementary and middle school filed a motion March 8 in Monroe County Court asking the charges be dismissed.

Florida News Briefs

Senior Adult Conclaves in April
Dixie County enlists help of Liberty Counsel in lawsuit

Florida Focus

Florida Focus: A one-time announcement of special events is a free service provided by the Witness to Florida Baptist churches. Please send materials at least three weeks before the date of the event, to Florida Baptist Witness, 1230 Hendricks Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32207, fax 904-346-0696 or submitted using our online form. Items received after deadline may appear in our exclusive on-line version.

National

National News

Gen. Pace defends Pentagon ban on homosexuals in the military: WASHINGTON (BP)?The chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff has defended the Pentagon's ban on homosexuals in the military by saying same-sex acts are "immoral" and similar to adultery.
A return to the original New Testament mission field: ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)?Ministry in the workplace is prevalent throughout the Bible. The term "work" is mentioned more than 800 times and the Hebrew word "avodah" is the root from which we get the words "work" and "worship."
Church focuses on oft-overlooked opportunity for evangelism: SIMPSONVILLE, S.C. (BP)?When Rick Julian realized that people today spend more time at work than they do at home, he updated his view of on-the-job training to include ministry.
Land would sit out Giuliani-Clinton race: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)?If the choice for president in 2008 is between Rudi Giuliani and Hillary Clinton, Richard Land says he'll skip that portion of the ballot.

National News Briefs

Preschool, children's programs begin registration for 2007 SBC
Largo commissioners plan to fire transsexual city manager

Features

Annie Armstrong Offering

2007 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering Ford nabs chances to share with beachgoers: GULF SHORES/ORANGE BEACH, ALA. (NAMB)-The Gulf Coast of Alabama is blessed with a usually warm, emerald-green ocean for swimming and sugar-white, soft-sand beaches for sunning. It's a paradise that draws 6 million people a year, but 70 percent of them don't know Christ.
Texas church planter sticks to basics in diverse state: IRVING, TEXAS (NAMB)?"If there is anything being done in the world today, to change the world, it is planting churches." So says Leroy Fountain, church planter associate for the North American Mission Board and the Southern Baptist of Texas Convention.

Media Montage

Dawkins' atheistic arguments weak, Oxford prof. says: NEW ORLEANS (BP)?The latest book by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion, is an attempt to shore up the faith of atheists, Oxford theologian Alister McGrath said at a meeting of the Evangelical Philosophical Society at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Bible Study

Family Bible Study

March 25: Jesus Restores Our Lives John 11:1, 3, 6-7, 38-40, 43-44: Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.
April 1: Jesus Died for Us John 12:12-15; 13:21, 26-27; 19:16b-19, 33-37: Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

Explore the Bible

March 25: God: The Divine Sociologist 1 Peter 2:13-25: Mark Rathel is professor of theology at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.
April 1: Christian Family Relations 1 Peter 3:1-12: Mark Rathel is professor of theology at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.