In the Witness this week

$1.4 million goal set for FBCH offering
Published May 1, 2008

LAKELAND (FBCH)—The Florida Baptist Children’s Homes has set a $1.4 million goal for its annual Mother’s Day Offering. Funds raised go to meet the needs of children who have been neglected, abused, or can no longer be cared for by their parents or guardians. The annual offering has provided critical financial support for more than thirty years.

Pastor’s father one of 44 baptized
CAROLYN NICHOLS
Newswriter
Published May 1, 2008

UMATILLA (FBW)—As the church experiences a surge in attendance, First Baptist Church in Umatilla’s pastor Brooks Braswell baptized 44 in nearby Lake Pearl April 20. Numbered among the newly immersed believers was the pastor’s father, Bobby.

Non-reporting churches skew ACP’s lackluster results
BARBARA DENMAN
Florida Baptist Convention
Published May 1, 2008

JACKSONVILLE (FBC)—With 16 percent of their congregations not reporting, Florida Baptist churches overall recorded a decrease in baptisms, total members, as well as Sunday School attendance and enrollment in 2007, according to statistics compiled in the Annual Church Profile.

SBC baptisms: Lowest since ‘87
Published May 1, 2008

NASHVLLE, Tenn. (BP)—The number of people baptized in Southern Baptist churches fell for the third straight year in 2007 to the convention’s lowest level since 1987.

Senate, House adopt different evolution academic freedom bills
JAMES A. SMITH SR.
Executive Editor
Published May 1, 2008

TALLAHASSEE (FBW)—Although both chambers of the Florida Legislature have adopted legislation that sponsors believe will protect the academic freedom of public school teachers and students addressing evolution, the adoption of significantly different bills leaves passage in doubt in the final days of the legislative session.

Opinion

Editorial

Being ‘pro-life’ beyond the abortion debate
JAMES A. SMITH SR.
Executive Editor

Many pro-abortion advocates routinely accuse those of us who are pro-life (or “anti-choice,” in their rhetoric) of only being concerned about unborn children and not caring about those children after they are born. The charge is baseless.

Point of View

Together we can make an impact
JERRY HAAG
Florida Baptist Children’s Homes

In a recent letter to the editor of the Bradenton Herald, Children’s Home Society President, Dave A. Bundy gave the following media reports from around our state:

Martin Luther King spoke Truth with a capital ‘T’
ERICH BRIDGES
Baptist Press

Martin Luther King Jr. died 40 years ago this spring, taking a bullet to the head because he had the courage to stand for an absolute: the God-given right of all people, regardless of color or background, to be treated with equality and dignity.

Nothing more natural: Abstinence at Harvard
CHARLES COLSON
Breakpoint

Next to freshman biology class, there is nothing more universal on college campuses than the “hookup scene.” It is simply expected that students from state schools to the Ivy League will experiment with premarital sex. In the words of one Harvard student recently quoted in the New York Times: “For me, being a strong woman means not being ashamed that I like to have sex.”

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor
Published May 1, 2008

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

$1.4 million goal set for FBCH offering

LAKELAND (FBCH)—The Florida Baptist Children’s Homes has set a $1.4 million goal for its annual Mother’s Day Offering. Funds raised go to meet the needs of children who have been neglected, abused, or can no longer be cared for by their parents or guardians. The annual offering has provided critical financial support for more than thirty years.

Pastor’s father one of 44 baptized

UMATILLA (FBW)—As the church experiences a surge in attendance, First Baptist Church in Umatilla’s pastor Brooks Braswell baptized 44 in nearby Lake Pearl April 20. Numbered among the newly immersed believers was the pastor’s father, Bobby.

Non-reporting churches skew ACP’s lackluster results

JACKSONVILLE (FBC)—With 16 percent of their congregations not reporting, Florida Baptist churches overall recorded a decrease in baptisms, total members, as well as Sunday School attendance and enrollment in 2007, according to statistics compiled in the Annual Church Profile.

Pinellas County expands ordinance to ‘protect’ homosexuals

CLEARWATER (FBW)—Pinellas County Commissioners in a split vote April 22 expanded its human rights ordinance to “protect” homosexuals. The ordinance, termed “unneeded” by family advocates, follows the lead of the cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg which has passed similar measures naming “gays, lesbian and bisexuals” as a group of individuals needing special protection.

BCF freshman gets Bright Stars award

Indiana calls on Floridians to help with Crossover ‘08

Children’s Home resident benefits from Cooperative Program ministry & Mother’s Day Offering

Pensacola Bay starts Russian church

JACKSONVILLE(FBC)—According to a report released by the Florida Baptist Convention’s Church Planting Department, Florida Baptists started 15 new churches in March 2008. The following is a listing of new churches listed by association:

New cottage on Tallahassee campus of Florida Baptist Children’s Homes

Legislature Watch

Senate, House adopt different evolution academic freedom bills

TALLAHASSEE (FBW)—Although both chambers of the Florida Legislature have adopted legislation that sponsors believe will protect the academic freedom of public school teachers and students addressing evolution, the adoption of significantly different bills leaves passage in doubt in the final days of the legislative session.

Senate debates ultrasound abortion bill, delays action

TALLAHASSEE (FBW)—Although the Florida Senate engaged in an initial debate April 24 about a bill that would require ultrasounds for women seeking abortions during the first trimester, the body repeatedly delayed further consideration. According to various news reports, the eventual vote will be very close, perhaps being decided by one or two senators.

National

National News

SBC baptisms: Lowest since ‘87

NASHVLLE, Tenn. (BP)—The number of people baptized in Southern Baptist churches fell for the third straight year in 2007 to the convention’s lowest level since 1987.

Small churches can make a big impact
‘Bigger is better’ mindset perpetuates myth

LEWISVILLE, N.C. (BP)—Steve Schenewerk pastors Winston Community Baptist Church, a small congregation about 80 miles south of Eugene, Ore. Like many pastors of small churches, Schenewerk has felt overshadowed in the Southern Baptist Convention by mega-churches and big-name pastors.

Small church pastors scrap to find enough hours

LEWISVILLE, N.C.(BP)—A LifeWay Research study reveals that the top challenge facing small-church pastors is finding enough hours in the day to do the Lord’s work.

Small churches vital to SBC; megachurches in decline

LEWISVILLE, N.C. (BP)—David didn’t ask for a break when he faced Goliath. And a church shouldn’t have an inferiority complex because it is small in size, said Frank Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention. If a church reaches out to the “unchurched,” then it’s large in the eyes of God.

Christian students organize alternatives to Day of Silence

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—Christian middle school, high school and college students across the country this year will have at least two officially organized alternatives to the homosexual-themed Day of Silence.

Southern Baptists approve protocol response to int’l disasters

FORT CASWELL, N.C. (BP)–Southern Baptists took a major step toward responding more quickly to overseas disasters when their state disaster relief directors approved a new protocol for mobilizing “initial responders” to crisis situations overseas.

Union University Tornado

Book following tornado disaster at Union Univ. set for June 1 release

JACKSON, Tenn. (BP)—A forthcoming book tells the story of the Feb. 5 tornado that slammed the Union University campus, and includes the stories of students and others who point to God’s care and protection for them that night.

National News Briefs

Man arrested for printing Christian materials
Chinese bookstore owner arrested a second time, wife fears for his health and safety

BEIJING (BP)—Shi Weihan, a Chinese bookstore owner in Beijing, has been rearrested for publishing Bibles and Christian literature during a time when a shortage of such materials has been reported in China.

Features

Media Montage

SBTS prof: McLaren’s vision ‘leads to violence’

SOUTH BARRINGTON, Ill. (BP)—Recent denials of hell and a literal second coming of Christ by emerging church leader Brian McLaren are absurd and actually lead to the kind of violence McLaren seeks to prevent, said Russell D. Moore, senior vice president for academic administration at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.

FAITH has same DNA, new resources

Bible Study

Bible Studies for Life

May 11: Communicate
Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 2 Samuel 14:23-24, 28-33; Proverbs 4:3-6

Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

May 18: Be Trustworthy
1 Samuel 18:1-4; 19:4-7; 20:10-17

Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

Explore the Bible

May 11: The Ministry of Reconciliation
Genesis 43-45

Mark Rathel is professor of theology at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

May 18: Major Life Adjustments
Genesis 46-47

Mark Rathel is professor of theology at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.