Issue Date: 2010-11-18
Volume: 189
Number: 23

News

North Metro celebrates Cox's 30th year as pastor
By J. Gerald Harris, Editor
Published November 18, 2010

On Sunday evening, Nov. 7, North Metro First Baptist honored Frank Cox on his 30th anniversary as the church's pastor.

Young Christians seek intentional community among poor
By Steve Beaven, c. 2010 Religion News Service
Published November 18, 2010

In the two years since David Knepprath and Josh Guisinger moved into the rough-and-tumble Barberry Village complex, roughly a dozen young Christian men and women have made Barberry Village their home.

Hunt recounts bout with emptiness
By Allen Palmeri
Published November 18, 2010

Johnny Hunt said he experienced a spiritual, emotional and physical "dryness through duty" a couple of months ago after completing an intense two years as president of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Morningside honors Robertson on 25th anniversary
By J. Gerald Harris, Editor
Published November 18, 2010

Former Georgia Baptist Convention president Wayne Robertson was honored by Morningside Baptist Church Oct. 24 on the occasion of his 25th anniversary as pastor of the Valdosta church.

Hope penetrates Thailand's prison walls
Published November 18, 2010

It's Sunday morning and Arti, 29, smiles as he teaches Bible verses to a class full of children at the Church of Blessing in Bangkok, Thailand.

New website connects searchers to churches
By Norm Miller
Published November 18, 2010

Pontius Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?" Centuries later, people from all walks of life are still searching for the truth, and for answers to some of life's most thorny questions like "Does God Love Gay People?" and "Is Porn Wrong?"

Churches find empty pews at Sunday evening services
By Matt Vande Bunte, c. 2010 Religion News Service
Published November 18, 2010

Doug De Vries describes Sunday evening worship as "a lot less formal" than the morning service at Plymouth Heights Christian Reformed Church.

Thomases endow Christian Studies scholarship at BPC
Published November 18, 2010

Brewton-Parker College recently received a $60,000 endowed scholarship for Christian Studies majors from Maurice and Anne Thomas of Toccoa Falls, reported Norman Winter, vice president for College Advancement.

Following their broken hearts
'Lord, we'll go wherever You want us to go,' prayed Georgia native
Published November 18, 2010

They're a young couple. Their first child arrived this year. A whole life lies ahead.

Bible training helps ethnic pastors turn the page
By Scott Barkley, Production Editor
Published November 18, 2010

Every Saturday Arturo Villanueva drives an hour from his home in Eastman to Vienna, where a group of 14 waits. Beginning at 7 p.m., he will teach an introduction class to the New Testament for four hours.

Sharing grace with oppressed people groups
Georgia - California state partnership in action
By Joe Westbury, Managing Editor
Published November 18, 2010

Pretty Moo sways to the beat of the chorus, a sound that most Americans of European decent would consider foreign.

GBC meets in Albany
Published November 18, 2010

Most of the GBC annual meeting took place after The Index went to press on Monday night.

Religious Newsbriefs

Religious language lawsuit at Capitol Visitor Center rejected
Published November 18, 2010

A federal judge has dismissed a suit arguing that engravings of "In God We Trust" and the Pledge of Allegiance at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center here are unconstitutional.

Druids get official OK in Britain
Published November 18, 2010

Druidry, the pagan worship that has been practiced on these shores for thousands of years, on Oct. 1 gained recognition by the British government as an official religion after a four-year legal battle.

Courts uphold teen's piercing, religious license plates
Published November 18, 2010

Two federal courts have issued strong defenses of religious expression in two separate decisions.

Most religious Americans have high levels of well-being
Published November 18, 2010

The most religious Americans also have the highest rates of well-being, according to a new Gallup survey.

People and Places

Ordinations
Published November 18, 2010

Ministerial Moves
Published November 18, 2010

Anniversaries
Published November 18, 2010

Obituaries
Published November 18, 2010

Honors
Published November 18, 2010

Cooperative Program Stories

Cooperating in Disaster Relief: Serving Christ in Crisis
By Stuart Lang, State Missionary, Associational Missions Ministries/Disaster Relief
Published November 18, 2010

Most of the trees had already fallen in Joe's front yard by the time I met him. A crew of six to eight Disaster Relief volunteers was taking a break, getting ready to tackle the trees in his back yard.

Bible Study

Value what God Values
By Terry L. Braswell, Jr.
Published November 18, 2010

Isaiah 61:1-11
Bible Studies for Life, Dec 5

Life Worth Sharing
By Tony Samples, senior pastor, Pickett's Mill Baptist Church, Dallas
Published November 18, 2010

Rom. 1:14-17; 9:1-3; 10:1, 14-15; 15:17-20
Bible Studies for Life, Nov 28

Columns

Gospel urgency or eschatological fad?
By John L. Yeats
Published November 18, 2010

In the last half of this decade there appears to be a discovery like a nugget of truth hidden but now revealed in these latter days.

Mother must protect kids from ex-husband
By Jim Daly, Juli Slattery
Published November 18, 2010

Observations on the November election
By J. Gerald Harris, Editor
Published November 18, 2010

I was up until 2:30 a.m. watching the election returns on Nov. 3, not because I thought the results would signal a dramatic change in our lives, but because: (1) I like competition, (2) I was curious, (3) I couldn't go to sleep, and (4) there were some political races that had captured my interest.

The Open Door
By J. Robert White, Executive Director GBC
Published November 18, 2010

It was George Herbert who penned this memorable line: "O Thou who has given us so much, mercifully grant us one thing more - a grateful heart."

Letters

Spontaneous ...
By James N. Staubes, pastor, Skidaway Island Baptist Church, Savannah
Published November 18, 2010

Two noteworthy topics of interest in recent publications of The Christian Index have been the Great Commission Resurgence and spontaneous baptisms.

Thanks for recognizing bivocational pastors
By Marie Vickers Crawford, Douglas
Published November 18, 2010

Thank you for recognizing bivocational pastors and their service to the Lord.