OPINIONS

Spark needed to jolt us from beneath broom tree

Jimmy Pritchard

SBTC President

Helpful traits in a pastor’s helpmeet

Gary Ledbetter

Editor in Chief

The SBTC is inclusive but exclusive

Jim Richards

Executive Director

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BLOG

••• January 24, 2014 •••

A New Mexico judge has ruled that terminally ill patients have a right to “aid in dying” under the state’s constitution but that such actions are not assisted sui [...]

••• December 18, 2013 •••

“I only play to an audience of one.” I recently read this Christian version of “I don’t listen to my critics” in an interview with a pretty flamboyant [...]

••• December 10, 2013 •••

"Would you like to donate two dollars to the local Rehab Center?" "Can I add a children's book to your order to be donated to the hospital?" "Would you be interested in donat [...]

••• November 20, 2013 •••

The Supreme Court's Tuesday decision that keeps in place the Texas law passed last summer restricting abortions may be read in detail online. The concurring opinion, authored by J [...]

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SBTC founding board member Roy Baxley dies

By: Rob Collingsworth | March 6th, 2014

Roy Spurgeon Baxley, layman and outspoken supporter of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, died March 1. He was 92. Baxley, a businessman, served as a founding board member of the SBTC in 1998. He went on to serve as the Business and Finance Committee chairman for four years and was elected in 2000 as the second vice-president of the convention. “Roy Baxley was one of God's choicest [...]

Empower Conference closes with reminder about ‘Christ in us’ & salvation for Buddhist woman who heard ‘revival’ was going on

By: Sharayah Colter, Staff Writer | February 28th, 2014

HOUSTON—John Morgan, pastor of Sagemont Church in Houston, which served as host for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention’s Empower Conference this week, closed the conference on Wednesday (Feb. 26) by encouraging attendees to remember that the only hope of evangelism is “Christ in us.” Morgan followed a long list of preachers and speakers, including Southern Baptist C [...]

Texas marriage law ruling portends future religious freedom woes, observers say

By: Bonnie Pritchett | February 28th, 2014

A federal judge’s decision striking down of Texas’ marriage law could portend the loss of religious liberties for all Americans, according to some legal and religious experts supportive of traditional marriage. United States District Judge Orlando Garcia’s ruling on Wednesday (Feb. 26) against Texas’ 2005 marriage amendment ignores fundamental gender distinctions and the c [...]

IMB's Elliff announces resignation at Austin meeting

By: Tammi Reed Ledbetter, Managing Editor | February 26th, 2014

AUSTIN—If ever a pin could have been heard dropping, it was on Tuesday morning (Feb. 25) as International Mission Board President Tom Elliff surprised the board of trustees with news of his resignation. A handful of trusted colleagues and board members sworn to secrecy kept their word so the veteran pastor and missionary could relate the news from his own heart. “God gave me what is s [...]

UUPG challenge sent church on 2-year prayer journey and an ambitious climb

By: Kay Adkins | February 24th, 2014

TYLER—Last October, a team from Calvary Baptist Church traveled to a rural town halfway around the globe, trusting God to lead them to an isolated, unengaged and unreached people group (UUPG) for whom they had been praying for more than two years.But the Tyler church’s international journey really began in summer 2011. Pastor Fred Smith read a news article that noted the Southern Bapti [...]

LATEST NEWS

Two miles from Kiev riots, FBC Odessa mission team safe, determined to share gospel

February 20th, 2014 By: Sharayah Colter | Staff Writer

Eight adults from First Baptist Church of Odessa, serving on a mission team in Kiev, Ukraine remain sa [...]

HeartCall trains women in relational evangelism

February 19th, 2014 By: Bonnie Pritchett

Well, duh!It’s a common response to the 1992 book “Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus [...]

The ‘why’ and ‘how’ of SBTC’s Look Like Heaven emphasis

February 18th, 2014 By: Sharayah Colter | Staff Writer

The American School Board Journal says school systems champion diversity because it helps produce capa [...]

‘LOOK LIKE HEAVEN’

February 17th, 2014 By: David Roach

More than eight in 10 non-Catholic pastors (85 percent) say every church should strive for racial dive [...]

MORE NEWS

Annual ministry wife award nomination deadline March 15

March 3rd, 2014 / By: Sharayah Colter | Staff Writer

Less than two weeks remain to submit nominations for the 2014 Willie Turner Dawson Award presented each year at the Ministers’ Wives Luncheon during the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting. Nominations may include ministry wives such as the wife of a pastor or the wife of any ministry staff member, women in other areas of ministry or women whose husbands have retired or are deceased. [...]

IMB President Tom Elliff announces plans to step down

February 27th, 2014 / By: Joni Hannigan

AUSTIN, Texas (FBW)—In describing his request to the trustees of the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board to convene a search team to name his successor, President Tom Elliff said he neither “resigned” nor “retired,” but heeded God’s plan for the next step in his life.Elliff, who turned 70 just last week, was unanimously elected to the [...]

Reaching your neighbors

February 19th, 2014 / By: Jaye Martin

Here is a list of ways to get involved in the lives of people living in your community. House of prayer – Ask neighbors how you can pray for them. Keep in touch on needs as well as answered prayers. Prayer walking – Walk your neighborhood, praying as you go and looking for people and things to pray for. Carry some verses on cards to guide you. Take a small notepad and pen to record [...]

Prominent Hispanic leaders Martinez and Rangel receive tribute

January 24th, 2014 / By: Rob Collingsworth

Valeriano Martinez and David Rangel, two pastors prominent in the Dallas-Fort Worth area Hispanic community, died last month.Martinez, pastor of the Hispanic Mission at First Baptist Church in Roanoke, died Jan. 20. He was 68.Martinez was born in San Benito in 1946 and finished high school while in the United States Army. After leaving the military, he worked as an aircraft mechanic in Grand Prair [...]