• David Johnson named Ariz. executive director
• Randy Adams elected NW executive director
• New Bush presidential library testifies to faith, family values
• Pastorate can be ‘lonely place’ new Suwannee DOM says
• Three Florida Baptist communicators recognized with awards at annual meeting
• Witness Executive Editor James Smith takes position at Southern Seminary
• Worship pastor changes beats, slows tempo
• After 40 years Pastor Bumpers says ‘the old-fashioned stuff’ still works
• Tampa native takes helm of new Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Ministry at Southern
• Advocates: Immigration bill a good step forward
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RIDGECREST, N.C. (BP)—Christ, not culture, models how Black men can best lead their families, churches and communities, speakers said during the annual “Be the Man” conference.

RIDGECREST, N.C. (BP)—Seeking to help predominantly Black churches strengthen male leadership in homes, churches and communities, LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention has launched an initiative for starting and undergirding men’s ministries.

PANAMA CITY (FBC)—Their stories are different, but they represent literally hundreds of people who have experienced physical and spiritual healing because of a Panama City ministry.

PANAMA CITY (FBC)—A congregation of 100 gathered at Westview Baptist Church in Panama City on Easter Sunday—young, old, middle-aged, black, white, Hispanic—reflective of the neighborhood where the church is nestled in the residential neighborhood. Embraces, warm smiles and good-natured teasing marked the Sunday morning greetings, conveying a true sense of love, acceptance and joy.

PANAMA CITY (FBC)—Bill and Emily Richard navigate their aging white Caravan through the gates of the Panama City Port showing their Transportation Security Admission-issued credentials to the port’s armed guard.

JACKSONVILLE (FBW)—Southern Baptists spend per capita 33 times more for missions in relatively gospel-saturated North America than they do for the comparatively unreached rest of the world, a recent analysis asserts.

ATLANTA (BP)—More than 430 Southern Baptist leaders—state executives, local association representatives and church planting and evangelism specialists from across North America—converged on Atlanta July 26-30 for the North American Mission Board’s annual summer senior leadership meeting.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (NAMB)—The North American Mission Board has appointed four new missionaries in Florida.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—While additional gifts for missions are welcome, the “Christmas in August” special offering being promoted across the Southern Baptist Convention will not solve the long-term funding needs of the International Mission Board, that organization’s leader says.

In my years as a college professor, I frequently began classes, especially with new students, with a request for each student to give an account of his or her call to the ministry. Some were indeed thrilling. Stories were told of retired colonels, bank officials, car dealers, and occasionally of former bootleggers who answered God’s call to minister. Sadly, in almost every class someone, somewhat embarrassed, described how he refused the call to preach years ago, but was finally trying to make amends. Are you one of that group? Jonah’s experiences can speak to all of us.

Revelation 1:1 describes the purpose of the book as the unveiling of Jesus, saying “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him.” Verse 5 asserts, “and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,” words repeated in 3:14, calling Him “the faithful and true witness.” The Greek word for “witness” in these verses is the basis of the English word, “martyr.” He is indeed the true and faithful martyr as He laid down His life for sinners. His death is our victory. His emotional victory, however, was won in the Garden of Gethsemane as He struggled within Himself at the prospects of what lay before in the last few hours of His physical work.

Hedonism is a pagan philosophy of life in which “pleasure” or “self” is the chief goal. Christianity is the acceptance of the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the source of abundant and eternal life. Jesus taught that death to self is a prerequisite for discipleship. Hedonism and Christianity, therefore, represent opposing spectrums of life.

James is the most practical book in the New Testament. James does not deal extensively with doctrinal issues in his short letter. Rather, James focuses on the relation of faith and life. He concludes his epistle with a challenge for believers to deepen their prayer experience. In doing so, James reminds churches that nothing is more practical than a ministry of prayer.

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (BP)—Both the quality and duration of life for America’s next generations will suffer if President Obama’s health-care reform proposal becomes law, Southern Baptist ethics leader Richard Land says.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—This year marks one decade since Bart Millard of the Christian music group MercyMe penned the words to the song “I Can Only Imagine,” which would become a chart-topper and cause a vast array of people to think about heaven.