Baptist

GARDINER, Mont. (BP) -- Most churches would consider closing their doors if their active membership dipped to six people, but Gardiner Baptist Church is holding steady.

OKLAHOMA CITY (RNS) — Christy Watson, communications director for the Oklahoma State School Boards Association, said she has noticed a definite uptick in engagement between houses of worship and public schools throughout Oklahoma. Since much of the activity occurs at the grassroots level, though, it’s difficult to quantify, Watson said.

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (BP) -- In an Illinois town proud of its Route 66 heritage, thousands gather every year to celebrate what John Steinbeck called "the Mother Road." For more than 20 years, Edwardsville's annual Route 66 festival at City Park has offered visitors fun, food, and classic cars.

What was missing, realized church planter Rayden Hollis, was a gospel opportunity.

OGALLALA, Neb. (BP) -- A grieving father's Scripture-laden plea for mercy led to a lenient 180-day jail sentence for the truck driver who killed a missionary family of five in an auto accident last year.

REDDING, Calif. (BP) -- California Southern Baptist Disaster Relief chaplaincy teams have begun providing spiritual and emotional counseling to survivors of Northern California's Carr fire, which started on July 23 and rapidly grew over the weekend to consume more than 98,000 acres.

NASHVILLE (BP) -- LifeWay Christian Resources has been ranked as one of the nation's top employers for women by Forbes magazine.

The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) faces a leadership transition in the coming months that offers an opportunity to be thoughtful and proactive about the future.

As it faces its fourth leadership era, the cultural and religious landscape has shifted dramatically from its founding 26 years ago.

MASHALLTOWN, Iowa (BP) -- Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams have begun cleanup work in Marshalltown, Iowa, following a devastating tornado July 19.

On July 24, Southwest Baptist University announced its new president, Eric A. Turner, who will replace the retiring C. Pat Taylor. Elected as the 25^th president of SBU after a unanimous vote by SBU’s trustees on July 20, he will start as president-elect on Aug. 6 and assume the presidency on Sept. 1.

OKLAHOMA Okla. (BP) -- Demonstrating that no one is too old to learn, Portland Avenue Baptist Church hosted a senior adult version of Vacation Bible School (VBS), July 9-12. By midweek, the church had nearly 20 seniors saying, as the VBS song goes, "Y-E-S to VBS."