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Pastors reminded to honor calling at annual conference

PRAYER John Cross, FBSC president (l-r), and Clayton Cloer, president of the Florida Baptist Pastors’ Conference, welcome John Sullivan to the platform to pray, Nov. 9. Joni B. Hannigan

PENSACOLA (FBW)—Florida pastors didn’t let the threat of Tropical Storm Ida stop them from encouraging one another in a singularly-focused 2009 Florida Baptist Pastors’ Conference at Olive Baptist Church Nov. 8-9.

The pastors were called to preach with “honor.” They were called to “honor” their wives and bring “honor” to their noble profession.

Conference breakout sessions focus on pastors family, Christian life, leadership & transition

PENSAOLA (FBW)—The 2009 Florida Baptist Pastors’ Conference in Pensacola utilized breakout sessions at Olive Baptist Church Nov. 9 to address a variety of topics including evangelism, church transition, preaching and pastoral leadership, ministry, pastoral life, family, the Christian life, and the roles of laymen and staff.

Love: What the world needs now

PENSACOLA (FBW)—Daniel Sanchez, director of the Scarborough Institute at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, opened his sermon at the Florida Baptist State Convention annual meeting Nov. 10 quoting from a song: “What the world needs now is love, sweet love.”

Florida Baptists celebrate evangelism, church planting & church strengthening priorities

PENSACOLA (FBC)—Reflecting the Florida Baptist State Convention’s 2009 annual meeting theme, “Imagine If ..,” video reports highlighted the Florida Baptist Convention’s three priorities of evangelism, church planting and church strengthening during the two-day meeting Nov. 9-10.

Hughes urges pastors: Go for the ‘big ask’ of members, themselves

DAVID HUGHES FBC photo

PENSACOLA (FBW)—Pastors should not be afraid to make the “big ask” of their church members, challenging them to be faithful in attendance, giving, encouraging and willing to do whatever it takes to reach people for Christ, David Hughes preached Nov. 10 during the annual sermon at the Florida Baptist State Convention in Pensacola.

“I’ve discovered this through Scripture that as a pastor, especially a senior pastor, it is part of my calling before God to ask His people for big things, to go for the big ask from time to time,” said Hughes, pastor of Church by the Glades in Coral Springs.

State Board of Missions hears report from past presidents on GCR

PENSCOLA (FBC)—Convening Nov. 9 prior to the Florida Baptist State Convention annual meeting in Pensacola, the State Board of Missions heard a report on the meeting of the State Convention past presidents as they considered a Great Commission Resurgence in Florida.

FBSC messengers applaud pastors who have served 60-plus years

Messengers in Pensacola approve nominees for Florida’s SBOM & agencies

Florida Focus

A one-time announcement of special events is a free service provided by the Witness to Florida Baptist churches. Please send materials at least three weeks before the date of the event, to Florida Baptist Witness, 1230 Hendricks Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32207, fax 904-346-0696 or submitted using our online form. Items received after deadline may appear in our exclusive on-line version.

Obituaries

Commentary/Opinion/Staff Blog

JAMES A. SMITH SR.

Executive Editor

BLOG: Why the ‘Manhattan Declaration’ on religious liberty matters

I’m planning to write more thoroughly on this matter in my editorial for next week, but I wanted to take the occasion of my blog to alert readers to an important manifesto released today at a National Press Club news conference in Read More...

JONI B. HANNIGAN

Managing Editor

BLOG: ‘Blind Side’ movie reminder of Good Samaritan

It’s not a football movie. It’s not a chick flick. It preaches without being preachy. It’s PG-13, but a movie families should consider watching Read More...

DAVE RAMSEY

Point of View: Dave Says

RICHARD HARRIS

Point of View: Reaching the world ... together

There’s been a lot of talk in recent months about how Southern Baptists can most effectively reach our lost world for Christ. That’s a conversation from which I believe we can all Read More...

JAMES A. SMITH SR.

Executive Editor

BLOG: Principles for ethically sound health care reform

With the U.S. Senate possibly set to begin debating later this week various proposals for health care reform, the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission has released a statement worthy of the consideration of Southern Read More...

CHARLES COLSON

Point of View: Stinks to be you—Health care and the utilitarian calculus

Should the “greatest good for the greatest number” be the guiding principle behind health Read More...

JAMES A. SMITH SR.

Executive Editor

BLOG: Tampa City Council set for final vote Thursday on transgender law

The Tampa Tribune is reporting today concern from local evangelical leaders about a proposed ordinance under consideration by the Tampa City Council to include transgendered individuals in the city’s anti-discrimination Read More...

JAMES A. SMITH SR.

Executive Editor

EDITORIAL: A model of cooperation for the FBSC’s future

In a very real sense, one person decided the outcome of the pivotal vote at the Florida Baptist State Convention annual meeting in Pensacola last week establishing an “Imagine If … Great Commission Task Force”: John Read More...

Pastors reminded to honor calling at annual conference
PENSACOLA (FBW)—Florida pastors didn’t let the threat of Tropical Storm Ida stop them from encouraging one another in a singularly-focused 2009 Florida Baptist Pastors’ Read More Florida Baptists celebrate evangelism, church planting & church strengthening priorities
PENSACOLA (FBC)—Reflecting the Florida Baptist State Convention’s 2009 annual meeting theme, “Imagine If ..,” video reports highlighted the Florida Baptist Convention’s three priorities of Read More Hughes urges pastors: Go for the ‘big ask’ of members, themselves
PENSACOLA (FBW)—Pastors should not be afraid to make the “big ask” of their church members, challenging them to be faithful in attendance, giving, encouraging and willing to do Read More State Board of Missions hears report from past presidents on GCR
PENSCOLA (FBC)—Convening Nov. 9 prior to the Florida Baptist State Convention annual meeting in Pensacola, the State Board of Missions heard a report on the meeting of the State Convention past Read More FBSC messengers applaud pastors who have served 60-plus years
Read More Messengers in Pensacola approve nominees for Florida’s SBOM & agencies
Read More Florida Focus
A one-time announcement of special events is a free service provided by the Witness to Florida Baptist churches. Please send materials at least three weeks before the date of the event, to Read More Obituaries
Read More

Pro-lifers: Amendment to health-care bill phony
WASHINGTON (BP)--The U.S. House of Representatives appears poised to vote on health-care legislation that includes a so-called pro-life compromise opponents of abortion say is Read More State execs offer GCR task force vision, views
DALLAS (BP)—In what might be arguably the most significant meeting yet for the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force, 22 executive directors of Southern Baptist state conventions met with them Oct. Read More Vatican invitation could mean married priests
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—An invitation by the Vatican for Anglicans to enter full communion with the Catholic Church while preserving elements of their liturgical heritage could mean an increase in the Read More U.S. officials unaware of child sex-trafficking problem
WASHINGTON (BP)—Most Americans, including far too many government officials, have no idea that children under the age of 18 are being shipped from state to state as child prostitutes, according to a Read More Concert tour promotes missions strategy
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—In a first-of-its-kind venture, a Christian music group is recruiting people for missions while promoting Southern Baptists’ Cooperative Program during its fall concert Read More Digital Bible offers interactive experience
NASHVILLE (BP)–Newsweek magazine featured recently the invention of a digital Bible called Glo (pronounced “glow”), which includes “HD video, photographs, maps, reading plans, 360-degree Read More Maine voters stun pundits, reject gay marriage law
AUGUSTA, Maine (BP)--Supporters of traditional marriage in Maine shocked the political world and even some of their own supporters Nov. 3, overcoming a slew of obstacles to overturn a new law that Read More ‘Libel tourism’ assaults free speech
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—In the debate over Intelligent Design, William Dembski is wary of a new trend dubbed “libel tourism” that may force Americans to submit to lawsuits in other countries for Read More

WWII POW recalls capture in Ardennes Forest
Throughout the story in italics are excerpts from Joseph William Plappert’s personal account of the Battle of the Bulge, The Long Journey, which was handwritten by Read More Retired Florida pastor/lobbyist saved from death in Ardennes by Army ‘angels’
JACKSONVILLE (FBW)—D.J. (Dean) Abernathy, retired Florida pastor and Florida Baptist Convention lobbyist, was injured during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944, and he says at least two angels saved Read More Baptist World Alliance, 1905
The first meeting of the Baptist World Alliance was July 11-18, 1905, in Exeter Hall, London. Numerous calls had been made for a worldwide Baptist organization that would project the Lordship of Read More Lottie Moon: Reaching the Berbers of North Africa
NORTH AFRICA (BP)—The truck we were traveling in through the Atlas Mountains rounded the curve of a hillside to reveal a meadow spreading below. As the sun burnished the field with its afternoon Read More Author provocatively asks: ‘Does God believe in atheists?’
John Blanchard, Does God Believe in Atheists? (Darlington, UK: Evangelical Press, 2001), 655 pages. 29.99 Read More LMCO Prayer Guide
Reaching the world with the Gospel can be like working a jigsaw puzzle—but with half the pieces Read More

James 4: November 29—Work on your humility
I doubt seriously that humility is a quality one can “work on.” A lady once asked me, “Are you a humble person?” Either way I answered the question was self-defeating. Had I answered, “Yes,” the Read More Psalm 119:1-16: November 29—Obey God’s Word
The Book of Psalms is comprised of five books or collections of psalms. The fifth collection contains Psalms 107-150. Numerous smaller collections exist within this large group. For example, Jewish Read More Micah 5:1-5a; 7:18-20: December 6—Come, thou long-expected Jesus
In this series of studies anticipating the birth of Jesus, we will introduce each session by citing the title of four beloved Christmas carols. Appropriately, our first topic came to be portrayed in Read More Mark 1:14-31: December 6—How can Jesus help me?
John Mark wrote the second gospel as followers of Christ encountered difficult days. He wrote to Christians in Rome facing imperial pressure sometime around 60 A.D. Mark likely wrote with several Read More James 2:1-13: November 15—Treat everyone fairly
Most parents can probably identify with the following. The child comes home from school, thoroughly dejected and ready to quit school. A parent sits down with the despondent one and tries to learn Read More James 3: November 22—Watch your language
Our major senses such as eye, ear, and nose are known by the function they perform. If we think of vision, we think of the eye, of sound, we think of the ear, and of odor, the Read More Psalm 112: November 15—Live righteously
All people worship, even unbelievers. Through worship, we ascribe worth to a person or object. The object of human worship shapes and molds our life. We become like that which we worship. The twin Read More Psalm 116: November 22—Give thanks
Elizabeth Barrett Browning (d. 1861) wrote one of my favorite poems. The opening line reads, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, perhaps we should Read More

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