Saint Patrick the ‘Baptist’?
The man we know today as St. Patrick was kidnapped twice: first by Irish pirates, then after his death, by the Roman Catholic Church. The …
Baptist Bulletin: Where You’re At!
Whether you prefer print, online, or mobile, the Baptist Bulletin is where you’re at! Actually, the Baptist Bulletin has told the story of where you’re …
Fund-raising Is for the Birds
Fund-raising gets a bad rap among some Christian leaders who are uncomfortable with asking for money. They cite George Müller and Hudson Taylor as examples …
Gambling: Vice or Virtue?
Two evangelical leaders make a gambling trip to Las Vegas, followed by a lengthy exposé in a Christian magazine. They later apologize. Several Christian colleges …
Greg Gilbert: How ‘Gospel Centered’ Can Change Your Church
Greg Gilbert, pastor of Third Avenue Baptist Church in Louisville, was guest speaker at the “Standing Together for the Gospel” conference sponsored by our Ohio …
Too Small or Too Big?
Christianity includes something besides the gospel. If we make Christianity equal to the gospel alone, then we are likely to fall into one of two …
The Courage to Live
Two seminary professors, Mark McGinniss and Rod Decker, found themselves in a conversation about their journeys of suffering. When Rod was diagnosed with aggressive cancer, …
The Courage to Die
Two seminary professors, Mark McGinniss and Rod Decker, found themselves in a conversation about their journeys of suffering. When Rod was diagnosed with aggressive cancer, …
GARBC Signs Shipping Agreement with Awana
The GARBC announced two important contract agreements after the Council of Eighteen meetings in November, including formal details of the Meacham Road property sale and …
20/20 Vision for the Future
Our association has a significant opportunity before it. How we respond will determine if we position ourselves to take the road less traveled and capitalize on the opportunity, or take the easy road of the status quo and operate in maintenance mode.
Case Study: Teaching Adam
“We’re going to do something incredibly bold and incredibly crazy,” Thomas White said during his inauguration as president of Cedarville University. “We’re going to teach the Bible.”
Adam: Man, Myth, or Metaphor?
Why do evangelicals question the historical existence of Adam? What motivates their thinking? In this excerpt from Zondervan’s Four Views on the Historical Adam, William …
Do You Lead by Law or by Grace?
My snail-mail box and e-mail inbox are inundated on a weekly basis from conference organizers and eager publishers who want to show me how to …
Proving Adam . . . from Scripture
In his recent contribution to Four Views on the Historical Adam, Dr. William Barrick articulates a position that is also affirmed by the GARBC’s Articles …
Christmas Gift Helps Haiti Churches
WINFIELD, Ill.—Last Christmas Faith Baptist Church caught the GARBC’s vision of how a sacrificial gift can make an eternal difference. The Association des Énglises Evangeliques …
When a ‘Cherished Myth’ Shatters
The Baptist Bulletin is now available in a digital format. It includes all the same great material as the print version, plus extra articles and …
More Updates to the Articles of Faith
The Baptist Bulletin is now available in a digital format. It includes all the same great material as the print version, plus extra articles and …
Saddened, Not Surprised
The Baptist Bulletin is now available in a digital format. It includes all the same great material as the print version, plus extra articles and …
Betrayal, Fear, and Faith
The Baptist Bulletin is now available in a digital format. It includes all the same great material as the print version, plus extra articles and …
From Coast to Coast to Coast
The Baptist Bulletin is now available in a digital format. It includes all the same great material as the print version, plus extra articles and …
Value of Customary Church Membership
Q. Lately some friends have begun attending a church that doesn’t have membership; a person who simply attends is considered a member. Is this right?
God Was Looking at the Heart
Q. Two verses, 1 Samuel 16:7 and 16:12, seem to contradict each other. Please explain.
When the Buck Stops
The Baptist Bulletin is now available in a digital format. It includes all the same great material as the print version, plus extra articles and …
8 Money Myths That Can Negatively Impact Your Ministry
The Baptist Bulletin is now available in a digital format. It includes all the same great material as the print version, plus extra articles and …
A Multisite Church Rescue
MONTROSE, Pa.—When Pastor Bob Kadlecik came to Bridgewater Baptist Church in 2005, he had a dream. He says, “Before I die, I’d like to be part of a church that starts a new church or rescues a struggling church.”
Baby/Child Dedications Biblical?
Q. Please comment on the practice in many churches of dedicating infants and children in a church service ceremony. Is there a Biblical basis for …
Why Pray for Jerusalem’s Peace?
Q. Occasionally I hear preachers and others telling us to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” How can this be right or even possible in …
The Top 6 Areas of Pastoral Search Evaluation
The task of a pastoral search committee in a church isn’t what it used to be. It was never easy, but it seems to be …
Iva Greening at 100
My mother recently celebrated her 100th birthday. As our family prepared for an open house to celebrate this grand event, I found myself thinking back …
Same-Sex Marriage: What the Bible Really Says
“I believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman.” President Barack Obama made this statement in 2008, answering Pastor Rick Warren’s …
What the Church Has to Say to the Gay Community
The Truth about Same-Sex Marriage is a book that reflects both my love for the homosexual community as well as my deep concern for our nation …
Talking to a Gay Rights Advocate
Where do I start? How can I answer questions my friends are asking about my faith—especially when they brand me as a homophobic hater? Jay …
Betrayal, Fear, and Faith
No church wants to think that a pastor or church leader would commit sexual sin, but in our sex-obsessed culture, such offenses are becoming more …
Still an Easy Target
For too long our churches swept the problem under the carpet. When asked about the possibility of child sexual abuse, we seemed to answer with, …
The Value of a Friend
Floating debris. A handful of survivors hanging onto wreckage for dear life. Traces of a commercial jetliner floating in the Potomac’s icy waters. All these …
Putting Good Books Back into Service
Long after retiring from the mission field, Clint Bonnell sat in his Alton, Ill., home, reading the Baptist Bulletin. One headline jumped out at him: …
A Personal Guardian Angel?
Q: I have a question about the belief some have that each Christian has a personal guardian angel that watches over and protects us through …
Kissing the Son
Q. Please comment on Psalm 2:12, which mentions “kissing the Son.” A. The phrase “kiss the Son” is figurative language, referring to the actual practice …
12 Turnoffs for Newcomers
Most church leaders are happy to see guests visit on Sunday. Sometimes they come as a result of a personal invitation. At other times, a …
After the White Smoke Clears
Like millions of viewers, I watched with interest the TV coverage of the selection and installation of the new pope of the Roman Catholic Church. …
Ministry Conflict of Interest
As a church leader, you are asked to counsel a man in your church who is having marital problems. In your first meeting, he tells …
Betrayal, Fear, and Faith
With trembling hands and a reeling mind, Carla struggled to guide her apartment key into the deadbolt. Her handbag slipped off her shoulder, its contents …
Ready for the Next Disaster
Their basement flooded in a storm, and his family is doing what they can to salvage their stuff. But he can’t spend much time helping …
GARBC Retirement Community Celebrates 40 Years
SEBRING, Fla.—“We thank the Lord for Maranatha Village,” said Ellen Reed as she wrapped up her talk on “Seeing Maranatha for the First Time” at the Maranatha Village 40th anniversary celebration.
How Should We Then Marry? Part 2
I know of a man who met his wife in a most unusual way. One day he was making a run for his job as …
The Problem of Genocide in the Old Testament
Troubling headlines Recent incidents of genocide (the systematic killing of ethnic or religious groups) and ethnic cleansing (the forced deportation of ethnic or religious groups): …
Pastoral Ethics and Decorum
“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Phil. 1:27, NIV). Paul was expressing a specific and significant concern: that …
Interest in Ancestry, Genealogy Wrong?
Q: Is it wrong to invest time in genealogies, family trees, etc.? I refer to Titus 3:9. A: Titus 3:9 reads, “But avoid foolish disputes, …
Puzzled by 1,260 vs. 1,290 in Daniel
Q: In reading the book of Daniel, I came across something that appears to be contradictory. Daniel 12:11 says 1,290 days, while my understanding from …
How to Turn Workers into Leaders
Here’s what I’ve discovered about leadership development: some of the best leaders I’ve worked with as a pastor had their start as workers. They didn’t …
Learning from the Mummer Community
I grew up in Philadelphia. My family lived in a parsonage at the corner of Tabor Road and Faunce Street. Among my several friends in …
When the Minister Moves from Church to Church
Today, pastors often move between churches. While this mobility does not necessarily violate New Testament requirements, it does pose special problems. How can churches know …
When the Minister Moves from Church to Church
There seems to be considerable confusion on this matter. When a minister of the gospel conducts himself in such a fashion as to make it …
Celebrating a Church Rescue and Rebirth
Celebrating the combined efforts of four GARBC churches who helped rescue a sister church that was almost dead, First Baptist Church, Pittsfield Ill., held two …
‘A Properly Constituted and Functioning Baptist Church’—But What to Call It?
A GARBC leader explains its position on the Baptist name. The GARBC has never specified exactly how a Baptist church should be named. While this fact of history may shock some, the GARBC Constitution has never required the use of Baptist in church names.
A Limited Message or a Limited Fellowship?
Today we are choosing between two alternatives: a limited message or a limited fellowship. If we preach all of the Bible truths, there are many places where we will never be invited. If we join hands with the crowd, there will be the limiting of the message of the Bible.
Archives 2012
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Learning on the Go
Pastors long to do ministry better. In my years of serving as GARBC national representative, I have repeatedly found that pastors and ministry leaders spend …
Notes from All Over
Chris and Deb Hindal just returned from a six-week trip to Asia, what Chris calls “my longest trip ever” in his ministry of representing GARBC …
5 Things New Believers Need for Growth
The local church, by God’s design, has the responsibility of fostering spiritual growth. All that we do in worship, fellowship, service, and Bible study ought …
Visioneering
The trinitarian God of Scripture is the consummate planner. The Bible opens with the picture of the Holy Spirit moving over the surface of the …
Renew Our Strength
Ministry is draining. Whether it’s the busyness of a growing ministry, the heartache of a ministry in conflict, the struggle of a lethargic ministry, or …
How Should We Then Marry?
A few months ago I was serving in my church’s nursery during an evening service alongside a single woman who attended a Christian college, is …
Megachurch in the Middle of Nowhere
“Mission Church Destroyed by Fire” was the headline in the Baptist Bulletin. “Fire of undetermined origin completely destroyed the church building—including the nearly complete auditorium …
Born of Water
Q: What does “born of water” in John 3:5 mean? A: Several views exist. Some believe it refers to water baptism, meaning that a person …
Jesus’ Disciples—Married?
Q: We’re convinced Jesus never married, contrary to what some attention-getting liberals have advanced lately, but what about His disciples? And if any of them …
Still Rooted in the Local Church
Sixty years ago the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches endeavored to create their own Sunday School curriculum. As they began, they never imagined the …
Our Hymn Heritage
A Charge to Keep I Have A Mighty Fortress Is Our God A Shelter in the Time of Storm Abide with Me According to Thy …
My Life as a GARBC Military Brat
Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Okinawa, Iowa, Virginia, Kansas, Washington, and North Carolina again. No, this is not a travel brochure; these are the places …
Unleavened Bread Required for Communion?
Q. Are churches required to use bread without yeast in observing the Lord’s Table? A. Churches use a variety of elements in Communion bread, but …
A Story Only God Could Write
“The story starts when the king is going to bed—when the king falls asleep and has a dream that was scary,” Joe Murray tells the …
Planting a Migrant Church
By the time Isidro “Pepe” Morales pulls into the migrant camp, children are already running toward his car. Screen doors slam on the long white …
Singing from the Same Hymnal . . . In a Post-Hymnal World
Try this experiment at your church. On Sunday morning, right after the prelude, walk to the pulpit and begin singing “Amazing Grace, How Sweet the …
Singing with Understanding
The two books are still sitting in Ken Osbeck’s home office, one on top of the other, his Bible and his hymnal. After a long …
Christianity Is Not a Religion?
People like me (a 20-something rookie pastor) have probably noticed a trend making its way through social media, bumper-sticker Christianity, and Christian bookstore T-shirt sections. …
Lt. Col. Jack Stumme Becomes Command Chaplain
Lt. Col. Jack Stumme, a Regular Baptist chaplain, recently became the new command chaplain for the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division. During the traditional Change of …
Top 10 People Skills for Church Leaders
Church ministry is people ministry, and those of us who seek to sharpen our skills in this area will reap the rewards of greater support …
8 Trends Affecting GARBC Churches
This article is part 2 of “8 Trends Affecting GARBC Churches,” a continuation of the September/October “Front Row.” John Greening presented these trends during a …
Archives 1934
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Archives 1935
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Proposed Amendments to the GARBC Articles of Faith
The GARBC Articles of Faith were drafted in 1932, remained unchanged until they were clarified in 1975 and ’76, and were again clarified with a …
Archives 1936
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Archives 1937
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Archives 1943
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Archives 1944
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Archives 2011
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Cal Thomas on the Future of Christian Schools
Nationally syndicated columnist Cal Thomas is a passionate advocate for Christian schools—and was the graduation speaker at Emmanuel Christian School, Toledo, Ohio. “Good morning, religious …
The Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty
One year after the U.S. Congress repealed the Pentagon’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” policy, religious liberty remains an unresolved issue for military chaplains. According to …
Judging vs. Discerning?
Q. Please explain Matthew 7:1 in relation to our need to exercise discernment. A. The familiar verse is, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” …
8 Trends Affecting GARBC Churches
Editor’s note: This is the first article in a two-part series. In Q & A sessions with pastors and ministry students, I am often asked, …
12 Practical Ideas for Revitalizing the Sunday School
Although Sunday School ministry has been declining in recent decades, I’m not ready to give up on it. I still think the Sunday School is …
Can Humans Attain Godhood?
Q. Recently I heard that a certain cult teaches we can become gods, based on Psalm 82:6 and John 10:33 and 34. Please comment. A. …
Psalms, Hymns, and Some Really New Songs
Church music is changing. Again. For Baptists and other evangelicals in the free church tradition, these changes have always been difficult to quantify. In the …
What’s Ahead for the GARBC?
Few would deny we are living in a period of global uncertainty. A growing restlessness shows itself in the financial markets, on the political stage, …
Leadership Trust
8 Marks of Trustworthy Church Leaders Here’s the bottom line for church leaders: having the trust of the people we serve is crucial to our …
Why “666”?
Q. Why is the number “666” used to designate the Antichrist, and not some other numerals or letters? A. Again we have a question in …
Faith and High Office
Do the religious beliefs of U.S. presidents matter? Though the question is not new (Baptists, as well as Protestants and evangelicals in general, wrestled with …
Guard Your Heart, Don’t Follow It
What do you say to a woman who after less than a year of marriage decides to file for divorce? “Have you sought help for …
Churches, Pastors, and Politics
Throughout their history, Baptists have been strongly committed to the separation of church and state. At the same time, they have supported the rightness of …
What Did Jesus Write?
Q. John 8:1–11 tells about the accused woman who was dragged to Jesus because she had committed adultery. Jesus then wrote something on the ground. …
Baptists and Politics through the Years
by Norm Olson Unpredictable, perfidious, and consequential—this is election year! Whatever words a person uses to describe the daily news, we often think about our …
The Fellowship of Suffering
Chaplain Stan Beach was not supposed to be here, not climbing up the narrow trail toward Nui Cay Tri Ridge near Vietnam’s Demilitarized Zone. Four …
No Need to Wait, Give Now
Two church buildings were dedicated in June, projects completed with the generous offerings given by teenagers at the Teen Leadership Conference last summer. Dr. Chatla …
Everyone Knows the Problem. Now What?
Ankeny Conference Addresses Moral Failure in Ministry Leadership Whether one is discussing the moral problems of politicians, athletic coaches, school teachers, or church leaders, the …
July/August 2012
No Need to Wait, Give Now Everyone Knows the Problem. Now What? Navy Names Training Facility for GARBC Chaplain | Kevin Mungons and Darrell Goemaat …
2012 GARBC Conference Links
Links to all the web stories Intro: “Preparing for a Great Conference” Monday: “Searching for the Authentic Church” Monday’s Students Alive!: “Students Sticking Around for …