Resources from 2017

RISHMOND, Va. (BP) – En nuestro rincón del mundo, no hay desfiles cristianos, ni filas para visitar a Santa Claus, ni lotes llenos de árboles cortados listos para venderse. Pero nuestros vecinos -- la mayoría de los cuales nunca ha observado la navidad -- saben que nosotros celebramos a Jesús. No se debe a que nosotros tenemos un nacimiento gigantesco en nuestro jardín al frente de la casa, o porque tenemos un show espectacular de luces láser (no que eso sea algo malo). Lo saben por una simple razón: los invitamos a nuestra casa.

JIBLA, Yemen (BP) -- Han pasado 15 años desde que caminé por los predios secos y pedregosos del Hospital Bautista Jibla en Yemen, donde un pistolero solitario mató a tres misioneros médicos de la Junta de Misiones Internacionales (IMB) una mañana de diciembre de 2002. Los bautistas del sur habían invertido sus vidas en este centro médico más de 35 años mientras se preocupaban por miles de personas en esta problemática nación del Medio Oriente.

NASHVILLE (BP) -- El énfasis de oración de un mes de duración "En toda ocasión oren" abre el 2018 en el calendario de la Convención Bautista del Sur animando a las iglesias a orar juntos 60 minutos por lo menos una vez a la semana en enero. Basado en Hechos 1:8 y 2 Crónicas 7:14, En Toda Ocasión Oren anima a 10 minutos de lectura de las Escrituras, liderazgo público y adoración; 20 minutos para expresar verbalmente las peticiones de oración, y 30 minutos de oración guiada en cada servicio de una hora de duración, dijeron los organizadores del evento.

El año pasado fuimos a España para pasar la Navidad con nuestra hija y con nuestra nieta. Este año ellas vienen acá, y desde que anunciaron su viaje nos encontramos haciendo arreglos y colocando decoraciones para que cuando lleguen, se sientan bienvenidas y en casa.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (BP) -- Two controversial Confederate statues were removed from Memphis parks Dec. 20 shortly after the city council approved sale of the public land to a nonprofit organization. The sudden developments came after the city met roadblocks in its lengthy effort to take down statues of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest and President Jefferson Davis. City leaders were seeking to remove the monuments before the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The civil rights leader was slain April 4, 1968, in Memphis.

UNITED NATIONS (BP) -- In a move characterized by media outlets as a denunciation of the Trump administration, the United Nations General Assembly voted Thursday (Dec. 21) to ask nations not to establish diplomatic missions in Jerusalem. By a 128-9 vote with 35 abstentions and 21 U.N. member nations absent, the General Assembly's resolution "Status of Jerusalem" expressed "deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem" -- an apparent reference to President Trump's Dec. 6 announcement the U.S. would recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move its embassy there.

NASHVILLE (BP) -- In a year where scandal, tragedy, political strife and one too many devastating hurricanes dominated the headlines, some might be surprised this year's most-read Baptist Press story was about a movie. The release of the "The Shack," based on a bestselling book by the same title, sparked debate over its depictions of the Trinity as well as fictional references that conflict with Scripture. This list of most-read stories for the year, drawn from the web-traffic tracker Google Analytics, also includes the spiritual journey of a woman who lived for nearly a decade as a transgender man, a column on death and angels, the forced resignation of Ole Miss ...

SEARCY, Ark. (BP) -- Bill Roussel has a heart for widows and widowers. For years Bill visited with two widows on Sunday mornings at First Baptist Church in Searcy, Ark. One day he told his wife Amy they should do something for the ladies, who had long worked in the children's ministry, to add an extra measure of joy to their lives during the holiday season. The Roussels decided to host a Christmas dinner for the church's widows and widowers ...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- Dec. 18, 2014, Sam and Stephanie Patterson changed four lives forever as they adopted three sisters and a brother who came into their lives through foster care. Now, three years later, the family is eager for another Christmas together. Carrie, Carissa, Austin and Kali were first welcomed into the Patterson home in October 2013. These four years have been a time of growth and adjustment, yet the children "have changed our lives completely," Stephanie said, hardly remembering "what life was like pre-kids."

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) -- In one of the most turbulent weather years in U.S. history, Southern Baptists stretched their disaster relief capabilities in bringing relief to those affected by massive storms. The North American Mission Board (NAMB) coordinated multi-state responses to three major hurricanes. Southern Baptist volunteers prepared more than 3 million meals, served over 90,000 days and witnessed more than 700 people profess faith in Christ in ministering to hurricane survivors.