On-line Poison
It could be any Baptist church in any small town. This particular church is in Georgia, where life is good from outward appearances. The congregation doubled in three years with 150 baptisms and a new building. The highway out front was even four-laned. Growth from a nearby city meant more people settling in the church's […]
10/13/97 Public schools grapple with Internet porn blocks
CANTON, Ohio (BP)–It was an odd mix with eight pastors, a public school computer and pornographic Internet sites. Richard Wingerter had invited local church leaders to a test of computer software at a high school in Canton, Ohio. Wingerter, an elected school board member and Baptist layman, got some triple-X Internet addresses from a computer […]
Venezuelans’ faith response affirms medical teams’ work
BARQUISIMETO, Venezuela (BP)–John McLendon found a cure for his own fatigue during a medical trip to Venezuela in July.“I would just look up and see people becoming Christians,” said McLendon, a pre-med student from the University of Mobile. “It never failed to give me new strength.”Baptist medical volunteers spent 10 days in the country, treating […]
Internet affects church in small-town America
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–It could be any Baptist church in any small town. This particular church is in Georgia, where life is good from outward appearances.The congregation doubled in three years with 150 baptisms and a new building. The highway out front was even four-laned. Growth from a nearby city meant more people settling in the […]
Dentist: longterm results in short mission trips
TATE, Ga (BP)–Bennie Norton wanted to help a lot of people a little bit, but saw numbers add up after 33 mission trips in 16 countries.“There’s so many places in the world where there’s not enough doctors or dentists,” he said. “Most of the people who go on these trips want to go back on […]
Chat room friendship puts S.C. teen at risk
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (BP)–Summer Nix thought her friends were playing a vampire game until a stranger sucked blood from her lips.“The whole thing was like a bad … nightmare,” she said.Last year the 13-year-old from Spartanburg ran away with a friend after meeting a cult leader in a chat room. His name was Cash Morris, an […]
7/29/97 On-line ‘instant’ messages growing threat to children
FAIRFAX, Va. (BP)–Shyla Welch was expecting news from her mother when a notice popped onto her computer screen. “Care for an obedient male?” the sender asked. What was meant, Welch explained, was “a submissive sexual male.” As Welch sees it, “I should be able to get on my on-line service without being subjected to this.” […]
Libraries’ Internet links called pornography gateway
MEDINA, Ohio (BP)–Chris Williams had a familiar question when he passed a library computer with pornography on the screen. “Our tax money funds this?” The father of four had taken his children to the public library in Medina, Ohio, but didn’t expect to see teenagers downloading pictures of group sex. “Every terminal has access to […]
On-line chat rooms: new risk for unsuspecting children
CLEVELAND (BP)--Paul Brown Jr. convinced teenage girls he was a young boy in need of affection -- even though the 47-year-old Cleveland resident weighed 400 pounds.
