Marty King

NASHVILLE (BP) -- Southern Baptists experienced growth in the number of churches affiliated with the convention in 2012 and the total amount given for denominational missions causes. However, according to the Annual Church Profile (ACP) compiled by LifeWay Christian Resources in cooperation with Baptist state conventions, most of the ACP metrics declined in 2012 including membership, average attendance, baptisms and total giving.

HOUSTON (BP) — Small-group Bible study tools, movie screenings and book signings by leading Christian authors are planned by LifeWay Christian Resources for the June 11-12 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Houston. LifeWay will unveil in its report to the SBC an updated and enhanced version of Bible Studies for Life, LifeWay’s most popular […]

NASHVILLE (BP) -- Cliff Tharp, Jr., who coordinated the annual reporting and analysis of the Southern Baptist Convention's membership statistics, died Monday (March 11) in Richmond, Va. He was 70.

RIDGECREST, N.C. (BP) -- "We Christians are often too timid, lacking the boldness to move where God wants us," LifeWay Christian Resources President Thom Rainer told Southern Baptist entity's trustees during their semiannual meeting.

RIDGECREST, N.C. (BP) -- "We Christians are often too timid, lacking the boldness to move where God wants us," LifeWay Christian Resources President Thom Rainer told Southern Baptist entity's trustees during their semiannual meeting.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) — LifeWay Ridgecrest Conference Center in North Carolina has been awarded the first-ever 2012 “Praise Award” by Religious Conference Manager magazine. The nation’s largest Christian conference facility, Ridgecrest is owned and operated by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention and has ministered to millions of guests during its more than […]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) — LifeWay Ridgecrest Conference Center in North Carolina has been awarded the first-ever 2012 “Praise Award” by Religious Conference Manager magazine. The nation’s largest Christian conference facility, Ridgecrest is owned and operated by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention and has ministered to millions of guests during its more than […]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) — LifeWay Christian Resources and Student Life, Inc., minister to more than 100,000 teenagers each year as two of the largest providers of Christian student conferences. On Aug. 15, Student Life officially became part of the LifeWay family of resources. Leaders of both ministries emphasized that while their camp experiences are programmatically […]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) — LifeWay Christian Resources and Student Life, Inc., minister to more than 100,000 teenagers each year as two of the largest providers of Christian student conferences. On Aug. 15, Student Life officially became part of the LifeWay family of resources. Leaders of both ministries emphasized that while their camp experiences are programmatically […]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- Trustees of LifeWay Christian Resources voted to continue selling the new NIV Bible in LifeWay stores, approved a new vice president for its largest division and elected new board officers. Meeting Feb. 13-14 at LifeWay offices in downtown Nashville, trustees heard a report from a special task force appointed to follow up on a non-binding resolution approved by the 2011 Southern Baptist Convention that requested LifeWay consider not selling the New International Version (NIV) 2011 Bible in their stores. Committee chairman Adam Greenway, a member of First Baptist Church in Mt. Washington, Ky., told the board "vast amounts of scholarly research and other relevant information was gathered and studied … and a number of subject matter experts addressed the task force." Greenway said LifeWay received support for continuing to carry the 2011 NIV from R. Albert Mohler Jr. and Russell Moore of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Jimmy Draper, former president of LifeWay; George Guthrie, professor of Bible at Union University; and Douglas Moo, chairman of the Committee on Bible Translation, which translated the new NIV. Greenway, who serves as senior associate dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism at Southern Seminary, also told trustees, "Messengers to the 2011 SBC annual meeting were encouraged to vote for the resolution based on incorrect information." As an example, Greenway said the 2011 NIV contains no gender-neutral wording for the names of God. The 2011 NIV, Greenway said, "follows translation methodologies that are embraced by the overwhelming majority of Bible translators in the world." "It is not that we are endorsing the 2011 NIV," Greenway said. "We endorse what we publish, and the translation we publish is the Holman Christian Standard Bible. That is the translation that we endorse." Greenway told trustees, "We do not believe the 2011 NIV rises to the level to where it should be pulled or censored or not carried in our retail chain." The task force and the trustee executive committee both unanimously approved the following recommendation: It is recommended that trustees reaffirm the decision of LifeWay to continue to carry the 2011 NIV alongside other versions of the Holy Bible. After a few minutes of discussion, the motion was unanimously approved by trustees. Greenway said many of the differences between the 2011 NIV and the 1984 NIV involved such changes as "brothers" to "brothers and sisters." One example is Luke 17:3, which the 2011 NIV renders, "If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them." Greenway did address 1 Timothy 2:12, which has been the most-discussed passage among 2011 NIV critics. The 2011 NIV rendered it, "I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet." The 1984 NIV translated it "have authority." The verse, some said, takes sides in the debate over female pastors by allowing a female pastor to say, "I'm not assuming authority on my own initiative; it was given to me by the other pastors and elders."