News Articles by Sharon Mager

WHEELING, W.Va. (BP) -- Twenty-one years ago, Tom Rentfrow left a church in Heron, Va. -- the fastest-growing church in its association -- to begin a church in West Virginia. He had heard God speak to him during a sermon on home missions and being willing to serve wherever God calls. Rentfrow was flabbergasted but was sure it was God leading, so he obeyed. He and his wife Helen and two other believers founded Abundant Life Baptist Church in the Wheeling-area community of Elm Grove. The Rentfrows had been warned by family, friends and other pastors that most Elm Grove residents were Catholics and wouldn't be responsive to a Baptist church. "They told us it was a lost cause," Helen Rentfrow said. Indeed, the couple soon realized how difficult the situation was. In addition to the community's overwhelmingly Catholic majority, other professing Christians already were involved in their own churches. The Rentfrows had doors slammed in their faces. But they persevered, building bridges to active and nominal Catholics -- and lasting friendships. The most effective bridge has been Tom Rentfrow's involvement in the pro-life movement. Shortly after arriving in Wheeling, Rentfrow, now president of West Virginia for Life's local chapter, stood with the Catholic bishop in opposing abortion. "He was genuinely a man of God who loved life and loved people. I was in his office praying with him. I heard his heart," Rentfrow said. At the urging of a nun, Rentfrow led Abundant Life Baptist Church to become a Gabriel Project church supporting women in crisis pregnancy situations and those who choose life. God blessed Abundant Life. They moved to nearby Triadelphia and now have a membership of more than 200 and a thriving school. The church supports four missionaries and gives more than 10 percent of its receipts through the Cooperative Program. God then began to lead the Rentfrows and Abundant Life to plant a new church in an old Catholic parish in Wheeling in the heart of an aging Polish community. In 2002, the Rentfrows were prayerwalking in South Wheeling when they discovered the former St. Ladislaus Catholic Church on the corner of 45th and Eoff, founded in 1902. They stepped out on faith to make an offer of $35,000 and were amazed when the diocese accepted it. They had no funds for mortgage payments but trusted God. Supervisors of a local Head Start program asked Helen if she had any ideas where they could rent a facility. She suggested the St. Ladislaus parish, which suited Head Start's needs, and the rent provided the funds for the mortgage of the new plant, South Wheeling Chapel. "It was like a miracle," Helen said. God showed His hand repeatedly in the new outreach. The owner of property across the street, formerly the site of a convent, donated the land to the church. He was so impressed with his dealings with the Rentfrows that he went on to help the church get natural gas rights there for additional revenue.

LINTHICUM, Md. (BP) -- About 800 people from 600 Korean Baptist churches in 40 states including Alaska and Hawaii gathered for the Council of Korean Baptist Churches' annual meeting.

BALTIMORE (BP)–Southern Baptist Convention President Johnny Hunt, in a visit to Baltimore, told church planters, “If we don’t reach the cities, we won’t reach America.” Hunt visited Baltimore to see the work of “Embrace Baltimore,” one of the SBC’s “Strategic Focus Cities” initiatives — a cooperative effort by the Baltimore Baptist Association, the Baptist Convention […]

CHISINAU, Moldova (BP)--Christians in Moldova are asking believers around the world to pray for their country in the wake of tumult over April 5 parliamentary elections in which the communist party won 50 percent of the seats.

REVISED Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008 DOVER, Del. (BP)–Messengers to the 173rd annual meeting of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware were reminded that more turbulent times are yet to come in the world but those who trust in Jesus have the hope that people so desperately seek. The meeting at the Sheraton Hotel in Dover Nov. […]

COLUMBIA, Md. (BP)–Billy Bestofall, pastor of The Church of Everyone’s Dreams, announces his resignation and the congregation is devastated. They cry, have a farewell chicken dinner and start looking for a replacement. Soon Pastor Justasgood comes along and the church rejoices, starts new programs and the honeymoon is on. But then members notice Brother Justasgood […]

SALISBURY, Md. (BP)–Lee Hughart was happily working as a bivocational pastor and assistant curator of a historic fort in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina swept through and wiped out his home, church and community. Hughart and his wife Allison packed their few remaining belongings into their Kia, strapped in their two young children, then-2-year-old Clararuth […]

OCEAN CITY, Md. (BP)–Messengers to the 172nd annual meeting of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware increased the convention’s budget, heard reports from growing churches and passed resolutions opposing embryonic stem cell research and gambling. With the theme “Engage Tomorrow,” 354 registered messengers and 75 guests from 142 churches gathered at the Ocean City Clarion Resort […]

WASHINGTON (BP)--"Mr. Redskin" Darrell Green has a reputation. He's fast, he's loyal and he's got staying power. He's also got a reputation as an absolute hands-down believer who's not afraid to be obedient to Christ even if it means losing millions of dollars.

LAYTONSVILLE, Md. (BP)--The small contingency gathered in the evenings, fearful, saddened, yet excited by their plans. There was no other choice. Life support had to be withdrawn.