Ted Leon Keller, 68, of Columbia, known for his ministry to truckers and their families, died April 6, 2017. Born in Columbia, he was an ordained minister and a member of Spring Valley Baptist Church. He graduated from Wingate College and attended Charleston Southern University. He also attended culinary school. He stood alongside truck drivers […]
Reprinted: ‘Marriage That Works Is Work’
Getting married is easy, but maintaining the divinely designed relationship of marriage requires a workmanlike commitment to God and to each other. That’s the premise behind “Marriage That Works Is Work” by Baptist Courier editor Rudy Gray, which has been reprinted on the 10th anniversary of the book’s initial publication. Intended to help couples in […]
Letter: Blessed by ‘The Shack’
In response to “ ‘The Shack’ is not an accurate view of God” (April), I believe the only accurate view of God comes from His Word and from a personal encounter with Him. Both the book and the movie present a fictional, beautiful account of healing and forgiveness. Christian fiction should not be confused with doctrine, […]
Obituary: Jack E. King Jr.
Jack E. King Jr., 79, of Laurens, died April 3, 2017. Born in Spartanburg, he served in the U.S. Air Force as a 2nd lieutenant. He attended Clemson University and Newberry College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree. He also was a graduate of Liberty Bible Institute. He pastored numerous churches during his 56 years of […]
Burnsview Baptist Church breaks ground on new facility
Burnsview Baptist Church in Greer broke ground on a new Christian Life Center on March 5. Construction is expected to begin soon.
Burnsview minister of music Ray Hatcher retires after 46 years in ministry
Ray Hatcher (right) retired from Burnsview Baptist Church, Greer, on Feb. 19 after serving as minister of music and outreach for more than 23 years. He is pictured with his successor, Johnny Andrews. Hatcher served various churches in music ministry for more than 46 years.
Baptist theologian Luke Stamps to join AU faculty in the fall
Luke Stamps, a widely published Baptist theologian, will join the faculty of Anderson University this fall. Stamps has served since 2012 as assistant professor of Christian studies at California Baptist University in Riverside, Calif. A native of Alabama, he is a graduate of Auburn University and earned his master of divinity and doctor of philosophy […]
Camden pastor Bruce Hancock retires after 25 years of service
Bruce Hancock, pastor of Camden First Baptist Church for the last 25 years, retired April 30. Before serving at Camden, he pastored churches in North Carolina. He and his wife, Pat, will continue to reside in Camden. They have two daughters and four grandsons.
Summerville Baptist Church calls Randy Harling as lead pastor
Randy Harling has been called as lead pastor of Summerville Baptist Church. Harling, who formerly served as president of Connie Maxwell Children’s Home and pastor of Simpsonville First Baptist Church, is a graduate of Furman University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. At Simpsonville, he founded “A Home for Me,” a ministry to connect foster children to […]
Longtime pastor Dick Lincoln retires after 38 years at Shandon
Dick Lincoln, pastor of Shandon Baptist Church in Columbia since 1978, retired in March. During his 38-year tenure, Shandon’s membership grew from 750 to around 7,000, and attendance grew to around 2,200. In 1996, the church moved from the Shandon neighborhood to its current location on Forest Drive. Lincoln served as president of the South […]