The Baptist Courier

Ministers will receive a small tax benefit from the recent compromise legislation signed by President Barack Obama Dec. 17. Their SECA Social Security tax rate will fall from 12.4 percent to 10.4 percent for 2011 only, according to analysts... Continue Reading »

Tim Hughes, director of White Oak Conference Center, brags on the maintenance staff as an example of a new guest-focused attitude at the SCBC retreat facility near Winnsboro. ?One of our staff initiatives is to leave ?Brag on Me?... Continue Reading »

British entertainer Elton John and his husband (I?m not kidding) recently announced the birth of their child, delivered by a surrogate mother in California. News of the birth was celebrated by the audience where the announcement originated and was... Continue Reading »

Looking forward to 2011? Every new year holds promise and potential. New jobs. Reunions. Graduations. Weddings. The list could go on and on. But some folks say we should set aside May 21 for the event we have all... Continue Reading »

The issues that face pastors today are enormous. I personally think being a pastor is one of the toughest jobs in North America. Many men have gone into the ministry with the goal to win the world for Christ,... Continue Reading »

Florin smiles deferentially as the Romanian police officer unleashes a tirade of curses at him in front of the Bucharest airport. ?You are the reason for Romania's bad name!? the policeman yells. ?You Gypsies go to France and steal,... Continue Reading »

George Beverly Shea, longtime soloist for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award in conjunction with the 2011 Grammy Awards.... Continue Reading »

The Shades of REaD Book Club at Barker’s Creek Baptist Church, Honea Path (an outreach of the church’s WMU) meets once a month to share thoughts about a book that all of the ladies have read – and to... Continue Reading »

Having an ?achiever? strength among my five signature themes, I prefer lists as a way of maintaining focus. So, each day is ruled by tick marks of some sort, elements of daily life reduced to to-do bullets, Post-it notes,... Continue Reading »

In the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl Feb. 6 in Arlington, Texas, at least two North Texas organizations (Traffick 911 and Love146) are working to curb the demand for sex trafficking associated with such prominent events.... Continue Reading »

As a new year begins, many thousands of church members are filling various positions of leadership ? some for the very first time. This lesson provides an important reminder for them, and for all believers. One of the many... Continue Reading »

Many people who run out of gas admit they simply forgot to check their gas gauge. Even a quick look at that vital indicator can fend off hours of waiting or walking for help. The same is true with... Continue Reading »