The obituaries of rural and small-town churches are premature. Indeed, we continue to see clear evidence of hope and promise for both the churches and the communities. While the need is still great in the cities and more urban populations, we cannot ignore God’s work and opportunities in less populous areas. What is taking place […]
Writer: Lori Bova In November 1999, my husband and I found out that we were expecting our first baby. My pregnancy was textbook. I felt wonderful and was continually amazed at the life that was growing inside my womb. The nine months passed quickly. My due date came and went with no signs of impending […]
There is a pro-life wave sweeping through conservative state legislatures from Kentucky to Texas and from Georgia to North Dakota. Pro-life advocates in multiple states are pushing for a ban on all abortions after a baby’s heartbeat is detected. These “heartbeat bills” would ban abortions beginning at approximately the sixth week of pregnancy. States that […]
In the following dialogue, Mary and Charles represent a composite of my patients who have struggled with infertility. Many couples never have money or consistent insurance coverage to pursue an infertility evaluation. However, after years of saving, they finally sit down to conduct research on in vitro fertilization on the internet. Then, they come to […]
Why do we have Vacation Bible School every year in so many churches across our state? Are we just trying to entertain our children during the hot summer days? No, we expend so much time, energy, prayers, and creativity because of hardening of the heart, not hardening of the arteries — which is a medical/physical […]
For 150 years, The Courier has been telling not only the news of South Carolina Baptists but also the Good News of the gospel of Jesus Christ! A friend of mine who serves in a denominational role in another state once said to me, “It takes three years to say hello to a Baptist.” I […]
As far back as I can remember, I have appreciated The Baptist Courier as a vital contributor and supporter of the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Let me explain. My hometown is Hartsville in Darlington County, where I was born and bred. My home church was First Baptist, located in the heart of town, and I […]
Under a mango tree in Hoima, Uganda, roughly 100 children gathered, eagerly waiting for Vacation Bible School to begin. Sixteen short-term missionaries from the United States had traveled there to minister to these children and their families. Their sacrifices of hot showers, air conditioning and cultural familiarity seemed utterly insignificant as the days passed and […]
One of my dad’s favorite pastimes was fishing. He rarely caught anything big, but he loved to go to the lake or a river, or a stream, and “drown a worm.” I have a nice bass on my wall that was caught with my dad on Watauga Lake in East Tennessee. I cherish the memory […]
Sometimes it seems the hardest thing for a Christian to do is to accept God’s will. We pray and ask God for help — to heal us, bless our lives and change our situations. We pray that God will answer us in the way we want, and when He doesn’t, we become frustrated and question […]