Pakistan Missionaries Murdered

"They were sweethearts," the Rev. Albert Martin said. "He led her, and she followed him willingly and cheerfully. That is all biblical, you see." Martin was remembering Arif and Kathleen Khan, a missionary couple whom Martin's church, the Trinity Baptist Church of Montville, N.J., had sent to Pakistan eight years ago. There, this August, the couple were shot to death in their home by three suspected killers: a young woman who later claimed that Arif had laced her tea with a sedative and sexually assaulted her; the woman's husband, a lapsed member of the tiny church Arif had founded just outside the country's capital, Islamabad; and a gunman from Waziristan, a frontier region that serves as a sanctuary for the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

Jan. 8 Election to Proceed

NAUDERO, Pakistan - Three days after the violent killing of its leader, Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan's largest political party on Sunday picked her 19-year-old son to succeed her as chairman and vowed to forge ahead with elections next week, immediately creating a new quandary for the government about whether to delay the vote.

Natalie Grant’s Passion for Justice & Mercy

Two-time reigning GMA "Female Vocalist of the Year" Natalie Grant claims she's no hero. Others would disagree. And arguably so. While Grant's music career sky-rocketed with 2005's release of Awaken (Curb), featuring her smash hit "Held," the Dove Award winner's passion for helping others expanded in ways that even surprised Natalie herself. And it all started with an episode of Law & Order.

Are You Ready for the New Year?

This past August, USA Today reported on the Beloit College Mindset List. Published at the beginning of each new school year, the Mindset List offers a quick peek into the hearts and minds of the entering students for the coming year. I must confess that this year's list got my attention in an unusual way because it brought me face-to- face with how this year's college freshman class views our world.

prchg I txt

I remember when e-mail was the coolest thing going. Now e-mail is for us old guys, as the millennial generation has stepped things up to communicating with each other via text-messaging. You've seen them - young men and women pounding away at their tiny cell phones with their thumbs, sending each other important messages like RUOK ("Are you OK?") and IBCNU ("I'll be seeing you") in an obscure code known only to people under the age of 25.

The Expository Method

"It is, perhaps, an overbold beginning, but I will venture to say that with its preaching, Christianity stands or falls." - P.T. Forsyth

Preaching Through Landmines

Through his pastoral service at First Baptist Church, in Atlanta, his In Touch TV and radio ministry and his many books, Charles Stanley has become one of the nation's best known preachers. Preaching editor Michael Duduit recently had the opportunity to visit with Pastor Stanley about his newest book and his preaching ministry. Preaching: Your most recent book is Landmines in the Path of the Believer. What led to the writing of this book?

What Will I Serve for Dinner?

Parents ask this question on a daily basis. "Should I microwave some TV dinners or make a salad? Pastors make similar decisions for their church families on a weekly basis. Every week, every pastor wonders, "What's for dinner?" What spiritual food will I serve up to my congregation this week?"

Preaching and Trinitarian Worship (part 4 of a series)

My last article concluded with this challenge: Preach as Trinitarians, and I dealt with two issues: a) Preach the Trinity in the whole story of Scripture; b) Preach all Three Persons. Now we consider two further aspects. Preach the Trinity in Scripture texts. Keep looking for the Trinity in every text.