On Oct. 31, 2008, North Carolina Baptists lost the services of a wonderful friend, leader and encourager in the retirement of Dan Ridley, the Baptist State Convention’s (BSC) music and worship team leader. Dan served on the BSC’s music team for the past 11-plus years, first as a music consultant and then as team leader. Throughout his tenure, churches across the state have benefited from his t...

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I read with interest “Was Bethlehem innkeeper history’s rudest host?” (BR, Dec. 20, 2008) Mr. MacDonald asserts that the innkeeper and stable were likely fictional since the story is “rich with symbolism.” If the stable was fictional and it was really a feeding trough pla...

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It breaks my heart as a Southern Baptist to pick up the paper and see all this lashing out at each other with whom we are supposed to be “brother and sister” in Christ. We should all be able to agree to disagree and pray for each other. It’s embarrassing to see an article written about the staff of the Bi...

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In Jesus’ prayer for unity in John 17 He does not chastise Matthew for seeing things differently than John, and he says nothing about Peter and his future conflicts with Paul in Galatia. He does not focus on how some disciples will write gospels or begin new churches while others drift into obscurity. Instead, Jesus prays that they then (and we now) will be unified just as the Father and the So...

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I enjoyed your recent piece on Christmas symbols in public venues. Thinking this might be a good way to spark some healthy conversation, I forwarded the column to a few friends and family. Their reactions varied, but the ensuing exchanges assured me that the ques...

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