Arizona

On the opening day of the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting, SBC president Bryant Wright addressed the convention, saying if there is one message God wants Southern Baptist individuals, churches and the convention itself to hear, it is that they have left their first love, as Jesus describes in Revelation 2.

Wright addressed on Tuesday five challenges Southern Baptists face on a daily basis that slowly pull believers away from Christ.

The first challenge he spoke about was materialism – which he says is the number one idol in SBC churches, pointing to studies that show evangelical Christians give less than 2.5 percent of their income to the Lord’s work. He said there’s a clear message in that fact. more >>

The massive Wallow Fire, which has continued to burn throughout much of eastern Arizona for over two weeks now, set a record on Tuesday as the largest fire in state history.

Started from what authorities believe to be an unattended campfire on May 29th, the fire has burned over 469,000 acres and caused nearly 10,000 people to evacuate their homes, according to Reuters.

The roaring flames were within a mile of a neighboring New Mexico mountain burg in Luna – less than 10 miles east of the Arizona border – putting an estimated 200 residents on alert for possible evacuation. more >>

Southern Baptists got a late Pentecost lesson on Monday from a preacher who's best known for founding the Passion Movement.

As someone who grew up in a Southern Baptist church and received a Master’s degree from a Southern Baptist seminary, Louie Giglio knew he was speaking to a crowd that wasn't exactly keen on Pentecost celebrations or embracing the Holy Spirit, for that matter.

"I've never ever been to church on Pentecost Sunday when there was a Pentecost Sunday celebration in 53 years of my life," Giglio said at the 2011 Pastors Conference. "I didn't even know when it was for quite a while." more >>

(Join the Live Prayer Room for Wallow Fire victims and firefighters by submitting your prayer in the comments below!)

Arizona’s Wallow Fire is massive and has been growing by tens of thousands of acres a day. But it is not expected to surpass the state’s largest wildfire, the 2002 Rodeo-Chediski fire, said a fire chief.

As of Sunday night, the Wallow Fire was 10 percent contained, up from 0 percent last Thursday. It has burned nearly 450,000 acres, or 703-square miles. By comparison, the Rodeo-Chediski wildfire, which was actually two fires that merged into one, burned 467,000 acres, or 732 square miles. more >>

Southern Baptist pastors were given a simple yet poignant message Sunday to preach Christ and not themselves.

Citing what were likely familiar words from the late A.T. Robertson, Bob Pitman reminded them that preaching of one's self was "surely as poor and disgusting a topic as a preacher can find."

Dean of the Adrian Rogers Center for Biblical Preaching at the Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in Memphis, Tenn., Pitman directed his message to hundreds of pastors gathered in Phoenix, Ariz., for a two-day conference, held just ahead of the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting. more >>

Arizona’s Wallow Fire is massive and has been growing by tens of thousands of acres a day. But it is not expected to surpass the state’s largest wildfire, the 2002 Rodeo-Chediski fire, said a fire chief.

As of Sunday night, the Wallow Fire was 10 percent contained, up from 0 percent last Thursday. It has burned nearly 450,000 acres, or 703-square miles. By comparison, the Rodeo-Chediski wildfire, which was actually two fires that merged into one, burned 467,000 acres, or 732 square miles.

“Everything is holding,” said Jerome Macdonald, fire operations chief, to The Associated Press. “Compared to what we’ve been dealing with just two days ago … we’re feeling a lot more confident. We turned a corner.” more >>