About

Note: We’re working toward an official launch in February 2008. If you’ve found us through searches, like what you see, and think you might be interested in lending a hand, get in touch with us. Our email is brotherhoodnews@gmail.com.

God’s work surpasses the sight of any one person or group. Reporting on his work among the human race is an impossible task. But we delight in touching the hem of the garment in these news stories, as we remember that what is published here represents but a fraction of the wonderful stories that will be heard only in eternity.

BrotherhoodNews.com (BNc) publishes the latest and breaking news of the brotherhood, as well as interviews and surveys of works and countries. Its primary focus is on congregations and individuals as they live out the example of Christ in the world and permit God to use them for his kingdom today.

Since the family of God is global, our interest also spans the planet. We make an extra effort to get stories from around the world, while still giving plenty of coverage to American church.

BNc is not an official news organ of the church, couldn’t be even if it wanted to. We do represent the interdependence of the body of Christ, working together through a bond produced by the Spirit of God. We hold to no one’s party line, but nurture our shared convictions.

Those shared convictions are based upon following the New Testament as our pattern for faith and practice and refusing to go beyond what is written. Those who promote an agenda of change are not represented here. Stories and interviews focus on those who believe that obedience is necessary for Jesus to be both Lord and Savior.

Advisory Board:

Randal preaching at lectureshipPublisher, Editor: J. Randal Matheny and his wife Vicki have been missionaries living in Brazil since 1984. They have three children. They live in São José dos Campos, between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, center of the country’s aeronautics and space industries. Randal earned degrees in Bible, Communication and Missiology. He edits Forthright Magazine, co-owns Forthright Press and works in church planting, leadership training, Christian youth camp, seminars, publishing and Internet ministry.

Associate Editor Joe MayAssociate Editor: Joe May is a native of Arkadelphia, Ark., who grew up atttending the Pine Street church of Christ where his grandfather served as an elder. He became a Christian at age 21 in 1995 and began preaching eight months later in nearby Gurdon. Since that time, he has preached in numerous small country churches in South Arkansas, where he helped found the church at Bismarck. For three and half years, he served as the evangelist for the congregation at Manila, Ark. He returned to Arkadelphia as the minister for the University church of Christ in 2006 and currently continues to work with that group, which is now simply known as the Walnut Street church of Christ. He is married to the former Kristie McFarlin of Monette and they have two children, Alex, age 15 and Shana, age 4. Kristie is employed as a first-grade teacher, while Joe is the publisher of The Standard, a weekly newspaper in Amity, Ark., that he founded in 1996. Together, they homeschool Alex and manage the newspaper and a folk magazine, The Old Time Chronicle. Joe is available for gospel meetings the year round.

Matt CliftonAssistant Editor: Matt Clifton is the evangelist working with the church of Christ in McCrory, Ark., and the editor of an online gospel magazine, the7ones.com. He obeyed the gospel at age 23 while living in Forrest City, Ark., where he worked with the daily Times-Herald newspaper for three years. He left the Times-Herald to start his own weekly paper in West Tennessee. He and his wife operated the newspaper for five years. The desire to preach God’s word had been building over this time, and he began preaching part-time at Jerusalem church of Christ in Corinth, Miss. During this time he completed a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies from Southern Christian University in Montgomery, Ala. (formerly Alabama School of Religion, currently Amridge University). After moving to Arkansas for his current work, he also completed a master’s degree in ministerial leadership. In addition to his ministry, Clifton is currently completing a master of divinity degree from Amridge University. He and his wife have three children.

Correspondents:

Michael E. Brooks, Florence, Ala. (Nepal, Bangladesh)

Roy Davison, Alken, Belgium (Belguim, Holland, Europe)

Barbara Galloway, Johnson City, Tenn.

Paula Harrington, Calvert City, Ky.

Barbara Oliver, Winona, Miss. (Spanish-speaking missions)

Michal Swain, Winona, Miss. (Spanish-speaking missions)

Robert Swain, Winona, Miss. (Spanish-speaking missions)

Kenneth L. Thomas, Murfreesboro, Tenn.