SHALLOWATER—A warm apple pie opens doors and hearts to the gospel, as members at First Baptist Church of Shallowater discovered. Church members are seeking to visit homes in their small town 10 miles northwest of Lubbock and put into practice…
Gaddy trades barbs with Jindal over taxpayer-funded flights to churches
MONROE, La. (ABP) — Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is trading barbs with a prominent Baptist pastor over the governor’s use of a state helicopter and travel detail to attend churches in far-flung — but politically strategic — parts of the…
Georgia Baptist pastor killed in botched drug sting
LAVONIA, Ga. (ABP) — Members of a Southern Baptist church in Northeast Georgia want answers about the police-shooting death of their 29-year-old pastor in a drug-sting operation gone wrong. Jonathan Ayers, pastor of Shoal Creek Baptist Church in Lavonia, Ga.,…
Historic church finds new energy in missions commitment
FRANKFORT, Ky. (ABP)—When churches fall on hard economic times, some congregations reduce the amount they give to missions. A Kentucky Baptist pastor believes they should do the opposite. “I think churches are in a survival mentality right now, and it…
Missional church reaches out through health care
FRANKFORT, Ky. (ABP)—Mission Frankfort Clinic is a godsend for an average of 40 to 50 uninsured patients who come through its doors between 6:30 and 8:30 on Wednesday nights to see a doctor or dentist or to get a prescription…
Accused Baptist swindler Allen Stanford sued for gambling debt
LAS VEGAS (ABP) — An accused swindler who allegedly traded on his Southern Baptist faith in business dealings owes more than a quarter-million dollars in gambling debt, according to a lawsuit filed by a Las Vegas casino Sept. 1. Allen…
Black, white Ky. churches unite in move toward reconciliation
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (ABP) — Long talks, compromises and at least one blunt sermon preceded a recent celebration service uniting a black church and a white church in Louisville, Ky. Several questions remain for the new congregation, but both pastors insist…
Lesbian fired by Baptist agency to get day in court
CINCINNATI (ABP) — A federal appeals court has resurrected a case involving a Kentucky Baptist children's home accused of using taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate children with religious beliefs. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Aug. 31 that a…
Former Rwandan Baptist pastor on trial for genocide
PORVOO, Finland (ABP) — A former Rwandan Baptist pastor accused of genocide in the African country's 1994 massacres is standing trial in Finland. Francois Bazaramba, 58, is accused of planning, leading and carrying out killings of 5,000 members of the…
Pastor announces hunger strike for immigration reform
PASADENA, Texas (ABP) — A Baptist pastor plans to launch a public weeklong hunger strike in front of Houston’s municipal headquarters to call for immigration reform. Julio Barquero, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Esperanza in Pasadena, Texas, will eat no solid…
Baptist colleges, students, families struggle, cope with financial crisis
Kley Sippel and his family had to find additional resources to attend Samford University when his father lost his job in 2007 (Samford photo by Caroline Summers). BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) — For thousands of students at Baptist colleges, the excitement…
New NIV translation due out in 2011
PALOS HEIGHTS, Ill (ABP) — The New International Version of the Bible is getting its first update since controversy over gender-inclusive texts derailed future revisions more than 20 years ago. Biblica, the new name for a company created when the…