WASHINGTON (ABP) — Hate-crimes legislation passed April 29 in the U.S. House of Representatives drew mixed reviews in the religious community. The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, H.R. 1913, which passed the Democratic-controlled House by a vote of…
Swine flu postpones Texas Bible drill
DALLAS (ABP) — The Baptist General Convention of Texas has postponed this weekend's state final Bible Drill and Speakers' Tournament due to the swine flu scare. The event, originally scheduled May 1-2 at the Baptist Building in Dallas, has been…
‘Outed’ blogger sues sheriff’s, prosecutor’s office
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (ABP) — A formerly anonymous blogger who criticized his prominent Southern Baptist pastor has sued police and state prosecutors for revealing his identify to the church even though an investigation showed he had done nothing illegal. Tom Rich and…
Swine flu outbreak may prompt SBC disaster-relief effort, leader says
ALPHARETTA, Ga. (ABP) — The Southern Baptist Convention could deploy its nationwide disaster-relief network if the international outbreak of swine flu becomes a pandemic in the United States, said a spokesman for the SBC’s North American Mission Board April 29….
Study: Ranks of religiously unaffiliated remain open to faith
WASHINGTON (ABP) — While the fastest-growing religious segment of the United States population is those who are not affiliated with a particular religion, that group is not necessarily comprised of secularists and largely remains open to faith, a new study…
Speakers say response to hunger validates gospel
BROWNWOOD, Texas (ABP) — When Christians help hungry people, they earn the right to share the gospel — not only with people in need but also with a skeptical society — Jim Denison told a conference on ethics and evangelism….
Young evangelicals call for end to nuclear weapons
AUSTIN, Texas (ABP) — A group of under-40 evangelicals attending a leadership meeting in Texas announced April 28 a new initiative to mobilize American Christians to eliminate nuclear weapons. “We have all heard about this broadening of the evangelical agenda,”…
Prominent Ark. music minister arrested for indecency with a minor
BENTON, Ark. (ABP) — David Pierce, who for nearly three decades has been minister of music at the First Baptist Church of Benton, Ark., was arrested April 24 for sexual indecency with a minor, according to officials. The Saline County,…
SBC reports second straight membership decline
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — In 2008, the Southern Baptist Convention showed a net loss in total membership for the second straight year and baptized the lowest number of new members since 1987, according to annual statistics compiled by the denomination’s publishing-and-research…
Maya Angelou challenges Baptists to fight racism
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — With an African-American population estimated as high as 50 million, the “blight of racism” is “still an epidemic assailing” the United States, writer Maya Angelou said April 24 at the Southeast regional gathering of the New…
Carter says Baptist strife hurting evangelism
Jimmy Carter speaks at the New Baptist Covenant Southeast meeting. (Ken Bennett/Wake Forest University) WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — Former President Jimmy Carter said baptisms are declining in the Southern Baptist Convention because doctrinal bickering gives Christianity a bad name. Carter,…
Carter says Baptist strife hurting evangelism
Jimmy Carter speaks at the New Baptist Covenant Southeast meeting. (Ken Bennett/Wake Forest University) WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — Former President Jimmy Carter said baptisms are declining in the Southern Baptist Convention because doctrinal bickering gives Christianity a bad name. Carter,…