NEW YORK (ABP) — As the calendar pages turn inexorably toward Sept. 11, New York City is preparing for a flood of solemn remembrances prompted by the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attack that claimed 3,000 lives and launched a…
Church hosts alternative to Perry prayer rally
HOUSTON (ABP) — A Baptist church will serve as host site to an ecumenical event formed in response to “The Response”—the prayer rally Gov. Rick Perry initiated at Houston's Reliant Stadium. Americans United for Separation of Church & State and…
Colleges, universities, pledge to interfaith community service
WASHINGTON (ABP) – About 200 representatives from college, university and theology school campuses visited the White House Aug. 3 to kick off a year-long program of interfaith community service. Announced in March, the President’s Interfaith and Community Campus Challenge invited…
Gregory helps BWA promote better preaching
WACO, Texas (ABP) – Joel Gregory compares commenting on sermons to raising political questions at a holiday meal among extended family. Still, the professor of preaching at George W. Truett Theological Seminary shouldered the risky task of critiquing 24 sermons…
Appeals court rules against Forsyth County prayer policy
GREENSBORO, N.C. (ABP) – A North Carolina county commission is expected to appeal a decision by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that said its policy on opening meetings with prayer violates the Constitution. A three-judge panel voted 2-1…
‘Foster care saved my life,’ says resident
SALEM, Va. — Imagine that you are 10 years old when you finally find the courage to tell your teacher about some problems you have been having at home. Then your world falls completely apart. Samantha, who spent several years…
Pastor retires from church that was model for ‘The Waltons’
SCHUYLER, Va. (ABP) — Matthew Fordwick was the young pastor of the Baptist church in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia on The Waltons, a popular television show created by Earl Hamner Jr. Schuyler Baptist Church Fordwick came to Walton’s…
Fostering isn’t for everyone, but everyone can play a part
BEAUMONT, Texas (ABP) — With more than 400,000 children in foster care in the United States, it's an issue that's not going away. Hishia and Rickey Conner have cared for more than 70 children in the past five years at…
Single father sees adoption, foster care as part of God’s plan
MIDLAND, Texas (ABP) — The Ewing family does everything together. They wash dishes, go grocery shopping and spend hours playing electronic games in the living room. "We've got to do everything together. If we don't, we won't have time together,"…