ASHEBORO, N.C. (ABP) — Leaders of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina have nominated a candidate with support from both moderates and conservatives to the fractious statewide body's executive post. The convention's board of directors voted, without opposition, Jan….
Virginia legislators move closer to anti-gay-marriage amendment
RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — Virginia legislators have moved their state one step closer to adopting a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. The Virginia Senate voted 28-11 Jan. 24 to follow Virginia's lower legislative chamber, the House of Delegates, in approving…
Senate committee approves Alito with contentious party-line vote
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Differences over abortion rights, discrimination and religious freedom contributed to a Senate panel's fractious party-line vote Jan. 24 on the confirmation of President Bush's nominee for a crucial seat on the Supreme Court. The Senate Judiciary Committee…
Maryland becomes latest hot spot in battle over same-sex marriage
BALTIMORE (ABP) — With a state judge's Jan. 20 ruling that Maryland's law banning same-sex marriage violates the state constitution, Maryland becomes the latest front in the nationwide battle over gay marriage. Baltimore City Circuit Judge Brooke Murdock said a…
Mercer president-elect decries ‘spiritual masters’ who limit freedom
MACON, Ga. (ABP) — Baptists need no “spiritual masters” — either from the right or the left — to tell them what to believe in their churches or universities, said Bill Underwood, incoming president of Mercer University. Any attempt to…
Segregation undermines churches’ ability to reach society with gospel
WACO, Texas (ABP) — Christians undermine their ability to reach society with the gospel because they segregate their churches by race, sociologist/author George Yancey told participants in a workshop aimed at racial reconciliation. Yancey, assistant professor of sociology at the…
Multiracial congregations exhibit seven characteristics, says Yancey
WACO, Texas (ABP) — Seven principles characterize successful multiracial congregations, according to studies conducted by sociologist and author George Yancey. Yancey, who has written a book titled One Body, One Spirit: Seven Principles of Successful Multiracial Churches, described those principles…
CBF of North Carolina hires Jones to missions post
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — The North Carolina state affiliate of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has hired an associate pastor from Wilmington to serve as its missions coordinator. The group's coordinating council called Linda Marie Jones to the post, introducing her…
Mercer leaders ponder potential as national Baptist university
MACON, Ga. (ABP) — Can Baptists build and sustain a national Baptist university? It hasn't been done yet, said top leaders at Mercer University, but Mercer has as good a chance as anyone. “Mercer may be the best hope for…
Mercer leaders want more ‘Baptistness,’ despite loss of convention affiliation
MACON, Ga. (ABP) — In the first major event since the Georgia Baptist Convention unilaterally voted to break a 173-year-old relationship with its flagship university, Mercer University officials welcomed more than 150 church leaders to the campus Jan. 19-20 to…
Giving not showing fatigue that some analysts feared
(ABP) — News reports and televised images of suffering by South Asia tsunami victims or hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast residents prompted Americans to reach deep into their pocketbooks to give last year. Americans gave more than $2.7 billion to aid Gulf…
Churches that fail to manage risks fail in stewardship, says consultant
SAN ANGELO, Texas (ABP) — When church leaders fail to identify and manage risks in areas such as legal liability, health and safety standards, and compliance with civil-rights laws, they neglect an important aspect of biblical stewardship, risk-management consultant Dick…