By Bob Allen A Mississippi pastor defeated four other candidates to win election as president of the National Baptist Convention USA, Inc. — the nation’s largest historically African-American denomination and second-largest Baptist group behind Southern Baptists. Jerry Young, 63, pastor of…
‘Left Behind’ coming to a theater — and maybe a seminary — near you
By Bob Allen With Nicholas Cage starring in the rapture-themed thriller Left Behind coming out in theaters Oct. 3, two Southern Baptist Convention seminaries recently announced endowed professorships with an emphasis including Bible prophecy. Both Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake…
Fire destroys Cumberland University Baptist center
By Bob Allen Two students living in an upstairs apartment escaped an early morning fire Sept. 3 at the Baptist Collegiate Ministries building at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tenn., unharmed but with only the clothes on their backs. According to…
Don’t trade kids for immigration action, faith leaders say in one-sentence letter
By Bob Allen Following news reports of Honduran children being killed following their deportation from the United States and with President Obama considering executive action on immigration, 41 religious leaders signed a succinct, one-sentence letter Sept. 2. “While we celebrate…
Historic Baptist church sold to fraternity
By Bob Allen The Tau Nu chapter of Phi Gamma Delta at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will move into the former First Baptist Church in downtown Troy, N.Y., in early October, according to the Troy Record. The fraternity reportedly purchased the…
Faith leaders on both sides of border pray for children
By Bob Allen Faith leaders from mainline Protestant, Catholic and Jewish traditions formed facing semi-circles on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border Aug. 29 for a prayer vigil organized by missionaries and the head of American Baptist Churches USA. Roy…
Louisiana College lauds controversial former president
By Bob Allen A Baptist college in Louisiana opened its academic year Aug. 28 with a chapel service honoring its former president, who stepped down earlier this year amid accusations of misleading trustees, whistleblower complaints and public calls for his…
After a tough year, Birmingham church fills pulpit vacancy
By Bob Allen After more than two years without a senior pastor, First Baptist Church of Birmingham, Ala., welcomed an inaugural sermon Aug. 10 by new Pastor Jim Cooley. Cooley, pastor of First Baptist Church in Haleyville, Ala., since 2003,…
Baptist leader says Mideast Christians don’t need visas, but help to stay in the region
By Bob Allen A Lebanese Baptist leader says the West should be helping Christians to stay in the Middle East, not offering them visas to escape. Nabil Costa, executive director of the Lebanese Society for Education and Social Development, opposes…
New book proposes a theology for ‘other’ Baptists
By Bob Allen Four centuries after originating as a protest movement within the church, Baptists today have evolved into a distinct sect committed to preserving its place in a hierarchy of denominations, Baptist theologian Curtis Freeman argues in a new…
Clergy, educators challenge Florida voucher plan
By Bob Allen A retired Baptist pastor active in Americans United for Separation of Church and State joined educators and fellow clergy in a lawsuit claiming a Florida school-voucher program is unconstitutional. Harry Parrott Jr., an ordained American Baptist minister…
David Platt elected IMB president
By Bob Allen David Platt, a 36-year-old pastor active in the “young, restless and reformed” movement in the Southern Baptist Convention, was elected Aug. 27 as president of the SBC International Mission Board. Platt, pastor of The Church at Brook…