By Bob Allen A Washington-based religious-liberty watchdog group says the Obama administration should reject demands of conservative religious groups seeking to curb access to contraceptive coverage in the name of religious liberty. “Americans want and deserve access to safe and…
Ethicist says drop ‘i-word’
By Bob Allen A Baptist ethicist says it’s time for churches to stop using the word “illegal” when talking about immigration. “Let’s drop the ‘i-word’ in church and community conversations,” Robert Parham, executive director of the Baptist Center for Ethics,…
Rick Warren’s son dies
By Bob Allen Southern Baptist megachurch pastor and Purpose Driven Life author Rick Warren sent a letter April 6 informing church members his youngest son had committed suicide. The pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., said 27-year-old Matthew…
Former ‘cowboy’ pastor sentenced
By Bob Allen A former Southern Baptist “cowboy church” pastor was sentenced to 50 years in prison without the possibility of parole after a Texas jury found him guilty April 5 of continuous sexual abuse of a child. According to…
Radio host blasts SBC president
By Bob Allen A Bible-prophecy broadcaster criticized Southern Baptist Convention President Fred Luter for retracting comments made in an interview on his radio show linking North Korea’s nuclear threat to America’s slide into immorality. “Poor pastor Luter, he wilted under the…
CBF council recommends new leaders
By Bob Allen The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Coordinating Council approved a list of names nominated for a new organizational structure adopted last year now being implemented in stages. Nominees approved at a called virtual meeting April 4 include 13 names…
Small is big for Millennials
By Bob Allen “The gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many,” Matthew’s Gospel quotes Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount. “The gate is narrow and the…
Pastor says stats not ministry measure
By Bob Allen During 25 years as a minister, every church where Jim Somerville has served had stories of a legendary pastor and glory days when they had to put extra chairs in the aisles to accommodate overflow crowds. Somewhere…
Liberty lifts campus gun ban
By Bob Allen Trustees of Liberty University have changed the Christian school’s weapons policy to allow students, faculty and staff and visitors with concealed-carry permits to bring weapons into all campus facilities except for dormitories. The policy change went into…
SBC leader retracts radio comment
By Bob Allen The president of the Southern Baptist Convention said April 3 on CNN that he misspoke and was misunderstood in an interview on Christian radio linking North Korea’s nuclear threat to arguments about gay marriage in the United…
BJC weighs in on NC religion bill
By Bob Allen A Washington-based organization that represents several national Baptist groups in defending religious liberty for all Americans says a resolution introduced in the North Carolina General Assembly asserting the state’s right to establish an official religion is just…
Duke McCall funeral arrangements set
By Bob Allen Visitation for longtime denominational leader Duke McCall is scheduled for 1-5 p.m. Sunday, April 7, at a pavilion bearing his name on the campus of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. His funeral will be 10…