By Bob Allen More than 1,100 clergy and faith leaders urged Congress to pass legislation reducing federal mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses in a June 3 letter to party leaders in the House and Senate. A total of 1,129…
Transgender resolution proposed to SBC
By Bob Allen A college professor and ethicist would like for the Southern Baptist Convention to pass a resolution opposing “transgender identity” — described in a recent Time cover story as “America’s next civil rights frontier” — when the convention meets next…
Alliance of Baptists joins first faith-based challenge to gay-marriage ban
By Bob Allen A national Baptist and Jewish organization have joined the United Church of Christ and a number of individual ministers and church members in the first faith-based challenge to same-sex marriage bans in the United States. The Alliance…
ERLC pays tribute to Hobby Lobby owners
By Bob Allen Southern Baptists will honor the Christian owners of Hobby Lobby next week in Baltimore for refusing to pay for employee insurance coverage for birth control methods as required by Obamacare. Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and…
Former SBC megachurch sold to Catholics
By Bob Allen A once-prominent Southern Baptist church in Nashville, Tenn., downsized and rebranded after controversy over finances, lawsuits and excommunications, has voted to sell its 220,000-square-foot building and 37.5-acre grounds to the Catholic Diocese of Nashville for $12.5 million….
Southern Baptist church takes ‘third way’ on homosexuality
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist church in California drew scrutiny from denominational leaders and observers after voting May 18 not to dismiss a pastor who said he had changed his mind about homosexuality being a sin. New Heart Community…
Professor says Michael Sam is no Jackie Robinson
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist pastor and seminary professor says Satan is pleased with comparisons being drawn between Michael Sam, the first openly gay football player drafted by the NFL, and Jackie Robinson, who broke Major League Baseball’s color…
SBC agencies support GuideStone lawsuit in contraceptive case
By Bob Allen Three sister Southern Baptist Convention entities filed a brief May 27 supporting GuideStone Financial Resources’ objection to being forced to indirectly provide what they regard as abortion-inducing drugs under Obamacare. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Ethics and…
Decline in SBC membership, baptisms sparks leaders’ concern
By Bob Allen Southern Baptist churches in 2013 baptized the fewest converts since 1948 and have lost more than 570,000 members since 2006, according to annual statistics released May 28 by LifeWay Christian Resources. The Southern Baptist Convention publishing house…