By Bob Allen An Alabama pastor who chaired a blue-ribbon task force charged with retooling the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship for the 21st century is retiring from the pulpit to become a minister’s spouse. David Hull announced in an email April 27…
SBC leaders warn book by gay Christian ‘not faithful to Scripture’
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist Convention seminary cranked out a 90-page rebuttal to a recently released book making waves in evangelical circles with claims that the Bible is not anti-gay. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, described…
Probation terms altered to permit sex offender pastor to minister to children
By Bob Allen A judge in Florida has changed probation terms for a preacher who is a registered sex offender to allow the former Southern Baptist pastor to minister to children in his church. Darrell Gilyard, 52, began preaching at…
SBC leader says cake-decorating mom helped shape his religious liberty views
By Bob Allen Southern Baptists’ top spokesman for public policy says he knows from personal experience that religious-liberty concerns such as whether a cake decorator can refuse service for a same-sex wedding are anything but trite. Russell Moore, head of…
Former Wayland CFO pleads guilty to theft
By Bob Allen The former chief financial officer at Wayland Baptist University received five years in prison after pleading guilty to using university funds for personal expenses. The Amarillo Globe-News reported April 22 that James E. Smith, fired last year…
Sexual sin not just problem for men, says woman at Baptist summit
By Bob Allen When it comes to sexuality, many women are suffering, the lone female plenary speaker at a Southern Baptist summit on sex said during the final session of the three-day gathering. “Some women are suffering, and some women…
Dismissed abuse lawsuit headed for appeal
By Bob Allen A lawsuit described as the biggest evangelical sex abuse scandal to date is headed for appeal, a year after being dismissed on a technicality, elders of the church involved informed members in a letter dated April 22….
Advocate says something missing at Baptist sex summit
By Bob Allen A victims’ advocate says there is a glaring omission at this week’s summit for Southern Baptist pastors on sexual issues — any mention on the program about the church’s response to sexual abuse. Amy Smith, a lifelong Southern…
Judge says use of Caner video fair
By Bob Allen A federal judge has dismissed a Georgia Baptist college president’s lawsuit against a blogger who posted video to support allegations that a famous “Jihad to Jesus” testimony is bogus. A U.S. district judge in Fort Worth, Texas,…