By Bob Allen Membership trends remained stable in American denominations, but offerings were down $1.2 billion from a year ago, according to the National Council of Churches’ 2012 Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches. The drop in giving is nearly…
Ricks Institute principal elected president of Liberian Baptists
By Bob Allen A former war refugee who returned to his native Liberia in 2005 to run a K-12 boarding school has been elected president of the Liberia Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention. Olu Menjay Olu Menjay, principal of Ricks…
Gift endows Truett dean’s chair
By Bob Allen An endowed dean’s chair has been established at Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary, thanks to a gift in excess of $3 million from the estate of former ExxonMobil executive Charles DeLancey. Baylor officials said the…
Planner defends sexuality conference
By Bob Allen A lead planner of an upcoming Baptist sexuality conference says the event has nothing to do with disagreement among Cooperative Baptist Fellowship leadership about the CBF’s policy against hiring gays. David Gushee David Gushee, director of Mercer…
NAACP delegation meets with Franklin Graham
By Bob Allen Nineteen black religious leaders visited the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., March 20 to meet with evangelist Franklin Graham. The visit by the NAACP delegation came three weeks after Graham, president and CEO of…
Baptist youth minister charged with sexual assault
By Bob Allen A Texas Baptist youth minister was arrested March 19 on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child. Gary Welch Gary Welch, 42, minister of students at Northside Baptist Church in Corsicana, Texas, was arraigned and held…
Seminarian expelled after arrest on sex charge
By Bob Allen A Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary student arrested March 17 and charged with sexual assault has been expelled and removed from student housing, officials of the school in Wake Forest, N.C., said March 21. A special chapel service…
Pastor’s introduction of Santorum goes viral
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist pastor in Louisiana became an Internet celebrity when his fiery introduction at a rally for presidential candidate Rick Santorum went viral on YouTube and news websites. “I don’t care what the liberals say,…
James Robison hopes for rebirth of Religious Right
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist evangelist who orchestrated the first gathering of what became known as the Religious Right in 1980 is now seeking to mobilize a new coalition of Catholic, Protestant and evangelical voters to save America’s economy….