American Baptist Home Mission Societies has joined more than 100 organizations and individuals encouraging political candidates to address disability concerns. The Interfaith Disability Advocacy Coalition, a program of the American Association of People with Disabilities, is collecting signatures to an open…
C.J. Mahaney says churches should defend their pastors
Fresh off an invitation to speak at a major pastor’s conference that stirred up memories of an alleged child sex-abuse cover-up at his former church, Pastor C.J. Mahaney reminded members of Sovereign Grace Church in Louisville, Ky., of their biblical…
McAfee preaching professor returning to pulpit
Brett Younger, associate professor of preaching at Mercer’s University McAfee School of Theology, has been named senior pastor of the historic Plymouth Church in Brooklyn, N.Y. Younger, 55, takes over June 1 as pastor of the Congregational church founded in…
Pastor seeks higher standard for reporting sexual abuse
A Southern Baptist pastor/blogger has submitted a resolution for consideration at the upcoming meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention calling on leaders to get tough on churches that tolerate or conceal sexual abuse. Bart Barber, senior pastor of First Baptist…
Baptist says ‘religious liberty’ bill threatens … well, religious liberty
A Missouri religious liberty bill passed last month by the state Senate after a 39-hour filibuster once again kept lawmakers up late at night, when a five hour debate April 13 in the Missouri House of Representatives ended after midnight…
Pastor in alleged sex abuse cover-up returns to preaching conference roster
Organizers of a major preaching conference this week in Louisville, Ky., ignored calls to disinvite a founder of the conference accused of participating in a cover-up of child sexual abuse. C.J. Mahaney, pastor of Sovereign Grace Church in Louisville, took…
CBF endorses 1,000th chaplain
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship reached a milestone March 5 with its endorsement of the 1,000th person serving in ministry as a chaplain or pastoral counselor. CBF leaders announced April 12 that with the endorsement of Erin Lysse, a second-year chaplaincy…
Brazilian Baptist church opens doors to gays
More than 100 members of the Alliance of Baptists signed a letter at the group’s annual meeting last week voicing solidarity for a sister church in Brazil taking heat after voting to open its membership to gays and lesbians. In…
Alliance of Baptists moves ahead with plans to meet in N.C. to ‘model’ justice
Though some businesses are reducing or ending activity in North Carolina to protest the state’s new controversial LBGT law, the Alliance of Baptists says it will move forward with plans to hold its gathering next year in Raleigh in order to register its…
Transgender Baptist minister depends on ‘theology of survival’
Allyson Dylan Robinson, who may be the first openly transgender person ordained to the ministry by a Baptist church, talks about what spared her life years ago on a deserted Texas highway.
Group files new challenge to clergy tax break
The Freedom From Religion Foundation once again has filed a lawsuit claiming the IRS ministerial housing allowance is unconstitutional. The Wisconsin-based group that advocates separation of church and state from a secularist position sued April 6 in federal court. It…
American Baptists tap international missions head
A California woman who grew up on the mission field has been named new leader of American Baptist International Ministries. The International Ministries board of directors announced April 5 the unanimous election of Sharon T. Koh, senior associate pastor of…