Cooperative Baptists are standing with a black Mississippi church set ablaze and vandalized with the words “Vote Trump” on Tuesday. And authorities announced today they have identified a person of interest in the arson attack. The city of Greenville, Miss.,…
Opponents of new D.C. assisted death law vow appeal to Congress
Washington D.C. has become the sixth jurisdiction in the U.S. to approve so-called death-with-dignity legislation – but opponents vow to keep fighting against it. “We believe in life until natural death and that there is a racist component to it,”…
CBF sending new field personnel to China, New York City
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is seeking field personnel to fill positions in China and New York City. CBF announced online this week that it needs an individual, couple or family to serve a long-term assignment as a partnership advocate in…
Church must sell off old ways and buildings to thrive in Reformation’s 500th year
A recent commentary posed a timely question: Does the Reformation matter anymore? The Religion News Service piece by Jacob Lupfer was inspired by the Oct. 31 start of the one-year countdown to the 500th anniversary of the religious revolution sparked…
Texas Baptist Men assumes long-term disaster recovery duties and employees from BGCT
Texas Baptist Men has assumed the responsibility for providing long-term disaster response from the Baptist General Convention of Texas, TBM announced this week. The change went into effect Nov. 1. TBM has provided shorter term disaster relief ministries for more…
Church-based recreation facilities and programs increasing
Being healthy is a requirement for Christians who see their bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. But there is an additional, more down-to-earth, motivation for connecting faith and fitness, says Matt Rollins, minister of spiritual formation and outreach at…
BWA lauds German church for denouncing Martin Luther’s anti-Semitism
The leader of the Baptist World Alliance has lauded the Evangelical Church in Germany for its courageous stance in sustaining and nurturing the Christian faith in the European nation that gave birth to the Reformation — and for denouncing the anti-Semitism of…
Pastoral counselor promotes song titles as path to mini-Sabbaths, pastoral health
James Stillwell is a licensed pastoral counselor who does plenty of traveling to see clients in Kentucky. And somewhere in there he has a marriage he wants to maintain. That’s where prayer, meditation and Bachman Turner Overdrive’s hit song “Taking…
Rural, urban churches joining the monastic movement
The New Monastic communities get quite a bit of press. And why not? Their adherents shun contemporary society and church to live communally. They embrace ancient Christian contemplative and worship rituals, practice radical hospitality and serve those living on the margins…
‘Spoken word’ preaching form gaining as racial justice movements grow
Somehow, Trey Lyon is able to pack nearly an hour of gospel into a few short minutes of preaching. And have it stick. “Trey’s sermons are 10 minutes, but I would argue they do more work theologically and homiletically than…
Small churches ideal for Millennials if members, pastors avoid temptation to isolate
It isn’t easy being a small church. Their pastors and members know it all too well. They are usually under-resourced — fewer members often means fewer dollars, fewer teachers and lay leaders, fewer books, workshops and experts focused to overcoming their…
Pastors question roles, emotions when police and protesters clash
It was Charlotte’s turn on Sept. 20, 2016, the day police fatally shot Keith Lamont Scott at an apartment complex. Cops say he was armed. The family said he was reading a book when officers approached. Just as they had…