As many of our readers know, I officiate a lot of funerals. In addition to nearly 17 years as pastor with responsibilities for such things, I officiate pick-up funerals for families who do not have a church or a minister….
Commandments crusading Texas attorney general accused of adultery
The Texas attorney general who has fought to get the Ten Commandments posted in every public school classroom has a problem with No. 7, according to his wife, who has filed for divorce “on biblical grounds.” Last year, Ken Paxton…
Mandrell’s early departure from Lifeway is not the norm
Ben Mandrell is not the first president of Lifeway Christian Resources to leave the post for a pastorate, but the 48-year-old’s call to Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis is a rarity in the publisher’s 134-year-history. Earlier today, Mandrell accepted the…
Was Baylor’s decision ‘moral courage’ or ‘lack of courage’?
Sixty Texas Baptist pastors signed a “letter of support to Baylor University” saying President Linda Livingston demonstrated “moral courage” by rescinding acceptance of a $634,000 grant to study the exclusion of women and LGBTQ Christians in churches. “We commend Baylor’s…
Baylor rejects grant to study LGBTQ exclusion in the church
The president of Baylor University appears to have burned a final bridge with a Texas-based foundation that once was a critical funder of its Baptist identity. President Linda Livingstone has rescinded a $643,000 grant awarded to the Diana Garland School…
Trump administration says it won’t enforce Johnson Amendment
In a year already chock-full of wins for conservative evangelicals in their culture wars, the Internal Revenue Service said July 7 it no longer will enforce the Johnson Amendment that prevents churches and other nonprofits from endorsing political candidates. Although…
Mandrell to leave Lifeway for Memphis pastorate
Six years after taking leadership of Lifeway Christian Resources, Ben Mandrell is leaving for a prominent Tennessee pastorate. The pastor search committee at Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis has unanimously recommended Mandrell as the church’s next senior pastor, succeeding Steve…
Church of the Nazarene defrocks retired professor over LGBTQ beliefs
A 72-year-old retired seminary professor is the latest person defrocked in the Church of the Nazarene as the denomination seeks to tighten control over beliefs on human sexuality. Steve McCormick, emeritus professor of historical theology and holder of the William…
Hanch to lead Perkins’ Baptist House of Studies
Kate Hanch has been named director of the Baptist House of Studies at SMU’s Perkins School of Theology. She comes to the post from First St. Charles United Methodist Church in St. Charles, Mo., where she has served as associate…
Johnson gives ‘glory to God’ for Trump’s big bill but others say God is mocked
While Speaker of the House Mike Johnson gave glory to God for final passage of the “big beautiful bill,” other religious leaders decried the legislation as un-Christian, un-American, evil and dangerous. On July 3, after the House passed the bill…
Two lawsuits target Texas Ten Commandments law
Two Texas Baptists — including a BNG staff member — are among 16 multifaith and nonreligious Texas families who filed suit in federal court today to oppose the state’s new Ten Commandments law. This is the second lawsuit filed against the…
Alumni of ‘old Southern’ plan reunion in August
An ecumenical gathering of former Southern Baptist Theological Seminary students is planned for Aug. 15-16 in Winston-Salem, N.C. Theme for the event is “From Seminary to Society: Journeys of Legacy, Loss and Hope.” The Southern Baptist Convention seminary in Louisville,…