Churches in America have been living amid rapid change for several decades now, accelerated like a dive on a roller coaster by COVID. Previously, much of our attention has focused on institutional change and challenges, the big picture of congregations…
What happens when one church controls a majority of the City Council?
In Redding, Calif., members of a single evangelical megachurch now control a majority of seats on the City Council. While this is a highly unusual situation for a city of nearly 100,000 people, Bethel Church is a highly unusual congregation…
Georgia Baptist Mission Board to vacate property and move into a local church
One of the largest state conventions affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention has reduced its staff to such a level that it’s moving to office space in a local church. Thomas Hammond, executive director of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board,…
SBC president blasts idea of Johnny Hunt’s ‘restoration’ to ministry
In a highly unusual move, the current president of the Southern Baptist Convention has denounced the “restoration” of a former SBC president to ministry six months after public allegations of sexual abuse. “The idea that a council of pastors, assembled…
70% of conservatives still want immigration reforms this year, but it’s not likely to happen
With just days left in the current session of Congress, new national polling shows 73% of Americans — including 70% of self-identified conservatives — want Congress to act this year to pass immigration reform. “Time is tight, but Americans are…
Colorado Springs clergy speak out against religious hate speech that leads to violence
In a city mainly known as home to highly influential evangelical ministries that preach against the LGBTQ community, more than 50 clergy have co-signed a letter calling for an end to religious hate speech. The letter from Colorado Springs, Colo.,…
Panel of four male pastors clears Johnny Hunt to return to ministry
Six months after publicly admitting sexual misconduct, Southern Baptist pastor and denominational leader Johnny Hunt has been cleared to return to ministry by a group of four male pastors who have been counseling him. Of the 70-year-old Hunt, one of…
Why was the Sills lawsuit filed in Alabama?
Amid the nationwide interest generated by the recent lawsuit brought by David and Mary Sills against the Southern Baptist Convention and 11 other defendants, some observers have raised a particular question: Why was this suit filed in Alabama, when none…
There’s a Baptist thread to the Auburn football coach hiring story
It’s not every day that a college football scandal includes a Baptist thread, but such is indeed the case with Auburn University’s controversial hiring of Hugh Freeze as head football coach. Freeze has coached the last four seasons at Liberty…