WASHINGTON (ABP) — An independent, non-partisan federal panel's failure to issue a recommendation to the State Department about Iraq is reportedly due to political division. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom released its annual report and recommendations May…
Three Virginia Baptist churches investigate multi-site options
Your bank has several locations. So does your cleaners. And your grocery store. Why not your church? Three Virginia Baptist churches sent representatives to a multi-site conference in Dallas to discover whether this model might hold potential for them. In…
EDITORIAL: The changing church
The body of Christ never ceases to amaze me. Not that I have seen that much of its total representation in either time or space. My perspective is rather limited, in fact. Still, what I have seen amazes me. The…
Pastor-deacon retreat draws hundreds eager to make churches missional
A desire to make their congregations more missional drew almost 640 pastors, deacons and other church leaders to the annual Pastor/Deacon/ Church Leader Conference at Eagle Eyrie Baptist Conference Center last week. The event, sponsored by the Virginia Baptist Mission…
Methodists vote to retain policies on homosexuality
FORT WORTH, Texas (RNS) — The United Methodist Church at its General Conference in Fort Worth held to its traditional rules on homosexuality, refusing to support or celebrate same-sex unions and maintaining language that calls homosexual activity “incompatible with Christian…
Lawyers to challenge IRS
WASHINGTON (RNS) — A conservative Christian legal group has launched an initiative for pastors to challenge IRS rules that prevent them from discussing political candidates from the pulpit. The Alliance Defense Fund said May 9 that its “Pulpit Freedom Sunday,”…
Bush envisions International Day of Prayer
WASHINGTON (BP) — In adversity, Americans can find comfort through prayer, President Bush said May 1 in a White House observance of the 57th National Day of Prayer. “Over the last seven years, our country has faced many trials. And…
Blogging Baptists
For some people, blogs are like a family reunion where people barely know each other. There's a lot of talking going on, but there's little agreement on much of anything. But for many of the increasing number of Baptist bloggers,…
British Baptists urged to fight global warming
BLACKPOOL, England (ABP) — British Baptists heard warnings against overconsumption and further degradation of the environment during their annual meeting May 2-4 in Blackpool, Lancashire. Theologian Elaine Storkey told members of the British Union of Great Britain to reject “false…
FAITHSHAPERS: Teaching tricky topics — The Trinity
Most people who teach students of any age can relate to that moment when they get stumped by an unexpected question. This seems to happen more often with children because they think so differently compared to adults. It is okay…
Baptists waiting to respond in Myanmar
YANGON, Myanmar — Days after a cyclone's widespread devastation in Myanmar, the first two planeloads of United Nations relief supplies landed in the capital, Yangon, May 8, and Baptist relief organizations are waiting to follow. Observers fear the death toll…
Democratic churchgoers like Clinton
INDIANAPOLIS (BP) — Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton May 6 continued to do well among churchgoers, according to exit polls, despite not having the kind of night her supporters felt she needed to shake up the race and catch frontrunner…