Football and politics have something in common these days beside combat. Each wrestles with the role religion plays in its game. Tim Tebow is a curious case on the gridiron. A passionate evangelical Christian and one of the most heralded…
Giving thanks
By David Gushee In this Thanksgiving week, your curmudgeonly controversialist has chosen to give thanks rather than — this one time — make any more trouble. I am grateful to God for: — Reaching out to me and saving me…
Churches need to take the lead in race relations, panelists insist
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Too often, churches have trailed society at large in terms of embracing racial and ethnic diversity, a multiethnic panel told a regional New Baptist Covenant II gathering in San Antonio. “I believe what we see on…
Low attendance disappoints New Baptist Covenant II planners
ATLANTA (ABP) — Planners of the Nov. 17-19 New Baptist Covenant gatherings were disappointed with attendance but pleased with the diversity and quality of presentations, one of the organizers said Nov. 21. “We had hoped for a larger attendance,” said…
Speak up for justice, preachers tell crowd at Oklahoma City satellite
OKLAHOMA CITY — The world’s brokenness calls out for Christians who will speak courageously on behalf of justice and fairness, a trio of pastors told participants at the New Baptist Covenant II satellite sessions in Oklahoma City. About 200 people…
In Oklahoma City, New Baptist Covenant takes aim at payday lending
OKLAHOMA CITY — Payday lending traps many of America’s working poor in a vortex of debt, participants at the New Baptist Covenant II satellite meeting in Oklahoma City learned. Each New Baptist Covenant facility focused on a mission project, and…
Diverse Baptists gather around shared concerns at New Baptist Covenant
ATLANTA (ABP) — Baptists laid aside differences of race, geography and tradition to affirm common values of care for the poor and marginalized in Atlanta and satellite locations across the United States Nov. 17. “Our strength and effectiveness will derive…
Carter notes progress in building Baptist unity, breaking barriers
ATLANTA (ABP) — Former President Jimmy Carter told veteran journalist Bob Abernethy that he’s seen progress in areas that prompted him to convene a New Baptist Covenant gathering in 2008 and New Baptist Covenant II gatherings scattered across nine locations…
New Baptist Covenant speakers proclaim ‘release’ to captives
ATLANTA (ABP) – Baptists must view prison ministry as more than prayer meetings and Bible studies if they are to follow Jesus’ Luke 4 mandate to “proclaim liberty to the captives,” former Arkansas Appeals Court Justice and Baptist pastor Wendell…
OPINION: Finding the holy in Amish country
In the middle of everyday life, how do we experience the holy? This was a question I’ve been pondering since a recent road trip to the quaint little town of Lancaster, Pa. I set out to visit Lancaster with…
Call people to follow Jesus, don’t pander to lowest values, Texan urges
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Ministers contribute to the decline of churches when they appeal to people’s lowest values of selfish consumerism rather than challenging them to follow Jesus, Rick McClatchy told a regional New Baptist Covenant II assembly. “As churches, we…
Economy-driven worship?
By Bob Burroughs We are experiencing unprecedented times of financial strain. Everyone, every family, every business, every church is having difficulty meeting budget and/or making ends meet. People are being laid off by the thousands — with no end in…