AMARILLO, Texas — Messengers to the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting approved a renegotiated agreement with Baylor University, replacing a 20-year old agreement that sets the terms for the relationship between the university and the state convention. The…
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship task force suggests organizational change
TUCKER, Ga. (ABP) — A blue-ribbon task force studying the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s organizational structure suggests a smaller governing board than the current 63-member Coordinating Council, along with creation of two new councils to focus on cooperation and global missions….
CBF officers narrowing list of nominees for coordinator search committee
TUCKER, Ga. (ABP) — Officers of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship are sorting through some 200 names submitted by rank-and-file CBF supporters to appoint a nine-member search committee to nominate a successor to Executive Coordinator Daniel Vestal, who retires after 15…
No tweet time
By Natalie Aho People say the wrong thing on social networking sites all the time. After an interview at Cisco Systems, Connor Riley (aka @theconnor) confessed in a tweet: “Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh…
OPINION: Jeffress flap illustrates wisdom of ‘no religious test’
One would think we Americans would have learned our lesson by now about supporting or opposing candidates for office on the basis of their religious beliefs. Robert Jeffress’ recent endorsement of Gov. Rick Perry and criticism of Gov. Mitt Romney…
The sacredness of human life
By David Gushee I am entering the final stage of a seven-year journey as I make last edits on a book exploring the historic Christian conviction that human life is sacred. The manuscript will be at Eerdmans by month’s end,…
Churches advised to begin by assessing risks
Concerned about developing a church security plan? Security expert Chester Quarles suggests starting with a risk assessment. "Risk assessment is usually historical. We need to know what has gone before," said Quarles, professor emeritus of criminal justice at the University…
Balance needed to make churches welcome and safe places
By definition, a "sanctuary" should be a place of refuge and protection where people feel welcome and feel safe. In practice, churches struggle with what it means to open their doors to everyone while providing a sense of security for…
How to conduct a basic church security survey
Walk around your church. Stand at each entryway and look closely in every direction. Think like a thief or a criminal. Are you surrounded by suburbs, or is your church now located within a business community? No matter your site,…
U.S. Supreme Court says World Vision can hire only Christians
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld a lower-court ruling that the Christian humanitarian organization World Vision can fire employees over religious doctrine. The high court declined without comment Oct. 3 to review an August 2010 ruling by…
Baptist leader in Haiti kidnapped
CAP-HAITIEN, Haiti — Emmanuel Pierre, general secretary of the Baptist Convention of Haiti, was kidnapped Sept. 29, the Baptist World Alliance has reported. The incident occurred in Cap-Haïtien, the second largest city in Haiti, and where the convention offices are located….
White House condemns death sentence for Iranian Christian
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The White House condemned Sept. 29 the conviction of a pastor sentenced to death for converting from Islam to Christianity in Iran. Youcef Nadarkhani, 34, pastor of the Church of Iran, was tried and convicted of apostasy…