DALLAS (ABP) — The Baptist General Convention of Texas said March 17 it was asking Royal Lane Baptist Church in Dallas to remove mention of its affiliation with the state convention from church publications and would hold any funds received…
Virginia Baptist educator named CBF field rep for Tennessee affiliate
ATLANTA (ABP) — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has hired a Richmond, Va., minister its third "field coordinator," a shared staff position designed to promote cooperation and communication between state and national CBF organizations. The Atlanta-based CBF and Tennessee Cooperative Baptist Fellowship…
Great Commission Task Force head surprised at backlash to report
MONROE, Mich. (ABP) — The head of a task force appointed last summer to recommend ways to make the Southern Baptist Convention more effective in reaching the lost said March 16 he was surprised by negative reaction to parts of…
White House faith council shows its value
By David Gushee Last week the White House Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships issued its report to the president, culminating a year of efforts in rethinking the relationship between faith groups and the federal government. Their report is…
BWA leaders hear thanks for quake relief, requests for more aid, prayers
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (ABP) — Chilean Baptists’ top leader tearfully thanked Baptist World Alliance officials March 10 for the aid and support shown to her country since its Feb. 27 earthquake — and said that the needs and opportunities remain…
Faith-based panel submits proposals; some issues remain unsolved
WASHINGTON (RNS) — A White House advisory council March 9 submitted 164 pages of recommendations on ways the federal government can partner better with faith-based groups in tackling a host of social problems, from poverty to improving interfaith relations. Still,…
Legal expert says remaining Baptist jailed in Haiti likely to be set free
BOISE, Idaho (ABP) — Unless new charges are filed against her, the last of 10 Southern Baptist mission volunteers jailed in Haiti on suspicion of child kidnapping will have to be released, according to an expert on Haiti's legal system….
Supreme Court accepts Baptist church case testing limits of free speech
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The U.S. Supreme Court has decided to wade into what is expected to be one of the most-watched cases in the court's 2010-2011 term — whether the privacy rights of grieving families trump the free-speech rights of…
Hymnal aims to introduce old favorites, latest compositions to new generation
ATLANTA (ABP) — Bucking a trend in many churches to eschew four-part harmonies for praise choruses projected on a screen, a new hymnal released March 8 seeks to introduce both old favorites and lesser-known new compositions to a new generation…