OKLAHOMA CITY (ABP) — A son of Southern Baptist missionaries who survived the home-invasion murder of his parents in 1979 and later went on to advocate for victims' rights as Oklahoma's youngest-ever state senator brings his story to the big…
European Baptists, other Protestants sign cooperation pact
ROME (ABP) — Baptists in Europe pledged to work more closely with other Protestants on the continent in an agreement signed Sept. 24. Leaders of the European Baptist Federation and the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe signed an accord…
Why so many people like Stuff Christians Like: An interview with Jon Acuff
Jon Acuff is the author of the satirical blog Stuff Christians Like and a book by the same title published by Zondervan. In about two years, Acuff has taken a start-up blog from obscurity to more than 1.5 million readers,…
FAITH DIGEST
United States ties for fifth place in global giving. The United States tied with Switzerland for fifth place in a worldwide giving index by the British-based Charities Aid Foundation that measures charitable behavior across the globe. The ranking was based…
Mormons catch a glimpse of life in the big leagues
SALT LAKE CITY (RNS) — Mormons have been making headlines across the nation — from HBO’s Big Love to California’s Proposition 8, from American Idol wannabe David Archuleta to Twilight author Stephenie Meyer, from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to…
RIGHT or WRONG? Limited resources
The economic crisis in Europe, launched by the calamity in Greece, caused me to realize we are a global economy. What happens anywhere on the planet can affect the whole world, and resources are limited. So, we all need to…
BAPTIST BRIEFS
Maggie Lee legacy lives on. The second annual “Maggie Lee for Good” day is scheduled Oct. 29—an emphasis on enlisting people to do at least one act of kindness on what would have marked Maggie Lee Henson’s 14th birthday. She…
When does human life begin? In Missouri, it’s legally at conception
ST. LOUIS (RNS) — The question has perplexed philosophers, theologians and scientists for thousands of years: At what point does human life begin? Missouri lawmakers have declared their answer. By withholding both his signature and his veto, Democratic Gov. Jay…
Jimmy Carter discharged from hospital
CLEVELAND (ABP) — Former President Jimmy Carter was discharged Sept. 30 after two nights in a Cleveland hospital for what doctors say was a stomach virus. A joint statement by MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland and the Carter Center in…
British Baptist minister faces sexual-battery charges
FAIRFAX, Va. (ABP) — A former British Baptist minister jailed in Virginia on molestation charges made a court appearance Sept. 23. Robert Dando Robert Dando, former pastor of Worcester Park Baptist Church in Surrey, United Kingdom, is being held without…
Baptist prof and civil-rights advocate dies
WAKE FOREST, N.C. (ABP) — A long-time Wake Forest University religion professor active in the Civil Rights Movement died Sept. 29. McLeod Bryan, 90, is being remembered not only for his own work for peace and justice, but also for…
Population shifts present challenges for rural churches
CHATHAM, Va. — Rural churches in America face a host of challenges as they seek to continue ministry in their communities. The continued population shift from rural areas to urban centers can drain rural churches, noted Chuck Warnock, an expert in…