Interfaith Alliance launched a cross-country bus tour Oct. 28 to remind Americans voting is a civic and holy undertaking. “I’m kicking off this moment to declare that the vote is sacred, and not just for some people in this country,…
Two LGBTQ British Baptist ministers ordained in Canada
A Canadian Baptist church and association ordained two ministers from the United Kingdom Oct. 27 because they could not be ordained in the Baptist Union of Great Britain. First Baptist Church of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and the Canadian Association for…
Jack Graham prays over Trump at Paula White’s National Faith Summit
Evangelicals supporting Donald Trump gathered at an Atlanta charismatic megachurch Monday afternoon for a National Faith Summit organized by his faith adviser and decades-long friend, Paula White Cain, who lobbed softball questions before an audience she claimed included “thousands of…
‘When you’re wrong, confess and seek forgiveness,’ Richard Hays says
When you come across something in your history that is wrong, “the thing to do is to confess and seek forgiveness,” Richard Hays told a large gathering of LGBTQ Christians and allies Oct. 25. Hays, a New Testament scholar who…
Prominent Texas church quietly quits the SBC
Note: This story was updated Oct. 29 with additional comments from church leaders. One of the most prominent Baptist churches in Texas quietly quit the Southern Baptist Convention Oct. 27 — part of an unnoticed trend that’s hard to…
Interfaith chaplains will serve at key battleground polling places
An interfaith voter-protection group will station chaplains at polling sites in 10 battleground states to discourage violence and voter suppression efforts during early voting periods and on Election Day. Faiths United to Save Democracy said it trained 1,400 ordained poll…
Election 1980: When a D.C. congregation had to vote on one of its own
During the four years of his presidency, Jimmy Carter was an active member of the First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, D.C., worshipping at least 75 times in the sanctuary a mile north of the White House and,…
JD Vance’s ‘Courage Tour’ appearance may have broken laws
GOP vice presidential candidate JD Vance’s Sept. 28 appearance during a Pennsylvania stop on Lance Wallnau’s “Courage Tour” may have broken nonprofit tax law. Ziklag, the deep-pocketed but little known nonprofit that helped underwrite the Pentecostalism-meets-politics swing state tour, may…
Ministry jobs and more
Baptist News Global provides a free listing of ministry-related jobs for Baptist churches, theological institutions and organizations across the United States. Each free posting is for 30 days and is limited to 150 words. Postings may be extended another 30…
CBF receives $1.25 million grant to nurture children
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has received a $1.25-million grant from the Lilly Endowment for an initiative on inclusive children’s ministry. The grant will equip churches to be safe places inclusive of children — especially children with disabilities — and to use creative…
Decision on Louisiana Ten Commandments law due by Nov. 15
A federal judge said he will decide by Nov. 15 whether to temporarily block a Louisiana law requiring classroom displays of the Ten Commandments beginning Jan. 1. U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles heard oral arguments Oct. 21 in Roake…
Global religious persecution at all-time high
Religious oppression has skyrocketed worldwide since 2020, when 80 million people were forcibly displaced and 260 million Christians faced some form of violence, according to a new report by World Relief and Open Doors US. “The number of people globally…