WACO, Texas (ABP) – Before beginning his sermon on May 9 on the eve of his retirement, Raymond Bailey reminded worshipers at Seventh & James Baptist Church in Waco, Texas, that he was not preaching his “final sermon,” but merely…
‘Idaho 10’ member blames UNICEF for arrests; UNICEF disputes allegations
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (ABP) — With the last of 10 Southern Baptist mission volunteers released from a Haitian jail May 17, one of her "Idaho 10" co-laborers is breaking his silence and blaming the whole ordeal on meddling by the…
FAITH DIGEST
U.S. Catholics vexed at Vatican. Nearly three-quarters of Catholics in the United States believe the Vatican tried to cover up clergy sex abuse, and a majority says Pope Benedict XVI has handled recent reports of past abuse poorly, according to…
Is God trying to send people a message through disasters?
WASHINGTON (RNS) — What do homosexuality, health care reform and British advertising standards all have in common? They’re all things that have angered God, some religious leaders say, and he vented his frustration with the angry fires of Iceland’s Eyjafjalla-jokull…
Seminaries not preparing pastors to minister to disabled, some assert
WACO, Texas (ABP) — An expert in the field of disability ministry says theological seminaries are doing little to prepare ministers to deal with the estimated one in five Americans living with some kind of disability. “There is almost nothing in…
Welcoming people with special needs can mean spiritual, numerical growth
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (ABP) — Churches that do a good job of including members with special needs like autism often reap side benefits of a positive witness to their community and sometimes even numerical growth, says an expert in disability…
FIRST PERSON: Anybody can be a friend
NASHVILLE (ABP) — My 24-year-old son is a certified nursing assistant who provides care for three children — two with intellectual disabilities — four nights a week while their single mother is at work. Bob Allen One “benefit” of such…
Author describes what having an autistic child taught her about God
CINCINNATI (ABP) — Kathleen Deyer Bolduc, a nationally recognized author and speaker in the field of disability ministry, said she was unprepared to parent a special-needs child before the birth of her third son. Now 24, Joel has autism, intellectual…
Barriers of attitude block people with disabilities from full inclusion in churches
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A longtime advocate for people with disabilities said the greatest barriers to including special-needs individuals in churches are not architectural or language but rather barriers of attitude. “We have within us prejudices,” said Ginny Thornburgh, director of…
Church should be place of acceptance for people with special needs
WASHINGTON (ABP) — People with disabilities don’t want churches that just “welcome” them, but rather congregations that value them and include them in living a “full life of faith,” a long-time advocate for special-needs ministry said. “Valued is being seen…
‘Idaho 10’ member blames UNICEF for group’s arrest
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (ABP) — With the last of 10 Southern Baptist mission volunteers released from a Haitian jail May 17, one of her "Idaho 10" co-laborers is breaking his silence and blames the whole ordeal on meddling by the…
RIGHT or WRONG? Christian leadership
I’ve talked with lots of friends who say their pastor operates in a heavy-handed, preacher-centered fashion. Just what are the New Testament marks of a Christian leader? Wouldn’t it be nice if we could always look to leaders as models…