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,…
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…
Ala. CBF leader McDougal returns to pastorate with call to Dallas church
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) — The leader of the Alabama state affiliate of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will leave that post at the end of May to return to local-church ministry after a Texas church voted to call Brent McDougal as…
Dallas church announces gay-friendly stance, endangering BGCT affiliation
DALLAS (ABP) — A Dallas church has changed its website to identify itself as inclusive of varied sexual orientations — a move that potentially could put the congregation at odds with the Baptist General Convention of Texas, which previously has…
New Baptist hymnal favors singing traditions, innovations simultaneously
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…
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…
Dallas church publicly acknowledges welcoming stance toward gays
DALLAS — A North Dallas church has changed its website to identify itself as inclusive of varied sexual orientations — a move that potentially could put the church at odds with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. A March 6…
New Baptist hymnal unveiled in Atlanta
ATLANTA (ABP) — A new hymnal for Baptist churches in the works for four years premiered in Atlanta March 7. Choirs from five churches gathered for a Sunday afternoon service unveiling the Celebrating Grace Hymnal, a joint initiative of Townsend-McAfee…
New Baptist hymnal unveiled in Atlanta
ATLANTA (ABP) — A new hymnal for Baptist churches in the works for four years premiered in Atlanta March 7. Choirs from five churches gathered for a Sunday-afternoon service unveiling the Celebrating Grace Hymnal, a joint initiative of Mercer University's…
Widow shares experience on one-year anniversary of pastor’s slaying
MARYVILLE, Ill. (ABP) — March 8, 2009, started out as a fairly normal Sunday for Cindy Winters. Her husband, Fred, got up early to preach the 8:15 a.m. service at First Baptist Church in Maryville, Ill. One of their daughters…
Widow shares experience on one-year anniversary of pastor’s slaying
MARYVILLE, Ill. (ABP) — March 8, 2009, started out as a fairly normal Sunday for Cindy Winters. Her husband, Fred, got up early to preach the 8:15 a.m. service at First Baptist Church in Maryville, Ill. One of their daughters…
New Baptist hymnal unveiled in Atlanta
ATLANTA (ABP) — A new hymnal for Baptist churches in the works for four years premiered in Atlanta March 7. Choirs from five churches gathered for a Sunday afternoon service unveiling the Celebrating Grace Hymnal, a joint initiative of Townsend-McAfee…