FALLS CHURCH, Va. (ABP) — A Baptist seminary serving students in the region of the nation’s capital has moved in with an organization that serves as Baptists’ international umbrella group. The John Leland Center for Theological Studies has moved its…
Anti-gay church says God hates the world
TOPEKA, Kan. (ABP) — An independent Baptist church best known for picketing military funerals with placards proclaiming “God hates fags” and “God hates America” is going global. Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan. — whose 75-member congregation is composed almost…
Researcher says hypocrisy not biggest obstacle to evangelism
A former seminary professor, Thom Rainer has led LifeWay Christian Resources since 2006. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — People who don’t attend church are not too bothered by what they view as hypocrisy in the church, but there are some…
Leland Center moves into Baptist World Alliance building
FALLS CHURCH — Baptists’ presence in this Northern Virginia suburb just got bigger. The John Leland Center for Theological Studies has moved its main campus from Arlington to Falls Church, where it is leasing two floors in the Baptist World…
Longtime denominational worker Ernest Mosley dies
GASTONIA, N.C. (ABP) — Ernest Mosley, a longtime denominational worker who served the Southern Baptist Convention during a tumultuous period when two factions vied for control of nation’s second-largest faith group, died July 8 after a nearly year-long battle with…
Pastor’s accused killer faces mental evaluation
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (ABP) — A man accused of gunning down an Illinois Baptist pastor in the middle of a worship service last March will undergo court-ordered testing to determine whether he is competent to stand trial. His booking photo from…
Rock band’s gritty gospel, spiritual depth touch hearts
The intersection of faith and culture often looks less like a four-way stop and more like a mix-master. Faith-based messages have made frequent and bold appearances in film, music, art, theater and other forms of creative expression. This invites the…
SBC needs overhaul, says writer of ‘Great Commission Resurgence’ document
WAKE FOREST, N.C. (ABP) — The lead author of a “Great Commission Resurgence” document circulating among Southern Baptist Convention leaders says a major overhaul of denominational structures must occur if the convention is going to engage younger pastors. Danny Akin,…
Tweeting churches discover the gospel according to Twitter
ORLANDO, Fla. (RNS) — Tweeting during church? Isn’t it rude? David Loveless doesn’t think so. Loveless is lead pastor of Discovery Church, a nondenominational congregation that draws about 4,000 on Sundays to three locations in Orlando. The congregation always has…
Former SBC president embraces creation care
DULUTH, Ga. (ABP) — A former president of the Southern Baptist Convention acknowledged to a group of Christian environmentalists that he is a recent convert to the concept of creation care. “We ought to motivate every follower of Christ in…
Some churches help Christians view culture through spiritual lenses
What does it mean to participate with God in “making all things new”? Many feel the answer to that question is key to the life and liturgy of the church. “We think of ‘creating culture,’” said Winn Collier, one of…
Texas Baptist officials deny bloggers’ report that BGCT held funds for mission board
DALLAS (ABP) — Leaders said blogs accusing the Baptist General Convention of Texas of escrowing funds from the Lottie Moon Offering to improve its cash flow were erroneous and result of a record-keeping glitch. Officials at the Southern Baptist Convention…