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…
Would Jesus sue over WWJD letters?
BECKER, Minn. (RNS) — A Minnesota couple is suing a debt collection agency for putting the initials “WWJD” on its collection letters, arguing that it breaks an anti-harassment law by portraying debtors as hell-bound sinners. Sara and Mark Neill of…
‘National Year of the Bible’ resolution roils Congress, drawing praise and criticism
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A battle over the Bible is brewing in the halls of Congress, and political blogs are buzzing about a Southern Baptist congressman’s desire to designate 2010 as “The National Year of the Bible.” Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.),…
Pop Culture Christianity: What fad would Jesus follow?
HOLLAND, Mich. (ABP) — Looking for a way to help members of her youth group use moral discernment when making life choices, a Lutheran youth minister in Holland, Mich., re-read a copy of Charles Sheldon’s In His Steps, a classic…
FAITH SHAPERS: Parenting in Bizarro World
Our question of the day: “How can I make sure my children don’t make good behavior a habit?” I am so glad you brought this up. So often, parents get excited about good choices and good behavior and make such…
New venues: Pastors surveyed for impact on attendance
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) — With two-thirds of all Protestant churches having expanded their ministry space or outlets in the past five years, a new study by LifeWay Research shows: • Two of these types of expansion corresponding to higher levels…
OUT LOUD
“[U]nlike, say, racial integration, or gay issues that fit the traditional civil rights template … the issue of gay marriage and the arguments for it are surprising when you first hear them. If someone is a bit slow to wrap…