PORTSMOUTH (BP) — The Southern Baptist Convention's North American Mission Board trustees heard plans for a new national evangelism initiative and elected Tim Patterson as their new chairman during a May 20-21 meeting in Portsmouth. In a week highlighted by…
EDITORIAL: May the better candidate win
I hesitate to say anything about the presidential race because my comments seem always to be construed as subtle endorsements of particular candidates. That's understandable I suppose. But since I don't even know yet who I'm going to vote for…
Pastors ask town to ban Sunday morning sports
HANOVER TOWNSHIP, N.J. — It is a weekly ordeal at the Rev. Donald Mossa's church. The moment the youth choir sings its last note, a swarm of parents descends to rush their kids to soccer games. Or they call to…
Conservatives warn of gay marriage lawsuits
WASHINGTON — California's decision to legalize same-sex marriage could “spawn lawsuits all over the country,” trampling states' rights and limiting religious freedom, a coalition of conservative groups warned May 29. The Washington-based Family Research Council issued that warning the same…
FIRST PERSON: A child’s scream in a Kenyan shack
EDITOR'S NOTE: Sue Sprenkle, the International Mission Board's overseas correspondent for Africa, has reported from that continent for the last 10 years. She remains haunted by the atrocities she witnessed during Kenya's post-election violence earlier this year—and continues to wonder…
Officials deny boy’s burial in Kyrgyzstan
KULANAK, Kyrgyzstan — After the death of a 14-year-old Baptist in Kulanak in central Kyrgyzstan, the local imam and a village mob prevented his burial in the village, even in land allocated two years earlier for Christian burials, local Baptists…
N.Y. governor sued over marriage directive
(RNS) A conservative Christian legal group filed suit against New York Gov. David Paterson after he issued a directive permitting the recognition of same-sex marriages from other states. The Alliance Defense Fund filed the complaint June 3 on behalf of…
Rough & Ready
For 75 years there has been a Baptist witness in a section of Henry County which once had the name of Rough & Ready, likely after the Rough & Ready Mills which dated to the 1870s. Indeed some of the…
Baptist youth worldwide to gather in Germany
WASHINGTON — The 15th Baptist Youth World Conference is to be held July 30 to Aug. 3 in Leipzig, Germany. Dean Miller, missions learning coordinator for the Virginia Baptist Mission Board, has played a key role in coordinating the event….
California court won’t delay gay marriage
SAN FRANCISCO (BP) — The California Supreme Court turned back pro-family groups June 4 by refusing to delay its gay marriage decision from going into effect, giving the green light for same-sex couples statewide to get married June 17. The…
OUT LOUD
“One final thing, Lord, I promise. This November could you keep an eye on all of us and see that the change that we embrace comes from Arizona and not Illinois?” James Lisante The Catholic priest from Long Island, N.Y.,…
CBF partners with Baptists in Ghana
ATLANTA (ABP) — Leaders from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Ghana Baptist Convention recently signed a memorandum of understanding, representing an official partnership between the organizations and churches that partner with them. For many years, Fellowship partner churches and…