“Thanks to the wisdom of the planners or the Holy Spirit, I found myself seated next to Pat Robertson — who, to let you in on a secret, is not my favorite theologian. But do I get to deny that…
Nashville church reverses ouster vote
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — One week after an effort to oust 71 members of Two Rivers Baptist Church failed by four votes, the Nashville megachurch voted again and this time removed the dissidents on a show-of-hands vote. The congregation was…
RIGHT OR WRONG?
My son and his wife divorced and fought bitterly for custody of their 3-year-old son. Now, our former daughter-in-law refuses to let my wife and me visit our grandson. We believe she has a moral obligation to allow us to…
Baptist assistance project offered to churches
ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) — With nearly half of the 43,000 churches in the Southern Baptist Convention baptizing three or fewer people, according to 2007 statistics, the Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists, the North American Mission Board and state and local…
British Baptists to go to Jamaica with apology for slave trade
DIDCOT, England (ABP) — A delegation of British Baptists has apologized, in person, to Jamaican Baptists for the trans-Atlantic slave trade. During a May 22-29 stay, the delegation met with Jamaican Baptists and worshipped in their churches, and saw some…
California court legalizes gay marriage
SAN FRANCISCO (BP) — The California Supreme Court May 15 issued a much-anticipated and landmark decision by ordering the state to legalize gay marriage, making it the second in the nation to do so and also setting up a dramatic…
Texas court rules against seizure of polygamist sect’s children
SAN ANGELO, Texas (ABP) — The state of Texas had no right to remove more than 460 children from their polygamist parents, a state appeals court ruled May 22. It was unclear if or when the children — some held…
Evangelical manifesto draws praise, criticism
WASHINGTON (ABP) — If the authors of “An Evangelical Manifesto,” released May 7, aimed to inspire conversation and self-reflection among their kindred, they certainly succeeded. Among Baptists at the intersection of faith and public life, the conversation and reflection have…
You’ve got (spiritual spam) mail
MOBILE, Ala. (RNS) — The messages are simple enough. Some include a prayer. Others offer stories or pictures. Then, slipped into the cyber-epistle, the reader comes across the kicker: If you love God and/or are not ashamed of your religious…
English service held at Chinese church
NANJING, China — I have been attending St. Paul's Church in Nanjing for a number of years. About five years ago, the senior pastor, Kan Renping, began an English Bible study on Thursday nights. This went on for about a…
McCain rejects Hagee’s endorsement
(ABP) — After months of pressure to reject the endorsement of conservative televangelist John Hagee, presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain finally did so May 22 after the preacher's views on Hitler raised new controversy. In a decade-old sermon, reported…
FIRST PERSON: My way to Jesus
Since I was a small boy, I knew I was different from the other boys. My grandfather is a pastor who stays at his church in the town and he has recently retired at the age of 90. My aunt…