BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) — An Alabama music minister prominent in moderate Baptist life has been charged with sexual abuse of a minor while he was employed in an earlier position in Maryland. Tim Mann, who has been minister of music…
Nabors resigns as BGCT chief financial officer
DALLAS (ABP) — David Nabors has resigned as treasurer and chief financial officer of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The resignation will become effective April 15. “We needed a change as it relates to the coming of a new…
IABCU taps Tenn. Baptist educator for top post
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — Board members of the International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities have elected Michael Arrington, provost of Carson-Newman College, as executive director. The position became effective March 1. Arrington, 62, succeeds Thomas Corts, who in September…
Musings on a new Southern Baptist declaration on climate change
The question before all Christians at all times is whether we will follow Jesus by seeking wholeheartedly to do God's will. Too often in American Christian/evangelical/Baptist life we have allowed ourselves to displace our loyalty to Jesus Christ and replace…
Is Religious Right dead or part of new center?
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Reports the Religious Right's demise have been greatly exaggerated, according to Tony Perkins and Harry Jackson. But Jim Wallis, Samuel Rodriguez, David Gushee and other leaders and authors argue that the Religious Right, while not dead, is…
Bangladesh church leader wins BWA human rights award
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Dennis Dilip Datta has been named the 2008 recipient of the Baptist World Alliance Denton and Janice Lotz Human Rights Award. Datta, a Baptist leader from the Muslim-majority country of Bangladesh, won the award for his advocacy…
Will Baptists be counted among those in the ‘evangelical center’?
(ABP) — If an “evangelical center” emerges from the current shake-up in American politics, will moderate Baptists be part of it? It depends on how comfortable moderate Baptists are with being considered “evangelicals” in the first place. Moderate and progressive…
Evangelical turnout for Democrats in Ohio shows diversity, experts say
NEW YORK (ABP) — Polls showing that 43 percent of white evangelical voters who participated in Ohio's recent primary election voted for Democrats are further evidence that mainstream media are missing a key story, according to a group of pundits….
More than 4,800 people accept Christ in Caracas outreach effort
CARACAS, Venezuela (ABP) — More than 1,150 Baptists from Venezuela and the United States shared the gospel roughly 10,000 times during a recent evangelism effort called Caracas Crusade 2008. Jacobo García, director of missions and evangelism of the National Baptist…
Ethicist describes recipe for global warming skepticism
SAN ANTONIO (ABP) — Conservative Christians have turned a cold shoulder to concerns about global warming, but ethicist David Gushee says he knows why. “Climate change is among the most heavily reported stories — and in my view, one of…
Opinion: Unity in the church at the expense of truth
In his speech at the recent New Baptist Covenant celebration, John Grisham urged his hearers to spend as much time ministering out in the streets as they do in the church. No doubt this is in many ways an admirable…
Broadway Baptist votes to retain Brett Younger
FORT WORTH, Texas (ABP) — A prominent Texas Baptist congregation embroiled in a highly public controversy over homosexuality and other issues chose March 9 to keep its pastor. Members of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, voted 499-237 against…