ATLANTA (ABP) — An ecclesiastical panel of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has issued a decision upholding — but decrying — punitive action against an openly gay Atlanta minister. In the Feb. 7 decision, the disciplinary hearing panel said…
Broad-based history conference in Charleston historic in itself
CHARLESTON, S.C. (ABP) — The “mother church” of Southern Baptists — from whose pulpit legendary pastor Richard Furman once defended the institution of slavery — will host Baptists of multiple races, denominations and regional identities for a historic conference in…
Baylor board approves $34 million for huge new campus complex
WACO, Texas (ABP) — Baylor University's board of regents has approved a plan that will begin integrating athletics into academic campus life at the Texas school. On Feb. 8, Baylor's 31 voting regents unanimously approved a $34 million plan to…
Lebanese, Palestinian Baptists ask for prayer amid continuing strife
BEIRUT (ABP) — Amid continuing strife in their areas, Baptists in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip requested prayers from their brothers and sisters around the world Feb. 13. Nabil Costa, director of the Lebanese Society for Educational and Social Development,…
Christian Churches Together calls for united front against poverty
PASADENA, Calif. (ABP) — Leaders from 36 Christian bodies and religious organizations issued a joint statement Feb. 9 addressing the problem of domestic poverty and urging constituents to alleviate the problem as part of their Christian duty. “As Christian leaders…
Zimbabwe police arrest 9 pastors attending leadership seminar
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Zimbabwe police arrested nine pastors at a gathering of more than 300 church leaders in late January. At least one of the pastors was Baptist. The arrests were made public Jan. 30 by the Baptist World Alliance….
Wide array of Christian groups set anti-war protest for March
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Although the Senate is stalemated over how strongly to protest President Bush's plan to escalate the Iraq war, a wide array of Christian groups will march on the White House — and perhaps get arrested — March…
Christians, others use film Amazing Grace to spotlight modern-day slave trade
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Nearly 200 years after William Wilberforce brought an end to England's slave trade, a wide audience will have a chance to see his story told on film. But the producers of Amazing Grace — and a wide…
Ousted Texas church planter says race factored into investigation
DALLAS (ABP) — Otto Arango, the central figure in an investigation that revealed misuse and mismanagement of Texas Baptist church-starting funds in the Rio Grande Valley, was singled out for suspicion because he was a financially successful Hispanic from the…
Virginia Baptists’ Upton shares ‘Covenant’ experience
Most Virginia Baptists respect the office of the U.S. presidency, so it comes as no surprise that when John Upton received a phone call from former president Jimmy Carter inviting him to attend a meeting of Baptists in April of…
Consultant says salvation is wholeness, not just ‘point-of-sale’ transaction
CONOVER, N.C. (ABP) — Despite decades of tweaking evangelistic methods, there is little evidence that many Christians are experiencing true life change, Ron Martoia told church leaders Jan. 29. Perhaps, the church consultant said, that failure is because Christians in…
IMB trustee investigation rejects allegations of board impropriety
The Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board, following an internal investigation, has rejected a trustee's accusations of impropriety and unauthorized tightening of doctrinal parameters. The board reportedly approved a report, based on its own executive committee's investigations into the charges,…