DALLAS (ABP) — An investigation that uncovered evidence of mismanagement and misuse of Texas Baptist church-starting funds in the Rio Grande Valley presents major challenges for the Baptist General Convention of Texas — and especially Executive Director Charles Wade, some…
N.J. court gives gays marriage rights, but not claim to name
The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled Oct. 25 that the state's constitution requires that marriage rights be available to same-sex couples on an equal basis with heterosexuals. But the court left state legislators to decide whether to refer to the…
Arkansans approve task force report, potential Baptist building move
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (ABP) — Messengers to the 153rd annual meeting of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention approved a ministry task force report that includes recommendations to regionalize Executive Board ministries, increase the percentage of Cooperative Program funds forwarded to…
Questions and answers on N.J. gay marriage decision
Q: What did the New Jersey Supreme Court rule? A: The majority said that while there is no “fundamental right to same sex-marriage” in New Jersey, it is unconstitutional to deny gay couples the same rights as married couples. Q:…
Mississippi Baptists approve record Cooperative Program budget
JACKSON, Miss. (ABP) — Messengers from the Mississippi Baptist Convention's 2,114 churches approved without opposition a record Cooperative Program budget of more than $33 million during their annual meeting Oct. 31-Nov. 1. The $33,188,934-budget for 2007 represents an almost six-percent…
Global Women urged to demonstrate ‘strategic savvy’ to expand impact
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — “The world is changing, and we need to catch up a little bit,” Robbi Francovich of Austin, Texas, told members of Global Women at an interactive missions conference Oct. 27-28. Francovich, who has spent 10 years…
Muslim group decries Baptist leader’s claims about Islamic ‘takeover’ of U.S.
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (ABP) — Leaders from a prominent American Muslim group have denounced reported comments by the Missouri Baptist Convention's executive director claiming that “Islam has a strategic plan” to take over the United States. Ibrahim Hooper, communications director…
Missouri Baptist executive claims Muslims plotting to take over U.S.
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (ABP) — The executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention reportedly claimed the “real threat” to the United States is that “Islam has a strategic plan to conquer and occupy America.” David Clippard, in his address at…
Missouri Baptist Convention ousts 19 churches over ties to moderates
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (ABP) — The Missouri Baptist Convention voted Oct. 31 to oust 19 congregations — some of which have been part of the group since its beginning — because of their affiliations with moderate Baptist groups. The move…
Arkansas businessman, donor to moderate Baptists, dies
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (ABP) — John Heflin Jr., an Arkansas businessman and philanthropist, died Oct. 26. He was 61. Heflin, who died from cancer, was a major donor to Baptist causes, including the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Arkansas and Ouachita…
Environmental movie motivates evangelicals to get involved
DALLAS (ABP) — On Nov. 3, a Canadian film team will release in U.S. theatres The Great Warming, a movie about climate change and the initiatives aimed at reversing its trend toward permanent ecologic damage. Unlike other recent environmental movies,…
Opinion: The end of the Hummer age
The global communities of science, business, and policymaking have largely moved past the debate about whether humans are causing serious climate change and on to the question of what to do about it. But the conservative Christian sector in the…