MEXICO CITY (ABP) — Leaders of the Baptist World Alliance ushered in its second century by unveiling plans to expand participation in the international organization. For starters, BWA's annual General Council meeting was renamed the BWA Annual Gathering, signaling a…
UPDATE: San Diego cross to remain, pending appeal
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A controversial cross will stay high atop a hill in a San Diego park at least until a federal appeals panel determines its fate, thanks to a Supreme Court justice. With a special order on the evening…
UPDATE: Courts in New York, Georgia deal blows to gay-marriage backers
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The highest state courts in New York and Georgia dealt dual setbacks to proponents of gay marriage in July 6 rulings. The New York Court of Appeals ruled that the state's constitution neither requires nor bans the…
After praying for change from dull life, Texan finds work in Kabul hospital
ABILENE, Texas (ABP) — God gave Rick DeFoore what he prayed for, even if it wasn't exactly what DeFoore had in mind. As a longtime hospital employee in Abilene, Texas, DeFoore fervently prayed that his life would change. He said…
1 in 5 adults attend house churches, according to first hard statistics
DALLAS (ABP) — For the first time, advocates of the house-church movement in America have solid facts to back up their enthusiasm — and those stats are shocking: Perhaps one in five American adults attends a house church at least…
Rival denominations with Baptist ties seek unity after century of ‘discord’
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (ABP) — Some Baptists may remember hearing their Church of Christ neighbors called “Campbellites.” And most Baptists know Churches of Christ are strictly a cappella, preferring unaccompanied singing to pianos, organs or any other instrument. They may not…
Correction
In the July 5 ABP story “Baptist pastor, author Rick Warren invited to speak in North Korea,” please change the date in the sixth paragraph from July 2 to June 25.
New York’s highest court punts gay-marriage dispute to legislators
ALBANY, N.Y. (ABP) — New York's highest court has ruled that the state's constitution neither requires nor bans the legalization of same-sex marriage, saying the question is one for the state's legislators to decide. The July 6 ruling dealt a…
Lady Liberty gets makeover in Memphis: megachurch adds cross to replica statue
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (ABP) — A Memphis-area megachurch has erected a Statue of Liberty lookalike — holding a cross instead of a torch — to remind Americans of their “spiritual liberation” and to show that Christianity should guide the nation. The…
House panel kills bill designed to keep pledge out of courts
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A House panel has unexpectedly killed a bill designed to remove the jurisdiction of the federal courts over cases involving the Pledge of Allegiance. The House Judiciary Committee deadlocked 15-15 on the so-called “Pledge Protection Act” June…
Controversial San Diego cross gets reprieve from Supreme Court
WASHINGTON (ABP) — With an emergency order July 3, a justice of the Supreme Court has given temporary new life to a cross at the center of a church-state dispute in San Diego. Justice Anthony Kennedy granted a stay that…
Corrections
Please make the following corrections: In the June 28 ABP story, “Alito tips balance upholding Kansas' death-penalty law,” in the lead paragraph please change Jan. 26 to June 26. In the June 29 story, “Former mission board worker gets anonymous…