WASHINGTON (ABP) — A unanimous Supreme Court said Feb. 21 that a federal religious-freedom law protects an obscure sect that practices sacramental use of a hallucinogenic tea. In its first major religious-freedom ruling under Chief Justice John Roberts, the court…
CBF leaders adopt budget increase, new oversight for meeting planners
ATLANTA (ABP) — In a quiet meeting Feb. 16-17, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's Coordinating Council approved a slight budget increase for 2006-2007, approved a new oversight structure for the committee that plans the Fellowship's annual meeting and continued the group's…
First Baptist of Jacksonville elects Brunson as pastor
JACKSONVILLE, Fla.. (ABP) – First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Fla., has elected Donald McCall “Mac” Brunson as pastor, confirming speculation about a leadership change in one of the nation's largest congregations. Brunson, 48, preached in the Feb. 19 Sunday morning…
News about Virginia Baptists and their ministries for February 16, 2006
IMB may rescind motion asking for trustee Burleson’s dismissal
ATLANTA (ABP) — Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board will ask the agency's trustees to rescind an action that asked for the removal of one of their fellow trustees. But the controversy surrounding the trustee in question,…
Southern Baptist missions suffering under NAMB’s leadership, report says
ATLANTA (ABP) — The number of career missionaries funded by the North American Mission Board has dropped 10 percent since 1997, according to a newspaper report, despite promises the restructured Southern Baptist agency would expand the mission work in America….
UPDATED: Media consultant hired by Reccord benefits from NAMB downsizing
ATLANTA (ABP) — Steve Sanford, a paid consultant who advised the North American Mission Board to outsource most of its media operations, has been hired to provide many of those outsourced services by his longtime friend, NAMB president Bob Reccord….
Moderate Texas divinity school receives ATS accreditation
ABILENE, Texas (ABP) — Logsdon Seminary, one the many Baptist divinity schools founded after fundamentalists took over the Southern Baptist Convention's seminaries, has gained recognition from the primary accrediting agency for theological schools in the United States and Canada. The…
Criswell dean out after conflict over speaking in tongues
Doctrinal differences among Southern Baptist conservatives apparently have claimed another victim-Scott Camp, dean of students at Criswell College in Dallas. Camp's contract as dean, which ran through Jan. 31, was not renewed, in part because Camp supports speaking in tongues….
Chowan College sees mascot change as ‘opportunity’
Chowan College will change its mascot to comply with NCAA policies on Native-American mascots-this, after the Baptist school's president and board decided to forego the potential legal battle, time and expense of keeping the school's current mascot, the Braves. “The…
Texas pastor says all IMB trustees should be dismissed
As debate escalates over an effort by the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board to remove one of its trustees from office, a Texas Baptist pastor has warned that he might seek to have the entire board dismissed. Benjamin Cole,…
String of Baptist church burnings leaves questions, but no answers
By Andy Netzel Religion News Service A charred Bible rested on a table in front of what used to be Dancy First Baptist Church’s pulpit, where investigators believe the fire started. Walter Hawkins Jr., ran his fingers across the book,…