KOKOMO, Texas (ABP) — Wildfires sweeping across North Texas burned down Kokomo Baptist Church Dec. 31. While members of the church were preventing wildfires from destroying homes in their community, a fire turned their church into a “pile of rubble,”…
Baptist congregation, friends mourn death of Florida plane-crash victims
ROME, Ga. (ABP) — When a shrimp boat accidentally snagged the wreckage of a submerged plane off the Florida coast early Jan. 2, a long, sad wait came to an end for a Baptist family in Rome, Ga. The bodies…
Arson suspected in Christmas fires at Texas community ministry
ARLINGTON, Texas (ABP) — Fires apparently set by an arsonist on Christmas Eve and in the pre-dawn hours of Christmas Day caused significant damage to a Baptist community ministry in Arlington, Texas. But by the next day, Mission Arlington was…
Dallas church gets funding renewed for residency program for pastors
DALLAS (ABP) — The Lilly Endowment has awarded Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas a second round of funding for its unique pastoral residency program. The $850,000 grant will fund another five years of the program that brings recent seminary graduates…
American Baptist congregation witnesses rejoicing, sorrow during mine tragedy
BUCKHANNON, W. Va. (ABP) — Praises turned to curses for families gathered Jan. 4 inside a West Virginia Baptist church building waiting for news of their loved ones trapped after a coal-mine accident. Relatives of the 13 trapped miners had…
Correction
In the Dec. 22 ABP story “Underwood closes Baylor tenure urging grads to challenge 'prevailing orthodoxy,'” please clarify the 5th paragraph by replacing it with the following: Underwood, president-elect of Mercer University, used his final address at Baylor to underscore…
Katrina ‘put a face on poverty,’ but will long-term picture change?
(ABP) — The dispersion of 1 million Hurricane Katrina evacuees is straining a social safety net that's already stretched to the limit by the needs of the country's 36 million poor people. But those engaged in the long-term fight against…
Underwood closes Baylor tenure urging grads to challenge ‘prevailing orthodoxy’
WACO, Texas (ABP) — Bill Underwood ended his time as Baylor University's interim president by challenging graduates to think for themselves and respect the right of other people to disagree with them. “You are entering a world where you will…
Senate narrowly passes budget cuts opposed by anti-poverty leaders
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Vice President Dick Cheney had to cut short an official trip to Pakistan and rush back Washington to cast a tiebreaking Senate vote for budget cuts Dec. 21. The chamber was deadlocked 50-50 on the $40 billion…
UPDATED: Federal court issues sweeping judgment against teaching of intelligent design
HARRISBURG, Pa. (ABP) — A federal judge has ruled that, while “intelligent design” may itself be intelligent, it isn't science — and shouldn't be taught as science in the public schools. The Dec. 20 decision by U.S. District Judge John…
Boycott called off after Target changes
A conservative group has canceled a national boycott against Target after the retailer promised to make more references to Christmas and Hanukkah in its advertising. Donald E. Wildmon, chairman of the Mississippi-based American Family Association, claimed victory by canceling the…
Warren hosts AIDS event to reverse neglect
The pastor at the Southern Baptist Convention’s largest church used a conference timed to conclude on World AIDS Day to announce a new commitment to caring for the millions of people infected with HIV and AIDS. Rick Warren, pastor of…