Baptists in Sweden are offended by the web site of a controversial Baptist Church in Kansas because it claims the deaths of vacationing Swedes in the Asian tsunami disaster is a punishment from God. About 20,000 Swedes were vacationing in…
Czechs take Bible to streets of Prague
How do you persuade Czechs-most of whom claim to be atheists-to read the Bible? Alexander Flek, a recent graduate of the International Baptist Theological Seminary and chief translator of a new contemporary version of the Bible in Czech, thinks public…
GUEST EDITORIAL: Time for liberals to give evangelicals a break
This is a story of two old and close friends of mine. Both live in California — one in San Francisco, the other in sunny, conservative Orange County. One's an activist liberal, and probably an atheist. The other is an…
Millard Fuller fired by Habitat for Humanity
Millard and Linda Fuller were immediately dismissed Jan. 31 from their jobs with Habitat for Humanity International, the worldwide Christian housing ministry they founded and led for 29 years. The organization's executive committee charged the Fullers with being “divisive and…
‘Moral issues’ receive scant attention in Bush’s fourth State of the Union
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Aside from Social Security, President Bush spent little time in his fourth State of the Union address discussing the controversial domestic issues important to many Christians. Speaking in the House chamber Feb. 2 to a Congress whose…
Bush touts BWAid, other relief groups during National Prayer Breakfast
WASHINGTON (ABP) — President Bush praised the relief arm of the Baptist World Alliance and other religious groups as exemplifying a faith-based spirit of generosity during the National Prayer Breakfast Feb. 3. Speaking to thousands of influential participants — members…
Tsunami prompts redeployment of some CBF missionaries
ATLANTA (ABP) — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is redeploying some of its missions personnel to address tsunami relief needs. Many missionaries of the Atlanta-based Fellowship have relief-related skills to handle water purification and agricultural needs, medical needs, and the logistical…
Time magazine names several Baptists among ’25 most influential evangelicals’
WASHINGTON (ABP) — At least seven Baptists are among Time magazine's list of the 25 most influential evangelicals in America. The magazine devotes the cover of its Feb. 7 issue to the subject of evangelical Protestants in America and their…
California Baptists assist victims of floods, mudslides
LOS ANGELES (ABP) — California Baptist disaster-relief teams were busy in January aiding flood and mudslide victims after three back-to-back rainstorms soaked normally dry Southern California. For more than a week, a disaster-relief crew worked out of a kitchen site…
Baptist family describes life as undocumented aliens
AUSTIN, Texas (ABP) — Ernesto serves as a deacon at a Hispanic Baptist church in Austin. His wife, Maria, works in various ministries at the church. And like 1.1 million other people in Texas and more than 9.3 million in…
To churches, immigration is about more than policy
AUSTIN, Texas (ABP) — Immigration is not just a political issue — it's about churches and ministry, said Suzii Paynter, director of citizenship and public policy for the Baptist General Convention of Texas' Christian Life Commission. “So many of our…
What can churches do legally to help illegal immigrants?
Q. Can a church get in trouble for helping an undocumented immigrant? A. It depends on the kind of help offered. A church is free to provide basic benevolence services — food, clothing, shelter and medical help — to anyone….