DALLAS (ABP) — A “strong consensus” has developed regarding the appropriate role of religion in public schools, a church-state legal expert said. Oliver Thomas, a constitutional lawyer who helped draft the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, spoke during a recent “Finding…
More Americans blame Jews for Jesus’ death
(ABP) — A growing minority of Americans believe that Jews were responsible for Christ's death, according to a Pew Research Center poll. Roughly a quarter of the public (26 percent) now expresses that view. This represents a modest but statistically…
Willliams retires as director of medical mission group
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (ABP) — James Williams has announced he will retire as executive director of the Baptist Medical/Dental Fellowship, an organization that enlists health-care professionals as volunteer and career mission workers. In a letter to the organization's Executive Committee, Williams,…
President of Baptist medical group resigns over partnership with CBF
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (ABP) — The president of the Baptist Medical/Dental Fellowship has resigned and is withdrawing his membership from the organization over its affiliation with a moderate Baptist group. Danny Barnhill, a medical doctor from Shreveport, La., issued his resignation…
Houston megachurch elects pastor after 3-year search
HOUSTON (ABP) — After a three-year search, First Baptist Church of Houston, one of the largest congregations in the country, elected a 33-year-old college minister as pastor. Gregg Matte, who leads a ministry to students at Texas A&M University, was…
Study suggests evangelical opposition to gays doesn’t extend to amendment
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A landmark study of American evangelical Christians released April 13 determined, among several noteworthy findings, that evangelicals oppose gay marriage but are lukewarm in their support for a constitutional amendment to ban it. The survey of more…
Mexico, Texas Baptists jointly aid victims of Piedras Negras flood
PIEDRAS NEGRAS, Mexico (ABP) — A killer flood shattered the heart of Villa de Fuente Sunday evening, April 4. In the days that followed Mexico and Texas Baptists worked side-by-side in the Piedras Negras neighborhood to get it beating again….
Flood can’t damage widow’s faith, courage
PIEDRAS NEGRAS, Mexico (ABP) — As the relentless flood poured through the bedroom windows, Romona Juarez calmed her terrified grandson with the story of Noah's Ark. When she stood in the kitchen sink and the water – thick with silt…
Another anonymous donor gives multimillion-dollar gift to CBF
ATLANTA (ABP) — An anonymous donor has made a $5 million contribution to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, designated for global missions. It is the fourth anonymous multimillion-dollar donation to CBF missions in the last three years, and the second this…
Southwestern elects trustees as deans, plans to open undergraduate college
FORT WORTH, Texas (ABP) — Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary trustees have elected two of their own board members as deans and agreed to create an undergraduate college on the Fort Worth campus. During their April 6 meeting, trustees elected their…
Judge won’t amend lawsuit against Missouri agencies
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (ABP) — A Missouri judge, who recently dismissed a lawsuit against five Missouri Baptist agencies, won't allow the plaintiffs to amend the suit. Judge Thomas Brown, who ruled March 11 that the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board…
U.S. behind only China, Iran in executions, report says
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The United States ranks third, behind only China and Iran, in reported executions, according to a new report by a human-rights group that opposes the death penalty. Amnesty International's annual report on the death penalty, released April…