Over the past two months, two reports brought into focus the contrasting fortunes of victims of terror relating to Nigeria. One was the story of Joy Bishara, a former victim of the terrorist group Boko Haram, now living in the…
Falwell accuses Liberty University of financial and sexual irregularities in legal filing
The ugly legal battle between Jerry Falwell Jr. and Liberty University, the school he led and his father founded, grew uglier this week when Falwell leveled charges of financial and sexual impropriety against the school’s leaders. According to Religion News…
Samford students mark one-year anniversary with another silent protest for LGBTQ inclusion
One year after Samford University made headlines for its exclusion of LGBTQ-affirming campus ministries, a group of about 100 students, alumni and community supporters held another silent protest outside a campuswide assembly. The Sept. 19 protest outside Wright Center during…
Most Americans see immigration as a good thing, but Republicans disagree
Most Americans say immigration is a benefit to the nation and prefer it be kept at current levels or even increased, research by Gallup shows. “Two-thirds of Americans consider immigration a good thing for the country, while 27% consider it…
United Methodist court exonerates suspended Latina bishop on four charges
A United Methodist Church court composed of 13 clergy cleared suspended Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño of four charges after a three-day trial marked by complicated allegations of misconduct and often emotionally fraught testimony from clergy and laypeople from the California-Nevada…
Kate Campbell is glad to be back in the room where it happens
Kate Campbell has done something few Baptists have done. She has sung for the Southern Baptist Convention, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Baptist World Alliance. Campbell, whose style is a Folk/Gospel mixed with Blues and Country, is the daughter…
In South Africa, fire deaths shine a light on immigrant churches in ‘hijacked’ slum buildings”
Seventy-six people burned to death when a horrific fire tore through an illegally “hijacked” slum building in Johannesburg, South Africa’s, inner city. That many of the deceased and injured are undocumented African foreigners living on South African’s margins has shone…
Finding a pastor today is nothing like it was 30 years ago, consultants caution
One of the biggest challenges facing congregations in pastoral transition is realizing how radically the search process has changed since the turn of the century, according to Bill Wilson, founder of the Center for Healthy Churches. He and his successor,…
SBC expels Oklahoma church over pastor’s racial impersonations
An Oklahoma church has been expelled from the Southern Baptist Convention because the pastor performed in blackface at a church event and impersonated a Native American woman at another. Matoaka Baptist Church in Ocheleta, Okla., was deemed “not in friendly…
U.S. urged to provide more support for persecuted faith groups in Myanmar
Governmental and faith-based pressure is building on Congress and the international community to hold Myanmar’s military junta accountable for its persecution of religious minorities and to assist the nations hosting Baptist, Muslim and other refugees who have escaped the ongoing…
North Carolina children’s home trustees release scathing report on longtime president’s misuse of funds
Note: This article was updated on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 21, to add comment from Michael Blackwell. The longtime president of Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina has retired after trustees presented a scathing report on his use of a “discretionary…
Jen Hatmaker and Tyler Merrit find love and are taking their show on the road next week
For authors Jen Hatmaker and Tyler Merritt, finding love after 40 can be challenging. Jen is known to many as a New York Times bestselling author and speaker along with being one of the first influential leaders to come out…