NEW ORLEANS (ABP) — Despite expectations to the contrary, donations to many charities not related to Hurricane Katrina held steady or increased last year, according to reports from Charity Navigator, a nonprofit watchdog group that monitors the financial health of…
Inexperienced charities complicated post-Katrina relief, watchdog says
NEW ORLEANS (ABP) — Although Hurricane Katrina inspired an unprecedented relief response, some of the groups who answered the call were inexperienced and ineffective, according to a charity watchdog group. The deluge of new and inexperienced charities that responded to…
Mississippi Baptist team weighs future of Katrina-devastated coastal retreat
PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss. (ABP) — One of the clearest demonstrations of Hurricane Katrina's power as it decimated the Mississippi Gulf Coast Aug. 29, 2005, is the shell of a large three-story steel-reinforced concrete building in the once-charming town of Pass…
Progressive National Baptists pick president, decry war in Iraq
CINCINNATI (ABP) — The Progressive National Baptist Convention has named T. DeWitt Smith as its new president. Elected at the convention's annual summer session, Smith will succeed Major Jemison as leader of the Washington, D.C.-based denomination. Smith is pastor of…
Trustee McKissic endorses prayer tongue during chapel sermon at Southwestern
FORT WORTH, Texas (ABP) — A trustee at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary endorsed the concept of a private prayer language in an Aug. 29 chapel sermon at the institution, setting off a wave of discussion in the Southern Baptist blogosphere…
2 churches cited in Alliance fine get Cuba travel licenses anyway
WASHINGTON (ABP) — At least two congregations whose activities in Cuba triggered a $34,000 fine for the Alliance of Baptists have been granted their own travel licenses by the same agency that issued the fine. The Treasury Department recently approved…
Habitat official among victims of Comair crash in Kentucky
LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABP) — A Habitat for Humanity official headed to the Gulf Coast was among 49 people killed in an early morning plane crash Aug. 27 in Lexington, Ky. Pat Smith of Lexington, a member of Habitat for Humanity…
Knoxville church partners with Baptists in Croatia to train pastors, laity
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — A local Tennessee church and the Croatian Baptist Union have formed a unique partnership to help support a pastoral center in ?akovec, Croatia. First Baptist Church of Knoxville, Tenn., and the Baptist Union will provide writing,…
Katherine Harris tries to quell furor over remarks in Baptist newspaper
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (ABP) — Rep. Katherine Harris (R-Fla.) has caused a major stir with comments, published in the Florida Baptist Convention's newspaper, suggesting that the separation of church and state is “a lie” and that failing to elect Christians to…