WEST MONROE, La. (ABP) — Messengers to the Louisiana Baptist Convention's annual meeting Nov. 14-15 surprised some observers by rejecting candidates and causes endorsed by the state's conservative political group. Meeting at First Baptist Church in West Monroe, La., messengers…
Texas Baptist’s elections, speakers reflect diversity
AUSTIN, Texas (ABP) — Rallying under a banner of “One Family — One Mission,” messengers to the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting took decisive steps toward demonstrating the diversity of the Texas Baptist family. Messengers elected the convention's…
Florida Baptists sign marriage petition, told to fight worldview
Ocala, Fla. (ABP) — Seeking to galvanize the 1,550 messengers in attendance to action, leaders of the Florida Baptist State Convention publicly signed the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment during its 144th annual meeting Nov. 14-15 in Ocala, Fla. Among those…
UPDATED: Conservatives gain ground in N.C. but retain budget that funds CBF
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — Conservatives in the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina elected their candidate as president, toughened the convention's stance against gay-friendly churches, replaced the interim executive director and approved new institutional trustees without dissent. But they failed…
Alito downplays 1985 comments on abortion, church-state issues
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito has reportedly downplayed comments he made 20 years ago strongly opposing abortion and Supreme Court precedents on church-state issues. The comments, publicized Nov. 15, came in a letter he wrote in 1985…
Adrian Rogers dies at 74; leader in SBC takeover
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (ABP) — The man whose election as president of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1979 began a 25-year-long upheaval that split the denomination has died at the age of 74. Adrian Rogers, pastor emeritus of Bellevue Baptist Church…
Conservatives gain ground in N.C. but retain budget that funds CBF
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — Conservatives in North Carolina elected their candidate as president, replaced the interim executive director of the Baptist State Convention, approved new institutional trustees without dissent, and toughened their stance against gay-friendly churches. But they failed in…
North Carolina Baptists vote again to exclude gay-friendly churches
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — Any church that “knowingly affirms, approves, or endorses homosexual behavior” will no longer be allowed as a member of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. “It is most important that we as a convention uphold…
Georgia Baptists vote to sever ties with Mercer over gay-rights group
COLUMBUS, Ga. (ABP) — Georgia Baptists voted Nov. 15 to begin the process of severing their last ties with Mercer University, one of the nation's oldest and largest Baptist institutions of higher learning. The move comes in the immediate wake…