NEW ORLEANS (ABP) — After months of sometimes pointed discussion, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary trustees agreed Oct. 13 to adopt proposed charter amendments designed to tie it securely to the Southern Baptist Convention — but with some reservations. Spending…
Supreme Court hears arguments on juvenile death penalty
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The U.S. Supreme Court considered Oct. 13 whether or not giving the death penalty to offenders who are 16 or 17 at the time of their crimes qualifies as the kind of “cruel and unusual punishment” banned…
Americans United asks IRS to investigate Miami church
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A church-state group has asked the Internal Revenue Service to investigate another church for appearing to endorse a presidential candidate this election season. Americans United for Separation of Church and State has asked the IRS to investigate…
Southern Baptists in New York elect new executive director
EAST SYRACUSE, N.Y. (ABP) — The executive board of the Baptist Convention of New York elected long-time pastor Terry Robertson as the fifth executive director of the 35-year-old convention. He will succeed J. B. Graham on Graham's retirement Nov. 5….
Most Christians ill prepared for end-of-life care decisions
CYNTHIANA, Ky. (ABP) — Lou Byrd knows she could be in the final months of her life and is at peace with that. “There are worse things than death,” said Byrd, a member of Cynthiana (Ky.) Baptist Church. The 73-year-old…
Fellowship gives $5,000 for famine relief in Kenya
ATLANTA (ABP) — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has donated $5,000 to alleviate what the Baptist Convention of Kenya has called a “serious hunger disaster” in northern Kenya. The human needs board of the Baptist Convention of Kenya asked the Fellowship…
Louisiana church donates mattresses for Florida hurricane victims
ATLANTA (ABP) — A member of First Baptist Church in Shreveport, La., matched his church's $5,000 donation to purchase mattresses for hurricane victims in Florida. When the anonymous donor offered to match the church's contribution up to $5,000, Ronney Joe…
President Carter’s pastor announces plans to retire from Plains church
PLAINS, Ga. (ABP) — After 22 years as pastor of a small Baptist congregation that includes former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn, Dan Ariail plans to retire next year. The 135-member Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Ga., is…
Habitat leaders compromise on leadership transition
AMERICUS, Ga. (ABP) — Millard Fuller, who founded Habitat for Humanity International with his wife, Linda, in 1976, will relinquish the title of chief executive officer but continue as “founding president” of the worldwide housing ministry. Fuller has been in…