BOSTON (ABP) — The same court that created a national firestorm by legalizing gay marriage in 2003 delivered gay-rights activists a setback March 30 in a related case. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled 7-1 that an obscure 1913 law…
Hollifield elected to director’s post in North Carolina Baptist convention
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — Milton Hollifield became the 14th executive director-treasurer of the North Carolina Baptist State Convention during a special called convention April 11 — the first in the convention's history. An announced total of 1,066 messengers attended the…
Pizza magnate building ‘city of God’; Catholics flock while critics mock
NAPLES, Fla. (ABP) — Pizza tycoon Thomas Monaghan, despite rumors to the contrary, will not forbid X-rated movies or ban the sale of contraceptives in his new, faith-based town in Florida. And he will allow you to live there if…
NAMB transfers role in Vancouver mission outreach to Canadians
VANCOUVER, B.C. (ABP) — American ministry strategies in a Canadian culture have proven to be an imperfect match, at least for the North American Mission Board's Strategic Focus Cities effort. But ministry leaders at NAMB and within the Canadian Convention…
Senate again votes down marriage amendment
Smyth & Helwys publisher Staton wins state Senate seat in Georgia
MACON, Ga. (ABP) — Cecil Staton, president of Smyth & Helwys Publishing in Macon, Ga., was elected Nov. 2 to fill an open seat in the Georgia state Senate. Staton, a Republican, garnered 61 percent of the votes in the…
CBF funds flood relief in Asia, receives grant for Middle East
ATLANTA (ABP) — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship recently gave two grants totaling $10,000 to key areas of flooding in Asia. Meanwhile, the Fellowship received a $66,000 grant from the W.C. English Foundation to fund a medical consultant in the Middle…
Survey: People in house churches more satisfied than conventional counterparts
VENTURA, Calif. (ABP) — House churches — small groups of 20 or so that regularly meet together for worship in a non-conventional setting — are out-performing more traditional congregations when it comes to satisfying attendees, according to a new survey….
Global Christianity becoming both connected, fragmented, prof says
AUSTIN, Texas (ABP) — If Christians worldwide can network with each other, the global Christian church will be poised for effective ministry in the 21st century, according to Anna Robbins of the London School of Theology. That networked church is…