The committee overseeing ordination exams for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has been called out for its selection of a so-called “text of terror” for this year’s written examination all candidates must complete. The passage from Judges 19 involves gang rape,…
BCMD executive director, also a NAMB vice president, resigns due to ‘moral failure’
Michael Crawford, executive director of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware, has resigned “due to moral failure involving marital indiscretions which disqualifies him from this position,” the convention’s Administrative Committee announced Saturday, Feb. 4. “This morning we received word from Brother…
SBC Executive Committee member once again criticized for sexually crude social media posts
For the second time in 16 months, a member of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee has been called out for crude and sexually charged social media posts. Guy Fredrick is a pastor and associational leader from Sheboygan, Wis. In…
In Ukraine: ‘We cannot just preach like we did before the war’
Ukrainian pastors have radically adjusted their ministries to meet the physical and spiritual needs of church members and countrymen since Russian forces invaded Ukraine almost a year ago. So says Igor Bandura, a pastor and vice president of the All-Ukrainian…
Two churches ‘under inquiry’ by SBC Credentials Committee for platforming Johnny Hunt
There could be a consequence for creating a self-appointed committee to “restore” a sexually abusive pastor to ministry and then inviting him to preach at your church. You and your church could get kicked out of the Southern Baptist Convention….
Zimbabwean pastors flee ministry to join more lucrative care work in the UK
Zimbabwe is blighted by a fearsome 240% inflation rate, one of the world’s highest. The nation’s pastors, although dedicated to the calling of Christ’s work, are struggling to eat or pay bills just like their impoverished congregants. “We can’t dance…
Biden administration urged to remove Cuba from list of state sponsors of terrorism
Pressure is mounting on President Joe Biden to remove Cuba from the U.S. State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism, a designation the island nation received in the final week of the Trump administration. Among the latest to speak…
Transitions for the week of 2-3-23
Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly. STAFF CHANGES Jason Atchley, to Hunters Glen Baptist Church, Plano, Texas, as senior pastor. He comes from the pastorate of…
‘Can you imagine looting the religious artifacts that help strengthen the Christian faith from the Vatican?’
In the last couple of years, many African countries have made strident efforts to retrieve artworks lost or looted from their domains by various merchants or colonial officials. Over the last month, Nigeria and Egypt have recorded notable successes in…
Panelists discuss how the Hamline University controversy could have been handled better in a diverse culture
Institutions of higher learning must hone flexibly to respond to campus divisions over religion and race that can escalate into the kind of public controversy currently embroiling Hamline University, a panel of experts said during a Jan. 31 webinar hosted…
Pope Francis arrives in Africa on a two-nation tour seeking peace amid decades of conflict
Pope Francis arrived in Democratic Republic of Congo today, marking the first papal visit to the African nation since John Paul visited there in 1985 when the country was known as Zaire. This is the beginning of a six-day, two-nation…
Museum of the Bible to host Wednesday morning event to pray for God’s judgment on America, and breakfast is not included
If you can’t make the National Prayer Breakfast this Thursday, you still have a chance to join other evangelical Christians in prayer in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Just be prepared to pray for God’s judgment on America. Just one day…