While sharing in affirmation of the “conservative resurgence” of the late 20th century, three men vying to become president of the Southern Baptist Convention expressed different current priorities during a first-of-its-kind candidate forum May 4. The event at First Baptist…
Transitions for the week of 5-6-22
Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly. STAFF CHANGES Caleb Bittler, to New Bethesda Baptist Church, Mechanicsville, Va., as senior pastor, effective June 1. Currently he is…
Church religious education took more of a hit than worship during pandemic
Much has been written about the challenges churches faced in maintaining corporate worship during the pandemic, but little has been reported on the changes brought about in religious education. Yet a new national study from Hartford Institute for Religion Research…
Evangelical leaders descend on Capitol to advocate for immigration reform now
About 200 evangelical leaders, including many megachurch pastors from around the country, descended on Washington, D.C., May 3 for two days of intense lobbying of Congress on the issue of immigration reform. The faith-based blitz was coordinated by the National…
The Skit Guys go to the movies
The Skit Guys are known for creating laughter with purpose. Now they’ve found a new venue at the movies. The Skit Guys are Eddie James and Tommy Woodard. Together, they’ve been creating laughing moments for Christian and church audiences for…
Moldova, one of the poorest countries in Europe, opens its doors and hearts to Ukrainians
The fact that Moldova is one of the poorest nations in Europe has not kept it from being one of the most welcoming and generous to hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invaders. And Baptists have been…
Unanimous Supreme Court rules against Boston in Christian flag case
The City of Boston so clearly violated U.S. law on religious liberty that a normally divided U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously against the city May 2. Given the tense nature of debate about the meaning of religious freedom amid the…
Ministry jobs and more
Baptist News Global provides a free listing of ministry-related jobs for Baptist churches, theological institutions and organizations across the United States. Each free posting is for 30 days and is limited to 150 words. Postings may be extended another 30…
Meet the Baptist pastor who helped cultivate the Lost Cause narrative
A Baptist Civil War figure and the Lost Cause narrative he helped create are very much alive today in the growing wedge between Christians and how to teach history, Christopher Moore said during Baptist History and Heritage Society’s first “Making…
In an unusual church parking lot dispute, federal court sides with the church and tells the city to pay up for its parking violation
Churches battling cities over parking is a tale as old as time. But in the seaside town of St. Pete Beach, Fla., an entirely different version of a parking lot battle has played out, this time with the city ordered…
New book offers tips on how to have a conversation with white Christian nationalists
Author Pamela Cooper-White believes it is still possible to engage in healthy dialogue with Americans who have plunged wholeheartedly into right-wing conspiracy theories and white supremacist ideologies. But she admits it may be hard to approach hard-core QAnon adopters and…
Is Texas megachurch’s new staff hire a sign of things to come?
A Texas megachurch has created a new staff position that, while perhaps the first of its kind for a Baptist church, could be a sign of things to come in the effort to foster a “biblical worldview.” Prestonwood Baptist Church…