A combination of COVID-19 and increased national conversations around race have prompted New Baptist Covenant to announce a change in strategy. Launched in 2007 with impetus from former President Jimmy Carter, New Baptist Covenant sought to create a movement that…
Group of survivors seek ‘accountability’ from Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee
A group of nearly two dozen persons comprised of both survivors and advocates convened across the street from Southern Baptist Convention headquarters Feb. 21 to protest the SBC Executive Committee’s alleged mishandling of sexual abuse and mistreatment of survivors. The…
Focusing on the kingdom of God instead of empire can free white people from being so defensive, Meeks says at Baylor seminar on race and the white church
Whites must go beyond acknowledging their part in racism to recognizing how they have been traumatized by it, a noted racial healing advocate said during a three-day symposium on race at Baylor University’s Truett Seminary. “Part of the wound is…
Did hosting the Africa Cup of Nations competition help to heal the wounds of the Cameroonian crisis?
In a tweet she shared last year after a virtual meeting with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed, described football (soccer in America) as a “humble ball that knows no borders, opens dialogue and…
Baptist-trained minister hears a new call, prompting run for Texas House
A 1998 graduate of Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond is pursuing a new calling this year by running for a seat in the Texas House of Representatives. Ginny Brown Daniel grew up at First Baptist Church of Auburn, Ala., where…
Faith without ethics leave Christians and the church adrift, ethicist says
A faith uninformed by Christian ethics can leave individuals and churches spiritually and morally adrift and susceptible to extreme ideologies, David Gushee said during a Feb. 17 Baptist News Global webinar. “I am seeing a fundamentalist religion with so many…
BWIM seeks nominations for two awards
Baptist Women in Ministry seeks nominations for the 2022 Frankie Huff Granger Distinguished Mentor and Church of Excellence awards. Established in 2013, the Distinguished Mentor Award honors the legacy and ministry of Frankie Huff Granger, who served at First Baptist…
Research documents slide in respect for pastors and belief in their influence
New research confirms what many pastors already know — that they are decreasingly respected and influential in U.S. society. “Pastors, for the most part, are peripheral and ornamental. Quaint, but not entirely necessary. Kind, but not wholly credible,” Barna senior…
Transitions for the week of 2-18-22
Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly. STAFF CHANGES Mark Blankenship, to First Baptist Church, Huntsville, Ala., as interim minister of music and worship. Benjamin Boyd, to…
Utah bill to end capital punishment stalls in committee
A bill that would end capital punishment in Utah stalled in a state legislative committee Feb. 14, leaving death penalty opponents saddened but determined to carry on their fight for abolition. House Bill 147 was voted down 5-6 during a…
Ukrainian and European Baptist leaders issue urgent calls to prayer
Ukrainian Baptist leaders, along with other European Baptist leaders, have issued urgent calls to prayer for the intense conflict emerging at the Ukrainian-Russian border. As dawn broke in the region Wednesday, Feb. 16, the status of the enormous threat from…
Book to help kids with faith questions turns out to help parents too
A book initially conceived to nurture the religious curiosity of children came to add assurances for adults nervous about giving wrong answers or feeling they should be much more theologically proficient when talking with children. “So many grown-ups feel like…