Four churches were expelled from the Southern Baptist Convention Feb. 23 in a joint action that gave the appearance of equating LGBTQ inclusion with predatory sexual behavior. Among the four churches expelled, two were removed due to welcoming LGBTQ Christians…
As people walk away from the church in droves, Russ Dean hopes to tell the old story in a new way
The first time Bruce Holliday walked into Park Road Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C., he carried doubts about just about anything having to do with institutional religion. But he was stunned to find that co-pastors Russ and Amy Jacks Dean,…
The strange saga of the Riley Foundation lawsuit now forces SBC to figure out who has the right to remove a seminary trustee
A months-long battle for ultimate control of the Southern Baptist Convention’s agencies and institutions came to light Feb. 21 when a trove of attorney communications exposed a rift between officers of the SBC Executive Committee and leaders of Southwestern Baptist…
In-person worship dropped in January as more churches were directly affected by COVID
Concerns about spiking COVID-19 cases led to a rise in the number of U.S. churches canceling in-person gatherings in January, a new Lifeway Research study shows. Meanwhile, the new research offers some of the most detailed data yet about how…
Caldwell succeeds Anderson as chair of BNG board
Chris Caldwell of Louisville, Ky., is the new chairman of the Baptist News Global board of directors, succeeding Janice Anderson of Houston, who remains on the board but concluded a three-year term at the helm. Caldwell serves as a professor…
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…
Final vote sounds the death knell for capital punishment in Virginia
Legislation abolishing Virginia’s death penalty received final approval from legislators Feb. 22 and is on its way to Gov. Ralph Northam, who has pledged to sign it. When he does, the Commonwealth will become the 23rd state to end capital…
Reeves to lead Fellowship Southwest
Stephen Reeves has been named the second executive director of Fellowship Southwest and will follow the organization’s founding leader, Marv Knox, who will retire at year-end. Reeves currently serves as associate coordinator for advocacy at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in…
Three years later, Leah Sharibu is still held captive, reportedly for refusing to renounce her faith
In the last three years since a group of Boko Haram terrorists stormed and kidnapped 109 students from Government Girls’ Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe State, in northeast Nigeria, much has changed except one thing: Only one of…
Wake Forest Divinity gets $5 million grant to help combat HIV/AIDS
Wake Forest University School of Divinity has announced a $5 million grant that will establish a new center to address HIV/AIDS throughout the South. The grant from Gilead Sciences will bring Wake Forest into Gilead’s 10-year, $100 million COMPASS Initiative…
Making the case for why Black History Month is necessary
Black History Month has its critics, but Chalice Overy isn’t one of them. Overy, associate pastor at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh, N.C., said the focus on Black heroes and accomplishments every February growing up prepared her for being…
Baylor regents ‘accept’ racial history report, will release findings by end of March
Baylor University’s board of regents “accepted” a final report of its Commission on Historic Campus Representations Feb. 19 but will not release the findings to the public until the end of March. Lori Fogleman, university spokesperson, said the report will…