Staff changes, congregational news and more from across the nation.
Billy Graham’s influence on Christian unity still felt, say many who remember his preaching
The death of Billy Graham has evoked, once again, amazement at the evangelist’s unparalleled spiritual impact on American faith and culture. But it’s also stirred speculation about how long, and in what ways, Graham’s influence may endure.
Citing partial lifting of LGBTQ hiring ban, Texas Baptist group to stop forwarding money to CBF
The Baptist General Convention of Texas will end pass-through funding for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship because of a new CBF practice allowing the hiring of LGBTQ Christians to some, but not all, ministry positions.
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.
N.C. church appeals for its member scheduled for deportation this Friday
Members of Greenwood Forest Baptist Church in Cary, N.C., said church member Gilles Bikindou “should be released to his community of faith where he has been a law-abiding resident and productive member of society” since coming to America legally from the Republic of Congo in 2004.
Pressler abuse lawsuit turns attention to confidential settlement of earlier case in 2004
A prominent Southern Baptist layman accused of sexual abuse in a pending lawsuit has stopped making payments in an earlier lawsuit settled with the same individual, according to documents filed recently in a Texas court.
Parkland massacre takes pastor back to father’s mass shooting death
For one Baptist minister in South Florida, the response to the most recent school gun massacre is visceral. Joe LaGuardia, pastor at First Baptist Church in Vero Beach, graduated in 1996 from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where one of his best friends was fellow student Aaron Feis — the assistant football coach and security guard who died protecting students from gunfire. What’s more, his father was killed in a mass shooting in Pennsylvania in 2013.
Some ministers demand action, others reflect after Florida school shootings
Wednesday’s Florida school massacre evoked a immense, and emotional, outpouring on social media. Some posted on Ash Wednesday, others the following day. The following is a sampling of response from ministers.
Book by CBF pastor says the Bible can’t be used against same-sex relationships
There is no valid, Christian, biblical argument against same-sex relationships between consenting adults, a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship pastor says in a new book.
Transitions for the week of 02.16.18
Staff changes, congregational news and more from across the nation.
Baptist editor: CBF homosexuality debate outs ‘liberal Fundamentalists’
A Baptist newspaper editorial compares critics of a new Cooperative Baptist Fellowship policy partially lifting an LGBTQ hiring ban to fundamentalists who seek to drive out Christians who disagree with their view of Scripture.
Texas Baptist convention takes note of more inclusive hiring policy by CBF
The 5,600-church Baptist General Convention of Texas apparently is paying close attention to new hiring practices at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship which would allow persons who identify as LBGTQ to be employed in some roles, though not others.