The lineup of ministers selected to pray at Donald Trump’s inauguration reaffirms the divisions within American Christianity. Conservatives view the selections of, say, Franklin Graham and Paula White, as affirming biblical and patriotic values and as support of unfettered capitalism….
Same-sex married couple to lead historic Baptist church
A historic Baptist church in the nation’s capital has called a legally married lesbian couple as co-pastors. Calvary Baptist Church in Washington announced Jan. 9 the hiring of Sally Sarratt and Maria Swearingen as the congregation’s new senior ministers. The couple,…
Visit to Metro Baptist in NYC transforms children into missionaries
A homeless man knocked on the door of Metro Baptist Church to ask for a drink. Ronnie Adams, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship field personnel, and Katie Hillhouse, a fourth grader from Boulevard Baptist Church in Anderson, S.C., delivered a glass of…
Advocate says preaching opportunities changing landscape for Baptist women in ministry
A decade-old emphasis encouraging moderate Baptist churches to invite a woman to preach one Sunday in February has contributed to a shift in how people in the pew think about women in ministry, a longtime advocate for pulpit inclusiveness said…
Couple continues legal fight against Glorieta sale
An Arkansas couple who lost a lease on property on which they purchased a vacation home with the sale of Glorieta Conference Center in 2013 say they aren’t giving up on their legal battle to invalidate the deal after losing…
Fake news hard to avoid, even harder to eradicate
Fake news is big news these days, and many want to know how not to be duped by it. On one level, the solutions are a matter of common sense. “First, you look for verification,” said James Black, assistant director…
IMB head urges collegians not to let fear get in the way of God’s call
A Southern Baptist Convention official told 2,000 college students at a gathering over Christmas break that indifference and fear about the global refugee crisis is closing doors to share the gospel. David Platt, president of the SBC International Mission Board,…
Transitions for the week of 01.06.17
Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly. STAFF CHANGES Stephanie Bohannon, to First Baptist Church, Fayetteville, N.C., as associate pastor. Tim Borchert, concluding his tenure as pastor…
Reward not guaranteed by religious devotion, but study suggests they are connected
Feelings of religious devotion evoked by prayer, scripture reading and other spiritual practices may be connected directly to parts of the brain that process feelings of reward, according to a new study. The authors suggest the possibility of “a mechanism…
‘Alliance Day’ marks 30th birthday for Alliance of Baptists
Feb. 12 marks 30 years since simultaneous press conferences in three cities announced formation of a new Baptist organization around principles viewed as under attack in the Southern Baptist Convention from a conservative faction now firmly in control of the…
Prosperity gospel may reap windfall from Trump presidency
Donald Trump’s inauguration, and even his presidency, is likely to be a shot in the arm for the prosperity gospel. “Oh, for sure,” said Andrew Gardner, an expert in American religious history, an opinion writer with Baptist News Global and author…
U.S. Christians divided on U.N. rebuke of Israel
A coalition of Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant churches that works to influence U.S. policy on peace and justice issues in the Middle East applauded the Obama administration for not exercising veto power of a Dec. 23 United Nations Security Council…