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…
Judge says N.J. town discriminates against Muslims
A federal judge has ruled that requiring a mosque to have more parking spaces than churches or synagogues is unconstitutional, citing in part a friend-of-the-court brief filed by a diverse coalition of civil rights and religious groups including the Baptist…
Small churches should resolve in 2017 not to mimic megachurches, expert says
One of the best resolutions small churches can make in 2017 is to stop comparing themselves to megachurches. But they might be tempted to make those comparisons after a study discovered that large congregations enjoy a steady influx of unchurched…
Senators question Trump’s pick to head EPA
Six Democratic senators are asking Donald Trump’s pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency to answer questions about whether his ties to the fossil fuel industry might influence his work before confirmation hearings begin. Members of the Senate Environment and…
Baptist lawmaker seeks to remove the state from marriage debate
A Southern Baptist lawmaker is proposing a truce in the political battle over same-sex marriage by getting the state government out of the business of issuing marriage licenses altogether. Missouri State Rep. T.J. Berry, a member and deacon at First…