Many Christians — especially in the United States — are struggling with their Protestant identity these days. Articles and blogs abound on the topic. The religiously unaffiliated don’t resonate with the concept of Christianity defined by a religious revolution sparked in the…
Texas Baptist church opens doors to LGBT community
Another Texas congregation has joined the ranks of moderate and progressive Baptists moving toward full inclusion of LGBT Christians, setting up potential conflict with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Lake Shore Baptist Church in Waco, Texas, amended bylaws Nov….
Cuban Christians and U.S. missions groups not too worried about post-Fidel era
The Nov. 25 death of Fidel Castro raised questions about the future of communism in Cuba. But Christianity’s future has also become a big question. Catholic and Protestant churches in the island nation have come far since Castro’s 1959 revolution….
Car damages America’s first Baptist church
The nation’s oldest Baptist church sustained damage when an out-of-control automobile came onto church property and crashed into a set of brownstone steps that had been in place for more than 300 years. A car descending a steep hill behind…
Trump picks climate-change denier, Southern Baptist to run the EPA
President-elect Donald Trump has selected Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt — a climate-change denier and Southern Baptist layman who sits on the board of trustees at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary — to run the Environmental Protection Agency. Trump’s transition team confirmed the…
Transitions for the week of 12.09.16
Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly. STAFF CHANGES Vince Blackerby, now serving as director of operations at Mountain Brook Baptist Church, Birmingham, Ala. Bill Booth, to…
To help someone grieving at the holidays, avoid platitudes, experts say
The holidays are especially hard on those mourning the loss of loved ones and friends. And that suffering is often made worse by well-meaning-but-nervous friends who don’t know what to say — or not say — to those who are grieving. “A…
American Baptist leaders recall ‘other side’ of Pearl Harbor
As citizens across the nation mark the 75th anniversary of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, American Baptist leaders renewed attention to a lesser-known part of the story they believe offers lessons on racial prejudice still relevant for today. Two months…
Trump election may signal death — and rebirth — of American Christianity
John Jay Alvaro is one of those thoughtful ministers. He frequently pauses when asked tough questions — especially when it’s about matters of faith and culture. And he chooses his words carefully. That’s precisely what he did Tuesday morning when asked…
British Baptists seek middle ground on same-sex marriage
A group of ministers and scholars issued a statement Dec. 5 asking Baptist churches in the United Kingdom to find “the courage to be Baptist” in continuing to associate with fellow Baptists despite differing views on the thorny issue of…
Baptists around the world to celebrate human rights
Baptist churches around the world will focus worship services this weekend on the biblical demand to stand up for human rights. The Baptist World Alliance, an organization of 235 member bodies representing 45 million Baptists around the globe, sponsors Human…
Big-church solutions don’t solve small-church problems, experts say
A few years back, Dennis Atwood was having a heck of a time getting his hands on a discipleship curriculum designed for small or even mid-sized congregations. Most of what he found was tailored to churches much larger than the…