More than 350 clergy from across the nation have said they will stand with the “water protectors” blocking construction of an oil pipeline adjacent to the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota during a “unified action” Nov. 3. John Floberg,…
Baptist pastor defends Muslim friends
A Cooperative Baptist Fellowship pastor in Oklahoma defended two imam friends accused by a state legislator of being terrorists. Rep. John Bennett (R-Sallisaw) said at a state Capitol hearing last week that Muslim groups operating in Oklahoma and across the…
Former Baylor president says his ouster wasn’t sudden
Former Baylor University President Ken Starr says in a forthcoming book that he was already on the way out when he was fired abruptly in May. He was let go amid a sexual assault scandal that prompted a federal investigation…
Pastoral counselor promotes song titles as path to mini-Sabbaths, pastoral health
James Stillwell is a licensed pastoral counselor who does plenty of traveling to see clients in Kentucky. And somewhere in there he has a marriage he wants to maintain. That’s where prayer, meditation and Bachman Turner Overdrive’s hit song “Taking…
White House panel report says system, not personal decisions, drive poverty
A White House advisory panel report released Oct. 27 said that in order to fight poverty, the United States must acknowledge and address disparities and unequal treatment — economically, socially and politically — that face communities of color. The White House Advisory…
Culture warriors wave white flag, get down to business
What if Christians in America have lost the war against cultural changes they feel do not reflect their biblical standards? They might look to Christians in Canada who realized a decade ago that they lost the culture war there and…
Former Baptist World Aid head working for American Baptists
The former director of Baptist World Aid has a new job with American Baptist Home Mission Societies. ABHMS Executive Director Jeffrey Haggray announced Oct. 26 the hiring of Rothangliani Chhangte as special assistant to the executive director for strategic priorities and…
Ministry teaches farmers how to raise better cows and chickens
Soontorn Inthayok is a day laborer and part-time guard, serving as the primary wage earner for his family in Northern Thailand. The 49-year-old provides for his older sister, who is mentally disabled, and for his son, who is attending technical…
NCC welcomes US abstention in UN Cuba vote
The head of the National Council of Churches applauded a symbolic non-vote on a perennial U.N. resolution as a step forward in normalizing relations between the United States and Cuba. The U.N. General Assembly has previously adopted 25 resolutions calling…
Presidential debate prompts pastor to get personal about abortion
Comments about abortion in the final U.S. presidential debate prompted a well-known pastor and columnist to break her silence about her own painful experience with late-term abortion. Amy Butler, pastor of Riverside Church in New York City and contributing columnist…
Transitions for the week of 10.28.16
Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly. STAFF CHANGES Tom Baynum, to Ginter Park Baptist Church, Richmond, Va., as minister of music. James Cozart, to Oakwood Memorial…
Rural, urban churches joining the monastic movement
The New Monastic communities get quite a bit of press. And why not? Their adherents shun contemporary society and church to live communally. They embrace ancient Christian contemplative and worship rituals, practice radical hospitality and serve those living on the margins…