The new executive director of the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists — a network of more than 100 congregations that fully include members regardless of sexual orientation — hopes to lead the 23-year-old organization to be “a catalyst for building and strengthening…
Florida Baptist newspaper moving to monthly publication
The Florida Baptist Witness, the 132-year-old news journal of the Florida Baptist Convention, will reduce its frequency from every other week to once a month beginning in 2017. The Baptist state newspaper will also begin publishing news stories online when…
Victims trying to put flood picture in a different frame
In North Carolina, Hurricanes Fran in 1996 and Floyd in 1999 sat atop the honor roll of calamity for 20 years. Flooding from Hurricane Matthew has knocked them off the mountain, leaving tens of thousands of residents shaking their heads and digging through mud looking for a morsel of hope.
Westboro Baptist Church reportedly coming to Belmont University
A Christian university in Nashville, Tenn., is bracing for a Halloween visit by the notoriously anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan. The independent Baptist church which has been protesting the acceptance of homosexuality since 1991 announced on its website…
Survey says white evangelicals sticking with Donald Trump
Evangelical support for Donald Trump did not waver in the two weeks after the release of video of the Republican nominee making vulgar remarks about women recorded on an open microphone in 2005, according to a new survey by Public…
Pastors question roles, emotions when police and protesters clash
It was Charlotte’s turn on Sept. 20, 2016, the day police fatally shot Keith Lamont Scott at an apartment complex. Cops say he was armed. The family said he was reading a book when officers approached. Just as they had…
Progressive Baptist church announces pastor search
A Baptist church with a nearly 60-year history of challenging the status quo is seeking a new pastor. The Olin T. Binkley Memorial Baptist Church, a progressive congregation in Chapel Hill, N.C., affiliated with both the Alliance of Baptists and…
Pastor terms ESAs ‘violation’ of religious liberty
A Texas Baptist pastor has urged state lawmakers to reject the latest proposal to use taxpayer dollars to help parents send their kids to private or parochial schools or educate them at home. Charles Foster Johnson, executive director of Pastors…
Look to church for healing of racial divisions, ministers say
Relationships between churches hold the key to healing the racial divisions and violence that plague the nation, two Dallas ministers say. Bryan Carter, pastor of Concord Church in Dallas, and Jeff Warren, pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas,…
Trump speaks out on disability issues
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump pledged to include people with disabilities in his administration and work with Congress to increase opportunities for Americans who live with disabilities in responses to a request by faith-based organizations for political candidates to address…
American Baptists seeking candidates for general secretary position
American Baptist Churches USA is receiving applications and soliciting recommendations for its next general secretary. American Baptist News Service reported Oct. 18 that links to a position profile, instructions for applying and a recommendations form have all been added to…
Churches need to talk about sexual assault
Last Thursday, Michelle Obama delivered a stirring speech on sexual assault and harassment before her standard stump speech for Hillary Clinton. Her words were of the kind that should not have to be said; nevertheless, Obama gave the sermon many…