The Southern Baptist Convention’s public policy arm has voiced support of a controversial Mississippi religious freedom bill being decried as anti-gay. The SBC Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission published an article April 1 titled “Will Mississippi Lead the Way?” The…
Flooding draws minister back to hometown — with youth disaster workers
When Bobby Catt, minister of students at First Baptist Church in San Angelo, Texas, discovered a student mission trip opportunity in Wimberley in the Texas Hill Country, he knew he had to sign up his youth group right away. Catt…
SBC church targeted for links to abortion clinic
A Southern Baptist church in Oklahoma is reportedly working internally to address a controversy involving a deacon whose company is working on a building that will be used to perform abortions. An online petition with more than 500 signatures and…
Soulforce asks Facebook to divest from National Religious Broadcasters
A Christian advocacy group for LGBT inclusion is trying to organize a Twitter storm to force a face-to-face meeting with Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg calling on the company to divest from right-wing Christian media. Soulforce Executive Director Haven Herrin hopes…
Bodybuilding Baylor prof lifts baby into national spotlight
Darryn Willoughby is a world-class, professional bodybuilder who benches 500 pounds. So why did media outlets and social media make such a big deal that he recently lifted a 15-pound baby? It’s because he held the adorable and squirming infant…
Transitions for this week
Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly. STAFF CHANGES T. C. Baack, to First Baptist Church, Comanche, Texas, as minister of youth and missions. Dana Brawley, concluding…
Bill termed anti-gay authored by Baptist lawmaker
The Mississippi Senate has passed what critics call the most sweeping anti-LGBT legislation in the United States, sponsored by a Baptist layman who is a trustee at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, a member and former…
Abuse survivors want conference speaker removed
A support group for clergy sex abuse victims is asking organizers of an upcoming religious conference to revoke a speaking invitation to a pastor accused of concealing multiple sex crimes. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said March…
SEC says ExxonMobil must allow proxy vote on climate change
The Securities and Exchange Commission ruled March 22 that ExxonMobil must allow shareholders to vote on a climate change resolution, pleasing groups that advocate socially responsible investing. The SEC said the company must allow stockholders to vote on a series…
What’s driving religious freedom debate in the U.S.? Fear, say some.
It was just about a year ago when Baptist writer and minister Corey Fields wrote a column critiquing a spate of “religious freedom” bills pushed through statehouses around the country. Indiana’s version was one of the more high-profile measures. It…
Political organizer blasts SBC leader’s advice
An evangelical political operative says a Southern Baptist leader’s advice for Christians to vote for third-party or write-in candidates rather than settling for a “lesser of two evils” is a road map to victory for Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, American…
Disaster relief volunteer dies after heart attack
A Southern Baptist disaster-relief volunteer died March 29 while on a flood recovery mission in Leesville, La. Don Fulkerson, 77, a member of First Baptist Church in Galatia, Ill., died from a heart attack while serving on a team of…