By Jeff Brumley You don’t have to follow the news that closely to hear that Christianity is on the ropes in America, that worship attendance is spiraling downward, that young people want nothing to do with church and that Americans…
Diversity plan divides Baylor faculty
By Bob Allen A Baylor University official charged with creating a position to increase racial, ethnic and gender diversity among faculty and staff has resigned after less than eight months on the job. “After prayerful consideration and consultation with my…
Cruz stumps at S.C. Baptist school
By Bob Allen Fresh off last week’s televised debate, GOP presidential hopeful Sen. Ted Cruz held a campaign rally Jan. 15 at a college affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention. “We need to take power out of Washington and…
Every day counts for 112-year-old Sina Hayes
By Norman Jameson Like a good son, Carlyle Hayes calls his mother every day to say he loves her. Unlike most good sons, Carlyle is 90 years old — and his mother is 112 and half. Sina Hayes is thought…
Lawsuit accuses once-admired evangelical family expert of sexual abuse
By Bob Allen A disgraced evangelical family expert accused in a lawsuit of sexually abusing or harassing 10 women was an early proponent of ideas now part and parcel of the Baptist Faith and Message. A second amended complaint filed…
Online tool tracks ‘faux religious freedom’ claims
By Bob Allen Americans United for Separation of Church and State enumerated five of the year’s worst legislative ideas — so far — in a new online tool tracking “religious freedom” bills in state legislatures and Congress that AU believes are intended…
Inspired by Obama, Baptist pastor offers ‘state of the church’
By Jeff Brumley Merianna Neely Harrelson was watching President Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday night when it struck her: someone should do a state-of-the-church address. Then Harrelson, pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Fellowship in Lexington, S.C., thought that someone…
IMB layoffs hit home office
By Bob Allen A number of jobs at the headquarters of the Southern Baptist Convention International Mission Board in Richmond, Va., will be eliminated in a restructuring of stateside operations announced Jan. 14. According to multiple sources, changes include outsourcing…
Baptist church votes to OK gay marriage
By Bob Allen A Cooperative Baptist Fellowship congregation in Tennessee voted Jan. 10 to marry same-sex couples. First Baptist Church in Memphis capped a three-month discernment process by adopting a policy extending “privileges afforded to any follower of Christ” without…
Sewing ministry serves as hub for income, clothing and faith for Kenyans
By Chelsea White The whir of the manual sewing machines fills a small room at the Baptist Children’s Center in Nairobi, Kenya. A weaving loom methodically glides back and forth as if following the beat of a metronome. Students in…
Leader of Southern Baptist women’s auxiliary stepping down
By Bob Allen Wanda Lee announced a one-year transition to retirement as executive director of Woman’s Missionary Union, auxiliary to the Southern Baptist Convention, at the close of a WMU executive board meeting Jan. 11 at Shocco Springs, Ala. Lee,…
Baptist school gets record gift
By Bob Allen An anonymous donor has donated $10 million to California Baptist University, the largest gift in the California Baptist Convention-affiliated school’s 68-year history. Cal Baptist President Ronald Ellis announced the gift during the January meeting of the school’s…