By Bob Allen Southern Baptist Convention leaders helped draft a statement released Dec. 17 calling on evangelical Christians to respond to the Syrian refugee crisis with compassion rather than fear. The statement, approved by about 100 denominational, network and nonprofit…
Seminary heads ask governors to support Syrian refugees
By Bob Allen Three Kansas City seminary presidents joined Dec. 15 in a letter asking governors of Kansas and Missouri to welcome Syrian refugees to their states. President Molly T. Marshall of Central Baptist Theological Seminary joined the presidents of…
BJC part of new ‘Know Your Neighbor’ campaign
By Bob Allen A coalition of 15 civil-rights and faith-based nonprofits including the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, is launching a new project to foster dialogue about America’s religious diversity. The “Know Your Neighbor” initiative, brainchild of Gurwin Singh…
Don’t be so quick to copy megachurches, experts tell smaller congregations
By Jeff Brumley Most any pastor of a congregation located near a megachurch has heard suggestions of how to emulate the worship, technology or hospitality ministry of a fast-growing neighbor. “Yes, I get those,” said Shaun King, senior pastor at…
Baugh Foundation gives $1 million to CBF
By Bob Allen The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship announced Dec. 16 a $1 million gift from the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation to support projects including long-term support of global mission field personnel. CBF Executive Coordinator Suzii Paynter expressed appreciation…
Two rural churches rile Baptist association by calling women as pastor
By Bob Allen An association of Southern Baptist churches in Kentucky recently removed two churches from its membership roll for non-conformity with the Baptist Faith and Message ban on female pastors. The 45-church Nelson Baptist Association, based in Bardstown, Ky.,…
Faith advocates weigh Paris agreement on climate change
By Brian Kaylor As diplomats from more than 190 nations spent nearly two weeks in Paris hammering out details of an international agreement to reduce climate change, faith leaders also traveled to the talks in hopes of offering a moral…
Chowan University mourns student’s death
By Bob Allen A Baptist-affiliated university in North Carolina recently mourned the loss of a student murdered at an off-campus party Dec. 5. Flags flew at half-staff at Chowan University in Murfreesboro, N.C., for a Dec. 9 memorial service for…
Alumni pair ask Carson-Newman to revoke Title IX waiver
By Bob Allen Two alumni of Carson-Newman University have written an open letter urging the Baptist-affiliated school to revoke its waiver from a federal law banning discrimination. Travis Cooper and Jared Champion, who graduated from the school located in Jefferson…
Mercer student tackles Mid-East travel, anti-Muslim attitudes with fervor
By Jeff Brumley When Macon native and Mercer University student Alayna Williams signed up for a cultural exchange trip to Qatar a few months ago, she and the rest of the family decided not to tell dad. “They didn’t tell…
Texas faith leaders support Planned Parenthood funding
By Bob Allen More than 50 Texas faith leaders called on Gov. Greg Abbott to reinstate Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood in an open letter released Dec. 10. Abbott, a Republican elected after former Gov. Rick Perry decided not to…
Baylor community offers prayers for Muslim students
By Jeff Brumley Baylor University made clear to its roughly 150 Muslim students during finals week that, whatever rhetoric they hear around the nation, they are welcome and safe at the Baptist institution. More than 400 students, faculty, staff, plus…