By Jeff Brumley Churches should welcome, not shun, debate and dissent, a pastor told a gathering of Baptists last week. In fact, spiritual growth depends on tolerating and engaging those who hold divergent views, Taylor Sandlin of Southland Baptist Church…
New officers for Baptist group in Texas reflects state’s diversity
By Ken Camp The Baptist General Convention of Texas elected by acclamation the president of a Hispanic school, a first-generation Ethiopian immigrant pastor and the pastor of a historic county-seat First Baptist Church as top officers during its annual meeting…
Kentucky’s Southern Baptists hire lobbyist, Capitol chaplain
By Bob Allen The Kentucky Baptist Convention is placing a lobbyist, chaplain and journalist in Frankfort, Ky., in an effort to gain more influence in state politics. The new jobs are funded by a financial grant at no cost to…
Baptist group in Oklahoma denounces divorce, adultery
By Bob Allen While reaffirming their previous stance against gay marriage, Southern Baptists in Oklahoma denounced a “culture of divorce” permeating society — including churches — in a resolution passed by the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma Nov. 9-10 in Oklahoma City….
Baptist woman breaks ground — into coaching football
By Jeff Brumley Some women are called to break barriers by becoming deacons, senior pastors and denominational leaders. For Aleena Garcia, 20, it’s coaching football. And while it’s not a church ministry, Aleena said her Baptist faith, plus an early…
Richard Land joins Starbucks red cup fray
By Bob Allen Former Southern Baptist leader Richard Land has added his voice to the latest “war on Christmas” campaign, suggesting Christians should boycott Starbucks over the plain red design of this year’s holiday cup. Land, retired executive director of…
Pianist, professor Maurice Hinson dead at 84
By Bob Allen Maurice Hinson, one of America’s most respected authorities on piano literature who taught at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary from 1957 until 2015, died Nov. 11 at age 84 after a battle with cancer. As professor and senior…
Rural churches struggle as resources flow to urban churches
By Brian Kaylor It’s not easy being a small, rural church in America today. Denominations sometimes focus more resources on bigger, urban congregations. And luring a pastor to the boondocks is a major challenge. “Many seminary graduates will not even…
Liberty prof says LGBT film fest gives her platform to ‘speak the truth in love’
By Bob Allen Religious arguments against same-sex marriage are weakened in society by the breakup of traditional families, a research fellow with the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention said at a recent film festival connecting…
Missouri Baptist group endorses law addressing ‘threat’ to religious liberty
By Bob Allen The Missouri Baptist Convention called on state lawmakers to enact legislation or propose a constitutional amendment to enhance religious liberty and freedom of conscience protections for pastors and churches in a resolution at the group’s annual gathering…
Churches promote ministries that unite generations
By Jeff Brumley The article is more than five years old but the question it raises is still a powerful one for some youth ministers, pastors and congregational coaches today: “Is Youth Ministry Killing the Church?” The 2005 Christian Century…
Baptists in Virginia elect officers, adopt reduced budget
By Robert Dilday The Baptist General Association of Virginia elected a new president Nov. 11 in a voting process which featured two candidates for the first time in 15 years, during an annual meeting which also included adoption of a…