A meeting with pastors and televangelists invited to Trump Tower ended with the group surrounding the candidate and laying hands on him for a closing prayer. Many evangelicals who support Donald Trump for president don’t expect him to hold Bible…
Transitions 01.29.16
STAFF CHANGES Jan Ballard, now serving as assistant director of the American Baptist Historical Society, Atlanta. She has worked at the Historical Society since 2011. Michael Bentley, to First Baptist Church, Asheboro, N.C., as pastor of worship and music. Steve…
Transitions 02.05.16
STAFF CHANGES Richard Buerkle, to First Baptist Church, Knoxville, Tenn., as minister of music and worship. He comes from Memorial Baptist Church, Arlington, Va., where he served as associate pastor of music and outreach. Laura Davis, to Woman’s Missionary Union of…
Transitions 02.12.16
STAFF CHANGES Blake Benge, to First Baptist Church, Pensacola, Fla., as coordinating pastor of missions and ministries. He previously served as lead pastor at Redstone Church, Birmingham, Ala. Travis Collins, to First Baptist Church, Huntsville, Ala., as senior pastor. Previously…
Transitions 02.19.16
STAFF CHANGES Jim Baliff, resigning after 10 years as interim minister of music/associate pastor at First Baptist Church, Ringgold, Ga., effective this summer. Jack Causey, concluding his tenure as ministerial transitions coordinator for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina,…
Logsdon professor to lead global interfaith group
By Jeff Brumley Cooperative Baptist Fellowship leader Suzii Paynter describes Rob Sellers as a superb scholar dedicated to interfaith work. Roy Medley of the American Baptist Churches USA and the National Council of Churches lauds Sellers’ skill at building bridges…
SBC leader helps draft evangelical statement on animal welfare
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist Convention leader helped draft a statement against animal cruelty released Sept. 30 that is being hailed as a possible tipping point for raising animal-rights awareness among evangelicals. On the heels of Pope Francis’ June…
Pope Francis inspired ministers who work with marginalized
By Jeff Brumley Pope Francis’ historic visit to the United States energized immigration activists in a speech to Congress and gave hope to prison inmates in Philadelphia. But even before arriving on U.S. soil on Sept. 22, the pontiff also…
Parole board green-lights execution of Georgia woman
By Bob Allen The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles denied a clemency petition Sept. 29 for Kelly Gissendaner, who is scheduled to die by lethal injection tonight for plotting her husband’s murder in 1997. The parole board met Tuesday…
Host church withdraws from boycott, divestment and sanctions discussion
By Bob Allen The Alliance of Baptists had to scramble to find a venue for its Sept. 18-20 conference on waging peace and justice in the Holy Land when the host church withdrew its invitation the day before the meeting….
It’s the economy, Christian
By Bob Allen Four million black people were fired in 1865, when President Lincoln and the federal government abolished slavery, a pastor told a packed house at the first summit meeting of a new coalition of churches in Louisville, Ky.,…
SBC megachurch hosting presidential forum
By Bob Allen Republican presidential candidates Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee are reportedly confirmed for a “North Texas Presidential Forum” at 3 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 18, at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas. The 40,000-member megachurch…