By Blake Tommey In the field of social psychology, scholars have coined a technical term known as plausibility structure. Among those who seek to understand how people’s thoughts, feelings and behaviors are influenced by others, plausibility structure is essentially a…
Iraqi-born teen is Passport’s 100,000th camper
By Jeff Brumley Iraqi-born teen Alfarouk Majid passed through a shower of confetti, glitter and applause to accept the “PASSPORT Camper for Life” certificate he received to mark his being the organization’s 100,000th camper. “The crowd cheered as we gave this…
Many young people shun cellphone use in church — even to read Scripture
By Jeff Brumley Young adults, known for using cellphones in just about every public setting imaginable, frown on the practice during worship services, a recent survey has found. The Aug. 25 Pew Research Center study found that only 9 percent…
Ole Miss honors Will Campbell
By Bob Allen Sixty years after he was forced out of a job for challenging racial segregation on campus, the University of Mississippi is naming a plaza for the late Will Campbell, a renegade Baptist minister and author active in…
Refugee crisis spurs Baptist assistance
By Eron Henry and Robert Dilday Baptists are ratcheting up their assistance to the growing refugee crisis in Europe, as increasing numbers of migrants are fleeing war and economic dislocation for safer havens. European leaders are struggling to develop a…
Nepal remains ‘secular’ state
By Bob Allen Lawmakers in Nepal rejected an effort to declare the Himalayan nation a Hindu state, adopting draft language to a new constitution Sept. 14 maintaining its status as a secular state. The news brought relief for minority groups,…
Christian Index board disbands
By Bob Allen The board of the nation’s oldest continuously published religious newspaper has disbanded, and the 193-year-old Christian Index will come under the umbrella of the Georgia Baptist Convention, as part of a massive restructuring of the 3,600-church affiliate…
Robert Jeffress prays ‘special blessing’ on Donald Trump
A Southern Baptist megachurch pastor asked God’s blessing on Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump in an invocation at a Sept. 14 campaign rally in Dallas. Trump, addressing a crowd estimated at 17,000 Monday evening at the American Airlines Center, thanked…
Adult coloring books emerging as popular spiritual practice
By Jeff Brumley Coloring as a spiritual practice has made the news recently. Yes, that’s “coloring” as in coloring books, crayons, colored pens and pencils, etc. Ditto for drawing, sketching and doodling as religious activities. In fact, one person told…
Judge orders removal of Ten Commandments monument
By Bob Allen An Oklahoma judge gave the state 30 days to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the state capitol grounds in a lawsuit filed by a Baptist minister. Bruce Prescott, an ordained Baptist minister and former executive director…
School district says gridiron baptism violated policy
By Bob Allen A mass baptism on a high school football field violated policy but was done without malicious intent, according to an investigation by the county superintendent. Carroll County School Superintendent Scott Cowart said in a statement to the…
Judge revokes bond for accused youth pastor
By Bob Allen A Texas Baptist pastor told an Alabama judge Sept. 14 that he knew that a worship pastor he hired in April was facing criminal sex charges, but he didn’t know how many. Steve Knott, pastor of First…