By Vicki Brown Some churches, it seems, are impervious to prevailing economic forces that have kept many congregations building for years. But not Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church in California, which recently accounted a three-year, $71 million fundraising campaign to, in…
Saddleback Church raising $71 million in largest campaign
By Bob Allen Members of Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church have pledged to give $71 million over the next three years in the most ambitious fundraising campaign in the Southern Baptist megachurch’s 35-year history. Warren, who started the Southern California congregation…
Mohler says Campolo’s reversal on homosexuality abandons Scripture
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist leader expressed sadness but not surprise at Tony Campolo’s announcement June 8 that he supports full inclusion of gays and lesbians into the life of the church. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological…
Baptist scholars urge churches adopt in-depth theological teaching for lay people
By Jeff Brumley Ongoing spiritual formation for adults at Northminster Baptist Church in Jackson, Miss., goes way beyond Sunday school. In fact, it borders on divinity school. “Right now in our two-year study … we are studying Bible, church history…
Tony Campolo calls for full acceptance of same-sex couples
By Bob Allen Tony Campolo, a leader of the evangelical left who for years has famously disagreed with his wife about homosexuality, announced June 8 he now supports the full acceptance of Christian gay couples into the church. “It has…
Russell Moore to join board of Hispanic evangelical group
By Bob Allen Southern Baptist Convention leader Russell Moore has been added to the organizational board of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, a conservative-leaning organization opposed to gay marriage and abortion rights but more in line with President Obama…
S.C. churches join ranks to minimize challenges, multiply ministry
By Blake Tommey The day Jack Couch realized that the church he founded and pastored for 20 years wasn’t going to survive any longer, he could only see death. Clearview Baptist Church had lost the critical mass of families and…
Pastor criticizes seminary president’s endorsement of secularist group
By Bob Allen A Texas Baptist pastor says in a YouTube video that a Southern Baptist seminary president should apologize for endorsing an atheist group or be censured by his board of trustees. Randy White, pastor of the 2,500-member First…
Recover the balance between service and evangelism, urge theologians
By Vicki Brown Before the government offered social services, the church — Christians who ministered to the whole person, meeting physical needs and sharing the good news of God’s grace and mercy — did so. Tension sometimes still arises between…
‘Say Something Nice Sunday’ this weekend
By Bob Allen Sunday, June 7, is Say Something Nice Sunday, an annual event that goes one better than your mother’s advice that if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Mitch Carnell, an author,…
Southern Baptist pastor in spotlight for baccalaureate message criticized as anti-gay
By Bob Allen The interim pastor of a Southern Baptist church in North Carolina landed in hot water after reportedly telling graduating seniors at a public high school baccalaureate service that if they were gay they would go to hell….
Public church discipline case a reminder of Baptist past, if not present
By Jeff Brumley A Dallas megachurch got some unwanted publicity recently thanks to its harsh disciplining of a member some leaders believed improperly ended her marriage. On May 28, however, Pastor Matt Chandler of the Village Church stepped in, stopped the…