By Jeff Brumley Tony Lankford is about to make what may seem, on the surface at least, like a drastic change in preaching jobs. For the past decade, Lankford has been lead pastor at Park Avenue Baptist Church in Atlanta….
Christian leaders voice support for Ukraine
By Bob Allen Ukrainian church leaders called on the global Christian community to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine at an April 28 consultation in London. The event was co-sponsored by BMS World Mission, founded in 1792 by Baptists…
Bible translator, teacher Roger Omanson dies
By Bob Allen Roger Omanson, who except for teaching eight years at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary devoted his career to Bible translation with the United Bible Societies, died April 30 after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 68….
Seeing injustice, Baptist launches ministry for refugee women in Uganda
By Emily Holladay When Missy Ward-Angalla traveled to Uganda in 2010 to minister as a Student.Go intern alongside Cooperative Baptist Fellowship field personnel Jade and Shelah Acker, she never guessed this is where she would build a full-time ministry for…
Being ‘in friendship,’ not ‘on mission,’ boosts Baptist church in Jackson, Miss.
By Jeff Brumley Northminster Baptist Church in Jackson, Miss., embraced the “missional” concept before missional was cool — or even a word. Its leaders say the lay-led congregation was founded in the late 1960s with a culture inclined to look outside…
Some Baptists killed in Nepal quake, while others search for survivors
By Jeff Brumley Among the more than 6,000 killed in the April 25 Nepal earthquake are an unknown number of Baptists who died when their church collapsed on top of them, the Baptist World Alliance has reported. “At least seven…
Simmons College recognized as HCBU
By Bob Allen A Baptist college opened in 1879 to educate former slaves that is currently forming ties with the Kentucky Baptist Fellowship has received official recognition as a historically black college or university. Simmons College of Kentucky is one…
Two women, one man make up Baptist church’s pastoral team
By Vicki Brown Two women and a man. The phrase might conjure snippets from the old television sitcom, Three’s Company — but at Englewood Baptist Church in Gladstone, Mo., two women and a man make up a unique, entrepreneurial pastoral…
Indonesia executes Australian members of Bali 9
By Bob Allen Two Australian drug traffickers shot by a firing squad in Indonesia refused blindfolds and sang “Amazing Grace” as they were taken to a jungle clearing to be executed, according to their spiritual adviser. Australians Andrew Chan and…
Baltimore Southern Baptists respond to unrest with prayer, service
By Bob Allen Southern Baptist church planters in Baltimore say they weren’t surprised when peaceful protests over the death of Freddie Gray turned violent, because they have witnessed firsthand the conditions breeding anger among the city’s African-American youth. “I want…
Supreme Court hears challenges to state gay-marriage bans
By Bob Allen The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments April 28 about whether the 14th Amendment requires a state to license a marriage between two people of the same sex and, if not, whether states that forbid gay marriage…
Julie Pennington-Russell resigns as pastor of FBC Decatur
By Bob Allen A pioneer among Southern Baptist women in ministry and early supporter of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is stepping down as pastor of First Baptist Church in Decatur, Ga. Julie Pennington-Russell, announced April 29 in an open letter…