By Bob Allen The Southern Baptist Convention went online April 7 urging people in the pews to pray when the U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments about whether state gay-marriage bans are constitutional. The SBC Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission…
Smooth pastoral succession takes creativity and planning, Baptist leaders say
By Vicki Brown God’s grace made pastoral succession work at Broadview Baptist Church in Abilene, Texas, congregational leaders say. The church took a step of faith when Senior Pastor David Cason began to mull retirement. How would they find someone to…
Obama honors Gardner Taylor at Easter prayer breakfast
By Bob Allen President Obama paid tribute to an African-American Baptist pastor and civil-rights leader who died Easter Sunday at age 96 in remarks at the White House Easter prayer breakfast April 7. “This morning, we also remember a man of…
Baptists, others, fear legal gay marriage will censor free speech
By Bob Allen A Supreme Court decision this summer to legalize same-sex marriage in America would exacerbate a pattern of restrictions on the free speech of individuals who say publicly they believe homosexuality is a sin, according to a legal…
Catholics, Baptists join in religious liberty battle over gay marriage
By Bob Allen Southern Baptist and Roman Catholic leaders issued a joint statement April 3 concerning acrimony over religious liberty and same-sex marriage going on in Indiana and other states. Philadelphia archbishop Charles Chaput and William Lori of the Roman…
Smooth pastoral succession takes creativity and planning, Baptist leaders say
By Vicki Brown God’s grace made pastoral succession work atBroadview Baptist Church in Abilene, congregational leaders say. The church took a step of faith when Senior Pastor David Cason began to mull retirement. How would they find someone to match…
Baptist missions must continue to adapt to continuing shifts in world religions, Baylor prof says
By Jeff Brumley New research into the continuing growth and shift of world religions predicts Christianity will remain the globe’s dominant faith while Islam continues to surge and gain ground. Chris van Gorder, associate professor of world religions at Baylor…
Gardner Taylor, preacher and civil rights leader, dies
By Bob Allen Gardner Taylor, an African-American Baptist pastor and civil rights leader dubbed the “prince of preachers,” died Easter Sunday, April 5, at age 96. Taylor, pastor emeritus at Concord Baptist Church of Christ in Brooklyn, N.Y., was a…
Georgia tables controversial religious liberty bill
By Bob Allen As lawmakers fought over religious freedom legislation in Arkansas and Indiana, time ran out in Georgia on a similar measure that divided opinion among the state’s Baptists. The 2015 General Assembly of Georgia adjourned April 2 without…
Baptist pastors: power up, don’t water down, Easter message for Millennials
By Jeff Brumley Easter, it turns out, may be just what the church needs most in luring Millennial and other young Christians into their sanctuaries, some Baptist pastors say. “If there is a Sunday that should resonate with people who…
Judge dismisses Glorieta lawsuit; appeal expected
By Bob Allen A federal judge has dismissed a $12.4 million lawsuit challenging the 2013 sale of Glorieta Conference Center for $1, finding that the homeowners who sued without representation by a lawyer failed to meet the legal standard required…
Baptist school mourns student’s death
UPDATE: Plainview police released a statement April 6 indicating the cause of death was suicide. By Bob Allen Police are investigating the death of a student in a residence hall on the campus of Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas….