By Ken Camp Repressive governments, radical Islamists and reluctance by Western leaders to confront human rights abuses combine to create the worst global climate for religious liberty in recent history, say a university president with expertise in constitutional law, a…
Church-state group urges IRS to investigate Ted Cruz speech at Liberty University
By Bob Allen The head of a watchdog group advocating the separation of church and state says the IRS should investigate whether Liberty University broke the law when U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz announced on campus he is running for president….
Kentucky Baptists applaud failure of medical pot
By Bob Allen The Kentucky Baptist Convention declared victory when the 2015 legislative session ended March 25 without voting on a bill to legalize medical marijuana. Kentucky Baptist Convention Executive Director Paul Chitwood called on lawmakers to reject legislation to…
As Easter nears, some Baptists say its time to contemplate Good Friday observances
By Jeff Brumley A group of teachers in Rhode Island, where Catholicism is the prevailing faith, sued their school system earlier this month, demanding they get the day off for Good Friday. The Associated Press reported that the teachers’ union…
Banner Sunday boosts Baptist women in ministry
By Bob Allen The so-called “stained-glass ceiling” that Baptist women face when called to ministry cracked a little March 22, when two North Carolina congregations for the first time elected senior pastors who are female. Baptist News Global reported Monday…
Faith leaders ask Congress to protect programs that aid the poor
By Bob Allen The Alliance of Baptists is among national organizations asking Congress to make budget choices with an eye toward needs of the poor. The 125-church Alliance joined Bread for the World, Children’s Defense Fund, Faith in Public Life,…
Every refugee is a chance to live the gospel, ministers and missionaries say
By Leah Allen and Jeff Brumley Just under 70,000 refugees from around the world were legally resettled in the United States in 2014, bringing the total to 3 million in every state since 1975. And that, some ministers and domestic…
LifeWay’s Nashville campus under contract of sale
By Bob Allen LifeWay Christian Resources has found a buyer for its campus in downtown Nashville, Tenn., the Southern Baptist Convention publishing house announced March 24. Terms of the contract, including price, were not disclosed, pending closing of the sale…
‘90 Minutes in Heaven’ coming to big screen
By Bob Allen The best-selling story of a Southern Baptist minister declared dead in a car wreck who woke up 90 minutes later claiming he had been to heaven is coming to the big screen this fall. 90 Minutes in…
Baptists embrace author’s effort to root out ‘poser’ Christians
By Jeff Brumley Baptist Alan Rudnick says it’s about time the 30-year-old seeker movement comes to an end. “I think it’s reached its zenith with coffee and hipster pastors and bands — there was more style over substance,” said Rudnick, the…
CBF of N.C. focuses on transformation during annual meeting
By Robert Dilday and Norman Jameson Transformation — especially congregational transformation — topped the agenda of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina March 19-20 as affiliated churches and their members gathered for the group’s General Assembly in Charlotte, N.C….
Historic CBF church calls woman as pastor
By Bob Allen Emily Hull McGee, a third-generation Baptist minister, was elected March 22 as 12th pastor of First Baptist Church in Winston-Salem. McGee, 33, is the first female to be called as leader of the historic congregation affiliated with…