By Bob Allen Faith leaders from mainline Protestant, Catholic and Jewish traditions formed facing semi-circles on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border Aug. 29 for a prayer vigil organized by missionaries and the head of American Baptist Churches USA. Roy…
Louisiana College lauds controversial former president
By Bob Allen A Baptist college in Louisiana opened its academic year Aug. 28 with a chapel service honoring its former president, who stepped down earlier this year amid accusations of misleading trustees, whistleblower complaints and public calls for his…
PHOTOS: Pastor blends art, preaching to share Good News
Schools prime ministry locations for many churches, say leaders
By Jeff Brumley and Eric Eckert Churches eager to engage the communities around them would be challenged to find a better place to start than local public schools. Think about it, says Carrie Dean, co-pastor of Edgewood Church in Atlanta:…
BWA allocates funds for persecuted Iraqi Christians
By Jeff Brumley The Baptist World Alliance has issued a call for Baptists and other Christians to provide funds to help Iraqi Christians displaced by war, and the global organization has sent an initial donation of $20,000 for that cause. The funds…
After a tough year, Birmingham church fills pulpit vacancy
By Bob Allen After more than two years without a senior pastor, First Baptist Church of Birmingham, Ala., welcomed an inaugural sermon Aug. 10 by new Pastor Jim Cooley. Cooley, pastor of First Baptist Church in Haleyville, Ala., since 2003,…
Baptist leader says Mideast Christians don’t need visas, but help to stay in the region
By Bob Allen A Lebanese Baptist leader says the West should be helping Christians to stay in the Middle East, not offering them visas to escape. Nabil Costa, executive director of the Lebanese Society for Education and Social Development, opposes…
New book proposes a theology for ‘other’ Baptists
By Bob Allen Four centuries after originating as a protest movement within the church, Baptists today have evolved into a distinct sect committed to preserving its place in a hierarchy of denominations, Baptist theologian Curtis Freeman argues in a new…
Baptist disaster experts face Ebola, opposition ministering to immigrants
By Jeff Brumley Members of the North American Baptist Fellowship’s Disaster Response Network covered just about every national and global hotspot in two days of meetings that concluded Wednesday in Lake Charles, La. Representatives from 15 Baptist organizations — ranging from…
Clergy, educators challenge Florida voucher plan
By Bob Allen A retired Baptist pastor active in Americans United for Separation of Church and State joined educators and fellow clergy in a lawsuit claiming a Florida school-voucher program is unconstitutional. Harry Parrott Jr., an ordained American Baptist minister…
Lofty fundraiser leads Baptist to climb Kilimanjaro
By George Henson Bertha De La Garza ascended to loftier heights than before by climbing Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro this summer. The Baptist from Abilene, Texas, also reached new spiritual heights during the hike, which raised money for a global sports…
David Platt elected IMB president
By Bob Allen David Platt, a 36-year-old pastor active in the “young, restless and reformed” movement in the Southern Baptist Convention, was elected Aug. 27 as president of the SBC International Mission Board. Platt, pastor of The Church at Brook…