By ABPnews/Herald staff The Baptist World Alliance now numbers 231 member organizations in 121 countries following the recent addition of four church networks in Africa and North America. The Chin Baptist Churches USA becomes the 19th Baptist convention in the…
When the price is right, churches are selling property to advance ministry
By Jeff Brumley Selling all or portions of property is nothing new for downtown churches. It’s been a practice for decades, necessitated by demographic shifts and urban sprawl, aging congregations or denominational decline. But for some, it’s the money generated…
Pastor, ethicist urge Southern Baptists to marry younger
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist pastor and an expert on moral policy issues made national headlines recently by suggesting that parents who encourage their adult children to delay marriage for educational and financial reasons unwittingly send a message that…
State CBF leader terms Senate debate organized by Southern Baptists partisan
By Bob Allen The interim head of a state Cooperative Baptist Fellowship accused three evangelical leaders of partisan politics for sponsoring candidate forums in a closely watched U.S. Senate race in Kentucky. Chris Sanders, named this month as interim coordinator…
Sociologist: Concept of God impacts power of prayer, anxiety-related disorders
By Terry Goodrich Prayer seems to be more effective at combating psychological challenges for some than for others, a Baylor University sociologist has found. The type of attachment a praying individual feels toward God seems to matter most in easing…
Baptist Standard to cease operation of its FaithVillage social media network
By Ken Camp Baptist Standard Publishing’s board of directors voted to cease operation of FaithVillage, a social media network and resources website for young Christians, effective Aug. 31. Although the site attracted about 40,000 unique visitors each month, it failed…
Preacher returns to pulpit after son’s suicide
By Bob Allen Less than two weeks after the suicide of his 15-year-old son, a Baptist college president and popular circuit preacher returned to the pulpit Aug. 10. “This is muscle memory for me, and being in God’s house among…
Virginia Baptists launch initiative aimed at Ebola crisis
By Robert Dilday The Virginia Baptist Mission Board has launched a response to the burgeoning Ebola crisis in West Africa, allocating funds for relief and educational work and partnering with a group of Liberian expatriates who are mobilizing support in…
Real or imagined, persecution appears to part of Christian DNA
By Jeff Brumley Matt Cook says he frequently hears from fellow Baptists worried that the steady cultural shift away from church and faith may spell persecution for traditional Christians. It’s a fear born of constant news reports and anecdotes about…
BJC breaks down Hobby Lobby ruling
By Bob Allen Two Baptist experts in religious liberty law say the U.S. Supreme Court’s interpretation of a 1993 federal law intended to bolster religious freedom in the recent Hobby Lobby decision could set a precedent for future rulings applying…
Culpepper stepping down after 20 years as McAfee dean
By Bob Allen Alan Culpepper, founding dean of Mercer University’s McAfee School of Theology, is stepping down after nearly two decades at the end of the current academic year. After a sabbatical, he plans to teach full time on the…
St. Louis pastor says racial violence not justified, but anger is
By Bob Allen A white Baptist pastor in St. Louis says he cannot condone rioting in nearby Ferguson, Mo., but he understands the anger about a black teenager killed by police Aug. 9. On Wednesday police used teargas to disperse…