By Bob Allen Southern Baptists’ top public-policy spokesman pledged to oppose a bill on the fast track in the U.S. Senate to override the recent Supreme Court decision in the Hobby Lobby case and compel for-profit employers to cover the…
Union University murder case headed to grand jury
By Bob Allen A judge in Jackson, Tenn., ruled July 10 that there is enough evidence against a former Union University student accused of murdering his fiancée and staging her death to look like a suicide to send the case…
Baptists represented in presidential meeting on child immigrant crisis
By Ken Camp Texas Baptists joined other religious leaders and state and local officials at a meeting July 9 with President Barack Obama to discuss the humanitarian crisis caused by a surge of unaccompanied minor immigrants from Central America. Obama…
Ukrainian Baptists continue ministry amid conflict, leader says
By Vicki Brown Ukrainian Baptists have stepped up ministry as conflict continues to tear at their country, Slavik Pyzh told pastors and lay leaders in Missouri recently. The president of Ukrainian Baptist Theological Seminary spoke to a small gathering July…
Pastor pleads guilty to domestic violence
By Bob Allen An East Texas pastor arrested May 6 after police responded to a domestic disturbance call at his home pleaded guilty July 8 to misdemeanor assault and was sentenced to 12 months of probation. ABC affiliate KTRE reported…
Baptist church ordains transgender woman
In what is likely a first, Calvary Baptist Church in Washington ordained Allyson Robinson, who was previously ordained as a man, to the gospel ministry. A transgender woman who attended George W. Truett Theological Seminary and pastored a church in…
Disaster relief groups challenged by border crisis
By Jeff Brumley Baptist disaster relief agencies are pressing hard to determine what, if anything, they can to do aid the immigrant children flooding into the nation along the southern border by the tens of thousands. While some help has…
Clergy divided over religious exemption to discrimination ban in upcoming executive order
By Bob Allen Clergy lined up on both sides in letters asking President Obama to both include and remove a religious exemption from his upcoming executive order barring federal contractors from discriminating against employees on the basis of sexual orientation….
Anti-trafficking campaigner recognized with human rights award
By Eron Henry A Baptist pastor in Moldova who has worked tirelessly against human trafficking and the sex trade in his country received the Baptist World Alliance’s Denton and Janice Lotz Human Rights Award July 9. Ilie Coada was presented…
Former assistant pastor charged with abuse
By Bob Allen A former staff member at a Southern Baptist church in Alabama was arrested June 5 after two individuals came forward claiming they were sexually abused as children. Jay Strickland, 50, a nurse anesthetist, paramedic and a former…
Hispanic Baptists seek ways to help border crisis
By Kalie Lowrie The crisis along the Texas/Mexico border caused by an influx of thousands of unaccompanied immigrant children into the United States so far this year captured the attention and concern of participants at the Hispanic Baptist Convention of…
Publisher to correct ‘errors’ in Vines autobiography
By Bob Allen A woman who claims she was victimized by a preacher years later exposed as a sexual predator says a new autobiography by former Southern Baptist Convention President Jerry Vines minimizes his and fellow former SBC President Paige…