By Terry Goodrich A congregation’s beliefs about work attitudes and practices affect a churchgoer’s job satisfaction — but how much depends in part on whether that person is a frequent attender, not merely an occasional participant. That finding is included…
SACS revokes accreditation of Baptist school
By Bob Allen One Baptist college had its accreditation revoked, another’s was reaffirmed and a third got probation on a busy day June 19 for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Brewton-Parker College officials announced plans…
‘Heaven-tourism’ critics welcome SBC resolution
By Bob Allen A former youth minister who claims he was fired by a Southern Baptist church for refusing to support a revival led by 90 Minutes in Heaven author Don Piper said he feels vindicated by a Southern Baptist…
Mo. Baptist Convention buys land adjacent to conference center it tried to reclaim
By Vicki Brown The Missouri Baptist Convention has bought about 970 acres that originally had been part of Windermere Baptist Conference Center. News reports indicate that the purchase includes shoreline on both sides of the current Windermere facilities on the Lake…
Mohler says SBC not through with ‘third way’ church
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist Convention leader says failure to discipline a pastor and congregation at the recent SBC annual meeting doesn’t mean the nation’s second-largest faith group is wavering in its rejection of churches which “act to affirm,…
Court date set in murder of Union University student
By Bob Allen A former Union University student accused of murdering his fiancée and staging her death to look like a suicide returns to court July 10 for a preliminary hearing, according to local media. Charles “Charlie” Pittman, 21, has…
Childhood abuse increases potential for future exploitation, says one who endured it
By Ken Camp Stephanie Henry — a survivor of childhood sexual abuse — became a stripper when she saw her body as a “commodity” that could provide relief from financial desperation. Today, she devotes her life to combating human trafficking…
Church planter to lead CBF initiative
By Bob Allen The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has contracted with an experienced church planter in North Carolina to oversee a decade-old initiative begun to encourage and support the starting of new churches. Andy Hale, pastor of Mosaic of Clayton in…
CBF controller stepping down, interim named to succeed him
By Bob Allen Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Controller Larry Hurst is stepping down after 13 years of service to work for the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, a nonprofit organization serving local governments in all 159 Georgia counties. CBF Executive Coordinator…
Merritt, Moore debate Hobby Lobby’s alleged ‘hypocrisy’
By Bob Allen A faith-and-culture writer and Southern Baptist Convention official clashed June 17 about whether it’s hypocritical for Hobby Lobby to call itself a Christian company while doing business in China. Author and Religion News Service blogger Jonathan Merritt…
Church-state group asks court to strike down gay-marriage bans in three states
By Bob Allen A gay Baptist minister suing for the right to wed in Kentucky got support June 17 from Americans United for Separation of Church and State. The Washington-based watchdog group filed three separate legal briefs asking the 6th…
Political polarization challenges U.S. churches, Baptist leaders say
By Jeff Brumley There was a time in America when a pastor could raise significant social matters of the day and correlate them to Scripture, all without offending most folks in the pews, Rob Nash recalled. “As late as the…