By Robert Dilday Ilie Coada, a Moldovan who has spent his career fighting human trafficking, is this year’s recipient of the Baptist World Alliance’s human rights award, the organization announced March 5. The Denton and Janice Lotz Human Rights Award…
Attitudes among Southern Baptist leaders shifting on birth control
Editor’s note: This article was corrected March 11 to clarify a quote in 14th paragraph. By Bob Allen On the surface, Roman Catholics and Southern Baptists might seem unlikely bedfellows in opposing mandated coverage of contraceptives under Obamacare, but observers…
Southern Baptist Convention’s abortion stance moving toward birth control issues
By Bob Allen Once essentially pro-choice, the Southern Baptist Convention today stands firmly with pro-life evangelicals and Catholics on sanctity-of-life issues, including opposition to mandated coverage of contraceptives in the Affordable Care Act. Southern Baptist attorney Linda Coffee wrote a…
Missouri church helps African immigrants put aside tribal differences
By Vicki Brown Africa is a large continent, with a variety of terrain — from desert to lush jungle to towering mountains — and a diversity of people and languages — from French to English to tribal tongues. As African…
Baptist, Catholic urge new religious freedom envoy
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist official and a Roman Catholic bishop signed a joint letter March 4 asking two U.S. senators to allow a vote on a bill that would create and fund a new envoy to promote religious…
Ethicist says gun giveaway shifts focus of church event from hunting to politics
By Bob Allen A moderate Baptist ethicist faulted Kentucky Baptists’ method of giving away guns to lure unchurched men to outreach events for politicizing wild game feasts that have been popular in rural America for decades. “There is no conflict…
Baptist, Methodist pastors in Miss. oppose discrimination based on religious freedom
By Bob Allen Five Baptist and Methodist pastors have sent an open letter urging Mississippi legislators to defeat a bill, similar to one recently vetoed by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, that is headed for the House of Representatives for debate…
Baptists target gun enthusiasts for outreach
By Bob Allen A new Kentucky Baptist Convention initiative to lure unchurched men to worship gained national attention after the Louisville Courier-Journal featured an upcoming gun giveaway at a Paducah church located 10 miles from the site of a 1997…
Southern Baptist leaders oppose anti-gay laws
By Bob Allen Two Southern Baptist Convention spokesmen criticized Uganda’s new anti-homosexuality law as government overreach and “unjust persecution” of gays in a commentary on an SBC Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission website. ERLC President Russell Moore and Andrew Walker,…
Festival to mark 300 years of Baptist witness in Virginia
By Robert Dilday Three centuries after an English “messenger” arrived in Virginia to organize the first Baptist church there, a celebration this spring will mark 300 years of Baptist witness in the state. The May 16-17 event will include both…
Network provides ‘Oasis’ from youth minister burnout
By Jeff Brumley Ministry burnout is far from being a new concept with even the most hard-working pastors and demanding congregations admitting it can happen to them and their clergy, too. But one group often left out of the equation…
New church health consultancy ready to engage congregational landscape
By Robert Dilday Two months after launching an organization aimed at enhancing the spiritual and organizational health of congregations, director Bill Wilson says the Center for Healthy Churches is poised to shape and engage an emerging “healthy church movement.” The…