The most common question I got from people when they learned that I was traveling to Jordan was, “Do you think it is safe?” My response was, “I don’t think the Jordanian government would invite us unless they thought it…
FIRSTHAND: Preaching camp’s success leads to follow up this month
Several months ago, I was having a casual lunch with a minister colleague. Enjoying and appreciating this time of friendship and mutual support, we covered an array of topics. The one topic that began to dominate our conversation, and probably…
Some delight, other worry about effort to canonize British writer G.K. Chesterton
CANTERBURY, England (RNS) — Christians and Jews are mounting campaigns for and against a path to sainthood for British writer G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936), one of the world’s best-known Catholic converts. Roman Catholic Bishop Peter Doyle of Northampton, where Chesterton lived…
Bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell describes return to faith while writing David and Goliath
(RNS) — Author Malcolm Gladwell may not be known for writing on religion. His New York Times best-selling books The Tipping Point, Outliers, Blink and What the Dog Saw deal with the unexpected twists in social science research. But his…
Meet the nominals: Not synonymous with the ‘Nones,’ but claim religious identity in name only
(RNS) — They’re rarely at worship services and indifferent to doctrine. And they’re surprisingly fuzzy on Jesus. But it’s not just Jews. It’s a phenomenon among U.S. Christians, too. Meet the “Nominals” — people who claim a religious identity but…
Small churches currently unable to afford health insurance for staff may benefit from Obamacare
(ABP) — A new program designed to make it easier to buy health insurance for small businesses has potential to become a major source of medical coverage for church staff and employees, says Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Church Benefits Board President…
‘We’re in a fight,’ GuideStone Financial Services head O.S. Hawkins says in challenging health law
(ABP) — The Southern Baptist Convention agency that provides insurance for denominational employees filed a lawsuit Oct. 11 claiming the Affordable Care Act violates the religious liberty of faith-based organizations that do not meet the government’s narrow definition of “religious…
BJC opposes official prayers during local government meetings
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Opening local government meetings with prayer violates the conscience of not just religious minorities, but also of Christians who believe that worship must be voluntary, a Baptist church-state group argues in a legal brief filed in the…
Leader of SBC’s religious liberty group defends town’s ‘legislative prayers’
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — The Southern Baptist Convention’s top expert on religious liberty concerns says the U.S. Supreme Court should uphold a New York town’s practice of opening its city council meetings with sectarian prayer. “A prayer, by definition, isn't…
Can online Communion be a substitute for the real thing?
(RNS) — As online worship becomes more common in some churches, leaders within the United Methodist Church are debating whether the denomination should condone online Communion. About 30 denominational leaders met recently after Central United Methodist Church in Concord, N.C.,…
How can Christians really help the poor?
By Ken Camp Everyone agrees that Christians ought to help those truly in need but differ on how best to help the poor. Experts say that developing a strategy based on the needs of a particular community can help churches…
Former CBF worker dies from cancer
This story was edited after posting to correct an error in the second paragraph. By Bob Allen Terry Walton, a 15-year employee of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in Atlanta, died Oct. 17 at her home in Cornelia, Ga., with complications…