By Bob Allen A Cooperative Baptist Fellowship church planter and adjunct professor at McAfee School of Theology died Aug. 27. Gwen Brown, 59, was founding pastor of Cornerstone Church in Snellville, Ga., which began as a Bible study in her…
Voice teacher’s duet turns out ‘for good’
By Bob Allen A Belmont University graduate and adjunct voice teacher at California Baptist University became an Internet sensation when a YouTube video of her singing onstage with Kristin Chenoweth at the Hollywood Bowl went viral. More than 2.6 million…
Woman admits to embezzling church funds
By Bob Allen The former financial secretary at an Alabama Baptist association pleaded guilty Aug. 28 to stealing from her employer and was then arrested on additional charges claiming she took even more. Tonya Renee Woodward, 52, of Dothan, Ala.,…
CBF leader pushes for immigration reform
By Jeff Brumley Cooperative Baptist Fellowship leader Suzii Paynter ramped up her advocacy for immigration reform Aug. 28 in a conference call with reporters urging Texans in Congress to approve moral legislation that takes into account the economic needs of…
Moderates seek exit from ‘messy middle’
By Jeff Brumley Many are convinced that beyond addressing material and spiritual needs, moderate Baptist churches must become more vocal advocates for “the least of these” in society. Some are forming congregational programs, while institutions like the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship are studying…
Baptists monitor Syria crisis
By Bob Allen European Baptist leaders urged caution amid rising support for military intervention in Syria over what the United States, France and Great Britain say is clear evidence that President Bashar al-Assad’s forces have used banned chemical weapons on…
NC Baptist church ends Boy Scout ties
By Bob Allen A large Southern Baptist church in North Carolina is ending its nearly 60-year-old relationship with the Boy Scouts of America and shifting allegiance to an alternative outdoor character-development organization to be launched next month in Nashville, Tenn….
Baptist pastor open to same-sex unions
Correction: This story was edited after posting to correct an error in the 13th paragraph. By Bob Allen An Alabama Baptist pastor says she is reconsidering her previous policy of not performing marriage-like commitment services for same-sex couples. Sarah Shelton,…
Conference marks 200 years of missions
By Bob Allen A three-day conference in November will celebrate 200 years of Baptist missions and explore the lasting impact of Ann and Adoniram Judson, the first U.S. Baptist missionaries to serve on foreign soil. “The Judsons: Celebrating 200 Years…
Furniture giveaway is Godsend for international students arriving on Virginia Tech’s campus
BLACKSBURG, Va. — Moving to a college campus is a rite of passage for new students. But for international students, setting up a new household in an apartment or house, usually with other roommates, can be especially difficult as they…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Ministry to those with life-threatening illnesses
Sooner or later a deacon who ministers to families or who is part of a hospital visitation team will care for a person with a life-threatening illness. Ironically, just when we need to move closer to church members who are…
OPINION: Church remixed
On Sunday, Aug. 11, the Church at Clarendon in Arlington, Va., held a service entitled “Church Remixed.” The service was during the regular 11 a.m. worship hour, a typically “blended” style service, with five to eight musicians. On this morning,…