A friend was recently talking about an organization that is struggling to adapt to some very necessary changes. While not a church, the observation she made about their inability to adjust to a changing world rings true for many of…
Study suggests WW II experiences led veterans to church
(RNS) — A new study has found that American veterans who had a negative experience serving during World War II attend church more frequently today than those who were less troubled by their service. The study also found that when…
Study suggests bad World War II experiences led veterans to church
(RNS) — A new study has found that American veterans who had a negative experience serving during World War II attend church more frequently today than those who were less troubled by their service. The study also found that when…
White Baptist led slave church in antebellum South
By Robert Dilday The responses of Christians in the American South toward the institution of slavery and those it enslaved were inconsistent and complex — bequeathing a legacy which continues to complicate racial reconciliation 150 years after emancipation, said the…
Do churches operate on need-to-know?
By Vicki Brown Many churches have cut back the number of business meetings held each year. Some have scaled back publications — particularly mailed-out print versions. Some large churches with communications staff or a department have eliminated them or severely…
Using secrecy to control
By Vicki Brown Baptists follow the congregational form of church governance — every member who wants to can have a say in the way the church and the denomination operate. But how much access does the average church member have…
Social media aids Baptist fact-finders
By Vicki Brown Do people in the pew have any options for finding information if their local church, state organization or national denominational body refuses do divulge it? Not many — but technology and government offer a couple of options….
Religious leaders react to BSA decision
By Jeff Brumley Boy Scouts of America on May 23 decided it will no longer deny membership on the basis of sexual orientation. The new policy, which takes effect in January, is already being met with the expected backlash from…
Okla. twister spawns God’s wrath debate
By Jeff Brumley The monstrous twister had barely finished its deadly work in Moore, Okla., on May 20 when the usual voices of judgment and condemnation began echoing across the Internet. Westboro Baptist Church’s Fred Phelps Jr. tweeted that the…
Despite superficial changes, racial reconciliation in Richmond remains elusive, says panel
RICHMOND — Like many American cities, Richmond has reduced the more visible signs of rancor among different races, but racial reconciliation remains elusive, said a panel of activists and observers of Virginia’s capital. The panelists shared their views at the…
Lincoln’s religious influence in forging Emancipation Proclamation still evident after 150 years
RICHMOND — A “profound spiritual odyssey” prompted Abraham Lincoln’s forging of the Emancipation Proclamation, one of “the most revolutionary documents ever signed by an American president,” a prominent religious historian told a conference on racial reconciliation. “Not much attention has…
BGCT board seeks OK to explore sale
By Ken Camp Messengers to the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting in San Antonio this summer will consider a recommendation to grant the BGCT executive board authority to sell the Baptist Building in Dallas. The board at its May meeting…