A few weeks ago my wife and I, along with a good friend and fellow North Carolina Baptist minister, traveled together for a much needed vacation along the Atlantic. When ministers get together, the conversation rarely leaves the genre of…
OPINION: Church cats and starter kids
It was a cold late afternoon in downtown Winston-Salem, and I was sitting down for a late lunch meeting at a local Irish pub, Finnegan’s Wake. As I was waiting for my lunch companion, I pulled out my computer and…
OPINION: Easter faith and ‘establishment’ of religion
It was April Fool’s Day when I first heard about the bill that some North Carolina representatives authored asserting “that the Constitution of the United States of America does not prohibit states or their subsidiaries from making laws respecting an…
Matt Cook
Easter Faith and “Establishment” of Religion Matt Cook It was April Fool’s Day when I first heard about the bill that some North Carolina representative authored asserting “that the Constitution of the United States of America does not prohibit states…
EDITORIAL: It’s not easy being the church
Last week a federal judge ruled that the Pittsylvania County (Va.) board of supervisors could no longer begin their meetings with prayers that reflect a specific religious point of view. Citing the faith of our nation’s founders, the judge was…
Resolution asserting North Carolina can establish official religion won’t be brought up for vote
RALEIGH — A resolution in the North Carolina House of Representative asserting the state isn’t prohibited from establishing an official religion was effectively killed April 4 when Speaker Thom Tillis said it would not come up for a vote. The…
For parents of children with autism, camp provides spiritual respite
HARTFIELD, Va. — “Every family needs a break now and then — especially families raising a special needs child,” said Niki Gourley, retreats director at Piankatank Camp and Conference Center near Hartfield, Va. The natural setting of the Virginia Baptist…
SBC leader retracts radio comment
By Bob Allen The president of the Southern Baptist Convention said April 3 on CNN that he misspoke and was misunderstood in an interview on Christian radio linking North Korea’s nuclear threat to arguments about gay marriage in the United…
BJC weighs in on NC religion bill
By Bob Allen A Washington-based organization that represents several national Baptist groups in defending religious liberty for all Americans says a resolution introduced in the North Carolina General Assembly asserting the state’s right to establish an official religion is just…
CBF ministers urge immigration reform
By Robert Dilday Ministers affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina rallied in Winston-Salem April 2 to call on their representatives in Washington to support “comprehensive, fair immigration reform” that supports “the common good.” “Our Scripture repeatedly calls…
Book series result of interfaith friendship
By Jeff Brumley A shared passion for studying and interpreting Scripture helped inspire a Rabbi and Baptist pastor to pen the ongoing “Reverend and the Rabbi” series of books on the Bible. “I think the first thing is we both share a…
Duke McCall funeral arrangements set
By Bob Allen Visitation for longtime denominational leader Duke McCall is scheduled for 1-5 p.m. Sunday, April 7, at a pavilion bearing his name on the campus of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. His funeral will be 10…