Although it may not be decided fully until June, soon we will have a good idea of how the Supreme Court will rule on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, otherwise called ObamaCare. At this point in its deliberations…
TRENDING: Three venue trends
The past three decades brought a proliferation of where congregations assemble in the United States. What can we expect in the coming decade? 1. Increasing importance of church buildings. John Chandler “Here is the church, here is the steeple; open…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Larry Leader watches and learns
t all started with a Yogi Berra quote, of all things. After another long day on the job, Larry Leader is watching a little TV. His small construction business is beginning to pick up again but finding new jobs feels…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Churches lost $1.2 billion in recession
WASHINGTON (RNS)—Even as membership remains relatively stable in U.S. churches, the effects of the recession have caused contributions to drop by $1.2 billion. According to the 2012 Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches, the almost $29 billion contributed by church…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Getting to the core of a church budget
Baptists are starting a ministry for this, a committee for that, and taking a missions trip here or there. It all looks good—but in the end, finance committees are crunching the numbers and, whoops—the money isn’t there. Again. “Churches lack…
Religious freedom ambassador adapts to role
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Nearly a year into her stint as the State Department’s point person on religious freedom, former Baptist minister Suzan Johnson Cook has traveled to eight countries and seems to have moved beyond questions about her lack of…
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Religious freedom ambassador settles into role
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Nearly a year into her stint as the State Department’s point person on religious freedom, former Baptist minister Suzan Johnson Cook has traveled to eight countries and seems to have moved beyond questions about her lack of…
The poor among you
By Ken Camp They gather at dawn at day-labor centers or designated parking lots where contractors hire workers. Some stop on their way to pick up a cheap breakfast taco at a convenience store, buying their meal from an employee…
Long days, short pay for the working poor
By Ken Camp Josie rises early to catch a 5:30 a.m. bus to the San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind, where she has worked five days a week ever since she became visually impaired several years ago. She returns home…
Peace group opposes war with Iran
By Bob Allen Directors of the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America adopted a statement March 28 urging “diplomacy over bombs” in the United States’ relations with Iran. “The people of the United States have been living in a state…
Southeastern Seminary rallies support for gay-marriage ban
By Bob Allen Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary devoted a special chapel service March 28 to rally support for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage in North Carolina. Richard Land Keynote speaker Richard Land, head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s…