NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) – A Tennessee school district has settled a lawsuit over the proper role of religion in public schools. The Sumner County Board of Education voted Dec 6 to accept an agreement with the American Civil Liberties Union…
Pastor found guilty of child abuse
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (ABP) – A California jury deliberated nearly four days before finding an American Baptist pastor guilty on 11 of 12 child molestation charges Dec. 8. Tommy Gene Daniels, 49, faces sentencing Jan. 13 for crimes involving five girls…
Task force completes study of SBC name change
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) – A task force appointed to study a possible name change for the Southern Baptist Convention has completed its work and will bring recommendations to the SBC Executive Committee Feb. 20. “We are excited to make these…
Churches balance reality, reverence when Christmas falls on Sunday
DALLAS (ABP) — “You mean we have to go to church Christmas Eve and Christmas morning?” Many worship leaders know their own children likely will ask that question this year. They also know quite a few families in their congregations…
EDITORIAL: Aunt Ida discovers doxology
Dear Jimmy, At last the house is decorated for Christmas and as I have a few minutes, I’ll jot you a line or two to let you know that your Uncle Orley and I are still in the land of…
VITAL SIGNS: Can we have a healthier search process?
An increasing part of my life is spent advising and coaching pastor search committees. A healthy search process requires great patience, spiritual maturity and hard work. Done well, it can lead to a season of hope and health for a…
WINN RECOMMENDS
The Pietistic Impulse in Christianity, editors Winn, Gehrz, Carlson and Host (Pickwick) In many circles, particularly academic ones, the word pietism is used as an insult. Though self-proclaimed pietists have at times encouraged unfortunate postures (individualism, privatism, bad ecclesiology), the…
ASK THE ARCHITECT: How to hire a contractor
There are, fundamentally speaking, three distinct delivery methods for construction: • Design/Bid/Build • Design/Build • Partnering A simple explanation of each would go something like this: Jim DePasquale • Design/Bid/Build follows that exact sequence. The architect, directly under contract to…
As winter moves in, churches are helping Occupy movement
WASHINGTON (RNS) — As Occupy camps nationwide deal with police crackdowns and the inevitable onset of winter temperatures, religious communities of all stripes are stepping in with offers of shelter and solidarity, say church leaders and protest organizers. Soon after…
OPINION: Always reforming
Ecclesia Semper Reformanda, so the saying goes — “The church is always reforming.” Those words came to mind last week when I heard sociologist-prophet-iconoclast Tony Campolo preach at the New Baptist Covenant II meeting, that multiracial effort at affecting Baptist…
Churches strive for balance as Christmas falls on Sunday
“You mean we have to go to church Christmas Eve and Christmas morning?” Many worship leaders know their own children likely will ask that question this year. They also know quite a few families in their congregations will answer, “No.”…
Churches engage Occupy movement
WASHINGTON (RNS) — As Occupy camps nationwide deal with police crackdowns and the inevitable onset of winter temperatures, religious communities of all stripes are stepping in with offers of shelter and solidarity, say church leaders and protest organizers. Soon after…