Baptist News Global

Bellevue pastor defends disqualifying lesbian coach’s team

CORDOVA, Tenn. (ABP) – The pastor of a Tennessee Southern Baptist mega-church defended a decision to bar a coach from its softball league because she is a lesbian. The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported June 16 that church leaders told Jana…

Are future ministers up to the challenge?

By Barry Howard This week I’ve had the privilege of sitting around the table with a distinguished group of future ministers and veteran ministers in a retreat setting as we collaborated about our sense of calling, the challenges and opportunities…

CBF commissions 16 for global service

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (ABP) — More than 1,200 people were challenged to be passionate about joining in God’s mission June 23, as 16 new field personnel were commissioned for full-time mission service by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. CBF Global Missions Coordinator…

Fellowship commissions 16 for mission service

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — More than 1,200 people were challenged to be passionate about joining in God’s mission as 16 new field personnel were commissioned for full-time mission service by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship June 22. Pritchard Memorial Baptist Church in…

Historian urges Cooperative Baptists to reclaim ‘audacious identity’

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (ABP) — Historian Bill Leonard encouraged fellow Baptists to “get over” being embarrassed by their denomination’s often-negative image and instead celebrate their lineage in an “audacious identity” established by their forebears. Leonard, founding dean of Wake Forest University…

Critics say Caner isn’t only ex-Muslim with dubious past

WASHINGTON (RNS)—Liberty University is expected to release a report soon on whether Ergun Caner, president of the school’s Baptist Theological Seminary, fabricated or exaggerated his life story as a former Muslim extremist rescued by Jesus. Caner is no ordinary ex-Muslim….

Southwestern Seminary leaders cut health-care benefits for retirees

FORT WORTH, Texas (ABP) — An organization of retired faculty and staff from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has asked the school’s trustees to reconsider their recent decision to discontinue providing health insurance coverage at no cost to retirees. But in…

Vestal says CBF may have to recall missionaries

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (ABP) – The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will be forced to recall missionaries from the field if donations to its annual Offering for Global Missions do not increase next year, CBF Executive Coordinator Daniel Vestal told the CBF Coordinating…

Vestal says CBF will have to recall missionaries unless funding improves

Anti-terrorist police crack down on Baptists in Kazakhstan

OSLO, Norway (ABP) – Anti-terrorist police in at least three regions of Kazakhstan have targeted unregistered Baptists and Muslims in recent months, according to the Norway-based news service Forum 18. The news service, which monitors religious-freedom violations in numerous countries,…

We’re all in Deepwater

By Joseph Perdue As a Floridian, it is especially heart-wrenching and anger-inducing for me to watch the tar balls and oil slicks from BP’s Deepwater Horizon disaster advancing inexorably on my state, destined to destroy our abundant wildlife and mar…

Westover children get creative for Pentecost Sunday

Children painting the paraments. For thousands of years people of faith have used special fabrics to decorate sanctuaries and outfit ministers. These dressings, known as paraments, can be functional, ceremonial and celebratory. They often enrich the worship of God by…

Paxton dodges ethics questions while claiming Talarico isn’t Christian

Restored Voices Collective gets GRACE report on former board member

‘CatsOnACouch’ influencer sues over First Amendment rights

Court finds Trump and Blanche conspired to create sham IRS lawsuit