Baptist News Global

Kenneth Starr named Baylor president

WACO, Texas (ABP) — Former Whitewater special prosecutor and current Pepperdine University Law School Dean Kenneth Starr has been named the 14th president of Baylor University. Kenneth Starr Baylor's board of regents elected Starr unanimously on Feb. 12, upon the unanimous…

What next for Baptist Christian higher education?

By David Gushee I have experienced vastly different versions of Christian higher education at places ranging from Palmer Seminary in Pennsylvania, to Southern Baptist Theological Seminary during the early Al Mohler era, to Union University under the presidency of David…

Building Green: What can I do?

Churches can green their facilities in a number of ways. But what can individual Christians do to make their lives more environmentally friendly? Here are a few resources: Journey of Environmental Stewardship Evangelical Environmental Network The Center for Christian Ethics…

Building Green: Experts give advice on greening church facilities

WASHINGTON (ABP) — It’s not easy building green. But churches that take the call to wise environmental stewardship seriously have a wide variety of options — from simply changing light bulbs to elaborate new construction projects certified as environmentally friendly….

From the Eastern Shore to Cumberland Gap

STAFF CHANGES • Dennis Smith, to Jeffersonton Church, Jeffersonton, as pastor. • Donnie Owen, resigning as pastor of Bethesda Church, Boydton. • Brian Williams, to White Stone Church, White Stone, as interim pastor. • Bob Smith, to Bagby Memorial Church,…

Baptist leaders coordinate relief to Haiti

COLUMBIA, S.C. (ABP) — Baptist leaders in North America described a mode of "hurry up and wait" for long-term relief efforts in Haiti during a Feb. 11 conference call. Disaster-relief representatives for several member groups of the North American Baptist…

North American Baptist leaders coordinate relief efforts in Haiti

COLUMBIA, S.C. (ABP) — Baptist leaders in North America described a mode of "hurry up and wait" for long-term relief efforts in Haiti during a Feb. 11 conference call. Members from Cooperative Baptist Fellowship churches gathered recently in Stuart, Fla.,…

Idaho church hopeful for release of members held in Haiti

MERIDIAN, Idaho (ABP) — Leaders of a Southern Baptist church in Idaho said Feb. 11 they were encouraged by reports that a judge in Haiti has recommended release of 10 mission volunteers being held on child-kidnapping charges, but were still…

Snowstorms and special pacts

By Nathan J. Barnes I awoke yesterday morning to a beautiful blanket of snow in my front yard. A soft, continuous snowfall delighted me for the rest of the day. Even after arriving home from a long day at work,…

Online dating can work — even for a clergywoman

By Amy Grizzle “So … you, like, pray and stuff?” Um, yes. I pray and stuff. As an ordained Baptist minister, it kind of, like, goes with the territory. Actually, I responded more politely than that. At least I had…

Faith-based panel narrowly recommends separate 501(c)(3) entities for churches

WASHINGTON (ABP) — A panel advising President Obama has narrowly recommended that churches wishing to use federal funds to perform social services set up separate non-profit corporations in order to avoid mixing funds for secular purposes with those for religious…

Seminary president labels mission strategy ‘heresy’

LYNCHBURG, Va. (ABP) — The president of Liberty Theological Seminary has labeled a method used by Southern Baptist missionaries to spread the gospel in Muslim lands deceptive and heretical. In a podcast interview on the SBC Today blog, Ergun Caner…

Supreme Court slides into partisanship

Before the fireworks, be careful what you drink

The contemptible case of Clarence Thomas

The permanent paradoxes of Christian thinking about war