Baptist News Global

Drake, SBC presidential candidate, calls for God’s wrath against AU

BUENA PARK, Calif. (ABP) — An early candidate for the presidency of the Southern Baptist Convention has called on Baptists to pray for misfortune to befall employees of a church-state watchdog group. Wiley Drake, a pastor, radio crusader and Baptist…

Falwell’s life insurance policy erases Liberty University debt

LYNCHBURG, VA. (ABP) — Thanks to a substantial life insurance policy on the late Jerry Falwell, the university he founded is now debt-free, according to university officials. Jerry Falwell, Jr., Liberty University's chancellor and son of its founder, announced the…

Pentagon investigation faults generals for endorsing evangelical ministry

WASHINGTON (ABP) — A group of high-ranking Pentagon officials improperly endorsed and aided an evangelical Christian ministry, according to a Defense Department investigation recently made public. The Department of Defense inspector general's report was dated July 20 and released to…

Lutherans ask bishops to refrain from disciplining gay pastors

CHICAGO (ABP) — In what pro-gay activists hailed as a historic opening, members of the nation's largest Lutheran denomination voted Aug. 11 to loosen a policy that bans gay ministers from having sexual relationships. By a 538-431 margin, delegates to…

Taliban reportedly releases two of Korean hostages

GHAZNI, Afghanistan (ABP) — Two of the 23 South Korean hostages kidnapped by the Taliban last month were released Aug. 12. Associated Press reported Kim Kyung-ja, 37, and Kim Ji-na, 32, were driven to waiting Red Cross vehicles in rural…

Historic First Baptist Dallas names Robert Jeffress as senior pastor

DALLAS (ABP) — First Baptist Church in Dallas has called one of its own products, Robert Jeffress, to become its new senior pastor. According to a statement on the church's website, more than 3,000 congregants affirmed the 51-year-old at an…

Waging peace

Beginning with the ancient Christians martyred by the Roman Empire and running through Thomas Becket and to Dietrich Bonhoeffer and beyond, church leaders often have spoken truth courageously to the secular powers-that-be — regardless of the consequences. But, in the…

Battling Baptists: Kissing cousins to peace churches

Baptists are known for being theologically diverse. And that diversity extends to Baptists' relationships with their theological cousins, the Quakers, Mennonites and Brethren—the historical peace churches. “Although a few Baptists have opted for pacifism on occasion, most fit better into…

Churches keep peace within by focusing on troops—not on the war

Many Christians with deeply held opinions on an increasingly unpopular war find themselves worshipping with fellow believers on the opposite side of the political divide. Feelings particularly run high in communities near military installations. And some leaders of churches in…

MC2 participants ready to take the next step in mission service

LYNCHBURG — More than 600 people gathered at Eagle Eyrie Baptist Conference Center for Virginia Baptists' MC2 Missions Connection Celebration, July 23-28, and were challenged by the conference's theme, “Take the Next Step,” to consider how they and their churches…

Virginia Baptists blitz build home for Lynchburg family

LYNCHBURG—Two-year-old Iyanna Tyler didn't like getting her fingers muddy as Habitat volunteer Tom Gerdy helped her press a hand print into the wet cement of the sidewalk. But thanks to scores of volunteers like Gerdy who were willing to get…

VIRGINIA BRIEFS

Lawsuit dismissed against Clarendon Church. A circuit court judge has dismissed a lawsuit against First Baptist Church of Clarendon in Arlington, which is seeking to build condominiums that will provide affordable housing for Arlington County's residents, according to the Washington…

Islamophobia is the next bogeyman

The Black Church cannot remain America’s emergency moral infrastructure

We are manna

Webinar explores religious context of America’s Founders