No political victory should be worth sacrificing moral integrity

SAN ANTONIO (ABP) — Judging by his reception at the annual Southern Baptist Convention meeting, President Bush's popularity remains strong among Southern Baptists, whom he thanked for their support June 13. Bush was greeted with a standing ovation of sustained…

SAN ANTONIO (ABP) — International Mission Board President Jerry Rankin presented an upbeat report June 12 to the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, but he was unable to escape concerns from messengers at the San Antonio, Texas, meeting. A concern…

SAN ANTONIO (ABP) — Southern Baptist Convention messengers generated some heat at their annual meeting this year, strongly debating governmental responsibility for global warming. They quickly dispatched seven of eight proposed resolutions June 13, notably upholding the SBC resolution committee's…

SAN ANTONIO (ABP) — The Southern Baptist Convention affirmed the Baptist Faith & Message June 12 as the “sufficient” doctrinal guide for its agencies and institutions. But SBC leaders immediately disagreed over whether the action will keep those agencies from…

BELTON, Texas (ABP) — William Tanner, the former head of home missions for the Southern Baptist Convention, died June 10 in Belton, Texas. He was 77. Tanner was president of the SBC's Home Mission Board (now the North American Mission…

SAN ANTONIO (ABP) — Frank Page was re-elected without opposition to the traditional second one-year term as president of the Southern Baptist Convention during the first day of the denomination's annual meeting, which also featured efforts to curb clergy sexual…

A philosopher once said “the meaning of a word is its use.” He didn't mean that a word can mean anything but rather that words can mean different things according to their context. I remember arguing with a former professor…

SAN ANTONIO (ABP) — Prayer took center stage as Woman's Missionary Union leaders, missionaries, and Southern Baptist agency leaders spoke at the union's annual meeting June 11, held prior to the Southern Baptist Convention gathering. In her address, union president…

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (ABP) — Secrecy about clergy sexual abuse may protect an abuser’s current church from embarrassment but often comes at the expense of his next church — and its children. Like many small, rural congregations that find themselves without…

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.(ABP) — What can churches do to prevent clergy sex-abuse and break the pattern of recycling abusers? Even among activists and experts, there is no consensus about the steps to be taken. Here are some steps on which many…

DALLAS (ABP) — When it comes to hiring church staff, some Baptists consider sexual misconduct to be an unpardonable sin, and many survivors of abuse agree. But others say it depends on which scarlet letter the minister wears: “W” for…

RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — Most pastors and staff members know that ministry puts them in unique circumstances with all kinds of people. Most also know that even a hint of wrongdoing is enough to end an otherwise fruitful ministry. For…