Baptist News Global

US megachurches report strong rebound from pandemic

Most American megachurches have rebounded well from the COVID-19 pandemic as more than 80% reported they are flourishing, according to a new report by Hartford Institute for Religion Research. The study examined responses from 331 mostly Protestant congregations with 2,000…

Crossing the ‘Red Sea’ in a VW Bug on the way to an Arkansas revival

Old North dorm, built sometime in the 1890s, sat on a high point overlooking the scenic Ouachita River. As rumor had it, Old North probably would collapse once the termites stopped holding hands. If you didn’t know better, you’d be…

The spiritual discipline of losing

This is the 11th in a BNG series of articles on Christianity and democracy related to the celebration of America’s 250th birthday. The series has been curated by Carol McEntyre, senior minister at First Baptist Church of Greenville, S.C. One…

Reading Ryan Stollar’s final message through the lens of trauma

Note: This article discusses suicide, child sexual abuse and domestic violence. It may be distressing for some readers. On June 30, child liberation theologian and abuse survivor advocate Ryan Stollar died by suicide, following a lengthy struggle with his…

It’s time for churches to directly defy unjust immigration policies

During the lead-up to the Civil War, the Underground Railroad was formed. Many former enslaved individuals, abolitionists and faith communities helped people escape the South to freedom, often in Canada. Of course, this happened against the law created by the…

Amid flurry of rulings, habeas corpus spells trouble for Trump immigration policies

Legal challenges to the Trump administration’s immigrant deportation practices are providing new — and sometimes competing — court rulings every week. On June 23, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that Green Card holders can be denied reentry into the United…

Between Isaac and Ishmael: An American family divided, hope unbroken

When Ethan was sitting across from me, I heard something soft in his face, something that does not match the weight he carries. His voice had the calm of a man who has known both love and loss and still…

How much is enough?

It happened before Sunday school, the way the most interesting conversations often do — not inside the carefully prepared lesson, but earlier, during chit chat, before anyone officially called the class to order. Someone mentioned Elon Musk had become, or…

How your church can respond when the love of your life dies

My wife, Bobbie, died of Alzheimer’s disease earlier this year. While I have been a pastor more than 45 years and have conducted more than 500 funerals, I was not prepared for the grief that overwhelmed me when she died….

Trump’s self-aggrandizement results in ‘Code Red’ environment

According to the U.S. Parks Service, 7,000 fireworks are typically used for pyrotechnics displays in our nation’s capital. For the MAGA-aligned “Freedom 250” Independence Day celebration, Trump insisted on 850,000 fireworks — 120 times the normal amount. Ahead of the…

What patriotism is not

The president has spread abroad a kind of patriotism that is foreign to this great nation. His actions have mimicked King George III of England, for whom patriotism was obedience. In the Declaration of Independence, we (mainly white males) claimed…

Remembering Robert Bryan Sloan

Robert B. Sloan was born and raised in West Texas — in don’t fence me in West Texas. Born in Coleman, raised in Abilene, he died in Houston, America’s fourth largest city on July 4, a fitting place and day…

Jane Roe case against Patterson dropped before trial

Republican leaders worried ICE murders will damage their agenda

When the president targets Muslim kindergartners, families like mine also pay the price

Trans protections targeted after Supreme Court ruling