Baptist News Global

It’s not enough to offer scraps from the Table of the Lord

It was about this time nine years ago that one of GracePointe’s members described our congregation to a member of the press as being “gay-friendly.” Amazingly, in response to those extremely weak credentials, the infamous Westboro Baptist Church decided to…

We lost our church today

Editor’s note: For context to this opinion piece, see the news analysis piece also published today titled “Dissident Episcopalians awarded $100 million worth of property as U.S. Supreme Court declines to take up Fort Worth case.” We lost our church…

Dissident Episcopalians awarded $100 million worth of property as U.S. Supreme Court declines to take up Fort Worth case

In a case little heralded outside North Texas and outside Episcopal Church insiders, the United States Supreme Court in February opened the door for more litigation nationwide over disputed church property as churches split over social issues such as women…

In Africa, COVID-19 disrupted climate change work but also led to new opportunities

COVID-19 took a toll on climate change. Activists in Africa say that toll has been both negative and positive. Oluwatosin Kolawole, a Nigerian climate change activist, normally is an active advocate who monitors events in the industry and is ready…

d365 devotionals will focus on justice as ‘love in action’ next week

Confronted with the violence of recent months in America — from mass shootings to hate crimes and insurrection at the U.S. Capitol — Passport Camps will adapt its daily devotional app next week with a special focus on “Justice: Love…

On the wings of prayers that are mute

In a time not that long ago, I would have been seated in a church pew or standing behind a pulpit delivering a sermon. This morning, I’m not at church and it does feel strange, although there are reasons. My wife,…

The pandemic slowed down Mercer on Mission but a $10 million gift is powering the future

“Coddiwomple,” Craig McMahan says, pretty much describes Mercer on Mission as it emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s a word that means to move purposely toward an unknown or vague destination, and we are certainly moving cautiously but confidently toward…

Six church invitations young people reject

Right there in the want ads for pastors. Right there in their strategic plans. Right there in their requests for services from our organization or calls to their denominational offices. No subtlety, no nuance, no hesitation; putting it right out…

4 in 10 Americans don’t see getting vaccinated as a way to ‘love your neighbor’

Throughout the past year of global pandemic, many pastors and faith leaders have appealed to the words of Jesus to argue for social distancing, masking and other precautions against the spread of coronavirus. The appeal to “love your neighbor as…

Faith leaders are key to reaching herd immunity in U.S., researchers say

Reaching herd immunity against the coronavirus cannot happen without more intervention from the faith community, according to leaders of two national organizations tracking current trends. “We do not get to herd immunity without dealing with faith identity. Religious identity is…

Losing my religion

Do we really wonder why so many people are leaving organized religion? A new Gallup poll has found that for the first time, the proportion of Americans who say they are members of a church, synagogue or mosque has dropped…

Remembering 21 martyrs on St. George’s Day

April 23 is St. George’s Day, marking the fourth-century martyrdom of this early Christian saint. The Roman Empire executed George during the reign of Diocletian for refusing to give up his Christian faith. St. George’s courage in the face of persecution…

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