Baptist News Global

LGBTQ inclusion and clergy sexual abuse treated equally in SBC expulsions

Four churches were expelled from the Southern Baptist Convention Feb. 23 in a joint action that gave the appearance of equating LGBTQ inclusion with predatory sexual behavior. Among the four churches expelled, two were removed due to welcoming LGBTQ Christians…

The Black church and the salvation of the world

“The Black church will be the salvation of the world.” I’ll never forget those words, uttered by a colleague of mine as we gathered for a meeting of the local Black Pastors alliance. They struck me as soon as they…

The two Georges, the world and American leadership

Amid the recent tumult of events, the 100th birthday of George P. Shultz Dec. 13 passed relatively unnoticed. As did his death Feb. 6. But attention must be paid. Shultz was one of the ultimate “inside the Beltway” guys, those…

As people walk away from the church in droves, Russ Dean hopes to tell the old story in a new way

The first time Bruce Holliday walked into Park Road Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C., he carried doubts about just about anything having to do with institutional religion. But he was stunned to find that co-pastors Russ and Amy Jacks Dean,…

The strange saga of the Riley Foundation lawsuit now forces SBC to figure out who has the right to remove a seminary trustee

A months-long battle for ultimate control of the Southern Baptist Convention’s agencies and institutions came to light Feb. 21 when a trove of attorney communications exposed a rift between officers of the SBC Executive Committee and leaders of Southwestern Baptist…

St. Benedict and a two-fold path for the church In America

How are we to live as part of the church in America in these terrible times for the church and society? The perils of Christian nationalism were on full display on Jan. 6 as insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol in…

What if we cared about Black History Month as much as Lent?

Growing up in the ’80s and ’90s as an independent Baptist in an all-white church, the first 20 Februarys of my life came and went without any awareness of either Lent or Black History Month. Liturgy was considered something the…

In-person worship dropped in January as more churches were directly affected by COVID

Concerns about spiking COVID-19 cases led to a rise in the number of U.S. churches canceling in-person gatherings in January, a new Lifeway Research study shows. Meanwhile, the new research offers some of the most detailed data yet about how…

Prophecy is obedient imagination

Prophecy is a big deal within the world of American nondenominational Christianity. I’m not talking about the kind of application of apocalyptic biblical texts to current events that Hal Lindsay and Tim LaHaye made popular back in the day. No,…

Caldwell succeeds Anderson as chair of BNG board

Chris Caldwell of Louisville, Ky., is the new chairman of the Baptist News Global board of directors, succeeding Janice Anderson of Houston, who remains on the board but concluded a three-year term at the helm. Caldwell serves as a professor…

Ministry jobs and more

Baptist News Global provides a free listing of ministry-related jobs for Baptist churches, theological institutions and organizations across the United States. Each free posting is for 30 days and is limited to 150 words. Postings may be extended another 30…

Final vote sounds the death knell for capital punishment in Virginia

Legislation abolishing Virginia’s death penalty received final approval from legislators Feb. 22 and is on its way to Gov. Ralph Northam, who has pledged to sign it. When he does, the Commonwealth will become the 23rd state to end capital…

Trump’s war on ‘woke’ targets federal grants and foreign relations

Reflections on In the Twilight of the Christian West

Why rural families need support now

Why do we keep sounding the alarm?