Baptist News Global

Today, I’ve got nothing to say

I’ve got nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nada. It never has happened before, but I’ve been trying to write this piece since Jan. 6. And I’ve got nothing. For about five years, I’ve enjoyed this platform. Many would give their writing hand…

Two words, two virtues, to help America move forward

On Inauguration Day evening, I went to bed exhausted with the mix of the day’s emotions. Joy over the beginning of a new administration; relief there had been no violence; and sorrow — sorrow over all the human lives lost…

Effort to end death penalty in Virginia gaining momentum; prayer vigils planned

Organizers of a faith-based campaign to abolish the death penalty in Virginia say current signs of favorable legislative momentum are due, at least in part, to pressure being applied by churches and other religious communities. And their hope is that…

Trying to make sense of January 6: Jesus wept

I watched the bizarre assault live on television as I rocked an infant in my arms. I have spent every waking minute reading eyewitness accounts, listening to podcasts and watching cable news. I’m trying to understand. I’m asking myself if…

Religious liberty groups praise Biden’s repeal of Muslim travel ban

Amid a flurry of executive orders issued by President Joe Biden on his first day in office was a repeal of the so-called “Muslim ban,” which prohibited entry to the United States by citizens of select countries mainly with majority…

These churches will resume in-person gatherings only when it’s safe for all

As the COVID-19 pandemic approaches the one-year mark, churches continue to grapple with when — and how — to reopen for in-person worship and other activities. Some already have reopened, albeit with restrictions such as masks and social distancing in…

This church was online before online was essential, and they’ve got some lessons to share

The suddenness of the coronavirus outbreak last year caught a lot of churches unprepared for a sudden transition to virtual worship and other gatherings. The Faith Community, a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship church plant in Atlanta, wasn’t one of them. The…

A wish list for the common good in a new era

With the presidential inauguration, a new session of Congress and state legislatures gearing up, Americans receive fresh reminders to look toward the future with hope. Of course, we place ultimate trust in God and not government. But we propel our…

How the Ebola experience helped the African continent’s fight against COVID-19

How is it that Nigeria, a country of about 200 million people, has experienced only 1,449 deaths from COVID-19, while the United States, a country of 331 million, has experienced 400,000 deaths? Ask some Nigerians and, because the country is…

The end of Trump’s presidency does not end America’s root problem

Donald Trump’s presidency ended with the United States leading the world in the number of deaths caused by the coronavirus pandemic. He left Washington, D.C., as more federal troops were in Washington than at any other time since the Civil War,…

Transitions for the week of 1-22-21

Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly. STAFF CHANGES Steve Allsbrook, to The River City Faith Network, Richmond, Va., as interim executive director. Peter JB Carmen, concluding…

D.C.-area churches seek to offer calm amid a tumultuous January

Inauguration Januarys typically raise the stress levels of clergy serving churches in Washington, D.C., local ministers say. But the addition of a pandemic, a brutal election cycle and the Jan. 6 storming of Capitol Hill by Donald Trump supporters sent…

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