Baptist News Global

USC study finds Blacks three times more likely to be stopped by police in LA County

A new study from the University of California offers concrete data on the meaning of “systemic racism” in policing — data not surprising to two Baptists with front-row seats to issues of policing and criminal justice. The USC report analyzed police…

Border Patrol targets church ministry to immigrants in Arizona

Federal government raids on ministries that serve immigrants along the U.S.-Mexico border may generate outrage and sadness among those who aid “the least of these,” but certainly not surprise. “Intimidation has become the government’s primary tool” in addressing immigrants, refugees…

Remembering Amos: Where white evangelicals lost their way

I have spent 50 years teaching religion to mostly white evangelical students at Christian colleges and universities from California to Pennsylvania and points in between. Most of those students came from evangelical homes and grew up in evangelical churches, and…

In a time of different truth worlds, ‘Bump that, get free’

I write these words from a place of brokenheartedness with the world around me, as political battles rage and shared understanding seems further and further away. I write these words after harrowing (and sometimes heartening) conversations with people I love….

Bonhoeffer moment No. 2: ‘I am now praying quite simply for freedom’

In a letter to his close friend Eberhard Bethge, written from Tegel Prison and dated Nov. 18, 1943, Lutheran pastor/theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote: I am finding (I expect you are, too) that the most difficult thing is getting up in…

Southern Seminary won’t rename buildings but creates scholarships for Black students

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary board of trustees simply adhered to biblical principles in voting to keep the names of slave-holding founders on campus buildings, President Al Mohler said. Just as the Bible retains the names of imperfect, sinful leaders…

We need to talk about dying

We were riding in a limousine to the graveside. Most of the people in the car were family so — except for the masks — the conversation was comfortable and familiar. Then the funeral director said: “See those smokestacks. That’s…

Pope Francis calls for elimination of death penalty, and that’s only part of what he wants

On Oct. 4, Pope Francis published his third papal encyclical, Fratelli Tutti. Like all titles, Fratelli Tutti is revealing. Not only does it allude to the writings of the Pope’s namesake, St. Francis of Assisi, it also previews the themes…

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…

Is missions giving ‘paying dues’? And what counts as ‘missions’ anyway?

Several years ago, in my previous life as a pastor, a well-meaning member of our Missions Committee looked at the church’s missions budget, noted the large sum of money we were sending to state and national denominational groups and declared…

Details released on CBF’s budget reductions and restructuring

More details released Oct. 13 about the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s 10% reduction in budgeted expenditures for the new fiscal year indicate a loss of 10 staff positions at the Decatur, Ga., offices and additional savings from normal attrition of missions…

Americans insulate themselves in political ‘bubbles,’ even at church

New research reveals just how far Americans have retreated from those with differing political views, a phenomenon one expert describes as a huge challenge for pastors. The Pew Research Center reported that deep disagreements over presidential politics has led significant…

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?