WASHINGTON (ABP) — In all of America's brouhaha over whether legalizing same-sex marriage will sully the institution's sanctity, very few Christians are asking one important question: When — and why — did the government get into the sanctification business? When…
Establishment candidate wins presidency
INDIANAPOLIS (ABP) — Atlanta-area pastor Johnny Hunt was elected Southern Baptist Convention president over five contenders on the first ballot June 10, returning control of the 16 million-member denomination to its conservative establishment. On the first day of the 2008…
Legal scholar looks at prohibition on polygamy
ATLANTA, Ga. (RNS) — When authorities raided a Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints compound in April and placed more than 400 children in state care, it brought the long-simmering issues of polygamous communities to a boil. Following…
Resolution could shrink SBC rolls further
INDIANAPOLIS (ABP) — The Southern Baptist Convention, struggling with a membership decline nationwide, passed a resolution June 11 that could significantly shrink church membership rolls even further. Messengers to the SBC annual meeting in Indianapolis also turned back efforts to…
Building relationships is key to ministry to nontraditional families
How should a congregation respond to an unmarried cohabitating couple's request to join the church? Churches likely will face this and other tough questions as society's definition of family continues to change. “This isn't the church our parents grew up…
SBC targets Texas church over homosexuality
INDIANAPOLIS (ABP) — A Fort Worth, Texas, church, which long ago cut back its support of the Southern Baptist Convention, nonetheless could be ousted from that body because it welcomes homosexuals. The possible ouster of Broadway Baptist Church, along with…
Baptist campus minister at UVA takes new post
CHARLOTTESVILLE — Leanne Sanders has resigned as Baptist collegiate minister at the University of Virginia, effective at the end of the spring semester. Sanders, who has served at UVA since January 2006, was married in May and has moved to…
Donor offers giving challenge at BTSR
RICHMOND (ABP) — Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond could receive up to $1 million in new giving by the end of next April due to an anonymous donor's challenge to churches, seminary officials have announced. The donor — apparently a…
Missions volunteers: What in the world are they doing?
Kevin and Naomi Scantlan of Columbia, Mo., feel called to international missions. But as integrated technology services analysts at University of Missouri Health Care and church lay leaders, committing to years abroad really isn't feasible. That's why they're planning their…
BGAV annual again produced in electronic format
RICHMOND — For the second year, the Virginia Baptist Annual is being produced in electronic format and distributed on a CD in order to reduce expenses. This year's edition — the 2007 Annual — is also available on the Virginia…
Bluefield College board approves strategic plan
BLUEFIELD (ABP) — Bluefield College will focus on academics, global service, expanded resources and partnerships as part of its new five-year strategic plan. Trustees of the Virginia Baptist school approved the four-part plan at their April board session. The strategic…
Aid groups feel the pinch of rising food, gas prices
WASHINGTON (RNS)—Dramatic increases in food and gas prices are leaving some religious hunger-relief groups praying for relief. Problems already were apparent in 2006, but U.S. churches now report increased difficulty getting meals to people who need them. Food distributors see…