WASHINGTON (RNS) — When are religious views on homosexuality an issue of religious and academic freedom, and when are they discrimination? That’s a question raised by counselors and educators across the country. Recently, a federal judge ruled against Jennifer Keeton,…
La. Baptist Convention exec challenges Ezell pick at NAMB
ALEXANDRIA, La. (ABP) — In an unprecedented open letter to trustees of the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board, the head of an SBC-affiliated state convention called Sept. 9 for NAMB trustees not to endorse a search committee’s recommendation…
OPINION: When church is the real thing
Hands down my favorite question to ask people in casual conversation is: Why do you go to church? I often wonder what compels people — what compels me — to offer so much of my life to the work of…
Kentucky pastor recommended as new NAMB president
ALPHARETTA, Ga. (ABP) — The pastor of one of the Southern Baptist Convention’s most visible leaders will be recommended as the new head of the denomination’s North American Mission Board. Kevin Ezell, pastor of Highview Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky.,…
Hispanic pastor facing deportation is released on bond
ATLANTA (ABP) — A Hispanic North Carolina pastor is out on bond after the first stage of deportation proceedings against him and is planning his case to avoid getting snared by a 15-year-old crime for which he has already served…
Donations not keeping pace with Pakistan relief needs, say Baptists
ATLANTA (ABP) — Baptist organizations in the United States and elsewhere are continuing their efforts to provide relief after catastrophic flooding in Pakistan — but funds are being stretched to the limit by the disaster’s massive scale. According to estimates…
Two prominent Baptist thinkers criticize Beck’s ‘Restoring Honor’ rally
WASHINGTON (ABP) — When popular conservative radio and TV personality Glenn Beck called for “revival” on the National Mall Aug. 28, he was making a hash of both patriotism and faith, according to published comments by a pair of prominent…
EDITORIAL: Aunt Ida takes aim at e-mail gossip
Dear Jimmy, Well, I guess you are about as surprised as I am that you are getting an e-mail from me. I never in this world figured me for a computer gal, but here I am big as life sendin’…
HERITAGE: Light in the forest
Virginia Baptists early established relationships with Indians. John Leland, arguably the most prominent of the 18th-century Virginia Baptist itinerant preachers, wrote that in the 1780s he preached in the “royal pavilion” of an Indian chief, John Tohan. Leland said: “After…
VITAL SIGNS: Assessing conflict in churches
So what do we make of the rising tide of conflict in local congregations? First of all, is there actually an increase in conflict? Anecdotally, the number of calls and conversations we are having around conflict seem to indicate that…
OUT LOUD
“For many people who do not understand Islam, Muslims do not appear in the Western media to act in a way that let them believe that Islam is a religion of peace. So there is a certain cognitive dissonance here….
ASK THE ARCHITECT: Surveys are helpful, though optional, homework
At this stage of your church’s building program you are still gathering general information about your mission, who you are as a church, future programs and ministry needs, etc. Workshops with the building committee and architect are underway, and the…