ATLANTA (ABP) — Three years after the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant drew 15,000 persons from various Baptist groups to Atlanta, a second major event is being planned for mid-November with large church-based gatherings to be held across the…
Security service, airlines tread carefully on religious expression
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Air travelers want to feel safe, and federal security officials want to make sure they actually are safe. If only it were that simple. Misunderstandings over religious expression have led to recent incidents that prompted apologies from…
Does God punish through natural disasters? Most Americans say, ‘No’
WASHINGTON (RNS) — We may never know why bad things happen to good people, but most Americans — except evangelicals — reject the idea that natural disasters are divine punishment, a test of faith or some other sign from God,…
Associated Baptist Press to honor Puckett for lifetime achievement
RALEIGH, N.C. (ABP) — A ceremony honoring retired Baptist state newspaper editor R.G. Puckett for a lifetime of journalistic achievement is scheduled May 1 at Ardmore Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, N.C. Puckett, who worked as a Baptist journalist longer than…
North Carolina CBF names leadership development coordinato
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (ABP) — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina has called Ka’thy Gore Chappell as leadership development coordinator. Chappell was introduced March 25 during the evening worship service of the state CBF general assembly at First Baptist Church…
Christians question conventional wisdom on divorce stats
It’s been proclaimed from pulpits and blogs for years-Christians divorce as much as everyone else in America. But some scholars and family activists are questioning the oft-cited statistics, saying Christians who attend church regularly are more likely to remain wed….
Controversial Florida pastor presides at burning of Quran
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (RNS) — The controversial Florida pastor who halted plans to burn a Quran on the 9/11 anniversary last year oversaw the burning of the Islamic holy book March 20 after it was found “guilty” during a “trial” at…
DC convention elects executive director in divided vote
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Ricky Creech, once a Southern Baptist missionary and associational director of missions and more recently on the staff of a Georgia United Methodist church, was elected in a close vote March 28 to be executive director of…
Annual contributions from BGAV churches in 2010 are listed
The Baptist General Association of Virginia treasurer's office has released a detailed summary of Cooperative Missions gifts for the period Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2010, from churches affiliated with the BGAV. Questions about the report may be directed to the treasurer's office…