Beliefs about human origins hold steady. Four in 10 Americans believe God created humans in something like their present form within the last 10,000 years, a recent Gallup Poll revealed. While that percentage represents a slight dip from 2008, when…
Academy for Spiritual Formation blends learning, discipline, community
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — Growing up in a Baptist church and later working part-time as a youth minister, Johnny Sears always believed his faith had to go deeper than a set of beliefs or activities. “How do we take prayer…
Life coaching makes its way into churches
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (ABP) — Career coaching has been around in the business field for decades. More recently, it spun off a concept of life coaching. Now, the coaching concept is starting to make its impact in churches. Most experts credit…
RIGHT or WRONG? Leave Christianity in the name of Christ
Novelist Anne Rice recently said, “I leave Christianity in the name of Christ.” Is it possible to remain faithful to Christ while leaving Christianity? Rice’s proclamation generated tremendous buzz, partially because of her notoriety and partially because such a statement…
Line between inspiration and insanity may be narrow, say professionals
SALT LAKE CITY (RNS) — A teenager says God appeared to him in a grove and told him to start a new Christian church. Another person claims the Almighty talks to him through the radio. A French girl gets messages…
Seminary gives association six months to vacate property
FORT WORTH — Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary notified Tarrant Baptist Association before Christmas it had six months to vacate its offices on the edge of the seminary campus. The seminary asserted the association was in violation of its affiliation agreement…
Survivors, witnesses of lynching tell tales of fear, faith and forgiveness
WACO, Texas — Eighty years ago, an 11-year-old African-American boy walked in the dark on an Alabama country road, listening for the sound of his uncle’s truck and waiting for a promised ride home. But someone else came along, and…
Passport receives Lilly grant for new initiative
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) — An international student ministry and historical partner of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has received a $750,000 Lilly Endowment grant to help theologically moderate churches discover God's calling for both clergy and laity. The grant will support…
Tornado stirs up unity at North Carolina church after damaging hit
ELIZABETHTOWN, N.C. — Members of Elizabethtown Baptist Church are thanking God and cleaning up after a tornado April 16 demolished much of its campus in this southeastern North Carolina town. Church volunteers had spent the day cleaning up the buildings…