In advance of Thursday’s National Prayer Breakfast, 145 organizations called on Congress to reject attempts to weaken a rule that bars churches receiving tax-exempt status from engaging in partisan politics.
TV news career prepared pastor for hectic ministry life
The directors of television newscasts lead intense, even frantic professional lives. They work long, caffeinated hours weaving together the up-to-the-minute contributions of producers, photographers and anchors into — they hope — coherent broadcasts. It’s much the same as shepherding a congregation, says Erica Van Brakle, a veteran of TV news production-turned-American Baptist pastor.
Here’s how you can help people impacted by Harvey
Faith-based and secular groups are appealing across the web for donations to help victims of Hurricane Harvey and its drenching aftermath. Here’s how you can help.
Four dozen Baptists side with transgender teen in bathroom battle
Nearly 50 clergy members identifying with the Alliance of Baptists, American Baptist Churches USA or Cooperative Baptist Fellowship joined a legal brief filed March 2 supporting a transgender student’s case before the U.S. Supreme Court. In all more than 1,800…
Under Trump, expect ranks of faith-based environmental protesters to swell
Some leaders of creation-care causes say anticipated rollbacks in anti-global warming policies and treaties, boosts in pipeline construction and fossil fuels use will generate sharp reactions by dedicated activists and inspire others to join the movement.
Now, post-election, begins the hard, long work of reconciliation
Donald Trump’s victory at the polls on Tuesday will by no means end the political division and rancor that defined the 2016 election season. Nor will the pain, fear and bitterness between Americans magically disappear because churches around the nation…
American Baptists seeking candidates for general secretary position
American Baptist Churches USA is receiving applications and soliciting recommendations for its next general secretary. American Baptist News Service reported Oct. 18 that links to a position profile, instructions for applying and a recommendations form have all been added to…
Network to promote creation care, eco-justice among American Baptists
A new national network reflecting what organizers term a growing sense of call to creation care and eco-justice among the American Baptist Churches USA held an inaugural meeting Sept. 22-23 in Sherborn, Mass. The ABC Creation Justice Network, envisioned in…
Can we talk about sexuality?
Can we talk about sexuality? Recently a pastor in Kansas has been challenging my school and me personally on our position concerning our faithfulness to Scripture concerning human sexuality. It reminds me of the sustained conversation in Southern Baptist life…
After all these years, why still Baptist?
I hear the question all the time. I meet someone for the first time at a party, they eventually ask what I do for work, and then the follow-up is some version of, “How are you Baptist?”
A Christian feminist response to Baylor
When the Pepper Hamilton summary report was released revealing major failures by Baylor University to comply with Title IX requirements, I read the entire document and was not at all surprised with its findings. It’s not that I thought Baylor…
Can Baptists achieve synergistic missional collaboration in Philadelphia?
I write today to advocate for Baptists active in ministry in the megalopolitan area of Philadelphia to commit to synergistic missional collaboration. Let me begin with a definition. Collaboration is a synergy of efforts — missional in this case —…