WASHINGTON (ABP) — Religious and political leaders are expressing both concern and criticism in the wake of Barack Obama's recent break with the church that brought him to faith 20 years ago — but has brought him headaches on the…
CBF General Assembly devotes prayer time to discerning way
ATLANTA (ABP) – How does God want us to use our resources? Finding an answer to that and related questions will be a priority at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly this year. Leaders will seek input from attendees at…
Bluefield College board approves strategic plan
BLUEFIELD, Va. (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…
Donor offers giving challenge at BTSR
RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — The 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 —…
CBF worker reaches internationals at Mississippi State University
STARKVILLE, Miss. (ABP) — Diana Bridges is an avenue to God in Northern Mississippi for internationals like the Muslim woman who always asks Bridges to pray for her. “God listens when you pray,” she told Bridges. With a call to…
Pass the Popcorn: Christians struggle to decide how best to engage culture
(ABP) — If Christians don't learn to engage the popular culture that surrounds them, they will drown in it, experts insist. “Christians tend to hear the words ‘popular culture' and react as if spitting something yucky from their mouths,” said…
Pass the popcorn: Christians called to make culture; let God handle transformation
(ABP) — Andy Crouch feels uncomfortable when Christians talk about “transforming culture” or “making an impact on society.” But he strongly believes churches should do far more to encourage Christians to make culture — right where they live. “I'm all…
Pass the Popcorn Analysis: Engage culture without assuming it
(ABP) — I've got to be brutally honest; I'm not a Rob Bell fan, although many of my students are. He has two best-selling books: Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith (2005) and Sex God: Exploring the Endless Connections between…
Pass the Popcorn: Popular culture challenges Christians to ‘think outside the box’
HOUSTON (ABP) — It can be difficult to hear God's word in today's media-saturated culture of iPods, YouTube, satellite radio, and DirecTV with over 500 channels and on demand movies. That's the conclusion reached by two culture observers on the…
Furman faculty, students divided over Bush speech
GREENVILLE, S.C. (ABP) – Students, administrators, faculty and alumni of Furman University are in an uproar over a speech by President Bush, scheduled for the school's May 31 commencement exercises in Greenville, S.C. The controversy at the moderate school –…
Tickets for Annual ABP Dinner at CBF
Join us for the Annual Associated Baptist Press Dinner at the CBF General Assembly: “Giving Voice to Truth in the Race-tinged South” Thursday, June 19, 2008, 5:30 – 7:15 p.m., $36 per person Ballroom B, Memphis Cook County Convention Center…
IRS clears United Church of Christ of wrongdoing in Obama speech
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Barack Obama's denomination did nothing wrong in hearing a speech from the Democratic presidential candidate, the Internal Revenue Service has told officials of the United Church of Christ. The denomination announced the move on its website May…