ATLANTA (ABP) — Sowing Seeds of Hope, a community and economic development organization affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, has received a $338,000 federal grant for the creation of a self-help housing initiative in depressed Perry County, Ala. The CBF…
Patterson’s defense of sermon censorship contradicts his own actions, critics say
ARLINGTON, Texas (ABP) — Paige Patterson, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's largest seminary, censored a recent chapel sermon by a seminary trustee because it criticized a “sister” SBC institution. Yet in 2003 Patterson himself circulated a lengthy report by…
American Baptist church ousted for openly affirming gays
FLINT, Mich. (ABP) — On Aug. 29, Woodside Church became the first American Baptist congregation in Michigan to be disaffiliated by its local “sister churches” because of its stance on homosexuality. The North Area Baptist Association, a 10-county group of…
CBF continues Katrina recovery, while response to Ernesto mounts
ATLANTA (ABP) — One year after Hurricane Katrina, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship continues work on a number of recovery projects in the Gulf region — even as relief workers responded to damage caused by Tropical Storm Ernesto on the Atlantic…
Franklin Owen, retired Baptist exec, remembered for vision, integrity
LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABP) — Franklin Owen, executive secretary of the Kentucky Baptist Convention from 1972-1983, died Aug. 30 in Lexington, Ky. He was 93. A longtime Kentucky Baptist pastor and denominational leader, Owen was lauded by peers as a man…
BTSR’s Graves to retire in 2007 citing health reasons
RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) –Thomas Graves, president of Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond since 1991, has announced plans to retire next year. Citing health reasons, Graves, 58, will step down July 1, 2007. He announced his plans during a special called…
McKissic responds to Patterson’s criticism of statement on tongues in chapel sermon
ARLINGTON, Texas (ABP) — One of Southern Baptists' most prominent African-American leaders responded Aug. 30 to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's rationale for partially censoring a chapel sermon he preached there a day before. In an open letter, Dwight McKissic told…
Donations to non-hurricane charities strong despite record Katrina giving
NEW ORLEANS (ABP) — Despite expectations to the contrary, donations to many charities not related to Hurricane Katrina held steady or increased last year, according to reports from Charity Navigator, a nonprofit watchdog group that monitors the financial health of…
Inexperienced charities complicated post-Katrina relief, watchdog says
NEW ORLEANS (ABP) — Although Hurricane Katrina inspired an unprecedented relief response, some of the groups who answered the call were inexperienced and ineffective, according to a charity watchdog group. The deluge of new and inexperienced charities that responded to…
Mississippi Baptist team weighs future of Katrina-devastated coastal retreat
PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss. (ABP) — One of the clearest demonstrations of Hurricane Katrina's power as it decimated the Mississippi Gulf Coast Aug. 29, 2005, is the shell of a large three-story steel-reinforced concrete building in the once-charming town of Pass…
Progressive National Baptists pick president, decry war in Iraq
CINCINNATI (ABP) — The Progressive National Baptist Convention has named T. DeWitt Smith as its new president. Elected at the convention's annual summer session, Smith will succeed Major Jemison as leader of the Washington, D.C.-based denomination. Smith is pastor of…
Trustee McKissic endorses prayer tongue during chapel sermon at Southwestern
FORT WORTH, Texas (ABP) — A trustee at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary endorsed the concept of a private prayer language in an Aug. 29 chapel sermon at the institution, setting off a wave of discussion in the Southern Baptist blogosphere…