CHARLOTTE, N.C. (ABP) – As the Occupy protest movement spreads into cities across the United States and around the world, one North Carolina Baptist congregation says it is time to occupy the church. A November Occupy Church "protest" helped energize…
Former pastor, educator Jack McEwen dies
Jack McEwen CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (ABP) – Jack McEwen, a former pastor and professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, died Dec. 5. McEwen, 84, was pastor of churches including First Baptist Church of Chattanooga in the 1970s and 1980s, where he…
Group urges churches to open pulpits to first-time women preachers
ATLANTA (ABP) – An annual emphasis that encourages Baptist churches for the first time to invite a woman to preach is also an opportunity for churches that fully support women in ministry, say sponsors of Martha Stearns Marshall Month of…
Pastor says Jesus wouldn’t remove church with woman pastor
MOUNT AIRY, N.C. (ABP) – A North Carolina pastor says he thinks a Baptist association’s vote to remove a church for calling a woman pastor isn’t what Jesus would do. “All four Gospels tell us that the message of the…
Supreme Court won’t review NYC ban on worship in schools
WASHINGTON (ABP) – Church-state observers expressed surprise at the Supreme Court’s Dec. 5 refusal to hear an appeal of a ruling that New York City has the right to bar the use of public school buildings for worship when school…
Church withdraws from association that ousted woman pastor
MOUNT AIRY, N.C. (ABP) – A North Carolina Baptist association that expelled a church last summer for naming a woman as pastor lost another prominent member congregation Dec. 4. Members of the 132-year-old First Baptist Church of Mount Airy, N.C.,…
Church marks decline in city’s homicide rate
Highland Baptist Church gathers for an annual tradition memorializing homicide victims during Advent. (Photo by Bill Campbell) LOUISVILLE, Ky. (ABP) – A somber Advent tradition was mingled with hope as Highland Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky., placed 46 crosses on…
Gay-marriage stand costs pastor his pulpit
LILYDALE, Australia (ABP) – An Australian Baptist pastor and his congregation have parted company over the issue of gay marriage. Matt Glover Matt Glover, pastor of Lilydale Baptist Church, said recently on a marriage-equality website that allowing same-sex marriages would…
Baptist fined in Uzbekistan
OSLO (ABP) – The leader of a Baptist church in Uzbekistan was fined 80 times the minimum monthly wage Nov. 21 for holding what authorities considered an illegal religious meeting outside of a registered house of worship. Forum 18, a…