CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (ABP) — A California Baptist University women's basketball player pleaded guilty Feb. 9 in Virginia to two felonies after hitting a construction worker last summer while driving drunk. Vitalija Vasciunaite in her team photo (left) and her police…
Border violence prompts decline in mission trips
BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ABP) — Violence between drug cartels in Mexican border towns has cut into the number of mission trips in the area. In some cases, it has led church groups, even those who have served in the area for…
Church arsonists receive additional life sentences
ATHENS, Texas (ABP) — Two men already sentenced to life in prison for setting five east Texas churches on fire in 2010 pleaded guilty to more arsons Feb. 8. Jason Bourque and Daniel McAllister were sentenced to life in prison…
Initial picks for faith-based panel light on Baptists
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Barack Obama's first dozen appointees to the next President's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships were heavy on mainline Protestants but light on Baptists. Three of the names announced Feb. 4 are leaders of member communions…
Obama re-nominates religious-freedom ambassador
WASHINGTON (ABP) — President Obama has resubmitted for Senate approval his choice for a new ambassador at large for religious freedom, the White House announced Feb. 7. Suzan Johnson Cook Obama first nominated Suzan Johnson Cook, an American Baptist minister…
Virginia Baptists mark 11 years of teaching program in China
RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — When Tiffany Robertson spent several weeks in 2005 leading English conversational classes for middle school teachers in Qingyang, a city in north central China, she never expected to see her pupils again once she returned to…
Court rejects ‘birther’ challenge by former SBC officer
SAN FRANCISCO (ABP) — The California Supreme Court declined Feb. 2 to hear a challenge to Barack Obama's election as president filed by plaintiffs including a former officer of the Southern Baptist Convention. Justices declined to review an October ruling…
Former NAMB trustee sentenced for fraud
ST. LOUIS (ABP) – A former Southern Baptist pastor and North American Mission Board trustee was sentenced Feb. 4 to eight months in prison for mail fraud. The United States Attorney’s Office in St. Louis announced the sentencing of Danny…
BWA leader calls for ‘peaceful’ steps to end protests in Egypt
FALLS CHURCH, Va. — The top executive of the Baptist World Alliance called on the Egyptian government Feb. 4 to take “necessary, peaceful” steps to resolve almost two weeks of anti-government rallies in cities across the nation and for protesters…