CHARLOTTE, N.C. (ABP) — First it was a T-shirt. Then it was a book. At the recent Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly in Charlotte, N.C., "This is What a Preacher Looks Like" became an event. Sue Fitzgerald, retired director of…
BJC files brief opposing sectarian prayer at government meetings
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty filed legal papers July 6 arguing that inviting religious leaders to invoke sectarian prayers at a North Carolina county's board of commissioners meetings is unconstitutional. The BJC filed a friend-of-the-court…
God hates flags? Judge bars arrest of Westboro flag protester
LINCOLN, Neb. (ABP) — A federal judge has granted a temporary restraining order blocking the arrest of a member of a controversial Baptist church for breaking a Nebraska law against desecrating the American flag. A Westboro Baptist Church member pickets…
Evangelicals better than mainliners at retaining youth, researcher says
DURHAM, N.C. (ABP) — Evangelical churches do a better job than mainline churches in keeping their young people in the faith, probably because they invest more money in youth ministry, says a Duke University professor who studies characteristics of American…
Baptist youth fighting child poverty one penny and one mind at a time
VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABP) — While a penny can be exchanged for one’s thoughts, children and youth in Baptist churches across the country are discovering that it can also be exchanged for a greater awareness of child poverty. The nationwide…
Church claims funeral protests are protected
TOPEKA, Kan. (ABP) — A fundamentalist Baptist church known for picketing funerals of fallen soldiers argued in a U.S. Supreme Court brief filed July 7 that its actions are protected by the Constitution. Margie Phelps — attorney of record for…
Baptist church claims funeral protests protected by 1st Amendment
TOPEKA, Kan. (ABP) — A fundamentalist Baptist church known for picketing funerals of fallen soldiers argued in a Supreme Court brief filed July 7 that its actions are protected by the Constitution. Westboro Baptist Church members picket in Beverly Hills,…
Louisiana governor signs guns-in-church bill into law
BATON ROUGE, La. (ABP) — Louisiana will join six other states that allow people to carry concealed handguns to church, thanks to a bill that Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) has signed. Bobby Jindal (U.S. Congress photo) His office announced late…
’20/20′ to air update on pastor convicted of murder
NEW YORK (ABP) — ABC's primetime news magazine "20/20" program is airing an updated story July 9 about a former Baptist pastor from Texas convicted of murdering his wife and trying to make it look like a suicide. The program…
’20/20′ airs update on pastor convicted of murder
NEW YORK (ABP) — ABC's primetime news magazine "20/20" program aired an updated story July 9 about a former Baptist pastor from Texas convicted of murdering his wife and trying to make it look like a suicide July 9. The segment…
Comprehensive immigration reform boasts broad array of Baptist backers
WASHINGTON (ABP) — As the immigration debate is re-stoked by legislation before Congress and the controversial anti-illegal-immigrant law Arizona recently passed, an unusually broad array of Baptist leaders and groups is backing comprehensive immigration reform. President Obama delivers a July…
Invitation strikes sour note for Christian music festival
OSHKOSH, Wis. (ABP) — A five-day Christian music festival that kicked off July 7 in Wisconsin is being criticized for inviting progressive evangelical activist Jim Wallis to speak. At least one sponsor has pulled out of Lifest — an annual…