WASHINGTON (ABP) — A longtime advocate for people with disabilities said the greatest barriers to including special-needs individuals in churches are not architectural or language but rather barriers of attitude. “We have within us prejudices,” said Ginny Thornburgh, director of…
Church should be place of acceptance for people with special needs
WASHINGTON (ABP) — People with disabilities don’t want churches that just “welcome” them, but rather congregations that value them and include them in living a “full life of faith,” a long-time advocate for special-needs ministry said. “Valued is being seen…
‘Idaho 10’ member blames UNICEF for group’s arrest
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (ABP) — With the last of 10 Southern Baptist mission volunteers released from a Haitian jail May 17, one of her "Idaho 10" co-laborers is breaking his silence and blames the whole ordeal on meddling by the…
Seminaries not preparing pastors to minister to disabled, some assert
WACO, Texas (ABP) — An expert in the field of disability ministry says theological seminaries are doing little to prepare ministers to deal with the estimated one in five Americans living with some kind of disability. “There is almost nothing in…
Welcoming people with special needs can mean spiritual, numerical growth
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (ABP) — Churches that do a good job of including members with special needs like autism often reap side benefits of a positive witness to their community and sometimes even numerical growth, says an expert in disability…
Former SBC president nominated to lead Executive Committee
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — Former Southern Baptist Convention President Frank Page is being nominated as president of the SBC Executive Committee, one of three key leadership positions in the nation's second-largest faith group in the process of being filled. According…
American Baptist leaders support immigration reform
VALLEY FORGE, Pa. (ABP) — More than two dozen national and regional leaders of American Baptist Churches USA signed a letter supporting immigration reform that reflects "mercy and justice rooted in God's love." "We do not claim any superior understanding…
Book says white churches can learn from blacks
VALLEY FORGE, Pa. (ABP) — After resigning abruptly in 1992 from one of the largest and influential churches in the nation, First Baptist Church in Dallas, and going through a divorce within two years, Joel Gregory's ministry appeared to be…
Conservative evangelicals call for immigration reform
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A group of conservative evangelicals is endorsing immigration reform that secures America's borders and provides a pathway to citizenship for the estimated 12 million people living in the United States illegally. Religious leaders including Samuel Rodriguez of…
Liberty to investigate alleged untruths by seminary president
LYNCHBURG, Va. (ABP) — Liberty University will investigate reports that its seminary president has misled the public in his testimony about converting from militant Islam to Christianity, officials of the school in Lynchburg, Va., announced May 10. Liberty University Provost…
Website launched to link ‘missional’ Baptist churches, strategists
OKLAHOMA CITY (ABP) — A website launched May 10 aims to become an online platform for churches, mission organizations, strategists and international partners to collaborate to share the gospel in the 21st century. "This was born out of a desire…
CBF leaders, partner group executives focus on organizations’ future
PINE MOUNTAIN, Ga. (ABP) — Chief executives of more than 20 organizations affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship joined CBF national and state leaders and other invitees April 27-29 at a retreat center in southwest Georgia to imagine a future…