By Bob Allen Messengers to the Baptist General Convention of Texas meeting Nov. 16-18 in Waco approved a 2015 basic budget of $35 million, more than $2.1 million below this year’s spending plan. A grand total budget of $37,784,297 represents reduced…
Broad Baptist coalition asks Houston mayor to withdraw subpoenas for sermons
By Bob Allen Moderate and conservative Baptists set aside differences in an Oct. 15 letter opposing subpoenas ordering five Houston pastors to turn over sermons as evidence in a lawsuit seeking repeal of the city’s non-discrimination ordinance. Top leaders of…
Circle of life: Denominational innovation may be wave of future
By Jeff Brumley The fact state and national religious bodies are undergoing significant changes — or at least need to change — hardly makes headlines anymore. But the changes already occurring give hints about where the development of religious organizations…
Baptist disaster experts face Ebola, opposition ministering to immigrants
By Jeff Brumley Members of the North American Baptist Fellowship’s Disaster Response Network covered just about every national and global hotspot in two days of meetings that concluded Wednesday in Lake Charles, La. Representatives from 15 Baptist organizations — ranging from…
Baptists gearing up in Colorado
By Jeff Brumley Television and internet images of flooding in Colorado just don’t capture the scope of the carnage, says a Baptist minister helping clear mud and debris from homes. “The devastation is just amazing, and it just goes from…
‘Loving OK’ succeeds despite low turnout
By Jeff Brumley Last week’s “Loving Oklahoma” tornado recovery campaign saw inspiring cooperation between Texas Baptists and Cooperative Baptists, but fell way short of its goal of drawing the 1,000 volunteers organizers wanted. Even so, planners said concerted effort to…