The rise of American authoritarianism frees people of faith from having to question how they would have responded during the Civil Rights Movement, Democracy Forward President Skye Perryman said. “If you ever wondered what you would do then, guess what…
BJC speakers inspire with tales of fighting authoritarianism
Fighting authoritarianism doesn’t require being violently forced to the ground and handcuffed by police outside an immigration detention center, said Michael Woolf, a Chicago-area Baptist pastor, author and activist who experienced that very thing. “There’s something for everybody to do,…
‘Be careful of Scripture heavy in law but light on grace,’ Wesley warns
Christians who vilify the poor, LGBTQ people and women practice a version of the faith that is heavy on the Bible but light on words of Jesus, said Howard-John Wesley, senior pastor of the historic Alfred Street Baptist Church in…
Parenting expert Michelle Icard helps Cooperative Baptists rethink discomfort, risk and growth
For author and parenting expert Michelle Icard, growth begins on what she calls “the uncomfortable path.”
‘Show up and do something,’ ACLU leader urges
Opposing American authoritarianism will require dedicated action and avoiding the temptation to fall into “grim despair” over its advances, said Bacardi Jackson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida. “It is always a matter of courage and,…
BNG, AWAB and GFM collaborate to present Skye Perryman
Skye Perryman will keynote a breakfast meeting at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly sponsored by Baptist News Global, Good Faith Media and Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists. Perryman, president of Democracy Forward, is a leading national voice in…
Christians Against Christian Nationalism growing with regional groups
Nearly 20 groups affiliated with Christians Against Christian Nationalism have been formed in more than a dozen states to advocate for religious freedom and to resist the religious hatred and violence sweeping the nation. And more churches or clusters of…
CBF Advocacy off and running, Hawks says
It’s been an intense year so far for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s Advocacy ministry, Director Jennifer Hawks said. “What a year it’s been for all of us,” she said during a breakfast at the CBF’s June General Assembly in St….
Why churches should care about creation justice
“Everyone has an ecological story,” said Derrick Weston, director of theological education and formation at Creation Justice Ministries during a CBF General Assembly learning lab last week. With a small group of assembly attendees, Weston discussed the important distinction between…
‘White Jesus’ poses threat to men and boys, Denker warns
Worship of “white Jesus” helps explain why American boys and men are simultaneously struggling and dangerous, author and pastor Angela Denker stressed during a Baptist Women in Ministry luncheon. The June 26 event in St. Louis was held during the…
How to talk about polarizing topics at church
Churches can talk about polarizing topics — even politics — if they enter those conversations seeking transformation rather than conformity, church consultant Matt Cook told participants at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly in St. Louis June 26. Cook, director…
What’s the best thing to say to a person facing a tough time?
Many people struggle with knowing how to support others who are enduring tough times, but empathy — the kind, thoughtful key to that support — can be learned, Christy Edwards told participants at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly in…