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…
Why are we still calling ourselves ‘moderate’ Baptists?
A few weeks ago, I sat with a Baptist leader who described himself as a “moderate Baptist.” He meant it as a compliment, and most people in our circles would receive it that way. After all, “moderate” is one of…
The CBF witness is more important now than ever
When I was growing up in Eastern Kentucky, I spent most of my time inside the doors of our Southern Baptist church. Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, Wednesday evenings — I was there. We were one of those small “church plants”…
Working for Justice in the World: FaithWorks Recognized as a Racial Justice Trailblazer
From its beginnings, the mission of FaithWorks has evolved through experimentation, through assessing the needs of the churches and through its partnerships with other justice-oriented organizations.
What’s the status of ICE and ‘sensitive locations’? Confusing
A federal judge refused to block immigration actions near Minnesota schools while other courts consider Trump administration appeals to rulings in other lawsuits against raids at or near sensitive locations. The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship alerted partner congregations this week that…
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…
Baxley says CBF is adapting as churches face financial crunch
Recent staff reductions at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship are the result of a downturn in unrestricted income, according to Executive Coordinator Paul Baxley. The change is a somewhat rapid response to real-time conditions, Baxley told BNG in a Feb. 3…
CBF pastor among 50 arrested in DC sit-in
A Cooperative Baptist Fellowship pastor was among about 50 clergy arrested at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., Jan. 29. Wayne Weathers, pastor of Vision of Hope Baptist Church in Sicklerville, N.J., was among a group of faith…
CBF reduces staff by seven positions
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has eliminated seven staff positions, according to a letter from Executive Coordinator Paul Baxley sent to governance leaders last week. It is not yet known if any of those positions were vacant and therefore how many…
Remembering Tommy Boland
Thinking of Tommy Boland reminds me of a poem by James Whitcomb Riley. Some workers are mourning the death of a colleague. One man, wiping tears from his eyes, says of his friend, “When God made him, I bet he…
Prosecutors and civil liberties groups speak out on ICE raids in houses of worship
Faith organizations suing to prevent immigration raids on or near houses of worship have gained support from a diverse array of prosecutors, civil liberty and religious groups in a case against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Fair and Just…
CBF’s Ortiz signs on to campaign against corruption
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s Rubén Ortiz is one of more than 20 Latino religious leaders behind a new campaign urging Latin American Christians to actively oppose corruption in church, government and society. “Integrity that Transforms: Churches Against Corruption” was launched…