The ACLU is tracking 530 anti-LGBTQ bills in state legislatures this year. Five hundred and thirty. In Kansas, a new law immediately invalidated the driver’s licenses of transgender people and authorized anyone, anyone, to sue someone they suspect of being transgender for using the…
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…
Women’s rights are at risk and the church cannot be silent
“Speeches do not protect girls,” Malala Yousafzai said as she addressed the United Nations at the opening of this year’s Commission on the Status of Women hosted by UN Women. When I heard her say it, I was sitting in…
12 ways to shepherd courage in divided communities
In early 2026, I was invited to participate and help facilitate a conversation with clergy from around the country as a part of a Zoom conversation hosted by Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty. My breakout session was on how…
Healing from LGBTQ exclusion requires acknowledging past pain
The faith experiences of many Queer Christians have unfolded in churches that once described themselves as “welcoming,” “inclusive” or “loving” yet stopped short of full affirmation. Some of those congregations have since changed. They now perform same-gender loving weddings, ordain…
When the church confuses vocation with calling
Across several denominations, pastors are leaving congregations at accelerated rates, citing burnout, conflict and misalignment between their sense of calling and the realities of congregational life. Much of that conversation has focused on workload, compensation and leadership fatigue — all…
Second court rules sensitive locations out of bounds for raids
A federal court in Massachusetts has blocked a Trump administration policy that allowed immigration enforcement raids in sensitive locations such as churches, schools and hospitals. The ruling came Feb. 13 in New England Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, et…
‘Yes in God’s backyard’ addresses housing crisis
Faith-based organizations are chipping away at the nation’s affordable housing crisis by focusing on projects that directly address challenges in their own communities, according to a nonprofit community development organization. More and more, churches are taking a “yes in God’s…
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…
How diet culture distorts the gospel
Every January, churches begin promoting fitness and wellness programs with the best of intentions. The flyers promise renewal, discipline and a fresh start, all spiritual-sounding words. The messaging suggests we can honor God with our bodies through diet and exercise….
AI is coming for your pastor and your trust
In this new year, an unexpected presence will slip into many church sanctuaries, quietly and almost politely: A line in the sermon that began as a chatbot prompt. A prayer drafted by an AI tool because the volunteer who normally…
Six insights I learned from women in ministry
“What is your story of serving as a woman in ministry?” We asked this question to nearly 100 women ordained by Baptist churches in Atlantic Canada over the past 50 years as part of the Called to Serve research project. Their responses surprised,…