An African-American pastor says Baptists should become less concerned about “just having blacks in white space” for the sake of diversity and more involved in building institutions that empower predominantly black neighborhoods.
When will there be enough women ministers?
Early this year in the wake of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s death, his colleague, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, was asked when there will be enough women on the Supreme Court. Her answer caused quite a stir as she quickly…
Historian says it’s ‘too late in the denominational game’ for segregated ministry
Baptists no longer have the luxury in today’s culture of ministering to their communities in silos separated by race, Baptist historian Bill Leonard said June 23 at a New Baptist Covenant luncheon at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly in…
It’s time for CBF to have the conversation
Many of you will recall that I served for eight years as president of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Foundation in Atlanta from 2002 to 2010. Some smaller number of you will know that I left that perfectly well-paid position to…
Community, collaboration and cooperation
Charleston. Donald Trump. HB2. Target. Hillary Clinton. Brock Turner. NRA. ISIS. Orlando. Are you still reading? I wouldn’t blame you if you’re not. Every time I see one of these words pop up on my Facebook feed, one of two…
At 25, CBF still building something new
At 25, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship recalls its birth in a passionate commitment to freedom. All stories must start somewhere. Baptist stories are no different — from the self-baptism of John Smyth in 1609 to Roger Williams planting the first…
‘Illumination Project’ seeks unity amid diversity in CBF
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Governing Board adopted a process June 21 to guide the 1,800-church Fellowship through controversy amid renewed attention to the organization’s 16-year-old policy against hiring LGBTQ people since the June 15 mass shooting at a gay nightclub in…
Who are we after the Baptist wars?
Our church’s recent quarterly business meeting seemed routine enough (if there is such a thing as a routine business meeting). But very quietly, something historic occurred that evening. In our congregational vote to grant membership letters to those who had…
CBF launches task force on clergy sexual misconduct
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Governing Board approved a task force on clergy sexual misconduct June 21 in a final meeting prior to this week’s CBF General Assembly in Greensboro, N.C. The CBF will collaborate with Baptist Women in Ministry in…