By Jeff Brumley Baptist disaster-relief groups are mobilizing now that they have a clearer picture of the need and permission to enter Arkansas and other parts of the South pounded by vicious waves of tornadoes since Sunday. The Cooperative Baptist…
Pastor retires to be minister’s husband
By Bob Allen An Alabama pastor who chaired a blue-ribbon task force charged with retooling the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship for the 21st century is retiring from the pulpit to become a minister’s spouse. David Hull announced in an email April 27…
Baptist groups await OK to help Ark. twister victims
By Jeff Brumley Death tolls and destruction aren’t the only difficult things to deal with for Baptist disaster-relief officials. Having to tell eager volunteers, at least initially, to stay home can be just as tough. “The toughest part of my…
Diverse faith coalition — including Baptists — advocates immigration reform
By Jeff Brumley Advocates of the rapidly growing immigration reform movement say they’re heartened by the expanding involvement of religious groups, which they say is key if Congress is to ever act decisively on the issue. “The coalition is getting…
Water missions surge as churches see spiritual connection
By Jeff Brumley Water, it seems, is all the rage. Experts say the demand for global mission projects focused on providing clean water has become unquenchable as churches increasingly see water as one of the most efficient means of meeting…
I have moved on
My friend Marv Knox recently wrote a wise column in which he urged Baptists to move on from past bitterness through repentance and forgiveness. As Knox noted, others such as David Gushee and Mark Wingfield have recently written on our…
The ‘ex-SBC’ trilogy: A response to my respondents
David Gushee Follow David on twitter: @dpgushee We have a beloved expression in our family: “stirrin’ up the pot.” This phrase emerged from the mouth of our mischievous son when he was about 11. It referred to his occasional forays…
CBF leaders remember Tom Cleary
By Bob Allen Cooperative Baptist Fellowship leaders shared fond memories of Tom Cleary, one of the first field personnel appointed by the Decatur, Ga.-based CBF, who died March 19 in Tampa, Fla., after emergency surgery for a ruptured aneurysm the…
Mission trip reflects growing shift as participants experience ‘transformation’
By Jeff Brumley It’s usually called a mission trip when a group of college students and their campus minister visit a ministry located in a struggling out-of-state neighborhood. But that’s not what a group of Clemson University undergrads and their…