NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) — Most songwriters in Nashville want to get their songs on the radio. Keith and Kristyn Getty hope their songs end up in dusty old hymnbooks. The Gettys, originally from Belfast, Ireland, hope to revive the art…
Former ‘Jesus freak’ traces the evolution of Christian rock from spirituals to praise songs
(RNS) — Bob Gersztyn owned a fine collection of 300 rock ‘n’ roll albums in 1971, the year he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. Among them were some choice 1960s vinyl from Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles,…
Stand-up comic known as ‘God’s Smart Aleck’ is rising Hollywood star
(ABP) — Nowadays, comedian Michael Joiner is billed as “God’s Smart Aleck” to gently remind audiences that his clean humor comes from a Christian perspective. But there was a time when the Indiana native, raised a Baptist, was anything but…
British faith groups reclaim St. George as symbol of inclusivity, not symbol of hatred
British faith groups reclaim St. George as symbol of inclusivity, not symbol of hatred Bob Allen (ABP) — The Baptist Union of Great Britain joined other faith groups in a letter reclaiming St. George’s Day, celebrated April 23, from right-wing…
Author asks, how would Jesus have treated the followers of the world’s major religions?
In his 2012 book, Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road?, emergent church author Brian McLaren purposely evokes an old joke about, “Why did the chicken cross the road?” But instead of introducing a joke, McLaren…
Small is big for Millennials, as they gravitate toward churches offering deeper relationships
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — “The gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many,” Matthew’s Gospel quotes Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount. “The gate is narrow and the…
Americans love the Bible but don’t read it much, poll indicates
(RNS) — More than half of Americans think the Bible has too little influence on a culture they see in moral decline, yet only one in five Americans read the Bible on a regular basis, according to a new survey….
Opponents of gay marriage say they’re no bigots as they face increasing criticism
WASHINGTON (RNS) — They are moms and dads, authors and activists, a former police officer and a former single mom. They're black and white and Hispanic. One's a Roman Catholic archbishop, another an evangelical minister. Many have large families —…
Baptists from Mid-Atlantic rally in support of gay marriage as Supreme Court begins landmark case
WASHINGTON — As the Supreme Court launched two days of oral arguments March 26 on a landmark same-sex marriage case, ministers and members of some Baptist churches in the Mid-Atlantic rallied with other faith groups at an early morning interfaith…