By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist Convention leader says failure to discipline a pastor and congregation at the recent SBC annual meeting doesn’t mean the nation’s second-largest faith group is wavering in its rejection of churches which “act to affirm,…
SBC passes on discipline of gay-tolerant church
By Bob Allen Contrary to a leader’s forecast, the Southern Baptist Convention did not rebuke a church for challenging the denomination’s policy against gay-affirming congregations at the convention’s 2014 annual meeting June 10-11 in Baltimore. Albert Mohler, president of Southern…
Motion asks SBC to discipline gay-affirming pastor
By Bob Allen A former Southern Baptist Convention vice president asked new officers to consider discipline against a California congregation that recently broke ranks with the denomination’s view that all homosexual behavior is a sin. Wiley Drake, pastor of First…
Southern Baptist church takes ‘third way’ on homosexuality
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist church in California drew scrutiny from denominational leaders and observers after voting May 18 not to dismiss a pastor who said he had changed his mind about homosexuality being a sin. New Heart Community…
Professor says Michael Sam is no Jackie Robinson
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist pastor and seminary professor says Satan is pleased with comparisons being drawn between Michael Sam, the first openly gay football player drafted by the NFL, and Jackie Robinson, who broke Major League Baseball’s color…
Grandson says Fred Phelps changed mind about gays
By Bob Allen Fred Phelps, founder of the virulently anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., may have been excommunicated for having a change of heart toward homosexuals, his grandson revealed in a statement posted on Facebook and an interview…
A new cultural orthodoxy
How shall we handle it when the forces of modern tolerance finally shed their sheep’s clothing and begin baring their teeth? In the last several months this question has moved from the realm of the theoretical to become intensely practical….
SBC leaders warn book by gay Christian ‘not faithful to Scripture’
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist Convention seminary cranked out a 90-page rebuttal to a recently released book making waves in evangelical circles with claims that the Bible is not anti-gay. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, described…
The ethics of Christian blackmail
Yesterday, while pondering the Christian reaction to the initial World Vision decision, I wrote a short article (unpublished) on how (not) to talk about World Vision on the Internet – don’t be hateful, clam down before you publish, and other…
World Vision’s policy reversal turns tables in same-sex marriage debate
By Bob Allen As bloggers both left and right shut down comments because of heated arguments about World Vision’s recently announced decision to hire gays, the tables turned suddenly March 26 when the parachurch charity publicly reversed the policy and…
Social media reaction of World Vision controversy
This week World Vision, the para-church organization that fights hunger, announced that they ended their ban on hiring people in a same sex marriage. After considerable blow back from supporters and Christians, World Vision reversed its policy. Some supporters said…
Loving neighbors and reading the Bible: Some reflections upon the death of Phelps
The world recently learned of the death of Fred Phelps, Sr., founder and “pastor” of Westboro “Baptist” “Church,” the group who has become known for their protests of military funerals and signs that say “God hates ____.” They have traveled…