By Bob Allen With his writing career in full swing, faith-and-culture author Jonathan Merritt ended a 2009 USA Today commentary with a challenge to his fellow evangelical Christians. “Now is the time for those who bear the name of Jesus…
Baptist pastor: ‘Noah’ film may be way to engage unchurched
By Jeff Brumley The new film Noah has yet to hit big screens nationwide, but that hasn’t kept some critics – namely conservative Christian and Muslim ones – from blasting the film for deviating from the strict scriptural text that…
SBC leaders featured at NRB convention
By Bob Allen A top media spokesperson for the Southern Baptist Convention urged communicators attending this weekend’s National Religious Broadcasters International Christian Media Convention in Nashville, Tenn., to keep faith central to whichever form of media they choose. “I would…
Baylor’s black gospel music collection to be part of Smithsonian exhibit
By Terry Goodrich The Black Gospel Music Restoration Project — a search-and-rescue mission launched by a Baylor University researcher to save little-known recordings from the Golden Age of black gospel — will become a permanent feature of the Smithsonian Institution’s…
Pastor: Obama opening door to Antichrist
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist pastor who made news in the last presidential election for saying candidate Mitt Romney’s Mormon religion is a cult claims in a new book coming out this month that President Obama’s re-election is paving…
Divine devices or digital distractions?
By Jeff Brumley Alan Rudnick never was a fan of bringing phones into church sanctuaries and never did so himself — until about a year ago. That’s when he discovered bona fide uses for electronic devices during worship services at…
SBC leaders back ‘Duck Dynasty’ star
By Bob Allen Southern Baptist Convention leaders termed “Duck Dynasty” star Phil Robertson, suspended by A&E for controversial anti-gay statements in a magazine interview, the latest casualty in America’s culture war. “[T]he controversy over Duck Dynasty sends a clear signal…
Ministry cancels ‘Duck Dynasty’ event
By Bob Allen A Freewill Baptist family ministry has cancelled an upcoming appearance by Duck Dynasty star Willie Robertson after the TV family announced recently it was entering the wine business. Derek Bell, director of development for Free Will Baptist…
Religious Herald trustees OK ABP merger
By Bob Allen Trustees of the Religious Herald, a news journal with historic ties to Virginia Baptists, voted unanimously Oct. 7 to merge with Associated Baptist Press, creating a new print and online media platform aimed at enhancing the mission…