As a Baptist minister, I owe much to an inclusive, gracious and open-minded Methodist church in Texas that invited me as a new Baptist seminary graduate to be their associate pastor. That gives me hope, despite the General Conference’s recent vote.
Sunday morning becoming the most politically ‘segregated’ hour in America
Sunday morning is becoming an increasingly divided time in America. “If Sunday morning was the most segregated morning in American life, it may also be one of the most politicized hours in American life, implicitly or explicitly,” said Bill Leonard,…
Researchers discover another reason Americans leave church
The forces driving Americans from churches apparently aren’t limited to the generational and cultural factors that grab headlines these days. LifeWay Research has found that departures also are likely to occur if a congregation’s core values are altered in some…
People of faith contribute to ongoing ‘season of booze’
Americans may disagree on politics and religion, but many of them are in step when it comes to booze. As in, they like it. And that embrace of alcohol is on obvious display leading in to the New Year.
With 1 ‘none’ and a slew of Christians, Congress fails to reflect society
Church consultants and researchers for years have warned churches that they need to reflect the communities around them. Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources, said he discovered that while conducting research for his book Autopsy of a Deceased Church….
Baptists, Methodists seek to overcome differences to minister together
By Jeff Brumley Nowadays, Baptists and Methodists seem the least likely to become entangled in theological disputes or battles over turf and members. Pulpit swaps and shared downtown ministries are increasingly common between them. But that was not always the…
BWA aims to overcome barriers in talks with Methodists
By Robert Dilday They’ve engaged in dialog with Pentecostals, Catholics and the Orthodox. Now the Baptist World Alliance is launching a four-year conversation with Methodists as part of its assigned task of enhancing understanding among Christian communities. This Thursday, BWA…