By Bob Allen The family of deceased Baptist leader Carolyn Weatherford Crumpler is asking that rather than paying their respects by sending flowers, friends honor her memory by supporting causes that were dear to her heart. Crumpler, 84, died Jan….
Insurance company settles with Missouri Baptist Convention
By Bob Allen The Missouri Baptist Convention has received $5 million in a settlement with the insurance company representing one of five breakaway agencies that moved to self-perpetuating trustee boards in 2000 and 2001. After a dozen years of litigation,…
Cost-effective conference fosters fellowship for busy and financially challenged pastors
By Jeff Brumley Three years in ministry have taught Alina Carbonell some pretty tough lessons about juggling church and family, overseeing both youth and adult members and the fact she can’t share personal struggles with her congregations. “I have discovered…
Georgia Baptists stand by fired Atlanta fire chief
By Bob Allen In a press release Jan. 7, the 1.3 million-member Georgia Baptist Convention protested the recent firing of Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran for writing a religious book deemed intolerant toward gays. Earlier, the 3,600-church state affiliate of…
Glorieta lawsuit reassigned to new judge
By Bob Allen A lawsuit challenging LifeWay Christian Resources’s sale of Glorieta Conference Center in 2013 has been reassigned to a new judge. In September U.S. District Judge James Browning in Albuquerque, N.M., upheld most but not all recommendations by…
Campbell University elects Brad Creed as president
By Robert Dilday In a unanimous vote Jan. 2, trustees of Campbell University elected Brad Creed as president of the Baptist-affiliated school in Buies Creek, N.C. Creed, 57, will take office July 1, succeeding Jerry Wallace, who retires June 30…
State engineer orders Glorieta to cease pumping water
By Ken Camp After a site visit to Glorieta Conference Center, New Mexico’s state engineer ordered the camp — which Southern Baptists’ LifeWay Christian Resources sold to an independent Christian camping organization — to cease pumping water into its pond…
Louisiana College updates whistleblower policy
By Bob Allen Louisiana College trustees updated the school’s whistleblower policy — adding protection against retaliation for reports of malfeasance made in good faith but specifying that accusations that are malicious and knowingly false will be punished — at a year-end meeting…
U.S. Baptists emphasize local context in overseas theological education
By George Henson and Jeff Brumley Keeping it simple — and local — are essential for U.S. Christian groups involved in overseas theological education, American church leaders say. Translated, that means letting native residents in nations where theological training is lacking take…
Twitter post sparks hashtag war with LifeWay, SBC elite
By Bob Allen A denominational worker’s tweet over the holidays sparked a social media campaign alleging the Southern Baptist Convention’s bookstore chain values profit more than doctrinal fidelity and that an inner circle of “evangelical intelligentsia” calling the shots doesn’t…
Experts say gratitude generates the generosity needed for sustained giving
By Lori Fogelman and Jeff Brumley A Baylor University professor has been preaching a message some may consider radical in American society — even during the holidays: generosity. It’s also a concept close to the hearts of pastors struggling to convince shrinking…
Christmas mission brings food and Christ to hungry on the border
By George Henson Baptist churches and ministries recently joined forces to provide food and Christmas spirit to impoverished families along the U.S.-Mexico border. Their goal: to prevent as much hunger and despair as possible among the region’s adults and children…