By Jeff Brumley A Baptist-inspired project envisioned to inspire and retool pastors and congregations for the missional church environment is taking shape in Bozeman, Mont. The Yellowstone Theological Institute has secured $4.5 million in land and money pledges. While probably…
Social media aid disaster response
By Jeff Brumley Until recently, faith-based disaster-relief agencies continued to rely heavily on e-mail and telephone to coordinate their efforts and communicate their needs to donors and volunteers. But recent disasters in Oklahoma and Texas have seen those agencies rely…
Using secrecy to control
By Vicki Brown Baptists follow the congregational form of church governance — every member who wants to can have a say in the way the church and the denomination operate. But how much access does the average church member have…
Social media aids Baptist fact-finders
By Vicki Brown Do people in the pew have any options for finding information if their local church, state organization or national denominational body refuses do divulge it? Not many — but technology and government offer a couple of options….
Religious leaders react to BSA decision
By Jeff Brumley Boy Scouts of America on May 23 decided it will no longer deny membership on the basis of sexual orientation. The new policy, which takes effect in January, is already being met with the expected backlash from…
BGCT board seeks OK to explore sale
By Ken Camp Messengers to the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting in San Antonio this summer will consider a recommendation to grant the BGCT executive board authority to sell the Baptist Building in Dallas. The board at its May meeting…
Hobby Lobby case in federal court
By Jeff Brumley A federal appeals court will hear oral arguments May 23 in Hobby Lobby’s claim that the contraception mandate in President Obama’s health-care policies violates its religious freedoms. A federal judge ruled in November 2012 that the company was not…
Twister response goes ecumenical
By Jeff Brumley If the deadly Oklahoma tornado has a silver lining, it may be the ecumenical spirit driving the response and recovery efforts of local churches, local ministers say. Local Baptist and other pastors describe an ongoing, cooperative effort…
More religious freedoms in Cuba?
By Jeff Brumley While the U.S. government reports that religious rights remain greatly restricted in Cuba, a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship official said his own experience is that freedoms are improving on the Communist island. Ray Johnson, coordinator of CBF Florida,…
OKC responders prepare, tell volunteers to wait
By Robert Dilday and Jeff Brumley Baptist churches and individuals eager to help the victims of Monday’s deadly Oklahoma twister are being told to get ready — and to wait. While some faith-based disaster-response agencies are cleared by authorities to…
Sovereign Grace sex abuse case dismissed
By Jeff Brumley Citing technicalities including the statute of limitations, a Maryland judge on May 17 dismissed a lawsuit against Sovereign Grace Ministries, a church-planting network with ties to Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. The suit’s 11 plaintiffs…
Baptists respond to Texas tornadoes
By Ken Camp Disaster-relief volunteers from Texas Baptist Men offered comfort to injured people, helped clear debris and provided meals to rescue workers after tornadoes ripped through North Central Texas Wednesday evening, May 15. A series of tornadoes touched down…