By Bob Allen An arrest affidavit released to the public Jan. 10 accuses former First Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., associate pastor Richard Shahan of cutting and stabbing his wife found murdered in the couple’s home July 23. Shahan, 53,…
Groundbreaking Texas pastor Marvin Griffin dies
By Bob Allen Marvin Griffin, a Baptist pastor and denominational statesman known for his efforts to improve economic and educational opportunities for African-Americans in Austin, Texas, died Christmas Day 2013 at age 90. Griffin, pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in…
Pastor charged with murder is on way to Alabama
By Bob Allen An Alabama Baptist minister arrested New Year’s Day while trying to leave the country has been released from jail in Nashville, Tenn., and is on his way to Alabama to face charges of murdering his wife at…
Pastor murder suspect waives extradition
By Bob Allen An Alabama Baptist pastor will not fight extradition back to Alabama to face murder charges in connection to the stabbing death of his wife last summer. Richard Shahan, who resigned Dec. 31 as children and families pastor…
Interim pastor supports arrested minister
By Bob Allen The interim pastor of First Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., defended the church’s former associate pastor arrested as a fugitive from justice in connection with his wife’s July murder in comments quoted by the Birmingham News. “I…
Attorney: Minister wasn’t trying to flee
By Bob Allen Attorneys for an Alabama Baptist minister charged with murdering his wife say their client would have surrendered voluntarily if he had known a warrant for his arrest had been issued. Avoiding his Jan. 1 arrest while trying…
Baptist minister arrested in wife’s murder
By Bob Allen Richard Shahan, until recently on administrative leave as children and families pastor and facilities director at First Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., since his wife was found slain in their home July 23, was arrested New Year’s…
What’s ahead for Baptist life in 2014?
By Bob Allen Crab cakes. The Southern Baptist Convention meets in Baltimore for the first time since 1940 in June. Fred Luter, the first black SBC president in history, isn’t eligible for another term, setting up a presidential race likely…
Hispanic tapped as CBF Florida moderator
By Jeff Brumley Ruben Ortiz has a passion for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship that goes beyond issues of polity and shared spiritual values. For him, the connections are personal and deeply emotional and were solidified in 2009. That was the…