By Jeff Brumley Steadily declining mission trips to Mexico due to drug violence has left many Mexicans feeling abandoned just when their anxiety levels are peaking, missions experts in Texas say. “It’s unprecedented,” said E. Daniel Rangel, director of River Ministry…
Women protest army rapes in Burma
By Bob Allen Leaders of a ministry for women and girls in American Baptist churches called on the United States to insist on human-rights reforms – including ending the use of rape as a weapon of war – before moving…
Bible verse lands lawmaker in controversy
By Bob Allen A Mississippi lawmaker and bivocational Southern Baptist minister is refusing to back down for backing up his opposition to gay marriage with an Old Testament Bible passage that calls for homosexuals to be put to death. After…
What’s wrong with gay marriage?
By Jim Denison President Obama made history with his recent endorsement of same-sex marriage. Several prominent evangelicals were quick to disagree. Why? What’s wrong with gay marriage? Space does not permit exploring such controversy in detail, but we can survey…
State convention held liable for abuse
By Bob Allen A jury found May 17 that the Florida Baptist Convention is liable for failing to do an adequate background check before recruiting and training a former church planter now in prison for molesting a 13-year-old boy. According…
There’s a new world coming
By Amy Butler Since I learned this catchy tune at the Children, Youth, and a New Kind of Christianity conference held in D.C. last week, I can’t seem to get it out of my head. There’s a new world coming,…
Pastor punts sermon over Obama
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist mega church pastor shelved his prepared Mother’s Day sermon and instead led 6,000 worshippers in prayer over President Obama’s May 9 statement that he supports gay marriage. “This past week we had a historic…
Shorter librarian’s job in jeopardy
By Bob Allen A gay librarian has become a reluctant symbol for opponents of Shorter University’s new “personal lifestyle statement” that must be signed by faculty and staff who want to remain at the Baptist-affiliated school in Rome, Ga. A…
Study charts impact of Eagle Scouts
By Ken Camp The Boys Scouts of America long have noted the conspicuous presence of Eagle Scouts among astronauts, military officers, top athletes and high-ranking elected officials. But a nationwide scientific survey involving researchers from Baylor University provides the first empirical evidence…