By Bob Allen The Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation withdrew a $42,000 grant from a women’s health clinic after learning that it dispenses morning-after birth control pills. According to the Rome News-Tribune, the grant was for cervical cancer screening…
Can we tell the truth?
By Elizabeth Evans Hagan At a recent writing workshop the presenter offered this advice. “If you want to write well, if you want to connect with your audience,” she offered, “you always must tell the truth. There’s nothing that can…
Mississippi Baptists back abortion limits
By Bob Allen After endorsing a failed “personhood” amendment to the state constitution last fall, Mississippi Baptist leaders are now backing legislation that observers say could shut down the state’s only abortion clinic. Passed by Mississippi’s House of Representatives March…
Long-time WMU leader Helen Fling dies
Associated Baptist Press Helen Fling, 97, a longtime leader in Woman’s Missionary Union, died March 1. Her memorial service was March 6 at Mountain Brook Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala. The wife of Pastor Robert Fling, she was president of…
Candidate: Faith, politics mix in public arena
By Vicki Brown A Baptist preacher’s wife running for lieutenant governor in Missouri says that while voters should consider a candidate’s moral character and values, faith should not be used for political ends. Judy Baker, who has a master’s degree…
Preach it, Sister!
By Derik Hamby This month I got to sit in the congregation with my 7-year-old daughter. My wife is in choir, so she usually sits with friends. It was nice to enjoy worship with her. I was exiled from my…
Why Baptists need Martha Stearns Marshall Month
By Kate Hanch Martha Stearns Marshall Month, sponsored by Baptist Women in Ministry each February, celebrates the voices of women in the pulpit. Martha Stearns Marshall lived during the 18th century. Along with her husband, she provided leadership and preaching…
Campus minister Melissa Cheliras dies following battle with cancer
By Robert Dilday Melissa Cheliras, Baptist campus minister at the University of Richmond, died Feb. 10, following a four-month battle with esophageal cancer. She was 33. Melissa Cheliras Cheliras had been part-time collegiate minister at UR since last summer. She…
SBC leader criticizes Komen reversal
By Bob Allen The head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s publishing house said Feb. 3 that Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s reversal of a decision to disassociate from Planned Parenthood means that pink-bound Holman Christian Standard Bibles taking up…
Komen denies caving to pressure to defund Planned Parenthood
By Bob Allen The charity behind the well-known pink-ribbon campaign for breast cancer awareness is denying that its decision to cut funding for Planned Parenthood was the result of pressure from conservative groups including the Southern Baptist Convention. The Susan…
Somebody’s daughter
By Derik Hamby I was at my daughter’s school when her teacher asked, “Did you see what your daughter wrote? All the teachers are coming down to read it.” My daughter is 7 years old and in the first grade…
Women’s Bible commentary promotes ‘complementarian’ roles for sexes
By Bob Allen A Bible commentary by women and for women is now out in Old and New Testament volumes that seek to counter a prevailing view of women’s equality in the church and home. The two-volume Women’s Evangelical Commentary,…