JEFFERSON CITY – All the resources churches need to conduct a voter registration campaign are free and ready for ordering. The Missouri Baptist Convention’s (MBC) Christian Life Commission has partnered with Concerned Women for America of Missouri to offer the packets in preparation for the Nov. 8 general election. Deadline to register is Oct. 12. “In addition to praying, we must cast our votes to fulfill our Christian responsibility toward government, one of three institutions – along … [Read more...]
Back to school
“My son, keep my words, And treasure my commands within you….bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart.” Proverbs 7:1,3 Much time and attention is given to providing school supplies and new clothes to prepare children to go back to school in the fall. How much Spiritual preparation do we give our children to face the many challenges they will undoubtedly encounter? It seems that many of us are often guilty of waiting until problems arise and then attempting to … [Read more...]
Supreme court blocks transgender rulings
WASHINGTON (BP) – The U.S. Supreme Court has blocked for now lower-court decisions requiring a Virginia school district to enable a female student who identifies as male to use the boys’ restroom. The justices announced, Aug. 3, they had put on hold a June ruling by a federal court ordering the Gloucester County School Board to permit Gavin Grimm to use the male restroom while the case is settled in court. Grimm, 17, is a female biologically but considers herself a male. The Supreme … [Read more...]
Racism alleged as part of pastor’s termination
BUTLER, Ala. (BP) – A former Alabama pastor and the rural congregation that terminated him last July 31 have offered varying reports to media outlets regarding the role racism played in the 31-0 vote to dismiss him. Mt. Sterling Baptist Church in Butler, Ala., was the subject of news stories by WTOK television in nearby Meridian, Miss., the AL.com news website and other media outlets when it fired pastor Jonathan Greer, 26, over what Greer described as “pushback” against his intention to … [Read more...]
CCCU board considers membership requirements
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (BP) – The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) board of directors is considering recommendations for new membership and affiliate guidelines during meetings this week, amid differences over same-sex marriage hiring policies. The regular July board meeting – taking place at the council’s Oxford study abroad location – comes after a special task force spent nine months exploring CCCU’s categories of affiliation. The task force has submitted its final … [Read more...]
Setting the world straight in 2016
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (BP) – Political leaders, social activists and the entertainment industry are ballyhooing for extreme reform in this rather chaotic era, as if trying to reconstruct our nation ideologically. Sadly, I'm not sure the outcome of the 2016 U.S. presidential election will get us into balance. Then what will? Hollywood plays to humanity's narcissism and love of gadgets, and a growing anger that seemingly calls for anarchy. Many of us who see the Bible as the inerrant Word of … [Read more...]
St. Louis Association calls, equips churches to love refugees
ST. LOUIS – Nearly 20 years ago, Missouri Baptists here missed an opportunity to reach the nations, but the St. Louis Metro Baptist Association is preparing for a second chance at gospel impact. Beginning in the mid-1990s, thousands of Bosnians—many of them Muslims—fled for refuge to St. Louis after the collapse of former Yugoslavia. Today, tens of thousands of Bosnians live in the area, making St. Louis the home for the most Bosnians worldwide, outside of their native homeland. Today, … [Read more...]
Changing genders isn’t morally wrong, Americans say in poll
NASHVILLE (BP) – Most Americans see nothing morally wrong with gender change, a study released July 14 shows. Six in 10 Americans don’t think it’s wrong for people to identify with a gender different from their birth sex, according to a LifeWay Research survey conducted Sept. 14-28, 2015. And more than half don’t think it’s wrong to switch genders by taking hormones or having surgery. The findings indicate most Americans don’t see moral significance in being born male or female, said … [Read more...]
Lawsuit targets city’s grant to National Baptists
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP) – Atheists have sued a National Baptist pastor and Kansas City government leaders over a $65,000 grant approved for use during the Baptist group's upcoming national convention in the city. The grant to John Modest Miles Ministries, a community nonprofit arm of Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church in Kansas City, violates Missouri law that prohibits public aid for religious purposes, American Atheists Inc. and two of its Kansas City members claim in a lawsuit … [Read more...]
Someone declared war on religious liberty
Within the last month events set the international stage for significant crushing of religious liberty. One event was reported July 13 in the Wall Street Journal. Vladimir Putin rattled chains against religious liberty with a new anti-terrorism law that goes into effect at the end of the month. The law prohibits the sharing of the gospel anywhere but at government-sanctioned religious sites. The target was primarily the Mormons that spooked some members of the Politburo to overreact to … [Read more...]
‘God is in control,’ Mo. police chief says amid shootings across the nation
CAPE GIRARDEAU (CE) – Wes Blair had planned a quiet sunrise walk on the beach July 8. Instead, shootings in Dallas the night before prompted the vacationing chief of police of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to reflect on events in his former hometown. Blair and his wife learned of the tragedy about 3 a.m. via Facebook. At dawn, Wes headed to the beach solo. “I think that was God’s design. If [my wife] had been with me, we’d have had a conversation.” Nor would Blair have had his cell phone, … [Read more...]
House protects rights of pro-lifers
WASHINGTON (BP) – The U.S. House of Representatives approved July 13 a bill to protect the conscience rights of individuals and institutions that refuse to be involved in abortion. The House voted 245-182 almost totally along party lines for the Conscience Protection Act, which bars the government from discriminating against health-care providers with objections to participating in or providing coverage for abortion. The Senate has yet to vote on the legislation. Pro-life and religious … [Read more...]
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