WASHINGTON – Missouri Baptist Convention General Legal Counsel Michael Whitehead and his son, Jonathan, co-wrote the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission’s (ERLC) brief in defense of prayer for the city of Greece, N.Y., in its case argued recently at the U.S. Supreme Court. The Whiteheads, who are members of Abundant Life Baptist Church in Lee’s Summit, also attended the oral arguments on the case before the U.S. Supreme Court. “While some justices were tempted to parse the words of … [Read more...]
Yeats, Hinkle interviewed on Missouri marriage laws
Click here to listen to the interview... Hear the quiet but passionate concerns expressed by Dr. John Yeats, Executive Director of the Missouri Baptist Convention, composed of 1,900+ cooperating churches – and Don Hinkle, MBC’s Director of Public Policy and editor of MBC’s official periodical, The Pathway. These spiritual leaders – Dr. John Yeats and Don Hinkle – have publicly prayed for and rendered respect to Missouri Governor Jay Nixon. Now they speak prophetically in opposing the … [Read more...]
Missouri leaders: ENDA threatens religious liberty
WASHINGTON – In a move that many believe could jeopardize religious liberty, the United States Senate passed legislation that will protect homosexual and transgendered individuals from discrimination under federal employment law. According to the bill, employers cannot discriminate against employees or potential employees on the basis of “sexual orientation” or “gender identity,” which were added alongside the protected classifications of race, color, national origin, gender, age and … [Read more...]
Biblical marriage takes a hit in Missouri
Missouri voters passed in 2004 an amendment to the state’s Constitution (known as Amendment 2) declaring marriage to be between one man and one woman. It was the first state do to so and did so by a 71-29 percent margin. Issue settled – or so we thought. In what has to be one of the most disheartening actions in the history of Missouri politics to thwart the will of the people, Democrat Gov. Jay Nixon directed state tax officials on Nov. 14 to accept tax returns jointly filed by same-sex … [Read more...]
Nixon Order Defies Missouri Voters, MBC leaders react
JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) leaders called on Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster to defend the Missouri Constitution and thwart Gov. Jay Nixon’s announcement Nov. 14 (today) that he would allow gay couples married in other states to file joint returns in Missouri. “This is a flagrant disregard for the will of the people of Missouri,” said MBC Executive Director John Yeats. MBC Director of Public Policy Don Hinkle called Nixon’s action “reckless” and warned … [Read more...]
Messengers pass resolutions on DOMA court ruling, Boy Scouts policy change overwhelmingly expressed dismay
KANSAS CITY – Reaffirming traditional marriage and lamenting changes in Boy Scout membership requirements were hot topics in resolutions passed by messengers at the 2013 Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) annual meeting Oct. 30. Resolution 2, on the U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Striking Down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), blasted the June ruling that federally recognized same-sex “marriage.” “… Redefining the concept and legality of marriage to mean anything other than the union between … [Read more...]
Jackson County Question 1 Defeated; Victory for Taxpayers and the Sanctity of Life
KANSAS CITY -- Jackson County residents rejected Tuesday, by an 84 percent to 16 percent margin, an $800 million “life sciences research” tax which would have opened the door to taxpayer-funded anti-life research which destroys human embryos. With 289 precincts reporting in Jackson County and Kansas City, there were 64, against the tax and 12,066 votes for it. “We are thankful that the voters in Jackson County rejected this awful tax increase that would have been an extra burden on … [Read more...]
Jackson County invaded by cloners
BY STAFF BLUE SPRINGS – If the cloning industry has its way, its research will be funded on the backs of Jackson County taxpayers. On Nov. 5, Jackson County voters will be asked to vote on a sales tax increase. The Jackson County sales tax initiative, titled “Question No. 1” on the ballot, will establish a medical research and development institute. This institute would fund medical research and development at the discretion of the county legislature in whatever locale they so … [Read more...]
Guns in church
Norwood – Pastor Stephen Fugitt believes that churches have the right to arm themselves for the day when a gunman enters their buildings to do harm. Yet no one had time to open fire against a gunman who aimed his .357 magnum revolver at Fugitt as he preached to his congregation at the First Baptist Church of Norwood, July 21. Instead, one church member grabbed the gunman’s arm, causing his first shot to hit the ceiling, while other men helped to wrestle him to the ground. They held him … [Read more...]
Annual Meeting resolutions address Boy Scouts, DOMA
KANSAS CITY – In resolutions submitted for consideration at the Missouri Baptist Convention’s (MBC) 2013 annual meeting, the MBC’s Christian Life Commissioncriticized recent attempts to legitimize homosexuality and redefine marriage. One resolution opposes the recent decision of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) to open membership to homosexuals. According to the resolution, this change in membership policy contrasts with the BSA’s historic commitment to safeguarding values that are … [Read more...]
Two Missouri Baptists help in Supreme Court battle
Parsing the words of a prayer is no business for federal judges. WASHINGTON, D.C. – Southern Baptist lawyers Aug. 2 warned the U.S. Supreme Court that judges acting as the “prayer police” risk committing the same errors that led to Daniel being thrown to the lions in the Bible. The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), led by Russell Moore, president, filed a Friend of the Court brief in Town of Greece v. Galloway. The brief was drafted by … [Read more...]
ACLU Defeated in Missouri Court
UNION – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has abandoned their legal challenge to invocations offered before meetings of the Franklin County Commission. The lawsuit was dismissed on July 19th in the U.S. District Court of Eastern Missouri. The ACLU had taken the Franklin County Commission to court last year, alleging that prayers offered before meetings of the county’s governing body amounted to an establishment of religion. Lawyers for the ACLU filed the suit after the County … [Read more...]