Movies can be a great tool for instruction, but they also have a tremendous ability to throw a monkey wrench into the complex workings of history and honest debate when drama is taken for reality. Such is the case with 1960’s “Inherit the Wind,” a story which is based on but bears only a passing resemblance to the famed “Scopes Monkey Trial.” (Click for further background of the trial and its legacy for the SBC.) In his book, Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America’s Continuing … [Read more...]
Monkey business: As liberalism increased in SBC, evolution debates motivated adoption of BFM 1925
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the third article in a year-long series, commemorating the history of the Conservative Resurgence of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) in honor of its 40th anniversary. To read the previous article in the series, click here: Abandoning the faith: Lottie Moon, Crawford H. Toy and the infiltration of liberalism in the SBC. In July 1925, a circus of journalists and lawyers, as well as a mishmash of social reformers and pleasure-seekers, descended upon the nearly … [Read more...]
Paper’s sexual abuse report leaves SBC’s Greear ‘broken’
HOUSTON (BP) – A Houston newspaper, in reporting on instances of sexual abuse by pastors and others at Southern Baptist churches, has left SBC President J.D. Greear "broken over what was revealed today." "The abuses described in this @HoustonChron article are pure evil," Greear stated in a series of tweets after the Houston Chronicle reported today (Feb. 10) on instances of abuse by ministers, youth pastors, Sunday School teachers, deacons and church volunteers. Along with its … [Read more...]
Grace amidst gaming
WENTZVILLE (BP) – “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel,” Jesus told His followers. He also said that if we love Him, we will feed His sheep. We are blessed to do both at TheWay_TV, a Christian channel on the Twitch.TV video game platform. When non-Christians come to TheWay_TV, they often express opinions or pose questions we expect to hear. They may ask, for example, if God can lie or if we believe there was a literal Noah’s Ark. Their statements and questions haven’t really … [Read more...]
SUPER BOWL: Rams receiver delivers ‘spiritual spark’
ATLANTA (BP) - For Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Brandin Cooks, Sunday's Super Bowl is an opportunity for redemption. Cooks was part of the New England Patriots in last year's Super Bowl but left the game prematurely in the second quarter with a concussion. He never returned to the game, which the Patriots lost 41-33 to the Philadelphia Eagles. After an offseason trade that sent him to the Rams, Cooks is thankful for another Super Bowl appearance. "I've asked God to redeem me since … [Read more...]
Churches ramp up background checks to ensure safety
NASHVILLE (BP) – As churches become aware of potential safety issues, more are signing up for background check services through LifeWay Christian Resources' OneSource program. "The numbers have increased dramatically since we began our relationship with backgroundchecks.com," said LifeWay's Jennie Morris. "On average, we add 160 customers a month." Since January 2009, more than 16,000 customers have conducted more than 320,000 screenings with backgroundchecks.com through the LifeWay … [Read more...]
What I learned spending 262 hours in movie theaters
It’s the time of making (and breaking) New Year’s Resolutions. While I’m optimistic I can keep up with my goals for 2019 – continue to lose weight, read more books and pick up a new hobby (I recently tried axe-throwing!) – I am proud to report that I accomplished my resolution for 2018: watch one movie per week. I know it’s a silly goal, but it was fun. And instead of making 52 trips to the cineplex, I ended up buying tickets 119 times. That’s not a typo. I saw 119 movies on the big … [Read more...]
‘Plastic Reindeer Rule’ protects public Christmas displays
For several decades the City of Ozark (Christian County) has decorated their city park on the banks of the scenic Finley River. Thousands of families drive through the large park and enjoy hundreds of lights and Christmas scenes - and alas, even a nativity scene and a large lighted cross. Enter the Freedom from Religion Foundation sending threatening letters from Madison, Wisconsin, telling us how to celebrate the birth of Jesus. They threaten a lawsuit to teach us a lesson - an attempt … [Read more...]
Survey: Americans want more Christ this Christmas
NASHVILLE (BP) - Most Americans want more religious meaning to the Christmas season, and for some that includes the seasonal greetings we say to each other. A new study from LifeWay Research found two-thirds of Americans (65 percent) say, "Christmas should be more about Jesus." Those looking for more Christ in Christmas in 2018, however, are significantly fewer than four years ago. A 2014 LifeWay Research study found 79 percent of Americans at that time said Christmas should be more … [Read more...]
‘Love One Another’ 2019 Nat’l Day of Prayer theme
ROGERS, Ark. (BP) – “Love One Another” is the theme for the 2019 National Day of Prayer May 2, event president Ronnie Floyd announced today (Oct. 30). Anchored in John 13:34, the theme seeks to mobilize the nation in prayer on May 2 in every U.S. locale across generational, ethnic and linguistic lines, said Floyd, senior pastor of the multisite Cross Church in northwest Arkansas. “I realize that our task today is daunting and quite intimidating,” Floyd said in his Facebook announcement, … [Read more...]
Zamperini tells background of ‘Unbroken’ at HLGU
HANNIBAL – Luke Zamperini, son of Olympic hero and World War II prisoner of war Louis Zamperini, and now an executive producer of the recent movie about his father’s path to Christ, held the audience’s attention in the palm of his hand here Nov. 7 at the Hannibal-LaGrange University Booster Banquet. The younger Zamperini discussed in detail his father’s remarkable and miraculous life. Louis was saved from a life of juvenile delinquency by sports, and made his way on to the 1936 U.S. … [Read more...]
Social media strategy & the church
NASHVILLE (BP) – By the time churches have fully embraced Facebook, many of their members and those they are trying to reach may have left it behind. Nearly three-quarters of Facebook users (74 percent) have adjusted their connection with the social media platform in some way over the past year, according to Pew Research. That reportedly includes the 54 percent who adjusted their privacy settings, 42 percent who took a break from checking it for several weeks or more, and 26 percent who … [Read more...]
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