LYNCHBURG, Va. (BP) -- Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. would advocate for deregulation as the leader of two federal task forces on higher education for President Donald Trump, Falwell told The Chronicle of Higher Education. While Trump has not officially announced the task forces, Falwell said the president extended the offer in November 2016 after he (Falwell) declined to serve as U.S. secretary of education, according to The Chronicle. He plans to discuss his leadership … [Read more...]
Transgender child on Nat. Geographic cover
NASHVILLE (BP) -- A 9-year-old boy who considers himself female is featured on the cover of the January 2017 National Geographic. The entire issue is dedicated to subjective gender identity primarily through the eyes of children while excluding biblical authority. But the idea of transgenderism or gender fluidity is itself a fallacy void not only of Scripture but also of science, Christian commentators told Baptist Press. Glenn Stanton, director of family formation studies at Focus on … [Read more...]
2017 SBC theme: ‘Pray! For such a time as this’
PHOENIX (BP) -- "Pray! For such a time as this" is the theme for the 2017 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting June 13–14 in Phoenix, anchored by Esther 4:14 and Luke 11:1, SBC President Steve Gaines has announced. Prayer should be the top priority of every Christian, Gaines said in an interview outlining his choice. "The Southern Baptist Convention needs to be a people of prayer," Gaines said in the interview with SBC LIFE, journal of the SBC. "Only then will God send the power … [Read more...]
Billy Graham Crusades’ Cliff Barrows dies at 93
PINEVILLE, N.C. (BP) – Clifford Burton "Cliff" Barrows, who served as music director of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association for more than 60 years, died Nov. 15 in Pineville, N.C., after a brief illness. He was 93. The Marvin, N.C., resident had traveled the world with Billy Graham since the noted evangelist's first crusade in 1947 in Grand Rapids, Mich., the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) reported. Barrows' contributions to the ministry were immeasurable, Graham said … [Read more...]
Columbine martyr film seeks bold youth revival
NASHVILLE (BP) – When two fellow classmates approached Rachel Joy Scott on the lawn of Columbine High School and questioned her belief in Jesus, she affirmed her faith and was shot to death at point-blank range. The story of her martyrdom has been told perhaps countless times in books, sermons and interviews in the past nearly 20 years, but Pure Flix Entertainment hopes its upcoming film of Scott’s 17 years on earth inspires students nationally to accept and boldly proclaim Jesus as Lord … [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...]
Violence brings cry for ‘true way of our Lord’
NASHVILLE (BP) – The collision of fear and mistrust has driven the violence upon violence that killed two black civilians and five police officers in three separate states in as many days, Southern Baptist pastor Lee Wesley told Baptist Press. "There is a fear on the part of police officers when they go into the black community, and that fear heightens their approach to these problems," said Wesley, whose pastorate Community Bible Baptist Church is in Baton Rouge, La., where two white … [Read more...]
Mosque-building satirical rumor exposed as lie
NASHVILLE (BP) – A rumor promulgated by satirical news-like websites and blogs that the Southern Baptist Convention and at least one cooperating state convention are building Islamic mosques is being exposed as a lie. The self-proclaimed "Christian apocalyptic … news satire and parody site" The End Times wrote perhaps the first posting of the false report as early as May 28 when it claimed the SBC had launched a "Mosques Across America" campaign "to build mosques all across the nation in … [Read more...]
Abedini church worker near death in Iran prison
TEHRAN, Iran (BP) – A female Christian convert who worked with Saeed Abedini planting house churches years ago in Iran is on a hunger strike and near death in the harsh Evin prison in Tehran, Iran, the freed pastor told Baptist Press. Nasim Naghash Zargaran, also known as Maryam, was one of the first persons who converted to Christianity under Abedini's counsel [16 years ago], he told BP, and shortly after Abedini's 2012 imprisonment was arrested because of her vigilant evangelism. … [Read more...]
Atheists plan billboards against Ark museum
WILLIAMSTOWN, Ky. (BP) – A leading outdoor advertising company has refused to construct billboards a group of atheists had planned against the Answers in Genesis Ark Encounter museum and park nearing completion in Williamstown, Ky. Lamar Advertising Company refused the project after learning Tri-State Freethinkers planned to call the biblical story of Noah's Ark genocide and incest, Hal Kilshaw, Lamar vice president of governmental relations, told Baptist Press May 12. "We have a copy … [Read more...]
Oregon bakers pay fine, continue appeal
GRESHAM, Ore. (BP) – Christian bakers Aaron and Melissa Klein have paid the state of Oregon a fine of nearly $137,000 after refusing to violate their religious beliefs by baking a wedding cake for a lesbian couple, the Oregonian newspaper reported. The Kleins paid the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries $136,927.07 Dec. 28 with money contributed through a crowdfunding page after the Oregon labor commissioner seized just weeks before Christmas their personal bank accounts which totaled … [Read more...]
Iranian pastor Fathi freed from prison
TEHRAN, Iran (BP) -- Iranian pastor Farshid Fathi has been freed after five years imprisonment in Tehran because of charges linked to his Christian faith, Middle East Concern announced Dec. 22, estimating nearly 100 Christians remain imprisoned there. "We are so thankful to the Lord for his protection over Farshid while in prison," Middle East Concern said in a press release. "It is our hope that the Gospel will continue to spread throughout Iran." Fathi was released Dec. 21 from … [Read more...]