EDITOR'S NOTE: This article first appeared on Baptist Press here. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (BP) – Missouri Baptists are battling to defeat a ballot initiative that would enshrine abortion in the state’s constitution and radically alter the abortion landscape in the Show Me State. Amendment 3, which would take effect with a 50 percent vote on Nov. 5, would amend the Missouri Constitution to “remove Missouri’s ban on abortion” and “establish a right to make decisions about reproductive … [Read more...]
Baptist mission teams use upcoming Olympics to connect, evangelize in Paris
PARIS, France (BP) – With the Olympic Games opening in Paris later this week, Southern Baptists have already been working in and around the city, capitalizing on the event as a bridge to spread the Gospel. “When we heard about the Olympics, we thought that would be a good time to go, to partner with some other people and churches to reach the French for Jesus,” said Evens Jules, pastor of Bethel Evangelical Baptist Church, a Haitian congregation in Delray Beach, Fla. Jules led a team … [Read more...]
Gibson trusts God’s purposes in journey from retirement to second Olympics
PARIS (BP) – Disappointed in her performance at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, Alison Gibson said goodbye to the sport of diving for good. At least, that was her intention. “I felt like I let my country down, let my friends down,” Gibson said. “It was just like a really gut-wrenching feeling.” She officially retired and began what she considered to be a “normal” life – working, making money, having free time. But God had other plans for Gibson. And thanks to a phone call from her … [Read more...]
SUPER BOWL: For Chiefs’ Wisniewski, knowing God surpasses joy of football
MIAMI (BP) – Stefen Wisniewski of the Kansas City Chiefs thought he had everything figured out during his teenage years in Pennsylvania. Though he was raised in a Christian home with godly parents and attended church regularly, he admits that he was more self-sufficient than he should have been. "I thought I was doing well in life," he told Baptist Press during Super Bowl Opening Night Jan. 27 at Marlins Park. "I thought I was successful, doing well in sports and academics and all that. … [Read more...]
World Series umpire Lance Barksdale’s pivotal moment
HOUSTON (BP) – Lance Barksdale was a 13-year-old pitcher in a baseball game in Jackson, Miss., and he wasn't happy with the home plate umpire. The young pitcher thought pretty highly of himself, by Barksdale's own admission. But the balls and strikes weren't going his way. The teenage Barksdale pouted. He complained. He stomped around the mound. His moves attracted the attention -- and wrath -- of the man behind the plate. "This umpire pulled me around the corner of the dugout," … [Read more...]
Super Bowl gives Patriot’s dad ‘can’t lose’ matchup
ATLANTA (BP) - Matthew Slater won't have any divided loyalties when he takes the field Sunday night against the Los Angeles Rams in his fifth Super Bowl. With two Super Bowl victories and two losses, the New England Patriots' special teams player hopes to have a winning record by the end of the night. He's not quite as sure about his dad's loyalties. "He's told me he feels like he can't lose," Slater said about his father Jackie Slater, an NFL Hall of Famer who played his entire … [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...]
Olympic athletes reflect on gold medal performances
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea (BP) -- The extinguished Olympic torch on Sunday officially ended the 2018 Winter Olympics. And for some Christian athletes, this year's games were especially sweet -- but they seemed to keep their wins in perspective. U.S. freestyle skier and gold medalist David Wise had the words "I cannot fail because it is not my victory" written on his sleeve during the competition. "That is my way of reminding myself I am not here to glorify myself," Wise said. "I am put on … [Read more...]
Warner’s Hall of Fame career defined by faith
NASHVILLE (BP) – Kurt Warner's faith in Jesus Christ is more than a personal, off-the-field commitment that had little impact on his success as an NFL quarterback. That's the conclusion reached by Dan Bickley, a sports columnist for azcentral.com, as he wrote about the former Arizona Cardinal who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Aug. 5 in Canton, Ohio. Warner played 12 seasons in the NFL for the St. Louis Rams, New York Giants and Cardinals, appearing in three Super … [Read more...]