COLUMBUS, Ohio (BP) – Christians should not undervalue the effect of love or the Gospel in relating to gays and lesbians, recognizing, however, that faithfulness to the biblical definition of marriage will prove costly, members of a special panel told messengers at the 2015 Southern Baptist Convention. During the Wednesday afternoon session (June 17), five panelists answered questions from SBC President Ronnie Floyd about how churches and pastors can minister in an American culture that … [Read more...]
‘Captive’ highlights God’s grace, Page says
NASHVILLE (BP) – Frank S. Page recalls the moment 10 years ago when he learned the single mother held captive in her Atlanta-area home by an accused murderer and rapist was the same Ashley Smith he had baptized when she was 12 years old. National attention focused on news reports of the manhunt for Brian Nichols, who killed a judge and three others in his escape from an Atlanta courthouse while accused of rape. As the story unfolded on live news coverage, it became clear Nichols had taken … [Read more...]
SCOTUS votes 9-0 to uphold free speech for church planters
WASHINGTON – On Thursday (June 18), the United States Supreme Court delivered a landmark win for free speech, ruling 9-0 in favor of Pastor Clyde Reed in the case of Reed v. Town of Gilbert. The Missouri Baptist Convention’s Christian Life Commission was among the friend of the court briefs filed on the winning side in support of Arizona church planting pastor Clyde Reed. The Court found that the town’s sign code, which generously permits an array of political, ideological, and other … [Read more...]
Floyd & former SBC presidents take marriage stance
COLUMBUS, Ohio (BP) -- The current and 16 former Southern Baptist Convention presidents released a statement on biblical marriage and the national implications of same-sex marriage in a June 17 news conference prior to the concluding sessions of the SBC annual meeting in Columbus, Ohio. The full statement follows: As Southern Baptist Christians, we are committed to Biblical faith and ethics. As a result, this body of Believers stands on the authority of Scripture and God's Truth as … [Read more...]
SBC reports more churches, fewer people
By Carol Pipes NASHVILLE (BP) -- Southern Baptists are adding more churches but serving fewer members who are giving fewer dollars, 2014 data compiled by LifeWay Christian Resources shows. The number of cooperating churches within the Southern Baptist Convention rose for the 15th consecutive year, but the churches lost more than 200,000 members, the biggest one-year decline since 1881, according to the Annual Church Profile (ACP) compiled by LifeWay in cooperation with Baptist state … [Read more...]
Abedini beating intensifies calls for release
TEHRAN, Iran (BP) -- American pastor Saeed Abedini has been "viciously" beaten in the Iranian prison where he is being held for his Christian faith, the American Center for Law and Justice reported June 10, prompting renewed calls for Abedini's release as a condition of any nuclear deal between the U.S. and Iran. "It is crucial to speak out for Saeed as we approach the June 30th deadline between the United States and Iran," Abedini's wife Naghmeh said in a June 10 Facebook post. She … [Read more...]
Mule muffins: A liberal’s view of Christians, politics
There seems no end to the cacophony of liberals in the media demanding that there be no biblical influence on government. One of the most recent is David Rosman, columnist for The Missourian in Columbia, in his column, “Forcing religion into government is wrong.” To make his point, Rosman cites two instances where it was apparently attempted. The first was Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia requesting a grant from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The church wanted to resurface … [Read more...]
Possible federal grant changes would threaten faith-based charities
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Obama administration has said they have no plans to tie grants to faith-based humanitarian organizations to hiring employees that may violate the organization’s religious beliefs, but reports previously indicated otherwise. Reports from the Liberty Council and the Center for Family and Human Rights suggested the rule change would require all entities that accept federal grant money – including faith-based ones – not discriminate against homosexuals or transsexuals in … [Read more...]
Deadline looms for churches
DALLAS (BP) – Churches and ministries that reimburse their employees for individual health coverage may soon find themselves facing stiff penalties of up to $36,500 per employee, per year, under the federal health care law commonly known as Obamacare, as a grace period expires June 30. The penalties on employers who maintain employer payment plans were to begin in January, but the IRS granted a six-month reprieve. Organizations that offer GuideStone health plans are not at risk of these … [Read more...]
Google update could decrease churches’ web traffic
NASHVILLE (BP) – A change in Google’s formula for prioritizing search results could keep churches without mobile-friendly websites from being as visible online to potential visitors. Starting April 21, Google updated its algorithms for searches done from mobile devices to give higher placement in the results to websites that are compatible with such devices. That means churches with older, more basic websites may not appear among the top results when, for example, mobile phone users search … [Read more...]
Payday loans targeted by SBC’s ERLC
WASHINGTON (BP) – The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission has helped launch a religious coalition seeking an end to the predatory loan industry. The ERLC joined with other religious organizations, May 14, to announce the Faith for Just Lending Coalition at a Capitol Hill news conference. The diverse alliance that includes Baptists, other evangelical Christians and mainline Protestants seeks to raise awareness about predatory lending and to motivate individuals, … [Read more...]
The challenge before us this Memorial Day
As we pause to remember the more than 1.3 million members of America’s Armed Forces who have died in defense of our freedom (2,487 Missourians in World War II, 4,660 Missourians from the Korean War through Iraqi Freedom), Pathway Associate Editor Ben Hawkins reminded me this week of a reason Christians ought to be engaged in public policy: Out of gratitude for benefits received and debt owed. Ben said it seems that Christians who want to leave politics and patriotism behind forget the men … [Read more...]
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