NASHVILLE (BP) – A new tax rule in conjunction with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act may affect many churches that pay or reimburse individual health insurance premiums, and imposes daily fines beginning June 30 for those not in compliance. GuideStone Financial Resources health plan participants should notice no impact as a result of the rule known as IRS Notice 2015-17, GuideStone said in a March 2 press release. Other churches whose employees do not participate in a group … [Read more...]
National Day of Prayer at a Glance
The Pew Research Center provided the following facts about the National Day of Prayer: • The National Day of Prayer (May 7) was enacted in 1952 by Congress and President Harry S. Truman. • In 2011, The Freedom From Religion Foundation unsuccessfully challenged the National Day of Prayer in federal court. • Some 55% of Americans said they pray every day, according to a 2013 Pew Research survey, while 23% said they pray weekly or monthly. Another Pew survey conducted in 2012 found that 76% … [Read more...]
‘Do You Believe?’ is powerful follow-up to ‘God’s Not Dead’
NASHVILLE – What’s the best evangelistic movie ever? By that, I mean the best film that has, at its core, the Gospel – and one that makes the message of Christ the film’s theme. I have a new nomination, and it came out in theaters March 20. The film is called Do You Believe?, a movie that follows the lives of a dozen people as they face their own unique challenges in life and must decide what they believe about God – and then what they’re going to do about it. It’s written by the same … [Read more...]
Religious liberty should go beyond freedom of worship
WASHINGTON (WNS) – The new State Department ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom articulated a robust view of religious liberty in his first testimony before Congress. Rabbi David Saperstein’s comments came at a U.S. Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing convened to discuss his office’s budget and role in combating religious persecution. Saperstein’s predecessor, Suzan Johnson Cook, served two-and-a-half ineffective years in the role and often only defended freedom … [Read more...]
Race summit urges view of God’s image
NASHVILLE (BP) -- Racial reconciliation in the church calls for a strong view of the image of God in all people, a deep commitment to understanding others and an intentionality in achieving diversity, speakers said on the second day of a Southern Baptist-sponsored leadership summit. Christians must see the image of God in all people without minimizing their differences, African-American speakers said.Black, white, Asian and Iranian pastors and leaders addressed racial disunity Friday … [Read more...]
Ind. bill affirms ‘inclusion’ of religious beliefs
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (BP) – Indiana's leading Republican lawmakers pledged today (March 30) to introduce language to the state's new religious freedom bill to clarify it does not allow discrimination against homosexuals, but seeks inclusion of religious diversity. House Speaker Brian Bosma and Senate President Pro Tem David Long said at today's press conference that backlash generated by the state's Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), signed into law March 26, is based on a … [Read more...]
‘A.D. – The Bible Continues’ launches April 5
NASHVILLE (BP) – Actress and producer Roma Downey and reality TV show producer Mark Burnett shared with media professionals about the making of “A.D.: The Bible Continues,” their follow-up project to the popular TV series “The Bible.” The newest series is a 12-part continuation of The Bible that portrays the history of the early church according to the first 10 chapters of Acts. The series will air on NBC beginning Easter, April 5. Filmed in Morocco, A.D. will delve into the book of Acts … [Read more...]
34,000 black churches break fellowship with Presbyterians over same-sex marriage
WASHINGTON (Christian Newswire) – The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI), a faith-based coalition of 34,000 churches comprised of 15 denominations and 15.7 million African Americans has broken its fellowship with Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA) following its recent vote to approve same-sex marriage. The Presbyterian General Assembly, the top legislative body of the PSUSA, voted last June to revise the constitutional language defining marriage. This arbitrary change of Holy Scripture … [Read more...]
Setbacks and victories of religious freedom
NASHVILLE (BP) – The freedom to live according to one's religious beliefs has been a fundamental right in America since its founding. As the culture changes and those opposed to biblical values become more vocal, it is becoming increasingly difficult to express religious beliefs without being socially ostracized or legally penalized. The following compilation by SBCLIFE, the journal of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee, lists many of the political and cultural … [Read more...]
IRS notice may benefit ministers
JEFFERSON CITY – A recent announcement from the IRS may help ministers around the state save on their taxes, according to Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) Human Resources and Guidestone specialist Gene Foster. According to Foster, this IRS announcement made clear that ministers—and other taxpayers—who have individual medical plans and who have reported their healthcare premiums as taxable income for 2014 no longer need to do so. “For some guys, that is $13,000 or $14,000 of income that … [Read more...]
Ministry aims to transform Ferguson
FERGUSON – Changing the streets of unrest in Ferguson to streets of love and ministry is the ultimate goal of Adopt a Block, a plan sponsored by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. A recent workshop for training was held at First Baptist Church here. “It is a good, simple plan,” Stoney Shaw, pastor of FBC Ferguson, said. “We are concerned about the people around our church. We want to join with other churches and minister. Walking the streets and praying is a simple yet powerful … [Read more...]
Senator Blunt Discusses Iran, Ferguson On ABC News With George Stephanopoulos
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) spoke to George Stephanopoulos on ABC News’s “This Week” today about the Obama Administration’s ongoing negotiations with Iran and the recent shooting of two police officers in Ferguson, Mo. … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- …
- 65
- Next Page »