Pathway

Missouri Baptist Convention's Official News Journal

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Mocking marriage and Missouri voters

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Last month Gov. Jay Nixon directed the state Department of Revenue to accept joint tax filings from same-sex couples who were “married” in another state, but live here. Now the Missouri National Guard is issuing ID cards to same-sex “married” couples in order to process spousal benefits even though they were “married” in another state. Both actions defy Missouri’s Constitution, which was amended by voters 71 percent to 29 percent in 2004, defining marriage as between one man and one … [Read more...]

Prayer lawsuit filed against Fayette school

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FAYETTE – Voluntary prayer in schools is under attack in the central Missouri town of Fayette. The American Humanist Association (AHA), a progressive group that actively lobbies for separation of church and state, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri claiming the prayer sessions held at Fayette High School violated students’ constitutional rights. Also listed as plaintiffs are “GH,” a sophomore at Fayette High School last year (though no longer a … [Read more...]

The Original Statue of Liberty

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By Verna M. Linzey WASHINGTON (Christian Newswire) -- The first monument erected to honor America's Christian foundation is the National Monument to the Forefathers, and it is the original Statue of Liberty. But now it is not mentioned in humanistic revisions of American history. However, it honors religious freedom and the Christian principles on which America was founded. The largest granite monument standing 81 feet tall, it was commissioned by the Pilgrim Society, designed by Hammatt … [Read more...]

Scripture Distribution Increases in Persecution Hotspot

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SWINDON, England /Christian Newswire/ -- Bible Societies in some of the countries where Christians suffer high levels of persecution are reporting a sharp rise in the number of Scriptures distributed. There is no doubt that the persecution of Christians is on the rise. Official reports and news articles are describing it as a 'war on Christians', with horrifying statistics clearly showing that Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world.* But recent figures from Bible … [Read more...]

Prison transfer puts Abedini ‘directly at risk’ in Iran

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Grace Thornton/Baptist Press TEHRAN, Iran (BP) – The life of American pastor Saeed Abedini is “directly at risk” after he was transferred Nov. 3 to an “even more dangerous” Iranian prison, according to Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice. “Rajai Shahr Prison is where prisoners are sent to disappear – many are murdered at the hands of other prisoners,” Sekulow said. Abedini’s move to Rajai Shahr Prison – where he is being held in a cell block with … [Read more...]

Whiteheads prepare brief, attend key hearing at U.S. Supreme Court

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WASHINGTON – Missouri Baptist Convention General Legal Counsel Michael Whitehead and his son, Jonathan, co-wrote the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission’s (ERLC) brief in defense of prayer for the city of Greece, N.Y., in its case argued recently at the U.S. Supreme Court. The Whiteheads, who are members of Abundant Life Baptist Church in Lee’s Summit, also attended the oral arguments on the case before the U.S. Supreme Court. “While some justices were tempted to parse the words of … [Read more...]

Missouri leaders: ENDA threatens religious liberty

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WASHINGTON – In a move that many believe could jeopardize religious liberty, the United States Senate passed legislation that will protect homosexual and transgendered individuals from discrimination under federal employment law. According to the bill, employers cannot discriminate against employees or potential employees on the basis of “sexual orientation” or “gender identity,” which were added alongside the protected classifications of race, color, national origin, gender, age and … [Read more...]

Army: Labeling AFA a ‘hate group’ was wrong

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HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The U.S. Army is blaming a soldier for the content of a slide show that labeled one of the largest pro-family Christian organizations in the country a “domestic hate group” because of its strong traditional family values. “The slide was not produced by the Army and it does not reflect our policy or doctrine,” Army spokesman Troy Rolan told The Clarion-Ledger Oct. 15 in the afternoon. Several dozen Army active duty and reserve troops were told during a mandatory … [Read more...]

Nixon Order Defies Missouri Voters, MBC leaders react

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JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) leaders called on Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster to defend the Missouri Constitution and thwart Gov. Jay Nixon’s announcement Nov. 14 (today) that he would allow gay couples married in other states to file joint returns in Missouri. “This is a flagrant disregard for the will of the people of Missouri,” said MBC Executive Director John Yeats. MBC Director of Public Policy Don Hinkle called Nixon’s action “reckless” and warned … [Read more...]

Messengers pass resolutions on DOMA court ruling, Boy Scouts policy change overwhelmingly expressed dismay

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KANSAS CITY – Reaffirming traditional marriage and lamenting changes in Boy Scout membership requirements were hot topics in resolutions passed by messengers at the 2013 Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) annual meeting Oct. 30. Resolution 2, on the U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Striking Down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), blasted the June ruling that federally recognized same-sex “marriage.” “… Redefining the concept and legality of marriage to mean anything other than the union between … [Read more...]

European Parliament calls on Iran to free Abedini

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The European Parliament Oct. 10 passed a resolution that called for the exoneration and release of American Pastor Saeed Abedini, who is imprisoned in Iran simply because of his Christian faith. The American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ), along with our European affiliate – the European Centre for Law and Justice – has been meeting with members of the European Parliament (MEPs) detailing the facts surrounding the illegal imprisonment of Abedini, a U.S. citizen. In a press … [Read more...]