One of the ways we can exercise our faithfulness to God is by engaging those who are in positions of public service. One way to do so is by writing them by letter or email. When we do that, we must always be respectful, showing honor to those whom deserve honor while also expressing our view – and most importantly God’s view. Frank DeVenuto is a friend who exchanges posts with me on my Facebook page. If you visit, you will find articles on issues, my comments, cartoons as well as friendly … [Read more...]
Preparations begin for Crossover: St. Louis
FERGUSON – A group of more than 200 pastors and Christian leaders gathered at the First Baptist Church of Ferguson on the day violence occurred in the early morning hours sparked by the one-year anniversary weekend of the shooting death of Michael Brown by a Ferguson police officer. Leaders from both sides of the Mississippi met together to hear the plans for and the challenges of Crossover St. Louis, which will precede the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) annual meeting, June … [Read more...]
CDC: More Teenagers Turning to Plan B
(WNS)--Teen pregnancy has declined by 51 percent since peaking in the early 1990s, but new government data show more young girls are relying on the morning-after pill. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 22 percent of sexually active teenagers used the Plan B pill at least once. A decade ago, less than one in 12 girls had used emergency contraception. The popularity of emergency contraceptives is likely due to increased availability. Since 2006, girls 18 and older can … [Read more...]
LifeWay’s offer for new downtown location accepted
NASHVILLE (BP) -- LifeWay Christian Resources' offer to purchase 1.5 acres in downtown Nashville for a new office building has been accepted, the Southern Baptist entity announced Tuesday (July 21). The city's Metro Development and Housing Agency (MDHA), which owns the property, unanimously approved sale of the site for $12.7 million, with a tax incentive of $4.9 million that can fund specific aspects of the construction, effectively reducing the purchase cost to less than $8 … [Read more...]
GuideStone loses on abortion mandate
WASHINGTON (BP) -- GuideStone Financial Resources and the ministries it serves must abide by the Obama administration's abortion/contraception mandate or pay crushing fines, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday (July 14). A three-judge panel of the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver declined to grant an injunction blocking enforcement of the rule, rejecting arguments by GuideStone and a host of other religious non-profit organizations that the controversial mandate and its … [Read more...]
Southern church planter dedicates life to Fargo
FARGO , N.D. – When attempting to start a new work in a totally new locale far from home and with little gospel presence, a church planter has to earn the people’s trust. For Tim Brown and his wife, Michelle, trying to plant a church in Fargo, that meant surviving a winter. The Browns left their home in Memphis, Tenn., in August of 2012 after seeking the Lord’s will for the next stage in their ministry. They were contacted by the Dakota Baptist Association to consider planting a church … [Read more...]
Six questions with Nik Ripken
Editor’s note: Nik Ripken (a pseudonym for security reasons) is a veteran IMB missionary and author who conducted 600 interviews in 72 countries where believers live amid persecution and suffering. Mark Snowden, MBC evangelism/discipleship strategist, interviewed him by phone for The Pathway on July 7. Q: How should Christians respond to an increasingly hostile culture where moral decline and even legislation is perceived as increasingly anti-biblical? Nik: The Bible says we reap what we … [Read more...]
Barna, Barton call for discipleship, biblical thinking at ‘Turning America’
SPRINGFIELD – George Barna and David Barton called believers to make disciples and promote a biblical worldview during the Conservative Americans Club (CAC) “Turning America” conference at Second Baptist Church here, June 26-27. Barna and Barton are co-authors of the book, U-Turn: Restoring America to the Strength of its Roots, which contains much of what the two men endorsed during the conference. Barna is the founder of The Barna Research Group, and Barton is president of Wallbuilders … [Read more...]
Will your church’s insurance be enough?
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s Obergefell decision, churches are worried about lawsuits. This isn’t an irrational fear. I don’t think any Court will soon order ministers to perform a service that conflicts with the minister’s faith. But there is a shift in public opinion that makes it plausible in the future. The definition of ‘fairness’ is changing. In the past, if one minister or church refused to marry a couple, the couple would find another minister or church. This was “fair,” … [Read more...]
Taking steps to protect our religious freedom
There can be little doubt where the Obergefell v. Hodges ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, which redefined marriage to include same-sex couples, is headed with regard to religious liberty. The attacks on Christians – who refuse to go against their deepest held beliefs and cave to the fantasized reasoning of judicial tyrants, government hypocrites and bullying activists – are mounting by the day. For now, the targets are government workers and private business owners who are involved in the … [Read more...]
After five years, is there a Great Commission Resurgence?
When the gavel dropped to end the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting in Columbus, Ohio, it also marked the fifth anniversary of “a vision for a Great Commission Resurgence” that was adopted by messengers during the 2010 business sessions in Orlando, Fla. In a nutshell, a blue ribbon task force – named by then SBC President Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church, Woodstock, Ga., and led by Ronnie Floyd, pastor of Cross Church, Northwest Ark., who now serves as president of … [Read more...]
One man, one woman for life, same as it ever was
Across town, the annual Gay Pride parade was setting attendance records. The usual assortment of flamboyant costumes swirled around revelers celebrating the previous day’s victory over an ancient institution they’d found confining. One straight couple said they brought their toddlers, Fox and Bear (no kidding), so they could understand both freedom and homosexuality. About five miles down the road, in the little church my mother attends, the Ledbetter clan was gathered with other great … [Read more...]
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