NASHVILLE – About half of Americans are ready for separation of church and state when it comes to weddings. Six in 10 say the government should not define or regulate marriage. And more than a third of Americans—and about a quarter of Protestant pastors—say clergy should get out of the civil marriage business. Those are among the findings of two new studies from Nashville-based LifeWay Research. Ed Stetzer, executive director of LifeWay Research, said Americans disagree about the … [Read more...]
Advisory group explores mental health in SBC
“When I was diagnosed with depression, I felt as though I finally understood why I felt alone,” said one young pastor, after seeking help through his doctor. “However,” he continued, “I still was afraid of telling anyone in my church about my condition because of the fear of being ostracized, which made my depression even more desperate.” This story is one that could be told throughout the churches in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC): people with non-severe mental health issues that … [Read more...]
‘Exodus: Gods and Kings’ drowns in sea of confusion
It’s impossible to watch Exodus: Gods and Kings and not compare it to two movies: this spring’s Noah and the 1956 classic, The Ten Commandments. You get no points for guessing this modern action epic falls short of the Charlton Heston/Yul Brynner masterpiece, but I was disappointed that it didn’t even rise to the much lower bar set by Noah. Whereas Noah was a decent movie underneath the layers of extrabiblical story, Exodus retells the biblical account in its own odd way without even giving … [Read more...]
Mormons grappling with their history
SALT LAKE CITY – Leaders within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are speaking more openly about Mormonism’s controversial history and teachings. Even as Mitt Romney’s presidential bid drew the national spotlight to Mormonism in 2012, leaders of the nearly 180-year-old religion expressed concern about its future. “We’ve never had a period of – I’ll call it apostasy – like we’re having now,” Marlin Jensen, an official Mormon historian, told a group of Mormon students in … [Read more...]
Arkansas church impacts African city
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (BP) – Dinner was a far cry from an Arkansas Baptist church supper. On this night, six members of Arkansas’ Valley Baptist Church in Searcy squeezed into a modest Muslim home in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and dipped their spoons into African groundnut stew and fish sauce served over attiéké, the staple Ivorian food made from cassava. They were eating with a local family who was breaking their Ramadan fast. “Man, you couldna told me 10 years ago I’d be over here eatin’ with … [Read more...]
Missouri answers Bucket Challenge
JEFFERSON CITY – Baptist Global Response (BGR) – the international disaster relief arm of Southern Baptists – is asking Missouri Baptists to help provide “buckets of hope” to sub-Saharan Africa, an area ravaged by HIV/AIDS. More than 23 million people there are living with HIV/AIDS, with more than a million dying each year. The “hospice kits” packed into a five-gallon bucket by Missouri Baptists is one way BGR has been able to open doors to share the gospel, said Missouri coordinators and … [Read more...]
Duggars share love story at HLGU banquet
HANNIBAL – The crazy journey of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar is a road of permeating faith and love. They shared about their love for God, for one another, for their 19 children, and even for their enemies during the annual Booster Banquet at Hannibal-LaGrange University, Nov. 21. According to HLGU President Anthony Allen, the university hired extra security during the Booster Banquet because the Duggars, stars of the TLC show “19 kids and Counting,” have faced recent accusations and even … [Read more...]
Conservative Christians showed up on election day
WASHINGTON (Christian Newswire) – Conservative religious voters made up as big a percentage of the electorate as ever, backing Republicans at least as strongly as ever in the midterm election according to exit polls released following Nov. 4’s voting. White evangelicals were 26 percent of the electorate this year, 78 percent voting Republican, up from 2010, when they were 25 percent of the electorate and 77 percent voted Republican, and 2006, when they were 24 percent of the electorate and … [Read more...]
Human trafficking targeted by WMU ministry
BIRMINGHAM (BP) – The Woman’s Missionary Union’s WorldCrafts ministry has launched the Support Freedom campaign to help deliver women from human trafficking and sexual exploitation, and has partnered with seven new people groups to expand its craft items for sale. Each year, by force, fraud, or coercion, millions of people find themselves trapped in bonded labor and sexual exploitation. WorldCrafts artisan groups are working to end these evils by providing a sustainable income to people in … [Read more...]
Survey finds pastors favor immigration reform
NASHVILLE – The nation’s Protestant senior pastors want the U.S. government to mix justice with mercy when it comes to immigration reform. Most say it’s the government’s job to stop people from entering the country illegally. They also support reform that includes a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants already in the country. And they believe Christians should help immigrants, no matter what their legal status. Those are among the findings of a new survey of 1,000 Protestant … [Read more...]
Obama’s actions unwise, counterproductive according to Russell Moore
WASHINGTON (BP) – President Obama’s new executive actions to change immigration policy imperil the growing, widespread agreement on reform, said the Southern Baptist Convention’s lead ethicist. Obama announced in prime time Thursday (Nov. 20) his orders, which include most controversially a plan to protect an estimated five million undocumented immigrants from deportation. The president’s actions came after years of his own contentions that he did not have the legal authority to make or … [Read more...]
Six NC judges quit over same-sex ‘marriage’
RALEIGH, N.C. (LifeSiteNews) – In the wake of a federal court decision legalizing same-sex “marriage” in North Carolina, at least six magistrates in the state have resigned rather than be forced to officiate such unions. These magistrates included four Southern Baptists, as well as one Missionary Baptist and one Wesleyan. All stepped down, since October 10, because they believe marriage is a union between one man and one woman. They are: John Kallam Jr. (Rockingham County), Gilbert … [Read more...]
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