Pathway

Missouri Baptist Convention's Official News Journal

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GuideStone applauds Supreme Court decision in Hobby Lobby case

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By Roy Hayhurst DALLAS — Today’s Supreme Court decision in favor of Hobby Lobby is good news for defenders of religious liberty, GuideStone President O.S. Hawkins said. The 5-4 decision affirms the right of the Green family, the Christian owners of the for-profit hobby supply chain, to operate their health plans in a way that is consistent with their values. While the Supreme Court has protected family business owners, it has left unanswered whether the so-called accommodation to the … [Read more...]

Interview with Hobby Lobby attorney Joshua Hawley

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Pathway Associate Editor Benjamin Hawkins interviewed attorney Joshua Hawley, a University of Missouri law school professor who was on the Beckett Fund legal team that defended Hobby Lobby before the U.S. Supreme Court, shortly after the high court announced a 5-4 decision in favor of Hobby Lobby in its case against the ObamaCare contraceptive mandate: Hawkins: Why did the court decide the way it did? Professor Hawley: Hobby Lobby prevailed in this case because the Green family had … [Read more...]

Lottie Moon hits record $154 million

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Erich Bridges/International Mission Board RICHMOND, Va. (BP) – Southern Baptists gave an unprecedented $154 million to the 2013 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, breaking the record for the largest total in the offering’s 125-year history. The 2013 offering, finalized June 5, reached $154,057,852.36. The total represents an increase of nearly $4.8 million over 2012, or 3.2 percent. It tops the previous record, $150.4 million in 2007, by more than $3.6 million, and … [Read more...]

SBC leaders lament lack of evangelistic passion

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Carol Pipes/LifeWay Christian Resources NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Southern Baptists experienced growth in the number of churches affiliated with the convention in 2013, while other key measures declined, according to the Annual Church Profile (ACP) compiled by LifeWay Christian Resources in cooperation with Baptist state conventions. The number of churches in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) grew by 91 to 46,125, a 0.2 percent increase over 2012. SBC churches also reported 4,789 church-type … [Read more...]

Hawkins gives Guidestone report to SBC

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BALTIMORE, Md. – Citing good news across all ministry areas within GuideStone Financial Resources, President O.S. Hawkins delivered the 96th annual report to messengers meeting June 10-11. Turning first to investments, Hawkins announced that GuideStone was recognized by various reporting agencies that monitor mutual fund companies. In 2014, the annual Lipper Fund Awards once again recognized GuideStone for outstanding fund performance, this time recognizing the GuideStone … [Read more...]

Celebration, challenge mark WMU report

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Julie Walters/Baptist Press BALTIMORE, Md. (BP) – Celebrating historic milestones and the highest offering ever for international missions was the focus of national Woman’s Missionary Union’s (WMU) report to the Southern Baptist Convention. Wanda Lee, WMU’s executive director/treasurer, and Debby Akerman, national president, said WMU wrapped up a yearlong celebration of their 125th anniversary at this year’s missions celebration, June 8-9, complete with historic tours in the area. Days … [Read more...]

IMB’s Elliff unveils ‘One Sacred Effort’ theme

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Don Graham/IMB senior writer BALTIMORE, Md. – In his report to the convention, International Mission Board (IMB) Tom Elliff unveiled IMB’s theme for 2014, “One Sacred Effort,” encouraging every Southern Baptist to “find your place in God’s story.” For more information on IMB’s theme and how to get involved go to one.imbresources.org. Elliff’s report detailed the activities of Southern Baptist missionaries in 2013. But rather than highlight the total numbers of new believers and baptisms … [Read more...]

9 resolutions garner adoption

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BALTIMORE (BP) -- Messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention adopted a resolution on transgender identity for the first time while returning to such issues as civil rights, gambling and world hunger for further statements.All nine resolutions offered Tuesday (June 10) at the SBC's 2014 meeting gained approval by unanimous or overwhelming votes. The messengers' actions in about 30 minutes meant a second report scheduled for Wednesday morning (June 11) was not needed.The resolution on … [Read more...]

IMB, NAMB, WMU commission 100 missionaries

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Shannon Baker/Baptist Press BALTIMORE, Md. (BP) – The International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board commissioned approximately 100 during a rare joint commissioning service sponsored by the Woman’s Missionary Union, June 8, at the Baltimore Convention Center. In an emotional service marked by prayer and praise, many were commissioned to serve as church planters, evangelism catalysts, collegiate ministers, refugee workers, chaplains and ministers to people groups in … [Read more...]

Moore: Transgender stance wise

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Tom Strode/Baptist Press BALTIMORE, Md. (BP) – Questions from churches about the transgender issue and the tide of culture pointed to the need for Southern Baptists to address the topic during their annual meeting, the convention’s lead ethicist said. Messengers to the 2014 Southern Baptist Convention approved a resolution on transgender identity June 10, marking the first time the SBC has addressed the issue in a stand-alone measure. After what appeared to be a unanimous vote on the … [Read more...]

Bumpers lights fire at SBC

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BALTIMORE, Md. – Southern Baptists must cry out to God in prayer as they seek revival in their churches and spiritual awakening across the nation, Pastor Eddie Bumpers of Crossway Baptist Church in Springfield said during a theme interpretation at the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) annual meeting in Baltimore, June 10. Bumpers delivered the first of three interpretations based on the annual meeting’s theme, “Restoration and Revival through Prayer.” He said that most Southern Baptists … [Read more...]

SBC to launch hunger campaign

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Mark Kelly/Baptist Press NASHVILLE (BP) – Southern Baptist World Hunger Fund (WHF) national partners will launch a new initiative during the June 10-11 Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) annual meeting that will continue the SBC’s unique “dollar in, dollar out” approach in the battle against hunger across North America and overseas. Global Hunger Relief (GHR)will maintain continuity with the purposes and focus of the World Hunger Fund while presenting the cause of hunger relief to a new … [Read more...]