Stories written by "Staff"

If you think Islam is the biggest offender of religious liberty around the world, you are mostly right. In India, Hindu radicals are now making a run for that ominous distinction. The next time you hear a Hollywood celebrity talk about the...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP)--It's a unique partnership between two institutions of higher education -- one tasked with theological education and the other offering a master's degree in business administration, with both sharing a common goal of...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (BP)--A proposed constitutional marriage amendment in California has taken a lead in a new statewide poll, days after supporters of the proposal began airing their first statewide television ad.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Pastors of at least seven Southern Baptist congregations participated in "Pulpit Freedom Sunday," a Sept. 28 free speech initiative to test the 54-year-old Supreme Court ruling that forbids the endorsement of political...

In a recent Oklahoma study on Family Fragmentation, conducted by the House Human Services Committee, lawmakers concluded that for every dollar spent keeping families together, the government spends $1,000 on 'clean up' from the fallout of broken...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Across the nation thousands of students gathered around flagpoles to pray for such things as their schools, their families and the government Sept. 24, marking the annual observance of See You at the Pole, a...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee unanimously passed a recommendation Sept. 23 giving pre-approval for any SBC entity to transfer funds to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary to assist in its ongoing...

FRESNO, Calif. (BP)--The executive board of the California Southern Baptist Convention unanimously endorsed the state's proposed constitutional marriage amendment during its meeting Sept. 11-12 and encouraged Southern Baptists in the state to do...

WASHINGTON (BP)--The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is urging five religious organizations to cancel a Sept. 25 dinner with Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in conjunction with his visit to the United Nations.

HOUSTON (BP)--Classes resumed Sept. 22 at Houston Baptist University, eight days after Hurricane Ike caused an estimated $8 million to $10 million damage to the campus.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Students across the nation will gather to pray at the flagpole in front of their schools Wednesday as part of See You at the Pole, the annual student-led, student-initiated prayer event begun in 1990.

MOORE-Saying Oklahoma has a special place in his heart because his wife's family is from the Sooner State, Henry Blackaby acknowledged he is one who believes in the mercy of God, and God could choose Oklahoma as the place where His mighty work...

MILL VALLEY, Calif. (BP)--Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in Mill Valley, Calif., has launched a fall speaker series titled "Leading Pastors of the West" with an initial message from a California pastor.

HOUSTON (BP)--Houston Baptist University officials are hoping for power to be restored to the campus this weekend. If so, students will be permitted to return to their residence halls on Saturday, Sept. 20, and classes will resume Monday.

Ray E. Sanders, executive editor of the Baptist Messenger since February 2006, and leader of the Communications Team of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma since October 1998, has resigned to become a member of the executive team with the...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Some mainstream media outlets have given Southern Baptists a chance to explain their motivation for leaving home to help people in great distress along the Texas coastline following Hurricane Ike.

A call for Southern Baptists and other beievers to engage in 40 days of prayer beginning in late September has been issued by the Southern Baptist Convention's North American Mission Board and Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.

Rogers Association will sponsor the largest non-sanctioned rodeo in Oklahoma Oct. 3-5 at the Claremore Expo Center.

BHUBANESWAR, India (BP)--Violence against Christians in India's Orissa state persisted more than two weeks after the Aug. 23 assassination of a Hindu swami sparked mob attacks on Christian villages, churches and homes.

BEIJING (BP)--A popular house church leader and his wife were released from government custody in China recently, but that good news was overshadowed by the fact that countless other Chinese Christians still are imprisoned, including bookstore...

WASHINGTON (BP)--Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, a Roman Catholic, has been invited by the archbishop of her home diocese to meet with him regarding her recent comments on abortion that contradict church teaching.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Following tradition, Southern Baptist seminary convocations marked the start of another academic semester, with a challenge to advance the Gospel set forth in each convocation.

A recent story reported by Baptist Press reporter Erin Roach indicates that video game retailers are selling Mature-rated video games to minors 36 percent of the time. The story was based on a study by the Parents Television Council. The goal of...

PINEVILLE, La. (BP)—-Louisiana College, affiliated with the Louisiana Baptist Convention, has launched its first master's degree program. The initial course for a master's in teaching, "Teaching with Significance," was offered this summer.

ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP)--The most extensive damage from Hurricane Gustav's winds in Louisiana is in a triangle formed by Baton Rouge, Alexandria and Lafayette, according to Gibbie McMillan, Louisiana Baptists' disaster relief coordinator.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Year-to-date contributions through the Southern Baptist Convention's Cooperative Program are 0.88 percent ahead of the same time frame in August 2007, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President and...

It has been a few months since the release of Greg Frizzell's pilot book, Iceberg Dead Ahead: The Urgency of God-Seeking Repentance. The book outlines growing signs of sin's consequences and God's potential judgments. It also strongly emphasizes...

It is on rare occasion that the Baptist Messenger gives strong endorsement to motion pictures, but such is the case with the new movie "Fireproof" opening Sept. 26 in theatres nationwide. The film is produced by the creators of "Facing the...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Employees of LifeWay Christian Resources spend hundreds of hours producing resources or events with the hope of providing spiritual transformation in the lives of individuals. Some LifeWay departments have created blogs to...

WASHINGTON (BP)--Representatives of post-abortion and pregnancy center organizations have denounced a report that asserts there is no trustworthy evidence that a lone abortion causes mental health problems in a woman.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (BP)--Moving at a snail's pace while dumping heavy rain and pushing strong winds in an erratic pattern through Florida, Tropical Storm Fay -- or "Fickle Fay" as it's been called -- finally headed out of state Aug. 24 after...

WASHINGTON (BP)--Scientists continue to deal blows to the campaign for embryonic stem cell research, some by shifting their allegiance to a more ethical form of experimentation and some by discovering new means of creating stem cells that do not...

BEIJING (BP)--They called themselves the "Redeem Team," and at least two of the U.S. men's gold medal basketball team know an added something about the word: Center Dwight Howard and shooting guard Michael Redd have openly voiced their redemption...

BEIJING (BP)--Bryan Clay, in winning the gold medal in the decathlon Aug. 22 and the unofficial title of "world's greatest athlete," tallied the largest margin of victory in the epic Olympic competition since 1972.

BEIJING (BP)--Tasha Danvers chose her unborn child four years ago over her hopes for an Olympic medal. Now she has both.

Don't delay! Now is the time. Every day that passes is another day lost. 2 Corinthians 6:2b says, "I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." Sensing the urgent need to reach and minister to the lost, "Now Is the...

BEIJING (BP)—Allyson Felix and other U.S. sprinters were unable to strike gold at the "Jamaican Olympics," as some in the media have dubbed the individual sprint titles at the Beijing Games.

FORT WORTH, Texas (BP)--C.W. Brister Jr., a pastoral ministry professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary from 1957 until his retirement in 2001, died Aug. 9 after a battle with Lou Gehrig's disease. He was 82.

BEIJING (BP)--Tamika Catchings, a leading field goal shooter on the U.S. women's basketball team, has been articulate about her faith playing a key role in her development as an athlete at the top of her game.

BEIJING (BP)--When New Zealand track star Nicholas Willis was 4, his mother died of cancer, sending him into a tailspin of searching for significance. Now he has won a bronze medal in the Beijing Olympics.

WASHINGTON (BP)--The California Supreme Court dealt a blow to religious freedom Aug. 18, critics said, by ruling a fertility doctor cannot refuse to provide a treatment based on a patient's homosexuality.

BEIJING (BP)--Jeremy Knowles, a member of the Bahamas swim team, will have plenty to tell his fourth-grade students at Hickory Grove Baptist Christian School in Charlotte, N.C., when he returns to the United States as their teacher.

The dust that had settled will soon be filling the air as large yellow and black buses travel the dusty roads of Oklahoma in search of students in need of a ride to school. Traffic on highways and byways has been thinner as parents and children...

BEIJING (BP)--Lopez Lomong, the 1,500-meter runner who carried the U.S. flag during the opening ceremony in National Stadium, is a testimony to the resilience of the human spirit and the providence of God.

WASHINGTON (BP)--A clash between the Department of Justice and foes of human trafficking over how to address the global problem is on display in the conflicting pieces of legislation they support.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (BP)--If a proposed California marriage amendment passes this fall, it will have to overcome what supporters call a "prejudicial" ballot title and summary.

WASHINGTON (BP)--President Bush attended the worship service of a church registered with China's communist regime Aug. 10 and afterward promoted freedom of religion in a brief public statement.

Click on the links below for all of Baptist Press' extensive Olympics Coverage. On assignment for Baptist Press, writer Tim Ellsworth and photographer David McIntyre capture the heart and soul of the competitions.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (BP)--A California judge handed opponents of a proposed constitutional marriage amendment a victory Aug. 8, refusing to change what conservatives call "prejudicial" ballot language.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The son of a prominent leader in the Hamas terrorist organization has publicly declared his faith in Jesus Christ and warned that Israel can never be at peace with the "wicked and cruel" men who lead Hamas.

Let's face it. Ministry can be draining. For most, serving the local church as a full- time or bivocational minister of the Gospel requires a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week commitment. Serving in the church is far from just a Sunday affair.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP)--As of May 18, one of the largest Bible printing facilities in the world is putting copies of the Word out by the millions -- right in the heart of China.

DALLAS (BP)--Jerry Johnson, president of Criswell College in Dallas, resigned Aug. 5 after a controversy went public about the direction of the College and its relationship with the First Baptist Church of Dallas, which founded the school and...

DALLAS (BP)--A Texas pastor and trustee of Criswell College has publicly accused leaders of First Baptist Church in Dallas of plotting to sell the school's assets to finance a new building program for the church.

WASHINGTON (BP)--The Southern Baptist Convention's ethics entity is urging support for legislation to reaffirm the federal government's authority to regulate broadcast indecency.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--LifeWay Christian Resources, one of the world's largest providers of Christian products and services, announced Aug. 1 that it is reducing its workforce by approximately 5 percent and cutting expenses in other parts of its...

WASHINGTON (BP)--A federal appeals court has provided hope that Virginia's ban on partial-birth abortion may withstand its scrutiny after all.

Mention you were called to missions a generation ago, and many in the church would assume you were called to serve in Africa, South America or some other foreign land. If your calling landed you overseas, you were considered among God's elite.

RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--Co-workers described International Mission Board missionary Teri Tarleton, who died July 28 in Russia, as a devoted mother and wife with a love for music and ministry among the children of missionaries in Russia.

WASHINGTON (BP)--The U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals has again upheld a judge's decision to block enforcement of a congressional effort to protect children from Internet pornography.

RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--Elaine Lambach, 49, a missionary serving in Brazil through the Southern Baptist International Mission Board, died after a brief illness July 14. Lambach, a mother of five, was serving in church and home outreach evangelism in...

Say what you want about the next generation, but be sure what you say includes something about Oklahoma's GO Students.

GREENVILLE, S.C. (BP)--About 900 teenagers and camp staff narrowly escaped injury when severe storms struck the campus of North Greenville University July 21.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Members of Two Rivers Baptist Church in Nashville, Tenn., will vote July 27 on an early retirement package for senior pastor Jerry Sutton.

KAILI, Guizhou, China (BP)--When the Olympic torch passed through Guizhou province, it ventured across the last frontier of China, the place modernity has not yet fully reached. Even the Chinese speak of the province as backward.

It has been several weeks now since Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) messengers met in Indianapolis June 10-11 and elected Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Church in Woodstock, Ga., as their new president. Many of the approximately 7,200 registered...

BOSTON (BP)--When Massachusetts redefined marriage in 2004, some feared the state would become "the Las Vegas of same-sex marriage" by attracting homosexual couples from all over America. Thanks to a bill going through the state legislature, that...

WASHINGTON (BP)--A Kansas grand jury has decided not to file charges against the country's best-known, late-term abortion doctor after a six-month investigation.

It is the fourth commandment found in Exodus 20:8, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." So how are we doing when it comes to keeping the Sabbath holy?

International Mission Board President Jerry Rankin urged 34 new missionaries commissioned during a service June 27 at Oklahoma City, Southern Hills to stay true to their calling.

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. (BP)--J. Randall O'Brien of Baylor University has been named as Carson-Newman College's 22nd president, David Ogle, chair of the presidential search committee and board of trustees, announced July 8.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The American Family Association launched a boycott of McDonald's July 3, saying the restaurant chain's corporate leaders refuse "to remain neutral in the culture wars" by promoting the homosexual agenda.

RALEIGH, N.C. (BP)--Jesse Helms, the outspoken and sometimes controversial five-term senator from North Carolina who was a champion of pro-life and pro-family causes, died July 4. He was 86.

RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--Gregory Gomez IV, 22, a student missionary serving in Peru for the summer through the International Mission Board, was killed in a bus accident July 5. Gomez was traveling with Lydia Shivar, another IMB student missionary, and...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Year-to-date contributions through the Southern Baptist Convention's Cooperative Program are 0.27 percent behind the same time frame in June 2007, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President and Chief...

PHOENIX (BP)--The Arizona Senate June 27 placed a constitutional marriage amendment on the November ballot, making Arizona the third state to vote this fall on the definition of marriage.

WASHINGTON (BP)--President Bush asked participants at the National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast to pray God "continues to bestow His blessings" on the United States in the final appearance of his presidency at the annual event.

Lee Tunnell has been a standout pitcher at Baylor University and played in the major leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Twins, but his greatest baseball move possibly came off the field on a Wednesday evening...

According to the United States Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, more than 70 million Americans, about 1 in 4, are younger than 18, the age group commonly referred to as juveniles. This age group has increased consistently...

WASHINGTON (BP)--The U.S. Supreme Court ruled June 25 a child rapist may not be executed if he did not kill his victim.

NORTH KOREA (BP)--Flicking ashes from his Chinese cigarette, Yong* contemplates a visitor's question: Do North Koreans have lucky numbers?

NORTH KOREA (BP)--In college, Yong* learned the questions to ask when meeting a foreigner: "What is your name? What do you do for a living? What is your religion?"

WASHINGTON (BP)--The U.S. House of Representatives has eliminated language in a war supplemental spending bill that would have provided price breaks for Planned Parenthood, the country's No. 1 abortion provider.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--If he had lived, Bill Wallace would be 100 years old now. But the Southern Baptist missionary and dedicated surgeon -- beloved by nearly all who knew him -- died alone 57 years ago in a cold jail cell far from home.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (BP)--At a time when the American Red Cross finds its disaster relief fund depleted, Southern Baptist volunteers are stepping up and providing desperately needed assistance to victims of the storms and floods that have plagued the...

RIDGECREST, N.C. (BP)--F.A.I.T.H. Riders has grown to 54 chapters in 10 states since its launch in February 2002 in Lakeland, Fla., at First Baptist Church at the Mall.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (BP)--The focus of Southern Baptist relief operations in America's flooded Midwest may be shifting toward "mud-out" recovery teams -- a ministry that weary residents will be deeply grateful to receive, according to Southern...

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)-Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Church in Woodstock, Ga., was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention during the annual meeting of the convention June 10-11, receiving 52.94 percent of votes (3,100) cast on the first...

Joe McKeever, BP cartoonist and director of missions for the Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans, has created a series of cartoons dealing with the recent SBC Annual Meeting in Indianapolis.

JACKSON, Tenn. (BP)--Union University presented Thom S. Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources, with its M.E. Dodd Denominational Service Award during a June 10 dessert reception at the Southern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis.

DES MOINES, Iowa (BP)--An official with the National Weather Service said residents of Iowa are experiencing "a historic hydrological event" of unprecedented river levels, with the city of Cedar Rapids underwater after a nearby waterway exceeded...

It should come as no surprise that a recent study conducted by LifeWay Research has found that a majority of Southern Baptist Convention pastors differ in their views when compared to those held by average Americans on several key issues.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Seventy Southern Baptists from 35 state Baptist conventions have been named to serve on the 2008-09 SBC Committee on Nominations.

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--For the second straight year, Baptist Press is hosting a news blog for the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, providing readers the latest news from the convention almost instantly.

WASHINGTON (BP)--The California State Assembly has approved legislation that critics say would provide a backdoor way to legalize physician-assisted suicide.

James 2:14-16 asks, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm...

RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--Southern Baptists continue to provide relief in Myanmar and China following catastrophic disasters in the two Asian countries in May. Contributions to the Southern Baptist World Hunger and General Relief funds have made these...

BUFORD, Ga. (BP)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary has launched its third prison extension program to train inmates for ministry. Phillips State Prison in Buford, Ga., has joined Leavell College bachelor's degree programs at the state...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (BP)--A proposed constitutional amendment in California to prohibit "gay marriage" and reverse the controversial decision by the state's high court has qualified for the ballot, California Secretary of State Debra Bowen...

WASHINGTON (BP)--Southern Baptist ethics leader Richard Land is calling for opposition to climate-change legislation before the U.S. Senate.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Year-to-date contributions through the Southern Baptist Convention's Cooperative Program are 0.97 percent ahead of the same time frame in May 2007, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President and Chief...

NASHVILLE (BP)--Doug Mulkey, pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Canton, Ga., will be nominated for second vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention, a fellow Georgia pastor announced June 2.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The nomination of Avery Willis, a former Southern Baptist missionary and retired International Mission Board administrator, for president of the Southern Baptist Convention was announced May 6 by John Marshall, senior pastor...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--William L. (Bill) Wagner, a former Southern Baptist missionary and current chief academic officer of Olivet University International in San Francisco, announced Sept. 7, 2007, that he would allow his name to be placed in...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The nomination of Frank Cox, pastor of North Metro First Baptist Church in Lawrenceville, Ga., for president of the Southern Baptist Convention was announced Feb. 7 by Alabama evangelist Junior Hill.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The nomination of Johnny M. Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Ga., for president of the Southern Baptist Convention was announced May 6 by Ted Traylor, pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Fla.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The nomination of Les Puryear, senior pastor of Lewisville (N.C.) Baptist Church, for president of the Southern Baptist Convention was announced May 12 by Dwight McKissic, senior pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The nomination of Wiley Drake, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Buena Park, Calif., for president of the Southern Baptist Convention was confirmed May 20 by Bob Bosworth, the congregation's music minister.

WASHINGTON (BP)--The U.S. Senate has approved price breaks for the country's leading abortion provider in legislation funding American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Board members were treated to a first look at the new Wynn Center for World Missions and World Missions Prayer Park at Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center as they gathered for the meeting of the BGCO Board of Directors May 20.

DENVER (BP)--A proposed constitutional amendment that gives legal protections to people from the moment of conception and takes direct aim at Roe v. Wade has officially qualified for the ballot in Colorado, giving citizens there a historic...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--More than two years after National Geographic released a book and aired a documentary about the gospel of Judas asserting that the biblical traitor really was a hero, an increasing number of scholars are now casting doubts...

According to Christianity Today, 51 percent of pastors say Internet pornography is a possible temptation and 37 percent say it is a current struggle. Sadly, 40percent of pastors say they have visited a pornographic Web site.

DALLAS (BP)--GuideStone Financial Resources has launched its new "Preparing for Retirement" webpage to assist participants' with their planning needs.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (BP)—A federal judge has approved a $3.9 million settlement shielding Charleston Southern University from further liability in the $90-million fraud case of Al Parish, a former economist and professor at the Baptist-affiliated...

PARKERSBURG, Iowa (BP)--Residents of the small town of Parkersburg, Iowa, have assembled a makeshift memorial in front of the home of a couple who died in the tornado that devastated the area May 25. Two kitchen chairs, a flag and a pot of flowers...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The "Rick and Bubba" show is popular on radio stations throughout the Southeast, and the duo is making a special edition DVD called "A Father's Heart" available to any churches that want to show it on Father's Day.

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--John L. Yeats, recording secretary of the Southern Baptist Convention since 1998, will be nominated for another one-year term during the annual meeting in Indianapolis, Louisiana pastor T.C. French announced May 28.

PARKERSBURG, Iowa (BP)--Iowa Baptist disaster relief volunteers were scheduled to begin feeding operations Tuesday night, May 27, in northeast Iowa, where the town of Parkersburg sustained extensive tornado damage Sunday evening, May 25, and six...

WASHINGTON (BP)--A federal appeals court again has struck down a state ban on partial-birth abortion even after the U.S. Supreme Court directed the lower court to reconsider its ruling in light of the justices' support for a similar, federal law.

PHOENIX (BP)--Members of the Baptist Communicators Association voted to name one of its grand prize awards in honor of Diane Reasoner, a longtime communications specialist for the Georgia Baptist Convention who was killed in an Atlanta car...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Southern Baptist communications workers were among those recognized this year by various professional organizations for their achievements in writing, photography, design and other forms of Christian media as part of several...

BANGKOK, Thailand-A team of Southern Baptists is on the ground in Bangkok, Thailand, to help national believers from Myanmar deal with the mounting crisis in their country after a May 3 cyclone left 62,000 people dead or missing and drove perhaps...

WASHINGTON (BP)--Members of the British Parliament have handily defeated attempts to block the legalization of human-animal hybrids and "savior siblings" in a series of votes that left pro-life advocates aghast.

The sight and sound generation is alive and well within the Church. Gone are the days when church bulletins are the sole source for sharing information with church members. The options for communicating to the Church, not to mention the...

As gasoline prices continue to rise and the fear of inflation looms, politicians, commuters and soccer moms are looking for ways to save money. While alternative fuels and penny-pinching might be in our future, a study conducted by Georgia State...

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (BP)--Maria Sue, the 5-year-old daughter of Christian musician Steven Curtis Chapman, died May 21 after she was struck by an SUV driven by her teenage brother in the family's driveway south of Nashville, Tenn.

WASHINGTON (BP)--The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has put a hold on proposed clinical trials using embryonic stem cells in human beings.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (BP)--Democrat Barack Obama moved a step closer to the presidential nomination May 20 with an easy victory in Oregon, although a blowout loss to Hillary Clinton in Kentucky -- and Clinton's continued success among Democratic...

WASHINGTON (BP)--Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee was criticized by some for an advertisement with a supposed "floating cross," but Democratic candidate Barack Obama is going one step further in Kentucky, where a flyer paid...

POSTED Tuesday, May 20, 2008

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (BP)--Arkansas Baptist disaster relief teams have had their hands full lately, with massive flooding that damaged hundreds of homes, then multiple tornadoes on Feb. 5, April 3, May 2 and May 10 that hit dozens of Arkansas towns...

WASHINGTON (BP)--Sen. John McCain's recent global warming speech assured Americans of one thing, a skeptical scientist says -- no major presidential candidate in 2008 will challenge prevailing assumptions.

FORT CASWELL, N.C.-Southern Baptists took a major step toward responding more quickly to overseas disasters when their state disaster relief directors approved a new protocol for mobilizing "initial responders" to crisis situations overseas.

There has been much discussion among Baptists and considerable coverage in the media regarding the revival in Jena, La. Many are beginning to ask what genuine revival might look like, and if revival such as the one in Jena might spark a spiritual...

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)-Fulfilling the mission Christ gave His followers-bringing lost souls into God's Kingdom-will be the focus of the 151st session of the Southern Baptist Convention when it convenes June 10-11 at the Indiana Convention Center.

BRANDON, Fla. (BP)--Services for Forrest Pollock, pastor of Bell Shoals Baptist Church, and his son Preston are scheduled for Saturday, May 17, in Brandon, Fla.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (BP)--Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton beat Barack Obama handily among the party's weekly churchgoers in West Virginia May 13 according to exit polls, but also won in most other categories -- including among...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--A team of Southern Baptists is on the ground in Bangkok, Thailand, to help national believers from Myanmar deal with the mounting crisis in their country after a May 3 cyclone left 62,000 people dead or missing and drove...

BEIRUT, Lebanon (BP)--The Arab Baptist Theological Seminary located outside Beirut, Lebanon, sustained no damage after fighting broke out between Hezbollah militia and the Lebanese government May 8.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Ed Litton, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of North Mobile in Saraland, Ala., will be nominated for president of the Southern Baptist Pastors' Conference during its June 8-9 meeting in Indianapolis, James T. Draper...

BRANDON, Fla. (BP)--Florida pastor Forrest Pollock and a 13-year-old son were killed May 12 when the single-engine plane Pollock was flying crashed in North Carolina.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Southern Baptist relief workers are in touch with partners in central China to assess needs created by the 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck the region May 12.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Gospel music legend Dottie Rambo died early Sunday, May 11, when her tour bus veered from a Missouri highway and struck an embankment.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Les Puryear, senior pastor of Lewisville (N.C.) Baptist Church, will be nominated for president of the Southern Baptist Convention during the SBC's June 10-11 annual meeting in Indianapolis, Dwight McKissic, senior pastor of...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Members of Two Rivers Baptist Church in Nashville, Tenn., voted May 11 to not accept all the ballots cast the previous Sunday on removing 71 dissidents from church membership. Their vote reversed the outcome of that...

WASHINGTON (BP)--Congressmen from both political parties have partnered to sponsor legislation designed to prevent children from purchasing or renting adult video games.

Is it time for the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) to drop Baptist from its name? With baptisms falling for the third year in a row among Southern Baptist churches, maybe it is time for the SBC to change its name to something like Southern...

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (BP)--Though the United States is often considered a Christian nation, North American Mission Board President Geoff Hammond says there is still plenty of work to do in making believers and disciples of all people, especially...

Wire reports the number of people baptized in Southern Baptist churches fell for the third straight year in 2007 to the convention's lowest level since 1987.

WASHINGTON (BP)--Congress has adopted with nearly unanimous agreement a bill to prevent insurers and employers from discriminating against Americans based on their genetic information.

RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--Rodney Hammer, the International Mission Board's regional leader for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) for the past eight years, resigned effective May 5 after challenging policies of the board of trustees with which he is in...

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton May 6 continued to do well among churchgoers, according to exit polls, despite not having the kind of night her supporters felt she needed to shake up the race and catch...

RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--In an effort to get solid theological training to grass-roots leaders and strengthen ties between the International Mission Board and overseas Baptist seminaries, the IMB has appointed a consultant for global theological...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Southern Baptists are moving to respond in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, which struck Myanmar, a country in Southeast Asia also known as Burma, early May 3. The latest death toll stands at 22,000, with another 41,000...

BEIJING (BP)--Chinese authorities have filed new charges against a Christian bookstore owner who observers say is being unjustly persecuted by the government.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Year-to-date contributions through the Southern Baptist Convention's Cooperative Program are 0.30 percent behind the same time frame in April 2007, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President and Chief...

It is a sad situation, only 35 percent of Americans are very happy according to a New National "Happiness" Index.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--John Connell, senior pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Savannah, Ga., will be nominated for first vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention, a Texas pastor announced April 29.

WASHINGTON (BP)--Richard Land is calling on Southern Baptists and others to urge Senate Democratic leaders to lift their blockade on federal appeals court nominees.

WASHINGTON (BP)—-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her husband Todd, having put their pro-life beliefs into personal practice, introduced their fifth child to reporters and photographers April 21. Their son, born April 18, has Down syndrome.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Brian Fossett, a vocational evangelist from Dalton, Ga., will be nominated for second vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention, a pastor in Snellville, Ga., announced April 28.

WASHINGTON (BP)--Southern Baptist ethics leader Richard Land has called on the leading presidential candidates to support legislation to combat human trafficking and to make the issue a priority in their campaign platforms.

JACKSON, Tenn. (BP)--A forthcoming book tells the story of the tornado that hit Union University Feb. 5 and includes stories from students and others who point to God's care and protection that night.

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--The presidents of three Southern Baptist Convention entities will speak at the Southern Baptist Conference of Associational Directors of Missions' June 8-9 annual meeting in Indianapolis, featuring the theme "Growing the...

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--The Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship, now recognized as an official ethnic and language ministry of the North American Mission Board, is eager to help SBC churches understand the Jewish culture for purposes of evangelism.

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--The North American Mission Board will host a national Hispanic celebration on Sunday, June 8, from 6-9 pm at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown in Marriott Ballrooms 5 and 6 on Level 2.

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--Appointments to the Southern Baptist Convention's Committee on Committees have been announced by SBC President Frank Page. Page, pastor of First Baptist Church in Taylors, S.C., announced the appointments in accordance with SBC...

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--Southern Baptist Convention President Frank Page has named members of the Credentials Committee for the June 10-11 annual meeting in Indianapolis.

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)—Prayer is news at this year's Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Indianapolis.

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)—Nominees to serve on the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, the four denominational boards (International and North American Mission boards, LifeWay Christian Resources, GuideStone Financial Resources), the Ethics &...

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--The Southern Baptist Convention's six seminaries will host luncheons for alumni and guests in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention's June 10-11 annual meeting at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--Members of the Tellers Committee for the June 10-11 annual meeting of the Sothern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis have been named by SBC President Frank Page.

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--GuideStone Financial Resources will sponsor its annual Wellness Walk/Run on Tuesday morning, June 10, in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting.

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--"How to Love a Leader" will be the theme of the 53rd annual Ministers' Wives Luncheon Tuesday, June 10, in Indianapolis.

It is official; the Bible is the most popular book in America according to a new survey conducted by Harris Poll among 2,513 adults. Surprised? Not really. What is surprising is how a book can be so popular and yet so few put what the book...

WASHINGTON (BP)--Officials of Marriott International have agreed to meet with pro-family leaders who have asked the hotel chain to stop offering pornographic movies in its rooms.

BEIJING (BP)--Shi Weihan, a Chinese bookstore owner in Beijing, has been rearrested for publishing Bibles and Christian literature during a time when a shortage of such materials has been reported in China.

FORT WORTH, Texas (BP)--The embattled pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, is stepping down to take a position at McAfee School of Theology.

Actor, commentator and comedian, Ben Stein's new documentary film, "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed" opens April 18. Many Christian conservative leaders are on board with the film and so are we. The film was shown at a recent National...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (BP)--In a statement that has left conservatives frustrated and bewildered, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger -- who twice vetoed bills that would have legalized "gay marriage" -- said April 11 he would oppose a proposed...

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--Though in agreement with most Protestants on certain points, Roman Catholics diverge with Protestants on critical points concerning salvation. With more than 74 million followers in North America, Catholics make up the...

CAMDENTON, Mo. (BP)--Businessman Bill Jester has filed a counterclaim against the Missouri Baptist Convention, claiming lost profits of $10 million on his acquisition of 943 acres of land formerly owned by the convention and its Windermere Baptist...

Since when does a church or its pastor have to remain silent when addressing moral and social issues from a biblical worldview? There is no shortage on those who would like to squelch the voice of the church, especially during a political season.

SAN ANTONIO (BP)--Something may have seemed amiss on the telecast of Kansas' victory over Memphis for the NCAA championship Monday night. No coach or athlete voiced thanks to God.

WASHINGTON (BP)--Southern Baptist pro-life leader Richard Land is calling for passage of a measure to codify a ban on federal funding for abortion as part of an Indian health care bill.

CEDARVILLE, Ohio (BP)--Trustees of Cedarville University, meeting in special session April 4, voted unanimously to uphold the termination of David Hoffeditz, a tenured professor in the school's biblical studies department.

Ask, and most will agree, there is no shortage on sin. Ask for a definition of sin, and few will concur. What some may consider sin may not be considered sin by others. Sin has never been more popular than now as society has become more and more...

WASHINGTON (BP)--Lawyers for "prosperity gospel" televangelists Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar have told U.S. senators that they will not comply with a probe into their ministries because it threatens religious freedom rights.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Year-to-date contributions through the Southern Baptist Convention's Cooperative Program are 2.39 percent ahead of the same time frame in March 2007, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President and...

WASHINGTON (BP)--Two television ministries still are refusing to comply fully with a U.S. Senate committee's probe into their financial records.

WASHINGTON (BP)--The U.S. Supreme Court agreed March 31 to review a lower court decision that some allege could cause local governments to remove Ten Commandments displays or permit a plethora of other religious monuments.

If Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has his way, he will use the Presidency as a bully pulpit to urge states to treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws. Obama's comments came three days after he...

If Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has his way, he will use the Presidency as a bully pulpit to urge states to treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws. Obama's comments came three days after he...

Messenger Radio Co-hosts Ray Sanders and Bob Nigh interview Oklahoma state legislator Sally Kern about her recent comments about homosexuals. Click here to...

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--SBC President Frank Page has named the members of the Resolutions Committee who will serve during the June 10-11 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Indianapolis.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Southern Baptist churches served as shelters and volunteers helped residents clean up after major flooding in the Midwest left at least 17 dead and nearly half of Arkansas' counties declared as disaster areas.

WASHINGTON (BP)--The Bush administration has entered the fray over the conscience rights of pro-life physicians.

Jesus asked Peter, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." What if Peter was wrong? In his letter to the Christians of Corinth, the Apostle Paul gives the perfect response to this question. I...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has undergone successful surgery for the removal of a pre-cancerous tumor from his colon.

PHILADELPHIA (BP)--Barack Obama, during a major speech in Philadelphia March 18, defended his controversial pastor and said America cannot afford to ignore the race issue in its quest to form "a more perfect union" as the nation's founding fathers...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The most-often quoted authority on global climate change is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a scientific group established in 1988 by the United Nations to evaluate the risk of human-induced climate change. It...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--Christians have a responsibility to participate in the political process and express their views, although their foremost allegiance is to the Lord of the church rather than the state, according to authors in the most recent...

WASHINGTON (BP)--The U.S. Supreme Court announced March 17 it will review a lower court's ruling that had stymied the federal government's attempt to restrict indecent language on television and radio broadcasts.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Chaldean Catholic Christians in Mosul mourned the death Paulos Faraj Rahho, an archbishop who was kidnapped Feb. 28 in Mosul. His funeral was held March 14, the day after his body was found in a shallow grave in a...

The world is out to win over the hearts and minds of our young people. Thousands of dollars are spent every day trying to lure them away into a compromising, self-centered, tolerant lifestyle.

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--Registration is now open for families planning to enroll their children in June 8-11 preschool childcare or the children's conference in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting in Indianapolis, Ind.

About 400 church staff and lay leaders gathered the evening of Feb. 28 at Moore, First to hear how to inspire "remarkable" people during the Missional Ministry Conference.

WASHINGTON (BP)--Three television ministries have refused to cooperate with a U.S. Senate committee's probe into their financial records and have been given a new deadline for providing the requested information, according to the panel's leadership.

DALLAS (BP)--At the midpoint for the 2008 Compensation Survey for Southern Baptist churches, more than 6,000 ministers and staff members have completed the online questionnaire.

CEDARVILLE, Ohio (BP)--A faculty panel investigating the termination of a professor at Cedarville (Ohio) University has concluded, on a split vote, in favor of the professor.

TAYLORS, S.C. (BP)--Following is the full text of Southern Baptist Convention President Frank Page's statement on global climate change released March 10:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—Following is the full text of the Southern Baptist Convention's 2006 resolution "On Environmentalism And Evangelicals" adopted during the June 2006 SBC annual meeting in Greensboro, N.C.:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—Following is the full text of the Southern Baptist Convention resolution "On Global Warming" adopted during the June 2007 SBC annual meeting in San Antonio:

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (BP)--California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger criticized a state appeals ruling related to homeschooling and pledged action on his part March 7 if it is not overturned.