Stories from "Baptist Press"

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...

NEW ORLEANS (BP)--He'll be knee-deep in weeds at the Interstate 10 underpass at Franklin Avenue in New Orleans or setting sod at a neighborhood home, but one thing is certain: Robert Claverie, 64, won't be in one place for long.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--Southern Baptist Theological Seminary student Michael Diaz recently faced the most arduous day of his seminary career.

HOLTS SUMMIT, Mo. (BP)--Ted DiBiase made himself famous with the phrase "Everybody has a price." He was billed in professional wrestling as the "Million Dollar Man," a villain in a black and gold suit with a diamond-encrusted belt. He has been...

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (BP)--Many babies admitted to this neonatal intensive care unit —- those born unexpectedly early, some even before their own baby showers -— receive their first gifts from Dana Gallahair.

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)--Voters have a lot on their minds as they ponder which candidate to support in the upcoming presidential election -- a shaky economy, the war on terrorism, the energy crisis, increasing pressure to redefine marriage as...

HOUSTON (BP)--It has been good to get back into the routine of campus life at Houston Baptist University, said Martha Morrow, HBU assistant vice president for communications. Students have completed two weeks of classes since Hurricane Ike and HBU...

BOLIVAR, Mo. (BP)--In 1988, a baby named Swapna was born without arms or legs in India, a country where women with disabilities have little control over their lives. She was not given much hope to live.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The "main reason" for the National Youth Workers Conference "was to answer a need that Southern Baptist youth workers had been making known to us," said Paul Turner, national student ministry leader for LifeWay Christian...

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...

HAWTHORNE, Calif. (BP)--Forget art imitating life. Try art ushering in new life.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (BP)--When people are educated about missions, they pray better, give more and go more eagerly, says Kansas pastor Ray Kempel.

THERIOT, La. (BP)--Amid the destruction and widespread sense of helplessness along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana brought on by hurricanes, pastor Jerry Moser said there is tremendous opportunity, and he hopes Southern Baptists will take advantage of...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--To help families reduce their financial debt, LifeWay Christian Resources and the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee hope to see a New Testament become a valuable resource. If so, churches will benefit.

FORT WORTH, Texas (BP)--Little did I know when I traveled to southeast Texas in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike that I would learn more about pastoral ministry, the resilience of God's people and the power of the Cooperative Program than I have...

GALVESTON, Texas (BP)--For years the big, blue pillars flanking the bridge to Galveston Island have welcomed tourists and beachcombers to the city. Today they welcome Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers who are helping restore hope in the...

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. (BP)--The largest spiritual response in Taylor County, Ky.'s history has lessons for Southern Baptist congregations across the nation, evangelist Rick Gage says.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (BP)--Yusuf Mohamed* will never forget the moment God broke him.

ALBANY, Ga. (BP)--DECEMBER 2005. My brother, Alex, finished a brisk morning jog that planted his running shoes in my driveway. He was winded but clearly excited when he called me on his cell. "Come outside, Stephen! I've got the storyline for the...

ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP)--"This conversation is the fourth in a series of high-level bridge-building and reconciliation efforts that have helped to build mutual understanding between our peoples, nations and religious traditions" is how a quintet of...

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (BP)--A single light bulb hangs from a roof beam, dimly illuminating the main room in Maria's home in Floresta, a working-class neighborhood in Buenos Aires.

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...

GILCHRIST, Texas (BP)--Arlis and Wanda Russell made a list of the folks who were present for the last service of their home church, knowing it might be the only membership roll that exists.

WAIPAHU, Hawaii (BP)--The first-grader just had one question when Vacation Bible School was over.

WAIPAHU, Hawaii (BP)--"Oh, a mission trip to Hawaii ... yeah, right."

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--As a hotly contested presidential election approaches, Americans strongly believe churches should tread lightly when it comes to political activity.

KEOKUK, Iowa (BP)--Investigators have not ruled out arson in an early morning fire that destroyed the educational wing and pastor's office of Bethany Baptist Church in Keokuk, Iowa, Sept. 19.

GAINESVILLE, Ga. (BP)--Newly married couples should be able to accomplish more in harmony in every way than they ever could accomplish separately -- and that certainly includes the way finances are handled. So, it's important that both wife and...

SOUTHERN LOUISIANA (BP)--Three hours after pastor Steve Folmar heard that shysters wanted to charge an 86-year-old woman $18,000 to cut up and remove hurricane-battered trees from her yard, a Southern Baptist chain saw crew did the work for free.

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...

GRAPEVINE, Texas (BP)--More than a week after Hurricane Ike devastated parts of the Texas Gulf Coast and snapped trees 100 miles inland, people in the hundreds of thousands remained without electricity while Southern Baptists worked to feed hungry...

GORI, Georgia (BP)--The refugees' despair troubled Coy Webb the most.

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.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Addressing trustees of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, Richard Land said the state of the culture reflects the reality that it has influenced the people of God more than the people of God have influenced society.

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.

ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP)--"Climate change is the most critical sustainability issue of our time," Alcoa President and CEO Klaus Kleinfeld said while announcing a joint venture with The Pew Research Center, "and to make a real difference we all need to...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--In the wake of Gov. Sarah Palin's selection as the Republican vice presidential nominee, there has been considerable "speculation" about why Evangelicals in general, and Southern Baptists in particular, have responded so...

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (BP)--Four months ago, Iglesia Bautista Hispana de West Las Vegas, a Nevada church plant, had about 40 people in attendance most Sundays. Now about 300 folks pack the church each week, and the vast majority of them don't yet know...

WASHINGTON (BP)--Elizabeth Cameron, a virgin who was only 16 years old at the time, was forced into a van one day in December 2005 and raped by three men. Weeks later, she learned she was pregnant.

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.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--It is a wondrous experience when God begins to infuse peace and hope into our hearts in the days and years following new birth. But when a hurricane strikes or the economy tumbles -- or any problem threatens to take a toll...

RIDGECREST, N.C. (BP)--Leading a ministry to college students on campus or in a church is like being a pastor of a small church where the entire membership leaves every four years.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP)--A language barrier to missions education in Korean Baptist churches is being tackled by Woman's Missionary Union and Texas WMU.

DENVER (BP)--When U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun authored the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion nationwide, he acknowledged that if the definition of "personhood is established" to include the unborn, then the case for...

BROWNSVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Ask Bob Williams any of these questions and you can be assured the name of Jesus will be in the answer:

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.

HOUSTON (BP)--About 1,500 Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers are setting up units in Texas and were expected to be operational by the end of the day Tuesday to serve victims of Hurricane Ike. The primary focus of the efforts currently is...

GRAPEVINE, Texas (BP)--Millions living along the upper Texas Gulf Coast and north into East Texas on Tuesday were still without electricity after Hurricane Ike swept through Friday night and Saturday, causing the biggest power disruption in Texas...

BATON ROUGE, La. (BP)--Streets and yards remain marked with tell-tale signs of Hurricane Gustav's impact on Baton Rouge. Unlike previous hurricanes when trees fell on a few houses, locals say they cannot recall so much widespread damage from a...

GORI, Georgia (BP)--As Russian tanks pulled back from a ridge just three miles away, a team of Texas Baptist volunteers moved into Gori, a key city in the Black Sea country of Georgia, to set up a feeding operation for thousands of families...

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (BP)--Churches affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention set a milestone Sept. 8: recording $1 billion in gifts through the Cooperative Program since the Southern Baptist Convention's unified budget was founded in 1925.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--More than 1 million hot meals have been prepared by Southern Baptist disaster relief teams since Hurricane Gustav hit the Louisiana coast on Sept. 1 and Hurricane Ike clobbered Galveston and Houston on Saturday morning.

ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP)--Louisiana was to the northeast -- the more destructive side -- of Hurricane Ike's path up the eastern side of Texas.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--Think back. Do you remember what your life was like before you knew Jesus Christ as your Savior? Sadly, some of us have been saved so long, we can't remember what it was like to be lost.

GRAPEVINE, Texas (BP)--Hurricane Ike recovery is underway with Southern Baptists of Texas Convention volunteers clearing trees and debris in the piney woods of East Texas, but the physical damage to churches along the Gulf Coast was harder to...

JONESBORO, Ga. (BP)--Monkeys, rope swings and alligators were all part of Adam Huser's life growing up as a missionary kid in the jungles of Peru.

DAEGU, South Korea (BP)--Soldiers and officers at Camp Walker's Evergreen Club in Daegu, South Korea, filled the tables, stood along a side wall and spilled out the door of the small dining room.

ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP)--At the drive-through for a hot meal from a Southern Baptist feeding station, a woman said to a volunteer, "The Southern Baptists are always here when we need them...."

WASHINGTON (BP)--Do military chaplains have the right to pray in Jesus' name in ceremonies outside of chapel services? The military insists they do, but U.S. Rep. Walter Jones, R.-N.C., is attempting to write that guarantee into federal law.

HELSINKI, Finland (BP)--Missionaries overseas -- just like Christians here in the United States -- can get caught up in trying to build God's Kingdom on their own and miss the power of joining God in what He is doing, Ken Hemphill told a group of...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--A government official in Saudi Arabia cut out his daughter's tongue and burned her to death after learning she had become a follower of Jesus Christ. The man, who was not named in the news report, works for the Commission...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--The most senior California bishops of the Episcopal Church came out in favor of "same-sex marriage" in the state on Sept. 10. The bishops then called on voters to defeat Proposition 8 -- the constitutional amendment that...

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--With recovery work still going non-stop in Louisiana after Hurricane Gustav, Southern Baptist disaster relief workers are watching the Texas coastline where Hurricane Ike is predicted to cut a swath between Port Lavaca and...

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.

HOUMA, La. (BP)--It had been nearly a week since 66-year-old Brett Morin left the comfort of his Florida home for a 15-hour trek to Louisiana -- first to Baton Rouge and then, on Sept. 8, to Houma.

NEW ORLEANS (BP)--For New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, reopening after its Hurricane Gustav evacuation, Sept. 9's chapel service became a time of thanksgiving and reunion -- and words of encouragement from New Orleans pastor Fred Luter.

HOUMA, La. (BP)--The small side roads running from Baton Rouge to Houma began to tell the story of Hurricane Gustav as power line poles bowed toward the pavement like loose fingers.

ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP)--My long-healed wounds are now raw and oozing again. Post-traumatic stress is kicking me in the ribs making every breath short. The tightness in my chest is as strong as if Hurricane Katrina made landfall yesterday, not three...

NIXON, Texas (BP)--A small church pastor in Texas is encouraging other small churches not to limit God after his congregation committed themselves to prayer and then saw God bring substantial results.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--Southern Baptist disaster relief leaders at the North American Mission Board's Atlanta-area offices are working quickly to ready a relief response once Hurricane Ike makes landfall at week's end, while scrambling to move...

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...

BATON ROUGE, La. (BP)--As Hurricane Gustav crossed over Cuba, students of the Baptist Collegiate Ministry at Louisiana State University were making the same safety preparations as others in Baton Rouge.

LEESBURG, Va. (BP)--The poison peddled by the euthanasia movement here in the United States continues to take its toll. Assisted suicide was legalized in Oregon in the 1990s, and pro-death advocates are now pushing hard to make it legal in the...

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP)--Dellanna West O'Brien, the first international missionary to serve as executive director/treasurer of Woman's Missionary Union, died Sunday, Sept. 7, in Frisco, Texas. She was 75.

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.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (BP)--Now that Tropical Storm Hanna is no longer a threat to Florida, Fritz Wilson, state disaster relief director for the Florida Baptist Convention, and his team are turning their full attention to Ike -- the next hurricane in...

ST. PAUL, Minn. (BP)--With confetti falling and balloons popping, exuberant delegates at the Republican National Convention Sept. 4 settled down long enough for nominee John McCain's pastor, a Southern Baptist, to deliver the closing prayer.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (BP)--Mudslides, washed-out roads and massive flooding hampered Florida Baptists' efforts to feed the hungry in Haiti where three tropical storms in as many weeks have killed at least 150 people and destroyed crops and other...

MILL VALLEY, Calif. (BP)--Four hundred goats descended on the verdant hillsides of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in July, cutting the grass as well as the seminary's costs for landscaping staff.

PENSACOLA, Fla. (BP)--Evacuee Jamie Ferrier sat in the gym of East Brent Baptist Church with time on her hands, desperate for news amid rumors about the damage Hurricane Gustav had inflicted on her New Orleans-area community.

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.

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.

SHREVEPORT, La. (BP)--The families arrived with three days of clothes and little else. In the car seats you see what is valuable to them: a painting of a dog, a hand-stitched doll. Quite a few spent most of their money on evacuating and many come...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Ministry as usual will not cut it, Jason Hayes said, for the new demographic of young adults seeking depth, authenticity and answers to the hard matters of faith

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.

NEW ORLEANS (BP)--Since Hurricane Gustav, good news has been arriving to cell phones of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary families through NOBTS' new priority text messaging system.

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...

NEW ORLEANS (BP)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary suffered only minimal damage as Hurricane Gustav pushed through about 70 miles southwest of the city Sept. 1.

OKLAHOMA CITY (BP)--Native American churches virtually have been a silent segment of the Southern Baptist Convention, and Emerson Falls believes it's time they start beating their own drum.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--Although Hurricane Gustav has deteriorated now to only a tropical depression, Southern Baptist disaster relief teams are still battling high winds and heavy rainfall as they respond to critical needs in south Louisiana.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Forty-two member institutions of the International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities (IABCU) have been listed in the 2008 rankings of America's Best Colleges by U.S. News and World Report and Forbes.com.

BEIJING (BP)--Yu Jie will quickly tell you that the Ark Church in Beijing is not underground.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The future of the persecuted church in China will be "darker before it becomes brighter," Bob Fu, president of China Aid Association, told Baptist Press as the Olympics drew to a close in Beijing.

BEIJING (BP)--Sitting in Yu Jie's home in Beijing as he talked about his church and about the growth of Christianity in China, I pondered the events that had brought me to this place.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--"New breed" evangelicals have been misunderstood by the media, Rick Warren told a Wall Street Journal reporter after the Aug. 22 forum Saddleback Church hosted with presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain.

TBLISI, Georgia (BP)--Disaster relief specialists from three Baptist state conventions are deploying to the Black Sea country of Georgia to help families displaced by fighting between Georgian and Russian troops.

DENVER (BP)--As Democrats celebrated the nomination of Barack Obama as their presidential nominee Wednesday, Southern Baptist volunteers continued at work behind the scenes providing law enforcement personnel with thousands of meals and cold drinks.

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...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Who hasn't sat in a Bible study group slightly distracted and pondered, "I wonder what John Q. Author was really thinking when he wrote that?" Or, "I wish there was more explanation about that."

RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--Russia is on the move, reasserting its military power in the Caucasus -- and sending a not-so-subtle message to Europe, the United States and its former satellites that Moscow intends to dominate Russia's "near abroad."

GULU, Uganda (BP)--Josephine's shrill trill came without warning -- like the battle cry of a warrior -- splitting the afternoon serenity created by a fading orange sun and cornstalks swaying in the gentle breeze. A few minutes later it rifled...

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.

GULU, Uganda (BP)--Ann Davis lifted her aching body from a straw mat and reached with her right hand to touch the shoulder of a new sister in Christ. The woman turned and their meeting eyes initiated laughter, tears of joy and an embrace of...

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...

JACKSON, Tenn. (BP)--Union University students will move into 14 new student housing buildings when they return to the campus for the fall semester, less than seven months after a tornado destroyed much of the university's existing student housing.

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...

TENGCHOW, China--The attitude of the Chinese toward foreigners in 1873 was that of utter hatred and contempt. It was nothing uncommon for soldiers to cry out "Kill!" It was currently reported every year as the eighth moon approached, that the...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (BP)--When presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama chose Joe Biden as his running mate, he chose someone who aligns with him on most issues, differs on a handful, but can possibly boost Obama's foreign policy...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--A call for Southern Baptists and other believers to engage in 40 days of prayer beginning in late September has been issued by the SBC's North American Mission Board and Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Ron Herrod has seen the statistics and is well aware that baptisms are on the decline in the Southern Baptist Convention.

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.

BUH GO, China--To Miss Lofton, for all the Sisters:

ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP)--The topic of abortion has become front and center for conservatives in the presidential election, with questions for both candidates about the issue now on the table.

WASHINGTON (BP)--The freedom of conscience of pro-life doctors and other health-care providers would be protected under a new rule proposed by the Bush administration.

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

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Recently I was in Tulsa, Okla., sharing in an EKG/Sunday School conference. It was both well-organized and well-attended. A large crowd gathered for the better part of a beautiful Saturday to learn how to develop a more...

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.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (BP)--Tropical Storm Fay made it to the Atlantic coast Wednesday but stalled in the Cape Canaveral area, after passing across the Florida Keys Monday night and making a second Florida landfall early Tuesday morning in southwest...

LAKE OZARK, Mo. (BP)--"It's important to take God seriously and not take yourself too seriously," said Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas and recent candidate for president, when asked how his faith affects his politics.

CHEFOO, China--My dear Brother Bell,

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.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Brooke Abel was 17 and competing on the junior national synchronized swimming team, but she wasn't having a good time.

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.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama asserted Aug. 16 that National Right to Life was "lying" about his record as an Illinois state senator in opposing a bill commonly known as the Born Alive Infants Protection Act, a...

TBLISI, Georgia (BP)--A Southern Baptist overseas team has engaged the relief crisis in the Black Sea country of Georgia, where an estimated 50,000 people, driven from their homes by fighting, have been forced to take refuge in schools and...

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.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--With controversial faith healer Todd Bentley announcing that he is separating from his wife, charismatic leaders J. Lee Grady and Stephen Strang have reacted by saying someone should have raised questions about Bentley earlier.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—Donny Robinson is looking forward to showing the world what BMX cycling is all about.

ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP)--The high level of athletic skill at the Olympics has been amazing to watch. The divers from China were phenomenal. The American swimmers were beyond compare. The Jamaican runners were unbelievable.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--Holding up a group photo of about 25 women, Beth Moore told those attending her "Living Proof Live" simulcast that she brought the photo as a crutch.

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.

HOUSTON (BP)--Ginger Smith couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the news coverage of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina had blown through the city, leaving behind massive flooding.

PINGTU, China--Our visit was timed so that we might be present on the occasion of the departure of one of our young Christians, recently baptized, for the home of her heathen mother-in-law. Some of her friends had urged my going on the ground that...

WASHINGTON (BP)--Massachusetts abortion doctor Rapin Osathanondh, charged with manslaughter in the death of a 22-year-old woman last year, has pleaded not guilty.

ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP)--What do college football players Tim Tebow and Andrew Gardner have in common? Besides achieving a high level of success on the gridiron, the pair let it be known they weren't interested in being a part of Playboy's preseason...

BEIJING (BP)--Nancilea Foster's worst fear as a diver came true when she was 14 years old.

GRAHAMSTOWN, South Africa (BP)--Martin Fick almost died twice while living in Zimbabwe nearly a decade ago. Miraculously, he survived and learned firsthand about the power of grace and forgiveness.

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)--Southern Baptist ethics leader Richard Land has joined in warning President Bush his own Department of Justice is threatening to tarnish his legacy on combating human trafficking.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--My friend Allan Taylor wrote an excellent book about how to have a high-expectation Sunday school. Since 1995, when he was called to First Baptist Church, Woodstock, Ga., as minister of education, Sunday school attendance at...

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.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The new 2008 Baptist Hymnal made its official debut during a morning worship Aug. 8 at LifeWay Christian Resources' home office in Nashville, Tenn., and again that evening at the city's renowned Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

BEIJING (BP)--U.S. archer Jenny Nichols tied an Olympic record in her opening-round win Aug. 12 over Indonesia's Ika Yuliana Rochmawati, but she couldn't build on that success.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--The fact that the Los Angeles Times favors "same-sex marriage" is not a new revelation. To the contrary, the paper has positioned itself in support of "same-sex marriage" for some time.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (BP)--The Democratic National Committee has given $25,000 to help defeat a proposed constitutional marriage amendment in California, despite the fact that a significant percentage of Democrats in the state are expected to...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (BP)--People living outside of California can't vote on the much-publicized constitutional marriage amendment known as Proposition 8, but they can donate financially, and thus far both sides of the issue have seen donations pour...

BEIJING (BP)--Ever since she was 9 years old, Barb Sturges wanted to live in China.

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.

LA JOLLA, Calif. (BP)--When a volunteer from the United Kingdom met a young Middle Eastern man in Jerusalem's old city and invited him to a Bible study, he had no idea he was talking to the son of a key figure in the Hamas terrorist organization.

BEIJING (BP)--Jane Rumball may look like she's only rowing when she steps into the boat with her Canadian teammates to compete in the Beijing Olympics.

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)--Tiny as she was, she might not have realized just how loudly she was wailing, lying in that box.

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.

BEIJING (BP)--As I watched the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympics, I sat in wonder. The performance was by far the most incredible production I've ever seen.

TEGA CAY, S.C. (BP)--Just five minutes into Survivor China, Leslie Nease discovered there was one thing that meant more to her than realizing her dream of being on the popular television show.

BEIJING (BP)--Archery is more than a sport for U.S. Olympic archer Jennifer Nichols. It's a family activity.

ISTANBUL (BP)--An Iranian Christian couple in their 60s have died from injuries sustained when secret police raided a house church service at their house and severely beat them, a source told Compass.

DORA, Ala. (BP)--Bob Dylan sang it many years ago, and it's still true today: "The times, they are a-changin." In barely two years, gas prices have more than doubled. Costs for diesel fuel have surpassed gasoline, and the result is a snowball...

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP)--When most Southern Baptists think of Baptist history in China, they think of Lottie Moon, the beloved missionary to China for whom the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions is named. Lottie Moon arrived...

DENVER (BP)--When the Democratic National Convention meets at Denver's Pepsi Center Aug. 25-28, the "Mile High City" will absorb an estimated 225,000 visitors -- including the 5,000 credentialed delegates, politicians, the media and protesters....

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...

WUCHOW, China -- Dear Dr. Maddry,

RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--The beginning of the end of communism as a global force dates not to the close of the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin Wall or the deaths of various tyrants.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP)--To take a single picture of the church in China would be tough -- in fact, it would be nearly impossible.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP)--It's no question that China is becoming more powerful on the international scene. The main question is, how does the United States relate to the massive nation?

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.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP)--As host of the 2008 Summer Olympics, China prepared for the August event by making the country more easily accessible to tourists -- including adding new terminals at the Beijing Capital International Airport and at...

CHEFOO, China -- My dear Dr. Ray,

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP)--On 08/08/08 at eight minutes past 8 p.m., the summer Olympics will begin in Beijing, China, fully in tune with Chinese tradition to the tiniest detail, even to its kickoff time.

DENVER (BP)--When Democrats gather for their national convention in Denver in late August, a small scuffle related to abortion rights in the party platform may ensue.

BOSTON (BP)--GuideStone Financial Resources President O.S. Hawkins updated trustees on the completion of initiatives related to GuideStone 90, the first phase of GuideStone's long-range plan, during their July 28-29 meeting in Boston.

CORDOVA, Tenn. (BP)--Before the sun rose in Moscow on Monday, July 28, Teri Tarleton went to be with her Lord. Her son Adam and her oldest daughter Anna were away at college in the States. Her twin daughters Rachel and Rebecca were away at camp.

WASHINGTON (BP)--The right words from President Bush in Beijing could prove extremely helpful to many Christians suffering in China, said a leading advocate for the persecuted church in that country.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Video game retailers sold Mature-rated video games to minors 36 percent of the time, according to a study by the Parents Television Council to determine whether age restriction policies were being enforced.

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...

MOUNT WASHINGTON, Ky. (BP)--"Don't make us go, Daddy!"

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

OKLAHOMA CITY (BP)--In a state with oil rigs on its state capitol grounds, the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma is developing an oil field chaplaincy program.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Henry Blackaby and Anne Graham Lotz will be the keynote speakers at a "Fresh Encounter" conference in February designed to show pastors and lay leaders God's pattern for revival and spiritual awakening.

RIDGECREST, N.C. (BP)--Mike Hatfield paused to think about what impact Sunday School Week at LifeWay Ridgecrest Conference Center could have.

CHINO HILLS, Calif. (BP)--Southern Baptists and others involved in disaster relief responded to a 5.4-magnitude earthquake July 29 in California with a renewed commitment to being prepared for "the big one."

SAN FRANCISCO (BP)--Supporters of a proposed constitutional marriage amendment in California filed suit against the state attorney general July 29, charging that a new ballot title and summary is inflammatory and could lead voters to oppose the...

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.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (BP)--Disaster relief volunteers from the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention are providing meals and assisting in cleanup in the Rio Grande Valley after Hurricane Dolly hit the far south Texas coast July 23.

ATHENS, Greece (BP)--Tourists snap pictures and shoot video as 60 International World Changers hold an impromptu praise and worship service atop Mars Hill in Athens, Greece. As the students' voices carry across the crowd, an Iranian man on the...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--When you're in the media, you're often given the opportunity to watch a movie before it's available in the theaters or in stores. The goal by those in public relations, of course, is to get you to like the movie and write...

GLORIETA, N.M. (BP)--The Centrifuge camp began with a bang -- literally.

ICA, Peru (BP)--The answer to a 10-year pursuit was revealed in a moment for Spanish teacher Rachel Colonna.

BALTIMORE (BP)--During a summer in which Batman is back at the box office saving Gotham City, citizens of Baltimore -- number three on the list of most violent large cities in the United States -- may be looking for a real-life rescue.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--It's no secret that the homosexual community forms part of Barack Obama's base, and a new Harris Interactive poll shows the presumptive Democratic nominee holding a 46-point lead over Republican John McCain among that group.

NEW ORLEANS (BP)--In a city too often known for scandal and financial wrongdoing, Southern Baptists want to be sure no one confuses their ongoing Operation NOAH (New Orleans Area Hope) Rebuild ministry with a city-affiliated agency that has been...

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.