SUPPORT FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE STALLS AFTER DECADE OF GROWTH

Almost 10 years after the Supreme Court granted national recognition to same-sex marriages, most Americans support that right, but the percentage has plateaued in recent years. The latest Gallup survey finds 68 percent of U.S. adults think marriages between same-sex couples should be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages. Support […]

IRS AGREES TO REINTERPRET JOHNSON AMENDMENT, EXPANDING CHURCHES’ POLITICAL SPEECH RIGHTS

On July 7, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reached an agreement with plaintiffs in a pending lawsuit concerning free speech for churches. In a joint motion, the parties asked the court to settle the dispute, reinterpreting the Johnson Amendment and clarifying that churches are no longer restricted from speaking about political issues or candidates. In August […]

STUDY REVEALS PASTORS ARE LESS ENGAGED WITH COUNSELING

FRANKLIN — Compared to a decade ago, pastors have less training in counseling but are more hesitant to refer church members to professionals. A recent Lifeway Research study examining the rate at which evangelical and Black Protestant pastors leave the ministry also asked pastors about their experience with counseling, both in their ministry preparation and practice. Sponsored by […]

MEMORIES OF CLOSED THEME PARK OPEN ‘FLOODGATES’ FOR MUSIC MINISTER

CLEVELAND, S.C. — When Joseph Hudson was called as minister of music at First Baptist Church Cleveland, S.C., in 2010, he wanted to get to know the members of his new congregation. “Some of my mentors in ministry had advised me that to be successful in ministry, you need to love your people,” he recalled. […]

LIFEWAY TRUSTEES NAME INTERIM CEO

BRENTWOOD — Lifeway Christian Resources trustees named an interim CEO and began the initial steps to search for a successor to President and CEO Ben Mandrell during a special-called meeting July 15. Trustees have asked Lifeway’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Joe Walker to serve as interim president and CEO until a new […]

CRITICAL AID HELPING TEXANS FIND ‘SOME SENSE OF NORMALCY’

KERRVILLE — While Baptist Disaster Relief teams are meeting immediate needs in central Texas, some clean-up efforts in areas like Kerrville may be on hold another two to four weeks before they are accessible, says a DR leader. For now, DR teams continue providing critical aid where they can in the wake of the deadly […]

SBC PRESIDENT PRAYS FOR ‘RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE’ IN SENATE OPENING PRAYER

WASHINGTON (BP) – Colossians 1:9, Ephesians 4:1 and Micah 6:8 were among the Scripture passages touched on in a prayer offered at the opening of the U.S. Senate this morning (July 9) by SBC President Clint Pressley. “Fill us with the knowledge of your will in all wisdom and understanding, that we might walk in […]

STUDY: WHAT ARE PASTORS SAYING ABOUT CHURCH DISCIPLINE?

BRENTWOOD — Most pastors say their churches have policies in place to address significant misbehavior by church members, but few have actually used those policies recently. According to a Lifeway Research study of more than 1,000 U.S. Protestant pastors, only 1 in 6 say their church has formally disciplined anyone in the past year. “The infrequency of church […]

SUPREME COURT BACKS PARENTAL RIGHTS IN CHALLENGE TO SCHOOL GENDER CURRICULUM

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a major 6-3 victory June 27 in Mahmoud v. Taylor, ruling that parents have a First Amendment right to exercise their religious beliefs and should have the ability to opt their children out of public-school curriculum promoting radical gender ideology. The decision represents a significant win for religious […]

10 WAYS TO BEGIN REACHING YOUR COMMUNITY FOR CHRIST

You know my heart for the nations that don’t know Christ. At the same time, though, Jesus called us to reach our Jerusalem – our community where we live – even as we go to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Here are some simple ways to move your congregation in that direction: