ROE REVERSAL, ELECTION OF LEADER HIGHLIGHT ERLC’S YEAR
NASHVILLE — The long-sought-for reversal of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion and the election of its new president highlighted 2022 for the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. The commission celebrated the overturning of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and continued to promote protections for preborn children and their mothers […]
MEGACHURCH LEADS THE WAY IN ETHNICALLY DIVERSE MERGER
LAVERGNE — Brady Cooper, senior pastor of New Vision Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, received advice from a mentor that came in handy as the church sought to help revitalize First Baptist Church, LaVergne, a church about 20 minutes north of New Vision. “Before you go making big decisions, look around and see what God’s doing.” […]
MOST CHURCHES PLAN TO OPEN ON CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S DAY
NASHVILLE — On Christmas Day, churches plan to welcome “all ye faithful” and anyone else who wants to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, and for most pastors, that gives them all the more reason to gather. More than 5 in 6 U.S. Protestant pastors (84 percent) say their […]
BIDEN ENACTS LAW PROTECTING SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
WASHINGTON — Same-sex marriage is now protected in federal law. President Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA) on Dec. 13 and thereby finalized landmark legislation that redefines the world’s oldest institution. Five days after Congress completed passage, Biden enacted a bill that mandates federal and state recognition of any same-sex marriage considered legal […]
HOLIDAYS OFFER SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOVE AND CARE
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — John McCallum knows the pain of struggling with grief and loss during the holiday season. But rather than sinking in sorrow, he’s using it to serve others. McCallum, senior pastor of First Baptist Hot Springs, makes a point to write a personal letter to everyone in his church just before the […]
BARBER CRITICIZES ANNOUNCEMENT OF HUNT ‘RESTORATION’ AS ‘REPUGNANT’
NASHVILLE — In a statement issued this morning, Southern Baptist Convention president Bart Barber decried a recent announcement by four pastors that former SBC President Johnny Hunt had completed a four-month “restoration” process and was fit to return to ministry. “I would permanently ‘defrock’ Johnny Hunt if I had the authority to do so,” said […]
SENATE NIXES RELIGIOUS LIBERTY AMENDMENTS, APPROVES SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate voted to enshrine same-sex marriage as the law Tuesday (Nov. 29) while rejecting efforts to strengthen religious freedom protections in the proposal. With 12 Republicans joining all Democrats present, the Senate voted 61-36 for the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA) after defeating three GOP-offered amendments intended to heighten safeguards for […]
PASTORS SAY CHRISTMAS EVE IS MOST-ATTENDED HOLIDAY SERVICE
NASHVILLE — The closer it gets to Christmas, the more likely it is church pews will be filled. Half of U.S. Protestant pastors (48 percent) say a Christmas Eve service is their churches’ largest event during the holiday season, according to a Lifeway Research study. The frequency of the highest attendance events builds up to […]
CONTROL OF CONGRESS STILL UNDECIDED AFTER ELECTIONS
WASHINGTON — Control of the next Congress remained uncertain by early afternoon Wednesday (Nov. 9), a day after the 2022 mid-term elections. Republicans seemed near to gaining the majority in the House of Representatives, while it appeared a December runoff might be required to determine which party controls the Senate. In the House, the GOP […]
PRO-LIFE EFFORTS ON BALLOT INITIATIVES FAIL IN AT LEAST 4 STATES
NASHVILLE — Pro-life advocates appeared poised to suffer across-the-board losses on five state ballot initiatives voted on Nov. 8 in the first nationwide election since the reversal of the Roe v. Wade decision. The failure to gain passage of a pro-life measure in Kentucky or to defeat constitutional amendments that guarantee abortion rights in California, […]