By David Roach Baptist Press DALLAS — The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee will hold a special called meeting in Dallas April 2 to vote on a presidential nominee, EC chairman Mike Stone announced March 19. The EC’s presidential search committee “has confirmed a nominee,” Stone said in an email to the full EC. The nominee’s name will be announced March 31.

By Carol Pipes LifeWay Christian Resources director of corporate communications NASHVILLE — LifeWay Christian Resources is charting a new course in 2019 marking a strategic shift of resources to a dynamic digital strategy. As part of the transition, LifeWay will close its 170 brick-and-mortar stores in 2019.  

By Aaron Earls LifeWay Christian Resources NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Americans are expected to wager more than $8 billion on the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, but don’t bet on many pastors joining in. A new study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research found most pastors believe it is morally wrong to bet on sports, while few agree it should be legalized nationwide.

Baptist Press WASHINGTON — The Senate again has rejected legislation to require health care for a child born alive during an abortion, leaving most Democratic members vulnerable to charges of supporting infanticide. In a roll call Monday (Feb. 25), senators voted 53-44 to bring the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act to the floor for a vote on final passage. But the effort failed to reach the 60 votes needed to

Baptist Press ST. LOUIS — United Methodist bishops are promoting unity in the global church after delegates narrowly retained biblical marriage and a ban on LGBT ordination at a contentious 2019 General Conference in St. Louis. Delegates approved Feb. 26 the so-called Traditional Plan by a margin of 53.3 percent to 46.7 percent, going against the One Church Plan backed by the United Methodist Church (UMC) Council of Bishops in