By Tobin Perry Southern Baptist TEXAN HOUSTON — Listening to the discussion surrounding the reopening of churches, Steve Bezner could see much of it revolved around a dichotomy of faith versus fear. As Bezner, pastor of Houston Northwest Church, and other church leaders studied the issue from a variety of angles, they began to see it differently. “The more that we studied them, we began to see masks as love

By Tess Schoonhoven Baptist Press ATLANTA — As the state of Georgia continues on a path to reopening, Christ Covenant Church is cautiously planning to resume in-person gatherings. But decisions about when and how to return are complicated by where. Christ Covenant has called Sutton Middle School its Sunday home for 2 1/2 years. The church, which averaged about 500 in attendance before the COVID-19 pandemic, will be ready to

By Tom Strode Baptist Press WASHINGTON — Southern Baptist leaders commended to churches the new federal guidelines for restoring in-person worship gatherings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, even as efforts to resolve conflicts between state governments and faith communities continue. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued interim guidelines May 22 that reminded state and local officials to take the First Amendment right of religious liberty into account

By Tom Strode Baptist Press WASHINGTON — Southern Baptist leaders are urging government officials to treat churches and other religious groups more justly in their reopening policies regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The calls for change came after churches in Minnesota and California told their governors they would begin holding in-person services in defiance of policies they consider to be unequal in treatment. Guidelines issued by Govs. Tim Walz of