4th Chinese Church Raid Could Portend Broad Crackdown
BEIJING (BP) -- Beijing's Shouwang Church has become the fourth major underground church raided by authorities in China during the past seven months.
Gospel Choirs Try to Build Racial Harmony Through Song
ST. LOUIS (RNS) — Emi Belciak teaches third grade in a tough part of suburban St. Louis, where she says her students are exposed to more violence than any child should be. Belciak wanted to do something to help — so she joined a choir.
Collegians Confront Hurricane Michael’s Aftermath
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (BP) -- Five months after Hurricane Michael's onslaught, dozens of college students descended on Florida. The students came alongside residents like Jean Bartlett, a member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Panama City, who rode out the storm from her home.
For Israeli Lunar Lander, Faith Provides Inspiration and Challenges
(RNS) — As engineers at Israeli nonprofit SpaceIL prepared for the launch of their lunar lander last year, one man's faith played a part in it's launch. quietly modeling for the broader aerospace industry how religion and science work together to reach the stars.
Survey: Most Americans Continue to Oppose Religious Service Refusals to LGBT People
(RNS) — A new survey finds that Americans continue to oppose the idea that small-business owners should be able to refuse products or services to gay or lesbian people due to their religious beliefs.
Midwest Recovery Begins as Additional Flooding Looms
OMAHA, Neb. (BP) -- Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) leaders have established several sites in the Midwest to respond to historic flooding that has created at least $3 billion in damages in recent weeks.
After Cyclone Disaster, Church Organizations Mobilize to Help Devastated Africans
NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — When Cyclone Idai struck the Southeast Africa coast last week, it swept away everything in its path, including churches, schools and homes in the Mozambican port city of Beira and beyond.
These 6 Nations Treat Women Fully Equal to Men
Women are fully equal to men under the law in only six nations, according to a World Bank report published in late February. The U.S. was ranked 65 out of 187, receiving a score of 83.75 – the same rating as The Bahamas, Kenya and
Meet the Only Baptist Church on the Island of Cyprus
There are just a few countries in Europe where Baptists are not yet present; until recently, Cyprus was in this number.
Prayer Postcards Spark Debate Over Faith and Privacy in Nashville
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) — A group of Nashville churches decided recently to pray for every resident in their Bible Belt city. Then they sent out postcards to everyone on their prayer list. Some folks saw the prayers as an act of kindness. Others, a little