A century and a half after the Civil War divided Baptists in America into separate congregations predominantly black and white, a diverse group of U.S. Baptists is exploring ways to cross boundaries of identity, doctrine and ethnicity to collaborate in community service.
Aid and advocacy create a positive witness for Baptists globally, leaders of the Baptist World Alliance noted.
A federal judge said Nov. 23 that an IRS rule allowing clergy to avoid paying taxes on a part of their income designated as a housing allowance violates the constitutionally mandated separation of church and state.
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Should churches endorse political candidates or lobby over issues? Experts are divided on what the IRS rules mean.
Chronic poverty, hunger and homelessness can leave even the most committed Christian activists feeling overwhelmed and defeated.
How can Christians meet needs in ways that really help the poor?
Keeping the church facility in good shape and ministries vital costs money. Maintaining balance in budgeting for building maintenance and support for ministry is a choice faced through the ages by Christians who believe God is revealed both in beauty and in the impoverished. The
It may not feel like it to number-crunchers fine-tuning annual financial proposals, but church budgets are moral statements that reflect ethical priorities.
The Missouri Baptist Convention took an unprecedented move when it filed a motion for declaratory judgment against The Baptist Home, Missouri Baptist University, Windermere Baptist Conference Center, Word&Way and the Missouri Baptist Foundation in August 2002. (The convention dropped its lawsuit against Word&Way in April 2010.) This legal action timeline includes