Southern Baptist Pastor, Former Abuser Resigns After Church Ousted from Denomination
A Tennessee pastor who confessed two decades ago to statutory rape has resigned after his church was recently removed from the Southern Baptist Convention for hiring him. Pastor Randy Leming Jr., who served at Antioch Baptist Church in Sevierville, announced his resignation on Feb. 28.
Tim Keller’s New Book is Not About Cancer, but Race, Justice, & Resurrection
Maina Mwaura writes about interviewing pastor and theologian Timothy Keller about Keller’s new book out for Easter, ‘Hope in Times of Fear: The Resurrection and the Meaning of Easter.’
Faith Leaders Push Back Against Proposed ‘Souls to the Polls’ Voting Restrictions
Many Black faith leaders say that lawmakers in Georgia, Missouri, and elsewhere are focused on reducing effective strategies Black churches have historically employed to mobilize voters.
SBU Faculty to Redo ‘No Confidence’ Vote After Procedural Concern
On Friday, the faculty at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri, held a vote of “no confidence” in the school’s Board of Trustees, with 60% of the vote backing the resolution. However, the faculty will redo the vote after concerns about the process emerged over the weekend.
Court Rules Social Work Professor Not a Minister, Can Sue Christian College for Discrimination
In a significant church-state case that could bring implications for Christian higher education, the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled March 5 that not all professors at Christian colleges could be considered ministers and therefore such schools are not immune from discrimination lawsuits.
SBU Faculty Pass Vote of ‘No Confidence’ in Board of Trustees
The faculty at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri, passed a resolution expressing “no confidence” in the school’s Board of Trustees. The unprecedented move comes after the Board denied tenure or promotion to several faculty members.
SBU Pledges Not to Change Behavioral Sciences Even as Key Professors Terminated
Amid concerns at Southwest Baptist University after the Board of Trustees denied tenure or promotion to multiple professors, leaders of the school in Bolivar, Missouri, insist they will not eliminate or change the Division of Behavioral Sciences.
International Evangelical Pastor Luis Palau Dies at 86
Luis Palau, an evangelical pastor who was born in Argentina and went on to work with Billy Graham before establishing his own powerhouse international ministry, died Thursday. He was 86.
In Posthumous Memoir, Civil Rights Icon C.T. Vivian Highlights His ‘Origins’ in Boonville, Missouri
Before passing away last July, famed civil rights activist C.T. Vivian started working on his autobiography, which will be released next week. In the book, he reflected on his role in key civil rights moments. And he suggested the “origins” of his character could be traced to his early years in Boonville, Missouri.
Survey: Churchgoers Say They Plan to Return to In-Person Services
A study of 1,000 U.S. Protestant churchgoers found 91% said they planned on returning to in-person worship when it is safe to do so. The study from Lifeway Research, a nonprofit affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, suggests churchgoers are eager to return to pre-pandemic worship practices.