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 creepy.
LifeWay to Close Its 170 Stores, Focus on Digital Retail
NASHVILLE (BP) -- LifeWay Christian Resources is charting a new course in 2019 marking a shift to a digital retail strategy. As part of the transition, LifeWay will close its 170 brick-and-mortar stores in 2019. The number of affected employees was not released today (March 20).
Mass Shootings Correlated to Increased Gun Ownership, Looser Laws
U.S. states with higher levels of gun ownership and those with fewer restrictions have higher rates of mass shootings, according to research published this month by a United Kingdom-based medical journal.
Pompeo: All Faiths Will Have ‘Something to Say’ on Forthcoming Peace Plan
(RNS) — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said people of all faiths will have “something to say” about the Israeli-Palestinian peace plan the White House is expected to announce after Israel’s elections in two weeks.
‘Overwhelming’ Midwest Floods Draw Disaster Relief Response
HORNICK, Iowa (BP) -- Midwest floods that have left at least three people dead and ruined hundreds of homes are being met with a multistate Southern Baptist Disaster Relief response.
Appellate Court Says Tax Break for Clergy Housing Is Constitutional
CHICAGO (BP) -- A three-judge panel of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago ruled unanimously the long-standing clergy allowance does not violate the First Amendment clause that prohibits government establishment of religion, reversing a federal judge's 2017 opinion.
Survey: Black Millennials Skip Church as Early Adults More Than Whites
(RNS) — African-American young adults are more likely than their white counterparts to drop out of Protestant churches during their early adult years, new research shows.
Pundits Repent of Twitter Sins, Apply Faith to Social Media
(RNS) — On March 5, Fat Tuesday, Paul Begala, a consultant for CNN and veteran D.C. insider who has spoken publicly about his Catholic faith, made a public act of contrition. He wasn’t the first to admit his Twitter sins.
Texas Bill Would Shield Churches That Report Sex Abuse from Civil Liability
AUSTIN, Texas (BP) -- Southern Baptist pastors and leaders have initiated a Texas bill to allow nonprofits including churches to disclose credible but unproven sexual abuse allegations with no fear of civil liability.