Baptist Press Archive

Tuesday, February 02, 2016

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  • Trump, Clinton stumble, evangelicals divide in Iowa
    by Tom Strode, posted Tuesday, February 02, 2016 (8 years ago)

    Photo courtesy of Tim Trudeau
    WASHINGTON (BP) -- Front-runners Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton stumbled out of the gate in Iowa on Monday (Feb. 1) while the evangelical Christian vote among Republicans split primarily three ways in the first stage of the 2016 race for the White House.

    Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas won a plurality of evangelical votes in defeating Trump in the Iowa Republican caucuses despite the outspoken billionaire businessman's lead in the polls. Cruz won 27.6 percent of the caucus votes, while Trump gained 24.3, according to the Associated Press. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida closed fast to achieve 23.1 percent of the votes. Read More

  • Former adult store site redeemed by church plant
    by Nicole Kalil/Florida Baptist Witness, posted Tuesday, February 02, 2016 (8 years ago)

    Photo courtesy of John Thomas
    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (BP) -- There was something the landlord didn't disclose before D3 Church launched in a newly rented space on Jan. 10.

    A fellow pastor "mentioned in passing that it was really cool that God was putting a church in what used to be an adult video store," lead pastor John Thomas said.

    "I didn't have any idea of the history." Read More

  • Iowa caucuses: Southern Baptists 'highly involved'
    by David Roach, posted Tuesday, February 02, 2016 (8 years ago)

    Photo courtesy of Tim Trudeau
    DES MOINES, Iowa (BP) -- Iowa pastor Todd Stiles had a specific prayer for caucus season: "Lord, come quickly, and till then, help me stand strongly."

    Southern Baptists across the Hawkeye State apparently agreed with the sentiment because many, including pastors, stood for biblical principles during caucus season, campaigning for the presidential candidates they believed would best represent their values. Read More

  • Reaching the world from Keystone Heights
    by Karen L. Willoughby, posted Tuesday, February 02, 2016 (8 years ago)

    Photo by Pam Saxon
    KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, Fla. (BP) -- A sense of safety and security marks Keystone Heights, an idyllic southern town halfway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

    It's nearly equidistant northeast to Jacksonville and southwest to Gainesville but, unlike those two cities, has never felt the devastating impact of a full-force hurricane. A pervading sense of peace and tranquility is enhanced by the area's many lakes and Spanish moss-covered oak trees, a low crime rate and the community-held belief in the importance of family. Read More

  • CP 6.07% ahead of projection
    by BP Staff, posted Tuesday, February 02, 2016 (8 years ago)

    Year-to-date contributions to Southern Baptist Convention national and international missions and ministries received by the SBC Executive Committee are 6.07 percent above the year-to-date budgeted projection and 1.91 percent above contributions received during the same time frame last year. Read More

  • Abedini praises wife, denies 'much' of abuse claim
    by Diana Chandler, posted Tuesday, February 02, 2016 (8 years ago)

    Photo courtesy of Zybandeh Abedini
    BOISE, Idaho (BP) -- Saeed Abedini denied "much" of what his wife Naghmeh Abedini has alleged of spousal abuse and a pornography addiction in his first statements about their marriage since his release from an Iranian prison, but he praised his wife for advocating for his freedom.

    "Much of what I have read in Naghmeh's [Facebook] posts and subsequent media reports is not true," he said in a Jan. 30 statement to his hometown newspaper, the Idaho Statesman. "But I believe we should work on our relationship in private and not on social media or other media. Naghmeh wrote this week, 'We are taking personal time to work on very serious personal issues.' I intend to do this hard work in private." Read More

  • FIRST-PERSON: Need a mom? You may already have one
    by Catherine Parks, posted Tuesday, February 02, 2016 (8 years ago)

    Motherly wisdom from women in the church is far preferable to Need a Mom's $40 per hour rate, Catherine Parks writes. Churches are "full of women who have loads of practical and spiritual wisdom to give, if only we will ask," Parks writes. Read More