Wednesday, June 03, 2015

• Survey: 'Nones' open to variety of denominations

  by Ken Walker, posted Wednesday, June 03, 2015 (9 years ago)

  

  NASHVILLE (BP) -- Americans have a surprising openness to Christian churches, even those who are supposedly turned off to religion, a new survey from LifeWay Research shows.

  No matter which denomination is in the name of a church, fewer than half the nonreligious say "it's not for me." Their views are more favorable than unfavorable toward a wide range of faiths -- Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, Assemblies of God, and non-denominational. Read More

• Fred Luter named NAMB ambassador

  by Tobin Perry, posted Wednesday, June 03, 2015 (9 years ago)

  

  The North American Mission Board has named former Southern Baptist Convention President Fred Luter as its new national African American ambassador.

  In that role, Luter will focus on involving more African American churches in the SBC and in church planting.

  "We still have a lot of lost souls out there who aren't in anyone's church," Luter said. "One of the primary messages I'll have for pastors is to encourage them to have compassion for the lost. If we're going to be successful in church planting, that has to happen." Read More

• Naghmeh Abedini: tie Saeed's release to Iran deal

  by David Roach, posted Wednesday, June 03, 2015 (9 years ago)

  

  WASHINGTON (BP) -- The release of Americans imprisoned in Iran should be a condition of any nuclear deal with the Persian nation, the wife of imprisoned American pastor Saeed Abedini told the House Foreign Affairs Committee Tuesday (June 2).

  Following testimony from Negmeh Abedini and the families of other U.S. citizens imprisoned or missing in Iran, the committee passed a resolution stating, "Iran should release all detained United States citizens immediately and provide any ... Read More

• 'Captive' highlights God's grace, Page says

  by Diana Chandler, posted Wednesday, June 03, 2015 (9 years ago)

  

  NASHVILLE (BP) -- Frank S. Page recalls the moment 10 years ago when he learned the single mother held captive in her Atlanta-area home by an accused murderer and rapist was the same Ashley Smith he had baptized when she was 12 years old.

  National attention focused on news reports of the manhunt for Brian Nichols, who killed a judge and three others in his escape from an Atlanta courthouse while accused of rape. As the story unfolded on live news coverage, it became clear Nichols had taken refuge in an Atlanta-area home with a single hostage, who happened to be Smith. Read More

• Religious liberty wins hiring case at high court

  by Tom Strode, posted Wednesday, June 03, 2015 (9 years ago)

  The Supreme Court "got this one right." -- Russell Moore

  WASHINGTON (BP) -- The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in favor of a Muslim job applicant provided what religious freedom advocates hailed as a wider victory for people of faith.

  In an 8-1 decision, the high court ruled June 1 an employer cannot make religious exercise an element in hiring decisions. The justices' opinion favored a federal agency, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), over a clothing retailer, Abercrombie & Fitch, in a case involving the refusal of a store in the chain ... Read More

• Pro-lifer's NAACP parody wins court appeal

  by Courtney Crandell/WORLD News Service, posted Wednesday, June 03, 2015 (9 years ago)

  In a ruling issued May 26, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided unanimously with the pro-life Radiance Foundation in its trademark infringement fight with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Read More

• FIRST-PERSON: Character trumps everything, Part 2

  by Jeff Christopherson, posted Wednesday, June 03, 2015 (9 years ago)

  OAKVILLE, Ontario, Canada (BP) -- It stands to reason that the process of following Jesus should build a life branded by the character of Christ. So why is our character so very different at times?

  Enter sin. Read More