Thursday, October 02, 2014

• Marriage explained & defended in new books

  by David Roach, posted Thursday, October 02, 2014 (9 years ago)

  NASHVILLE (BP) -- Obeying Jesus, preserving western society and glorifying God are among the reasons for upholding biblical standards of sex and gender, according to three new books by Baptist authors. Read More

• Gay marriage support waning?

  by David Roach, posted Thursday, October 02, 2014 (9 years ago)

  NASHVILLE (BP) -- Support for legalizing same-sex marriage in America has dropped from 54 percent to 49 percent since February, according to the latest poll by the Pew Research Center. But analysts are debating the poll's significance. Read More

• Pro-life amendments considered in TN, ND

  by David Roach, posted Thursday, October 02, 2014 (9 years ago)

  

  NASHVILLE (BP) -- The war to protect unborn life in America has shifted in significant measure to the state level, with Tennessee and North Dakota emerging as key battlegrounds this fall.

  Voters in both states will consider amendments to their state constitutions Nov. 4 which would provide legal backing for restrictions on abortion. Neither amendment would outlaw abortion altogether since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that the federal constitution implies a woman's right to terminate a pregnancy at virtually any point. Read More

• Hunt's 'lab' aims for renewal among pastors

  by Tobin Perry, posted Thursday, October 02, 2014 (9 years ago)

  

  File photo by John Swain/NAMB

  ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) -- Josh Hayes can recount a variety of takeaways he garnered at a church revitalization conference he attended last month -- from reminders about ministry being a "people business" to the importance of equipping a congregation with the necessary ministry tools. But Hayes said one particular moment was a game-changer for him.

  Hayes, the children's pastor at Grace Community Church in Marion, N.C., said he has felt led to become a lead pastor, a call that has brought with it a collection of new fears. During this particular North American Mission Board conference in mid-September, Johnny Hunt helped calm those fears. Read More

• Dakotas continue CP upswing

  by Karen L. Willoughby, posted Thursday, October 02, 2014 (9 years ago)

  

  Photo by Karen Willoughby

  BISMARCK, N.D. (BP) -- A 2.5 percent-of-budget increase in Cooperative Program giving, after a 4 percent increase last year, attests to the growing health of the Dakota Baptist Convention, leaders say at the 30-year point of the two-state convention.

  Messengers from the 84 Southern Baptist churches in North and South Dakota unanimously voted the second-year increase during the celebration of 30 years of ministry by the convention, which dates from the time in 1984 when the four-state Northern Plains Baptist Convention dissolved into the Wyoming Baptist Convention and the Montana and Dakota Baptist fellowships. Read More

• FIRST-PERSON: When you're the oldest in the room

  by Lori McDaniel, posted Thursday, October 02, 2014 (9 years ago)

  A pastor's wife relays lessons from the day when "I realized I was the oldest in the room." No matter how old, Lori McDaniel reminds, "The value of your life experience is incredible." Read More

• Bible Study: October 5, 2014

  by Staff/LifeWay Christian Resources, posted Thursday, October 02, 2014 (9 years ago)

  NASHVILLE (BP) -- This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, LifeWay publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups. Read More