Monday, July 13, 2015

• Backyards come alive akin to the church in Acts

  by Charissa Fee, posted Monday, July 13, 2015 (9 years ago)

  

  PICKERINGTON, Ohio (BP) -- I'm proud to say that I grew up in a church that did Vacation Bible School and did it BIG!

  We started rehearsing for the VBS drama right after Easter and decorating began before school even let out for summer break. Every wing of the church building was transformed in rain forests, mountain peaks, outer space or whatever other extreme theme for which we had been collecting decorations the previous 11 months. Read More

• Baptist concerns greet order against bakers

  by Tom Strode, posted Monday, July 13, 2015 (9 years ago)

  "This is a threat to every person's freedom in this nation, including our most precious freedom, religious freedom." -- Ronnie Floyd

  WASHINGTON (BP) -- A penalty of $135,000 and a gag order against Oregon bakers who declined to provide a cake for a same-sex ceremony have evoked protests and concerns from Southern Baptist leaders.

  Brad Avakian, commissioner of Oregon's Bureau of Labor and Industries, issued an order July 2 against Aaron and Melissa Klein. His order affirmed a proposed payment for damages to a lesbian couple and required the Kleins to refrain from providing notice they will not bake a cake for a same-sex wedding. Read More

• Ten Commandments ruling may threaten other states

  by Staff, posted Monday, July 13, 2015 (9 years ago)

  

  Photo courtesy LSB Photo.

  OKLAHOMA CITY (BP) -- If allowed to stand, an Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling banning a privately-funded Ten Commandments display on the state capitol grounds could lead to the removal of similar displays across America, a free speech advocacy group has argued.

  Despite the Oklahoma high court's ruling, Gov. Mary Fallin said a six-foot, granite Ten Commandments monument will remain at the capitol while Attorney General Scott Pruitt files an appeal and state legislators consider a measure to let ... Read More

• LifeWay Research, Billy Graham center to release study

  by Staff/LifeWay Christian Research, posted Monday, July 13, 2015 (9 years ago)

  NASHVILLE (BP) -- LifeWay Research and The Billy Graham Center for Evangelism at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill., have partnered to "facilitate the advancement of biblically faithful evangelism."

  Ed Stetzer, executive director of Nashville-based LifeWay Research, will serve as senior fellow for the evangelism center. Read More

• Colombia approves 1st death by euthanasia

  by Katlyn Babyak/WORLD News Service, posted Monday, July 13, 2015 (9 years ago)

  ASHEVILLE, N.C. (BP) -- Colombian officials have approved the country's first legal death by euthanasia. After a week-long legal battle, 79-year-old Ovidio Gonzalez exercised his "right to die" at a medical clinic on Friday (July 10), ending his battle with terminal throat cancer.

  Colombia became the first Latin American country and one of several countries worldwide to legalize assisted suicide in 1997. But the government delayed approving regulations until April, and no legal procedures were performed until now. Read More

• FIRST-PERSON: See you in St. Louis -- June 14-15 SBC16

  by Ronnie Floyd, posted Monday, July 13, 2015 (9 years ago)

  SBC President Ronnie Floyd urges: Save the date: June 14-15, 2016, for the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting in St. Louis. "Make these dates non-negotiable," Floyd writes, "and decide now to be in St. Louis … and bring people with you." Read More