By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor RALEIGH, N.C. (LBM) – The Houston Chronicle reports that The Summit Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, has launched a review of the hiring of a pastor accused of a sex abuse cover-up at his last congregation. Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear is pastor of Summit and was key in the hiring of Brian Loritts to serve as executive pastor of teaching and development. Loritts previously served as pastor of Fellowship Memphis (2003-2015), a multi-ethnic church in Memphis, Tennessee. His brother-in-law, Rick Trotter began to serve as worship pastor there in 2005 and remained on staff until 2010. According to the Commercial Appeal, a daily newspaper of Memphis, Trotter was caught having placed “a hidden camera in a bathroom where he recorded women—and, reportedly, minors, too.” The news outlet also stated that Fellowship Memphis “didn’t report him [Trotter] to authorities, and he avoided prosecution.” A victim at Fellowship Memphis told the Commercial Appeal,” I asked about pressing charges, but they discouraged us from doing that. They really didn’t give us any of the information.” Trotter left Fellowship Memphis and in 2011 joined the staff of Downtown Church, … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor WASHINGTON (LBM) – Newly sworn in President Joe Biden is on a record pace for signing executive orders, nearly doubling (22) the first week mandates issued by the last seven presidents before him, combined (13), according to the Federal Register. But, more importantly, at least two of the mandates are controversial, with one negatively impacting Title IX, a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination “on the basis of sex” in education programs, a law which has been essential in elevating women’s sports in schools; and another that eviscerates protections of the unborn to people of color abroad, by rescinding what is known as the Mexico City Policy, which prohibited foreign aid from being spent on performing or promoting abortions. Specifically, EO 13988 mandates that biological males who identify themselves as transgender -- without having hormone treatments or other medical procedures -- be allowed to compete against biological girls, stating these transgender athletes cannot be denied “access to the restroom, the locker room, or school sports” of girls. A corollary action, EO 14004, overturned a previous military policy that prevented the recruiting of … [Read more...]