By Tom Strode, Baptist Press NASHVILLE (BP) -- Political engagement by evangelical Christians calls for a witness shaped by the Gospel of Jesus, Southern Baptists were told at a conference Aug. 5 in Nashville. Speakers at "The Gospel and Politics" -- the second national conference sponsored by the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission -- sought to help the more than 630 registrants think about how to approach politics in a changing culture a year before the next presidential election. The conference came a day after interviews of two Republican presidential candidates -- Sen. Marco Rubio and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush -- by ERLC President Russell Moore at the Send North America Conference, an event sponsored also in Nashville by Southern Baptist missions entities. The Gospel calls for a different tone than has been demonstrated sometimes in the past by evangelicals, some speakers said. "I say this respectfully, the era of perceived, white, angry evangelicalism is officially over," said Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. Impacting culture now "requires a multi-ethnic, kingdom culture canopy that reconciles truth with love," he said during a panel … [Read more...]

By Joe Conway, Baptist Press NASHVILLE (BP) -- As thousands of 2015 Send North America Conference attendees returned to their everyday lives, leaders of the event said the real longterm impact will be measured in the next steps participants take to live out their faith daily. "This is not about a conference," North American Mission Board President Kevin Ezell told attendees at the close of the gathering Tuesday (Aug.4). "It's about God starting a movement. This is something we are committed to for the rest of our lives." As the two-day event drew to a close, the 13,607 participants were encouraged to find their place in the everyday mission of God, and commit to next steps. Registered nurse Madison Roaton decided to tag along for a visit to Nashville when she heard her friends discussing a road trip. She had never heard of the Send Conference. But after the first day she was ready to explore her next steps in missions. "I've been involved in medical missions with my church," said Roaton of New Albany, Miss. She traveled to Ecuador earlier this year and Greece last year on mission. The idea of a life on mission resonated with her. "This has me thinking about connecting what I do with my mission." Others were … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Press HOUSTON (BP) -- Two African American churches in Houston have filed a lawsuit in response to what they say is an illegal city attempt to seize their property for an urban renewal project. "When we moved into this area, it was considered the highest crime-rate area in the city of Houston," Latter Day Deliverance Revival Church Pastor Roy Lee Kossie said according to a news release from Liberty Institute, the Christian legal organization representing Latter Day and nearby Christian Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church. "People shot first and asked questions later. But we love this community. This is where the Lord called us and this is where we want to stay. We aren't giving up without a fight." Tory Gunsolley, president and CEO of the Houston Housing Authority, told the Houston Chronicle the city wants land owned by the churches as part of a redevelopment effort to include a library and 63-unit housing project. The housing project would replace an apartment complex that had to be demolished because of damage sustained from Hurricane Ike in 2008. The demolished complex could not be rehabilitated, Gunsolley said, because of limitations associated with its proximity to Interstate 10. The city tried … [Read more...]

By Bonnie Pritchett/The TEXAN AUSTIN, Texas (BP) -- The apparent lack of oversight regarding the donation of human fetal tissue and the possible circuitous implementation of policies overseeing the regulation of Texas' 22 abortion facilities drew focus during the Texas Senate Health and Human Services Committee hearing July 29. Senators sought to determine if state laws were violated following the revelation that Texas abortion providers, particularly Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast (PPGC), may have sold aborted fetal organs for profit. The investigations are in response to undercover videos released by the Center for Medical Progress (CMP), purportedly showing the illegal sale of fetal organs to individuals acting as biomedical company representatives. The HHS committee heard testimony from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Department of State Health Services (DSHS) commissioners, Texas Health and Human Services Commissioner, and Texas pro-life organization representatives. Planned Parenthood representatives were invited to testify but responded with a letter refusing to appear, with the PPGC president dismissing the hearing as a farce and "political gamesmanship." Sen. Charles Schwertner, HHS Committee chairman, … [Read more...]

By Bonnie Pritchett/The TEXAN HOUSTON (BP) -- Houston's City Council voted Aug. 5 to put the controversial equal rights ordinance (known as HERO) on the Nov. 3 ballot after a vote to repeal the law failed but not before debate arose over the ballot language. Council members opposed to the ballot language cautioned Mayor Annise Parker the city could find itself again on the losing end of a legal battle over how the city chooses to parse its words for the voters. The vote marked a "dubious" anniversary for HERO opponents. It was one year ago -- Aug. 4, 2014 -- that Parker and then-City Attorney David Feldman called a press conference to declare "invalid" a referendum to repeal the equal rights ordinance, which gives protected class status to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals. On Aug. 5, 2014 petitioners filed a lawsuit claiming Parker, Feldman, City Secretary Anna Russell and the City of Houston overstepped their authority in dismissing the referendum. And on Aug. 5, 2015, Houston City Council, at the direction of the Texas Supreme Court, was forced to accept the referendum petition and vote to repeal the ordinance. Dave Welch, executive director of the Houston Area Pastors Council (HAPC), … [Read more...]

By Baptist Press NASHVILLE (BP) - Year-to-date contributions to Southern Baptist Convention national and international missions and ministries received by the SBC Executive Committee have exceeded $158 million, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President Frank S. Page. July's Cooperative Program allocation receipts for SBC work totaled $15,808,270.90, bringing the total to $158,859,518.38 received by the Executive Committee through 10 months of the fiscal year (October 1 through July 31). The year-to-date total for distribution through the SBC's Cooperative Program Allocation Budget is $2,192,851.71, or 1.40 percent, above the $156,666,666.67 year-to-date CP projection for support of Southern Baptist ministries globally and across North America. It is $4,945,028.86, or 3.21 percent, more than the $153,914,489.52 received through the first 10 months of 2014. Designated year-to-date giving of $185,610,814.48 is 0.62 percent, or $1,145,711.26, above the $184,465,103.22 received at this point last year. This total includes only those gifts received and distributed by the Executive Committee through close of business on July 31 and does not reflect designated gifts contributed directly to SBC … [Read more...]

By Joe Conway, North American Mission Board NASHVILLE (BP) - A sold-out crowd of more than 13,000 from all 50 states and four Canadian provinces flooded into Nashville's Bridgestone Arena to celebrate the call of Jesus and the response of life on mission at the 2015 Send North America Conference Monday. North American Mission Board President Kevin Ezell and International Mission Board President David Platt welcomed the assembly and challenged attendees to serve wherever God calls them. "This is where I want to call 13,000 plus people in this arena, from the beginning [of the conference], to put a blank check of our lives on the table for God -- no strings attached," Platt said. Ezell noted, "We need pastors, students, men and women to rise up. We want this to be more than a conference you attend, we want it to be a life-altering experience." The mission entity leaders were joined on the platform by Southern Baptist Convention president Ronnie Floyd, Tennessee Baptist Convention executive director Randy Davis and others who helped lead prayer. Opening session keynote speaker J.D. Greear told attendees they have a call to leverage their talents and lives for the Great Commission. "True growth … [Read more...]

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (BP) -- A 26-year-old activist with a video camera has moved to the forefront of cultural challengers to the nation's largest abortion provider. David Daleiden and his group Center for Medical Progress are in the process of releasing a much-publicized series of videos he says show Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) senior executives involved in selling baby body parts. The first video, released July 14, showed PPFA Senior Director of Medical Services Dr. Deborah Nucatola admitting to using partial-birth abortions to get intact body parts to sell. Daleiden released a second video July 21 showing another PPFA senior executive -- Dr. Mary Gatter, president of PPFA's Medical Directors' Council -- haggling over the price of body parts and offering to use abortion methods that will not destroy the parts -- what she called "less crunchy techniques." Questions of federal law surround both the sale of fetal tissue as well as abortions involving fetal tissue collection. How did Daleiden get these videos? "We conducted a 30-month-long investigative journalism project," he told WORLD News Service. Daleiden said he spent months networking and building relationships, noting, "You can't just walk in off … [Read more...]