By Joni B Hannigan, Christian Examiner ST. LOUIS (Christian Examiner) – Some would say there hasn't been a full out campaign for president of the Southern Baptist Convention since 1989 in Las Vegas, but one pastor says it's time to throw in the wild card, admit it's a political process, and allow the nominees to press forward. Passions ran high in 1989 during what is commonly referred to as the Conservative Resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention. Conservatives had elected Jerry Vines in 1988 in San Antonio and were set to elect him for a second straight year. Moderates couldn't win against Vines in 1998 even with Texan native Richard Jackson, the mega pastor who led North Phoenix Baptist Church in explosive growth; and so in 1989 moderate supporters launched an unprecedented campaign for Daniel Vestal, who later became the executive coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. To read the rest of the story, click here. … [Read more...]

JACKSON, Miss. – Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant has signed into law a bill that provides protection for individuals, organizations and businesses who deny services based on their belief that marriage is between a man and a woman. “I have signed HB 1523 into law to protect sincerely held religious beliefs and moral convictions of individuals, organizations and private associations from discriminatory action by state government or its political subdivisions, which would include counties, cities and institutions of higher learning,” Bryant posted on his Facebook page after signing the bill today. “This bill merely reinforces the rights which currently exist to the exercise of religious freedom as stated in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. “This bill does not limit any constitutionally protected rights or actions of any citizen of this state under federal or state laws,” he continued. “It does not attempt to challenge federal laws, even those which are in conflict with the Mississippi Constitution, as the Legislature recognizes the prominence of federal law in such limited circumstances. The legislation is designed in the most targeted manner possible to prevent government interference in the lives of the people from … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA – International Mission Board President David Platt denies he knowingly endorsed J.D. Greear for president of the Southern Baptist Convention, stating he was not aware Greear’s request for a video clip was for the purpose of creating a campaign ad. The controversy emerged when Greear, pastor of the Summit Church in Durham, North Carolina, and a leading member of Acts 29, a neo-Calvinist church planting network, began circulating a promotional video March 14 featuring a number of Southern Baptist personalities, including three SBC entity heads: Platt; Russ Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission; and, Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Platt responded to an IMB trustee via email March 23, explaining, “while I was overseas in the Middle East, J.D. asked me to shoot a 2-second video saying, ‘It’s tricky,’” a phrase repeated throughout the online commercial. But Platt said Greear did not divulge how the clip would be used. “I had no idea what it was for,” Platt clarified, although he said he knew beforehand Greear “had been nominated.” Jimmy Scroggins, pastor of First Baptist Church, West Palm Beach, Florida, announced … [Read more...]

By Gregory Tomlin, Christian Examiner NASHVILLE (Christian Examiner) – A new study from LifeWay Research finds that American Christians are facing an increasingly intolerant culture and, perhaps, complaining too much about being persecuted. The survey asked 1,000 Americans in September 2013 and September 2015 if Christians were facing increasing intolerance in society. The results of the two studies were then compared to examine the trend in opinion. Results varied by geographic region, but surprisingly a majority of respondents in both the American West also believed Christianity is now seen in a less favorable light. To read more about this story, click here. … [Read more...]

By Gregory Tomlin, Christian Examiner MEMPHIS (Christian Examiner) – Church security officers and police averted tragedy at the 4,500-member Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis today when a man entered the church with several weapons. According to police, church security officers saw the man in the church and contacted police during the Easter Sunday Service. He was armed with a semi-automatic rifle, 40-caliber Beretta handgun and was carrying a backpack, the contents of which were not reported. Officers arrived at the church and took the man into custody without incident. A local television station reported the man, Marcus Donald, 31, was "arrested for emergency commitment." Donald reportedly told police "people in society are a threat to him and that he must be vigilant." Emergency commitment is the "only time a mentally ill person can be taken into custody solely for being mentally ill," a spokesman for the University of Memphis Crisis Intervention Team told another local news station. After the morning services, Jim Barnwell, a Bellevue spokesman, said in a statement no one was injured in the incident: "A heavily armed man entered our building today about 11:00 a.m. He was stopped by our security people … [Read more...]

By Tom Strode, Baptist Press Washington Bureau WASHINGTON (BP) -- The U.S. Supreme Court considered arguments Wednesday (March 23) that the federal government is intent on forcing Christian and other religious ministries to violate their consciences by accepting a rule that makes them complicit in abortion. Lawyers for the objecting institutions -- including some Southern Baptist-related entities -- and the Obama administration made their cases before the justices regarding the abortion/contraception mandate, a federal regulation issued to help implement the 2010 health-care reform law. The mandate requires employers to provide for their workers not only contraceptives but drugs and devices that can potentially cause abortions. Those who refuse to abide by the requirement face fines in the millions of dollars. GuideStone Financial Resources, the Southern Baptist Convention's health and financial benefits entity, and two of the ministries it serves, as well as three Baptist universities, are among the challengers to a mandate accommodation provided by the federal government to religious nonprofits. During the arguments, Paul Clement, representing those challenging the accommodation, told the justices the Little Sisters … [Read more...]

By Roy Hayhurst, GuideStone Communications DALLAS — Attorneys for GuideStone Financial Resources made oral arguments in its litigation against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and its so-called contraceptive mandate Wednesday at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. “We are thankful for the opportunity to make our case before the High Court and pray for wisdom for the justices and favor in the outcome,” said GuideStone President O.S. Hawkins, who attended the hearing. “We are thankful for the prayers of so many in our Southern Baptist and broader evangelical family; this is the time to continue praying for these men and women who will render the verdict.” The mandate would require certain ministries served by GuideStone to provide abortion-causing drugs or devices as part of their health plan or face crippling penalties. Churches and integrated auxiliaries of churches are exempt from the mandate. “The justices were very engaged and questioned the government closely,” said Mark Rienzi, counsel for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which represents GuideStone. “But once again, the government had no clear explanation for why it needs to use religious ministries to deliver services that are … [Read more...]