By Will Hall, Baptist Message Editor ALEXANDRIA (Baptist Message) – Southern Baptists’ overseas mission forces will be reduced to levels not seen since 1993 with the departure of about 22 percent of its personnel, including 983 missionaries leaving the field and 149 severing ties from various stateside assignments. International Mission Board President David Platt announced the 1,132 terminations Feb. 24, stressing the “voluntary” nature of most of the departures. However, 30 communicators with approximately 500 years of IMB service among them, which included bringing IMB communications into the Internet age, were fired in January. Platt said in a Baptist Press report the team was “way behind in developing the digital mindset” and “struggled to form new methods for reaching a changing audience.” Yet the group included award-winning writers and photographers who are featured speakers at national conferences for their expertise. UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES Platt declared in September 2015 his goal of 600-800 terminations, including personnel “here and overseas,” saying such were needed in order to balance IMB’s books after the agency had spent $210 million more than it received from 2010-2014. He rejected the notion … [Read more...]

By Joni B Hannigan, Christian Examiner RICHMOND, Va. (Christian Examiner) – A former high ranking administrator at the International Mission Board cried "foul" in an online posting last week following a statement by IMB President David Platt that 30 communications missionaries let go last month were downsized as the result of their failure to keep current in the digital age. Calling Platt's statement about the team "patently inaccurate," Ken Winter said the team's "stellar efforts have been grossly undervalued and maligned." Winter, who a year ago stepped down as vice president of church and partner services, in a Feb. 19 blog entry in which he spoke fondly of about 200 "gifted and godly" men and women who accepted a "voluntary retirement incentive" offered by the IMB, but had choice words about the suggested deficiencies attributed to the 30 others who were involuntarily "removed." To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]

By Tom Strode, Baptist Press WASHINGTON (BP) -- The death of Associate Justice Antonin Scalia not only brings about a battle over replacing him and elevates the Supreme Court as an issue in the presidential election, but it likely will affect important cases about life and liberty in this term. Scalia, 79, was found dead in his room the morning of Feb. 13 while on a quail hunting trip at a west Texas resort. He reportedly died in his sleep. While President Obama and the Republican majority quarrel over whether the Senate will act to confirm whomever he nominates, the eight remaining justices will be considering cases left in this term. The even number of court members offers the possibility, even probability, of tie votes. One of the highly significant cases that potentially could result in a tie vote involves abortion, and another impacts religious freedom. The high court will hear oral arguments March 2 regarding a Texas law regulating abortion doctors and clinics. Oral arguments are scheduled March 23 in a challenge to the Obama administration's abortion/contraception mandate to religious nonprofit organizations under the Affordable Care Act. A 4-4 tie in either case -- or any other case -- would result in the … [Read more...]

By Michael Foust, Christian Examiner DESTIN, Fla. (Christian Examiner) - Mike Huckabee is out of the Republican presidential race, but he says he won't stop advocating for his beliefs. However, he has no plans on endorsing anyone, either. To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - The governor of Texas supports police putting cross images on their patrol cars, saying they are part of U.S. historical practices, and symbols of service, his office said last week. Governor Gregg Abbott, a Republican, offered his support for the crosses in a brief filed to the state's attorney general. He was responding to a sheriff's office in Brewster County that received a complaint about images of a Christian cross with a horizontal thin blue line displayed on its patrol vehicles. "In addition to its religious significance, the cross has a long history in America and elsewhere as a symbol of service and sacrifice," Abbott wrote, adding in his opinion, the display does not violate U.S. constitutional provisions preventing the establishment of religion. To read the rest of the story, click here. … [Read more...]

By Michael Foust, Christian Examiner CHICAGO (Christian Examiner) – The abortion rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America took to social media during the Super Bowl to blast a Doritos ad that showed an ultrasound – and then got plenty of pushback from viewers who were incredulous that anyone would have had a problem with the commercial. The humorous ad shows a pregnant woman receiving an ultrasound as her husband stands by her side, watching. "And there's your beautiful baby," the technician tells the mom, who is upset at her husband for munching on Doritos. To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]

By Alliance Defending Freedom staff WASHINGTON – Fourteen briefs have been filed with the U.S. Supreme Court that encourage it to weigh in on Washington state rules that force pharmacy owners and pharmacists to stock and dispense drugs contrary to their religious beliefs instead of allowing them to refer customers to other pharmacies and pharmacists as they are allowed to do in all 49 other states. The state allows referrals for a variety of reasons but singles out religiously motivated referrals as prohibited. Among the briefs in support of the petition that a Washington state pharmacy and two pharmacists filed with the high court last month are ones signed by 43 members of Congress; 13 state attorneys general; 29 notable legal scholars; more than 4,600 individual health care professionals; and 38 professional pharmacy associations, including the nation’s largest, the American Pharmacists Association. “No one should be forced to choose between following their deepest religious beliefs and following an unjust, unneeded government mandate that targets only people of faith. The state of Washington allows referrals for nearly any reason but does not allow referrals motivated by faith. The briefs filed with the Supreme Court … [Read more...]