Baptist Press Archive

Friday, February 14, 2020

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  • Matthew West's 'Brand New' album marks new era

    by Tess Schoonhoven, posted Friday, February 14, 2020 (one month ago)

    FRANKLIN, Tenn. (BP) -- Contemporary Christian artist Matthew West's new album "Brand New" explores themes of new life, insecurity, hope and grace while melding together musical styles ranging from pop ballads to guitar-led, Springsteen-like tunes.

    Dropping today (Feb. 14), this is the first project West has released under a recently-signed deal with Provident Label group and Sony Music. Read More

  • 'Grassroots' network launched to address concerns about direction of SBC
    by Diana Chandler, posted Friday, February 14, 2020 (one month ago)

    BOSSIER CITY, La. (BP) -- A group described as "grassroots" Southern Baptists announced the formation of the Conservative Baptist Network Friday (Feb. 14). Group spokesperson Brad Jurkovich, pastor of First Baptist Church of Bossier City, La., told Baptist Press the group was launched to address concerns about the direction of the SBC.

    Jurkovich is the only person publicly identified as part of the group's leadership. He declined to share names of other leaders, though he said it was "really local pastor-driven." Read More

  • House drops deadline for ERLC-opposed ERA
    by Tom Strode, posted Friday, February 14, 2020 (one month ago)

    iStock
    WASHINGTON (BP) -- The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to rescind a deadline established nearly 50 years ago for a constitutional amendment a Southern Baptist Convention entity says would threaten the sanctity of human life and freedom of conscience.

    The House voted 232-183 in an almost party-line roll call to remove the deadline set by Congress in 1972 for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), a controversial proposal that failed to gain ratification by three-fourths of the states in the allotted time. When Congress approved the ERA, it established a seven-year deadline for ratification by the states. Congress later extended the deadline three more years, but proponents achieved passage in only 35 of the 38 states needed before time expired in 1982. Read More

  • Baptist children's ministries plan for uncertain future
    by Brian Koonce, posted Friday, February 14, 2020 (one month ago)

    Screen capture from KOLR
    BRIDGETON, Mo. (BP) -- Religious liberty can seem an abstract concept, but consider Kevin.

    Kevin is one of more than 13,000 children in Missouri's foster care system. Kevin has been waiting for adoption since he was 6. That was 10 years ago. Back in December, Kevin appeared on KOLR Channel 10 in Springfield, Mo. In a weekly segment, the station features foster kids like Kevin, who are in search of a home and forever family. Read More

  • Baptist state editors talk unity, vision
    by George Schroeder, posted Friday, February 14, 2020 (one month ago)

    Photo by George Schroeder
    TUCSON, Ariz. -- Saying "Gospel Above All" is "more than a slogan," Southern Baptist Convention president J.D. Greear urged unity in remarks this week at the annual meeting of the Association of State Baptist Publications.

    Citing Romans 14, Greear suggested Paul's exhortation and admonishment to believers not to pass judgment on nonessentials applies to some current issues in the SBC. "Gospel Above All" is the theme chosen by Greear for the upcoming 2020 SBC Annual Meeting, just as it was for the 2019 Annual Meeting. He said for the theme to become reality, Southern Baptists must not divide over tertiary issues. Read More

  • Vision 2025 unveiling, Credentials Committee report highlight SBC EC meeting agenda
    by Jonathan Howe, posted Friday, February 14, 2020 (one month ago)

    BP file photo
    NASHVILLE (BP) -- SBC Executive Committee president Ronnie Floyd is expected to issue a call for Southern Baptists to reimagine a new future of reaching the world for Jesus Christ at the February SBC Executive Committee meeting next week (Feb. 17-18) in Nashville.

    In his remarks with Baptist state publication editors and state executives earlier this week in Tucson (see related story), Floyd announced the unveiling of "Vision 2025" -- a call to reach every person for Jesus Christ in every town, every city, every state and every nation. Floyd's address is scheduled for Monday night in the first of two scheduled plenary sessions of the 86-member board. Read More