Tuesday, February 27, 2018

• After Harvey: Home in TX town becomes 'symbol of hope'

  by Jane Rodgers/Southern Baptist TEXAN, posted Tuesday, February 27, 2018 (4 years ago)

  

  Photo provided by TEXAN.

  REFUGIO, Texas (BP) -- In the town of Refugio -- with a population just under 3,000, located 55 miles north of Corpus Christi -- few structures emerged unscathed from Hurricane Harvey, whose winds ravaged homes and businesses in an already economically disadvantaged area.

  Yet hope appears to be alive and well in Refugio.

  High school football coach Jason Herring, contractor Brian Miller and a network of Southern Baptist churches and disaster relief (DR) volunteers want to keep it that way. Read More

• Mohler: Lord's Prayer is 'revolutionary' manifesto

  by Andrew J.W. Smith, posted Tuesday, February 27, 2018 (4 years ago)

  

  Photo by Emil Handke/SBTS

  LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- The Lord's Prayer is a revolutionary manifesto for God's eternal reign in heaven and earth, R. Albert Mohler Jr. writes in his new book, "The Prayer That Turns the World Upside Down."

  Most people recognize the familiar refrains of the prayer Jesus taught to His disciples in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4. It's recited at graveside services and before many high school football games. But people often don't understand the words they're saying, Mohler writes.

  Mohler hopes readers will see the large-scale purpose of this famous prayer: The Lord alone reigns. Read More

• Supreme Court DACA order spurs call to prayer

  by David Roach, posted Tuesday, February 27, 2018 (4 years ago)

  

  iStock

  WASHINGTON (BP) -- The Supreme Court's refusal to fast-track a Trump administration appeal related to immigration has given Congress more time to resolve the fate of undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.

  In response to the high court's action, Southern Baptists with an eye to the legislative process have urged prayer that Congress will act justly and offered a variety of legislative proposals.

  "Everybody is tossing this [issue] back to Congress," said Mark Harris, who resigned the pastorate of First Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C., last year to run for the U.S. House of Representatives. "... At the end of the day, it's Congress that's got to pass laws." Read More

• Beth Moore's Living Proof Live conf. marks 20 years

  by Joy Allmond, posted Tuesday, February 27, 2018 (4 years ago)

  

  Photo by David Lowe

  FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (BP) -- As the lights dimmed in Fort Lauderdale's Calvary Chapel sanctuary, Lisa Hitchcock didn't know what was happening. But when 17 figures carrying lanterns ascended the stage, she wept.

  Hitchcock, a history teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, was among the 3,500 attending LifeWay's Feb. 23-24 Living Proof Live with Beth Moore event -- on its 20th anniversary.

  The Friday night session began with a choreographed tribute to the 17 people slain in the Feb. 14 shooting at the Parkland, Fla., high school -- just 13 miles from where Moore, the LifeWay team and volunteers would minister to this grieving community. Read More

• Online sex crimes loophole removal nears House vote

  by Diana Chandler, posted Tuesday, February 27, 2018 (4 years ago)

  

  iStock

  WASHINGTON (BP) -- A legal loophole that has shielded sex advertising websites and their users from prosecution may be reversed after the U.S. House of Representatives heard arguments today (Feb. 27).

  A bipartisan bill, hailed by such advocates as the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), would amend Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934. Classified advertising website Backpage.com and its users have used the act to avoid federal and state prosecution over interactive computer services related to child sexual exploitation and sex trafficking, according to the bill's supporters. Read More

• Pastor's story sparks generosity for pro-life centers

  by Tom Strode, posted Tuesday, February 27, 2018 (4 years ago)

  

  Photo by Eric Brown

  WASHINGTON (BP) -- No one knew what was about to happen when Southern Baptist pastor Nathan Lino stood to share at the Evangelicals for Life dinner about God's provision for his Houston church's pro-life pregnancy center in the wake of flooding from Hurricane Harvey.

  The leaders of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Commission (ERLC) and Focus on the Family were hoping for $125,000 in donations that evening to provide ultrasound machines and training for pregnancy centers in the United States. By the end of the evening, guests at the Jan. 19 event at the Museum of the Bible had responded to Lino's account by giving about $336,000. Three weeks later, the amount had surpassed $400,000. Read More

• FROM THE STATES: Okla., Minn. and N.C./Vermont evangelism/missions news; 'It is not the size of the church ... it is the size of the heart of the church ...'

  by Staff, posted Tuesday, February 27, 2018 (4 years ago)

  Today's From the States features items from: The Baptist Messenger (Oklahoma); Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist (Minnesota); Biblical Recorder (North Carolina and Vermont) Read More

• FIRST-PERSON: Billy Graham's motorcade

  by Keith Shorter, posted Tuesday, February 27, 2018 (4 years ago)

  Keith Shorter traveled to North Carolina to say thanks to Billy Graham as his motorcade passed by. The crowd stood silent. "We were not there because he was famous," Shorter recounts, "we were there because he was faithful." Read More