Friday, May 29, 2020

• Federal finding on transgender athletes applauded

  by Tom Strode, posted Friday, May 29, 2020 (3 years ago)

  

  iStock

  WASHINGTON (BP) -- Southern Baptist ethics specialists have praised a Trump administration finding that Connecticut's athletic association and multiple school districts violated federal law by permitting biological males to compete against females in athletic events.

  The Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) informed the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) and the school districts of its decision that they had disobeyed Title IX, the 1972 law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs, including athletics. By allowing males who identified as females to complete in girls track meets, the CIAC and the schools "denied female student-athletes athletic benefits and opportunities," according to a May 15 letter from the OCR. Read More

• Minneapolis pastor leads in peaceful protests after Floyd's death

  by Diana Chandler, posted Friday, May 29, 2020 (3 years ago)

  

  Submitted photo

  MINNEAPOLIS (BP) -- Pastor W. Seth Martin sat on guard in his front room until 3 a.m. Friday in case rioters approached his home, which is located just a block from where George Floyd was detained by police and died.

  "I would, prayerfully, if it was outside, I would petition and seek the peace for my street," said Martin, who is also a young husband and father. "I'm a black man who is grieving and this is closer to me as a black man. I would seek peace in that way, but also, I would protect my family. If peace wasn't possible, I would obviously make sure I protected my family and put them in the safest position possible." Read More

• No pause for coronavirus, 'Soul Patrol' has stayed on track

  by Scott Barkley/Christian Index, posted Friday, May 29, 2020 (3 years ago)

  

  Submitted photo

  SUMMERVILLE, Ga. (BP) -- Since mid-January Pastor Steve Pickern of SonRise Community Church has led 186 people to the Lord.

  Should Pickern keep the pace he established Jan. 16, the number of those who accept Christ through his one-on-one evangelism will surpass 500 this year. Whether at Walmart, a restaurant, pumping gas, or anywhere, the 66-year-old asks others what would happen if they died that day. Sure, some say no to his invitation, but at least one a day since he started has said yes. Read More

• Some camps going digital to reach students this summer

  by Tobin Perry, posted Friday, May 29, 2020 (3 years ago)

  

  Submitted photo

  ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) -- With many Baptist campgrounds throughout the United States announcing they won't host summer camps or will do so only on a limited basis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, churches are looking for other high-impact options to reach and disciple students.

  Shane Pruitt, the North American Mission Board's executive director of next gen evangelism, says the complete loss of summer camps will hurt local church efforts to reach youth with the Gospel. Read More

• Graduates will 'see the word of Lord,' Mohler says

  by Forrest Strickland, posted Friday, May 29, 2020 (3 years ago)

  

  LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- Graduates of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary "see the word of the Lord speed ahead of them," said seminary president R. Albert Mohler Jr., at the school's 225th commencement exercise May 15.

  Due to restrictions on large gatherings because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the commencement was live-streamed, with no graduates physically in attendance at the Louisville, Ky., campus. The service has been live-streamed in the past, but the 225th commencement marks the first commencement at Southern Seminary where students watched exclusively online. Read More

• FIRST-PERSON: A personal resolution

  by Josh Powell, posted Friday, May 29, 2020 (3 years ago)

  

  Pastor Josh Powell has adopted an 11-point resolution for confronting racism and seeking justice. "My conscience will testify against me and my witness will be marred if I do not express my convictions," he says. Read More