Tuesday, July 14, 2020

• California churches ordered to cancel indoor worship in at least 30 counties

  by Diana Chandler, posted Tuesday, July 14, 2020 (3 years ago)

  

  Photo from Facebook

  FRESNO, Calif. (BP) -- Many California Southern Baptist pastors will likely find ways to continue to worship while obeying Gov. Gavin Newsom's Monday (July 13) order forbidding indoor worship once again.

  "I think our churches are committed to doing what needs to be done to keep in contact with their members," said Terry Barone, communications team leader for the California Southern Baptist Convention (CSBC). "We would have to say that we're not happy about the decision," he said of the CSBC. Read More

• Tennessee enacts strong pro-life law; court battle begins

  by Tom Strode, posted Tuesday, July 14, 2020 (3 years ago)

  

  Screen capture from Facebook

  NASHVILLE (BP) -- Tennessee enacted a law Monday (July 13) that provides some of the country's strongest protections for unborn children, but it remained in effect less than an hour -- at least for now.

  Gov. Bill Lee signed legislation that prohibits an abortion when a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks. The measure also bans an abortion when the doctor knows the request for the procedure is driven by the race, sex or health/disability diagnosis of a child. Read More

• TRUSTEES: Southwestern Seminary approves reduced budget, sees 'encouraging signs'

  by James A. Smith Sr. , posted Tuesday, July 14, 2020 (3 years ago)

  

  FORT WORTH, Texas (BP) -- During a called meeting Tuesday (July 14), trustees of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary unanimously approved a "conservative" budget for the 2020-2021 academic year -- at $29.7 million, 6 percent lower than in 2019-20 -- while hearing about "encouraging signs" for student enrollment.

  The meeting, held in executive session, was conducted via video conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Trustees had decided in their April meeting to delay adoption of the 2020-21 budget until mid-July in order to provide more time to evaluate the ramifications of the pandemic. Read More

• FROM THE SEMINARIES: Gateway buildings close under renewed lockdowns; Spurgeon College announces bachelor's program updates

  by Staff, posted Tuesday, July 14, 2020 (3 years ago)

  

  Gateway buildings close as California governor orders renewed lockdowns; Spurgeon College announces BA program updates in history, communications. Read More

• SBC DIGEST: Background checks essential for reopening kids ministries; Louisiana College to hold in-person classes

  by Staff, posted Tuesday, July 14, 2020 (3 years ago)

  

  Background checks essential part of reopening kids ministries; Louisiana College to hold in-person classes, precautions include 14-day quarantine for students. Read More

• FIRST-PERSON: Big decisions

  by David Jeremiah, posted Tuesday, July 14, 2020 (3 years ago)

  

  We need to think of all our decisions as big decisions, David Jeremiah says. Learn to consider every decision as an opportunity to honor God. Read More

• Trump administration rescinds rule on foreign students

  by Collin Binkley, posted Tuesday, July 14, 2020 (3 years ago)

  

  AP file photo by Charles Krupa

  BOSTON (AP) -- Facing eight federal lawsuits and opposition from hundreds of universities, the Trump administration on Tuesday rescinded a rule that would have required international students to transfer or leave the country if their schools held classes entirely online because of the coronavirus pandemic.

  Leaders of 12 Christian organizations, including Russell Moore of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, had urged the Trump administration to rescind the policy. Read More