• Stem cell research becoming a focus of Presidential campaign_82304

  Posted: 8/13/04

  Stem cell research becoming a focus of Presidential campaign

  By Robert Marus
  

  ABP Washington Bureau
  

  WASHINGTON (ABP)—On the third anniversary of a controversial decision by President Bush limiting embryonic stem-cell research, both parties' presidential campaigns focused on the morally contentious topic.

  08/13/2004 - By John Rutledge

• 

  CYBERCOLUMN by Brett Younger: St. Paul goes to the writing workshop_82304

  Posted: 8/13/04

  CYBERCOLUMN:
  St. Paul goes to the writing workshop

  By Brett Younger
  

  My wife, Carol, and I recently attended a “spiritual writing workshop” at St. John’s College in Santa Fe. The 15 students in our class took turns shredding one another’s stories, sermons and essays. It was helpful, but by the end of the week, I wondered what would happen to 1 Corinthians 13 if the Apostle Paul first submitted it for review to a writing workshop.

  “OK, Paul, you know the rules. You have to be quiet until we finish critiquing your piece. Who wants to start?”

  08/13/2004 - By John Rutledge

• Bivocational ministers’ group changes name_80904

  Posted: 8/06/04

  Bivocational ministers' group changes name

  By John Hall

  Texas Baptist Communications

  BELTON–The Texas Baptist Bivocational Ministers and Spouses Association changed its name and became more closely aligned with the Baptist General Convention of Texas at its recent meeting, adopting a revised constitution.

  08/06/2004 - By John Rutledge

• 

  Biblical ignorance, lack of prayer lead to conflict, mediator says_80904

  Posted: 8/06/04

  Biblical ignorance, lack of prayer lead to conflict, mediator says

  By Toby Druin

  Editor Emeritus

  SAN ANTONIO–Ignorance of what the Bible says about relationships and lack of prayer are common denominators in most church conflicts, said Blake Coffee, a San Antonio attorney who heads a growing ministry to congregations in trouble and those seeking to avoid it.

  08/06/2004 - By John Rutledge

• Canadian Southern Baptists take steps toward name change_80904

  Posted: 8/06/04

  Canadian Southern Baptists take steps toward name change

  By Frank Stirk

  Canadian Horizon

  TORONTO (BP)–After being known for 20 years as the Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists, messengers to the annual meeting in Toronto voted to take the first tentative step toward considering a new name.

  08/06/2004 - By John Rutledge

• 

  DBU students seek to ‘turn the tide’ against AIDS in Africa_80904

  Posted: 8/06/04

  DBU students seek to
  'turn the tide' against AIDS in Africa

  By Kristi Brooks

  Dallas Baptist University

  DALLAS–In an effort to “turn the tide” against the spread of HIV-AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, a group of Dallas Baptist University students spent a month there this summer, carrying a message of sexual abstinence to students in Swaziland's schools.

  08/06/2004 - By John Rutledge

• Coalition urges Supreme Court to ban death penalty for minors_80904

  Posted: 8/06/04

  Coalition urges Supreme Court
  to ban death penalty for minors

  By Robert Marus

  ABP Washington Bureau

  WASHINGTON (ABP)–A broad coalition of concerned parties–including Nobel laureates, scientific leaders, foreign countries and American religious denominations–is urging the Supreme Court to ban the death penalty for offenders under age 18 at the time they commit their crimes.

  08/06/2004 - By John Rutledge

• Social justice takes back seat to hot-button political issues_80904

  Posted: 8/06/04

  Social justice takes back seat to hot-button political issues

  By Sandi Villarreal

  Associated Baptist Press

  WASHINGTON (ABP)–Same-sex marriage and abortion are overshadowing other moral issues in the presidential election, even among Christian voters, who make up the overwhelming majority of the electorate.

  08/06/2004 - By John Rutledge

• 

  Pastor’s slideshow voting guide sparks complaint with IRS_80904

  Posted: 8/06/04

  Pastor's slideshow voting
  guide sparks complaint with IRS

  SPRINGDALE, Ark. (ABP)–Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a religious-liberty watchdog organization, has filed a complaint with the IRS against the 14,000-member First Baptist Church of Springdale, Ark., the largest church affiliated with the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, for what it considers partisan politics, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

  The church's pastor, Ronnie Floyd, preached a patriotic sermon July 4 during which he encouraged members to "vote God" in the November election. Floyd did not mention either President Bush or Democratic challenger John Kerry by name, nor did he indicate which candidate he personally favored. Rather, he urged members to vote "by the authority of God's word, Christian values, convictions and beliefs."

  Ronnie Floyd

  But Americans United claims the message crossed the line of the Internal Revenue Service Tax Code for tax-exempt churches, which prohibits churches from participating or intervening in political campaigns on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office.

  08/06/2004 - By John Rutledge

• San Angelo-area volunteers start pilot Christian Men’s Job Corps program_80904

  Posted: 8/06/04

  San Angelo-area volunteers start pilot
  Christian Men's Job Corps program

  By George Henson

  Staff Writer

  SAN ANGELO–Roger Juli-en knows a good thing when he sees it.

  08/06/2004 - By John Rutledge

• 

  Serving God in dark places is a privilege, shooting survivor tells new missionaries_80904

  Posted: 8/06/04

  Serving God in dark places is a privilege,
  shooting survivor tells new missionaries

  By Mark Kelly

  International Mission Board

  TYLER (BP)–The hardships of missionary service can be discouraging, but worshipping God in a spiritually dark place is a privilege beyond compare, Iraq shooting survivor Carrie McDonnall told 58 new missionaries in Tyler.

  08/06/2004 - By John Rutledge

• ‘777’ on the pager means somebody is praying_80904

  Posted: 8/06/04

  '777' on the pager means somebody is praying

  By George Henson

  Staff Writer

  DALLAS–Prayer and pagers are being brought together in an innovative way that benefits congregations and people in need.

  08/06/2004 - By John Rutledge