Baptists respond to West blast with aid, prayer

UPDATE: Local, regional and state church groups responded April 18 to the deadly fertilizer explosion that leveled portions of West, Texas, on Wednesday night.

04/18/2013 - By John Rutledge

Texas Baptists respond to West explosion

UPDATE: The fertilizer plant explosion that claimed as many as 15 lives and injured more than 160 others also damaged First Baptist Church and destroyed Pastor John Crowder’s home.

04/18/2013 - By John Rutledge

Offering helps bring vegetables to children in food desert

An impoverished Central Waco neighborhood has no grocery stores nearby. It’s what experts call a food desert—a place where vegetables and other healthy food are hard to find.

04/17/2013 - By Ken Camp

Texas Baptists help train church leaders in Haiti

Lawmakers urged to hold payday lenders to same standards as others

Texas Baptist pastors joined other religious leaders and consumer advocates urging a Texas House of Representatives committee to hold payday and auto-title lenders to the same rate and fee limitations as other small-dollar consumer loan businesses in the state.

04/16/2013 - By Ken Camp

Texas Baptists to collect Shoes for Orphan Souls

Buckner International is teaming up with Texas Baptists to encourage Baptist churches across the state to collect new shoes now through July 14 for vulnerable children in the Rio Grande Valley and around the world and bring them to the first-ever Texas Baptist Family Gathering, July 14-17 in San Antonio.

04/16/2013 - By Ken Camp

Texas Tidbits: Our House challenge

Baptist Child & Family Services issued a three-year $250,000 challenge grant to the community in Abilene to benefit Our House, a transitional living home for homeless young men, ages 18 to 23.

04/12/2013 - By John Rutledge

Predatory lending ‘reform’ bill moves in the wrong direction, advocates insist

A predatory lending bill in the Texas Senate not only fails to deliver on promised reform of payday lending, but also represents several steps backward for Texas consumers, according to a Christian Life Commission spokesman.

04/10/2013 - By Ken Camp

Missional water purification technology gains secular attention

Technologies like water purification systems designed for use by Christian missionaries are getting notice from secular agencies for their potential impact on economic development, a trend faith-based groups see as a “collateral benefit” of the doors they open to share the gospel.

04/10/2013 - By Ken Camp

Congreso participants urged to follow Christ fearlessly

Palpable energy characterizes worship services during Congreso—an annual gathering of Hispanic Texas Baptist teenagers and young adults—as adrenaline-pumping, ground-shaking music echoes through an arena and students raise their hands and voices to the sky.

04/10/2013 - By Ken Camp

Texas Baptists seek to raise $1 million on Mother’s Day to help hungry

Texas Baptists plan to take a significant step on Mother’s Day to provide meals to children in need.

04/09/2013 - By Ken Camp

Updated analysis: Texas CLC sets legislative priorities

More than three months into the 83rd Texas Legislative Session, the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission is giving priority attention to bills ranging from payday lending limits to expansion of legalized gambling.

04/07/2013 - By John Rutledge