Scott Barkley

TOPEKA, Kans. (BP) — They lined up on March 2, ready to enter the baptistry at First Southern Baptist Church. College athletes, all of them. Emerging from the water symbolized a new start for them and signaled a long-term commitment by others to bring such a decision.

NASHVILLE (BP) — Pro-life groups have longed for the day that no taxpayer dollars are sent to Planned Parenthood. Many say that moment is closer now than ever.

NASHVILLE (BP) – At last month’s SBC Executive Committee meeting, EC President and CEO Jeff Iorg reported that as of Dec. 24, some $13 million had been spent on investigations related to sexual abuse and related legal costs. He further reported that the EC is pursuing a $3 million loan to cover legal costs in the current fiscal year. Additionally, EC members approved a 2025-26 budget that includes a $3 million priority allocation for legal fees. That budget awaits SBC messenger approval in June.

NASHVILLE (BP) — Deadly weekend storms across several southern states and into the Midwest have prompted a widescale response on the part of Send Relief and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief.

A former Ypsilanti, Mich., youth choir director originally arrested last October on 30 counts of sexual abuse received 30 more after testimony during a preliminary examination March 4.

NASHVILLE (BP) – High probability reports of extreme weather this weekend that include long-range tornadoes have Southern Baptist Disaster Relief directors contacting unit leaders and advising people to be prepared.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BP) — A bipartisan bill may give ministers who decided long ago to opt out of Social Security benefits the chance to change their minds.

SAN FRANCISCO (BP) – A decision by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals places a Washington church in position to potentially provide health care coverage for abortion, say attorneys.

DENVER (BP) — The Supreme Court announced today (March 10) that it will hear the case of a Colorado counselor challenging the state’s ban on “conversion therapy.”

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (BP) – Peer pressure can be a good thing. It’s not something usually pressed in a student ministry setting, but Bill Newton has discovered its value at Immanuel Baptist Church.