It is all but settled - Louisiana citizens will decide whether to add a ban on same-sex marriages to their state constitution or not this fall. It is all but settled - Louisiana citizens will decide whether to add a ban on same-sex marriages to their state constitution or not this fall.   On the same day last week, the Louisiana House and Senate both voted to put a proposed amendment on a fall ballot. The House voted 87-11 for the same-sex ban, while the Senate voted 31-4.   Both vote totals were more than the two-thirds margin needed for the measure.   House members debated the issue for 75 minutes before voting. Supporters of the amendment cheered passage of the amendment proposal from the gallery.   Thirty minutes later, they cheered again as state senators followed suit.   Meanwhile, supporters predicted overwhelming approval of the proposed amendment by voters. While same-sex marriages already are banned by Louisiana law, they say the constitutional amendment is needed to guarantee that state courts do not step in and reinterpret or strike down those existing statutes.   The proposed amendment also would prohibit Louisiana from recognizing … [Read more...]

With Massachusetts now the only state to recognize same-sex marriages, the movement to legalize it nationally begins. With Massachusetts now the only state to recognize same-sex marriages, the movement to legalize it nationally begins. While other areas have made moves to recognize same-sex marriages, Massachusetts began issuing legal marriage licenses to same-sex couples earlier this month. With that action in mind, following is a list of common questions regarding the issue - with answers. • How does the Massachusetts decision impact the rest of the country? Same-sex couples married in Massachusetts now have stronger legal grounds to sue in federal court and ask that their marriage licenses be recognized elsewhere. In addition, a lawsuit could take place in a state court where justices may be inclined to issue a favorable ruling - for instance, in New Jersey, which is known to have one of the nation’s more liberal high courts. Either way, same-sex "marriage" could spread far beyond Massachusetts. • Could this lead to same-sex marriages in all 50 states? Many experts believe it could. In order for same-sex "marriage" to spread nationally, a 1996 law known as the Defense of Marriage Act must be … [Read more...]

Checking the present - and future: Growth rates now are plateaued for the SBC - but efforts are underway to recover focus Checking the present - and future: Growth rates now are plateaued for the SBC - but efforts are underway to recover focus   It is way more than about time somebody had the nerve to say it - and one Southern Baptist denominational leader finally has.   For years now, Southern Baptist leaders have taken no small amount of pride in being at the head of the largest Protestant denomination in America.   For years now, they have pointed to annual reports that showed increased numbers in membership and various key denominational categories.   For years now, they have spoken of the Southern Baptist Convention as a major spiritual force in American society, too large, too powerful to ignore.   But those precious annual numbers do not lie - and someone finally has said so.   First, check the primary numbers as reflected in 2003 Annual Church Profile reports prepared by individual Southern Baptist congregations and compiled by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.   The Southern Baptist Convention reported a … [Read more...]

So, exactly what is wrong with the Southern Baptist Convention? What happened to all the growth promised by denominational leaders in recent years? So, exactly what is wrong with the Southern Baptist Convention? What happened to all the growth promised by denominational leaders in recent years? And could Sunday School actually hold the key to jumpstarting the convention growth engine? Perhaps, a pair of recent papers suggest. That the Southern Baptist Convention has reached a stall period is beyond doubt. But what to do about it is a more difficult assessment. However, a pair of papers posted by the Baptist Center for Theology and Ministry at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary last fall offer a suggestion – a revival and reinvention of an evangelistic Sunday School. Indeed, in an examination of membership growth and evangelism patterns during the 20th century, William Day notes a troubling decline in growth rates since the 1950s. For instance, from 1995-2000, the rate of growth in Southern Baptist membership fell to only 1.9 percent. Meanwhile, while annual baptisms rose from 1900 to 1960, they since have plateaued. And while it took less than 20 Southern Baptists to baptize one person prior to 1935, it … [Read more...]