Religion Today Summaries – Jan. 12, 2007
Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
In today's edition:
- Former Presidents Carter & Clinton Call for 'A New Baptist Covenant'
- Few Youth Workers Satisfied with State of Youth Ministry
- Hindu Extremists Beat Four Pastors in India
- Mohler Released from Hospital; Activities to be Limited
Former Presidents Carter & Clinton Call for 'A New Baptist Covenant'
Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton have proposed the establishment of a broadly inclusive alternative Baptist movement to counter what they called a negative image of Baptists and to address poverty, the environment, and global conflicts, Baptist Press reports. Carter and Clinton kicked off their plans with a news conference Jan. 9 at the Carter Center in Atlanta, flanked by leaders of moderate Baptist groups including the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, a breakaway group of an unverified number of churches that objected to the election of conservative leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention. Carter and Clinton announced a “Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant,” tentatively set for Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2008, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, which they hope will attract 20,000 Baptists. “This is a historic event for the Baptists in this country and perhaps for Christianity,” Carter said. “This is an attempt to bring people together and say, ‘What would our Christian witness require of us in the 21st century?’” Clinton said, adding that his goal is to be a “cheerleader” for the group. Leaders from the Southern Baptist Convention were not invited to attend.
Few Youth Workers Satisfied with State of Youth Ministry
The Christian Post reports that few youth workers are satisfied with what's going on in youth ministry. According to youth leader and author Chris Folmsbee, many youth leaders are not seeing a lot of transformation happening in their youth groups, but they are not doing anything to change it either. Folmsbee grew up in the church but didn't learn much of the Bible. What the pastor's kid did remember, though, were the people who cared for him and invested in him. Rather than thinking up events or innovative programs to keep youths afloat in ministry, Folmsbee asked, "Relationally, how can we connect with them?" His book A New Kind of Youth Ministry does not present a new model or a specific formula. Instead, it examines some of the tenets of youth ministry – evangelism, discipleship, student leadership, missions trips - that don't seem to be working. Another concern raised was the "chasm" between elder leadership and youth in conversations around postmodernism. Too much of the time, youth are misunderstood and labeled as "bad people."
Hindu Extremists Beat Four Pastors in India
Seven youths beat Pastor Robert Kennedy of Bangalore in Karnataka state on Sunday January 7, after asking him to “pray for a sick friend.” The pastor required 16 stitches to his head and back after the assault, during which the youths reportedly told him, "Christ shed his blood – now you do the same." In neighboring Andhra Pradesh state, Hindu extremists beat two pastors on January 6 and 7 after warning them to cease Christian activities in their villages. And on December 28, Hindu extremists beat Pastor Pawan Kumar, an independent pastor ministering near Bodhan, Telangana. The extremists entered the home of local believer Issac Raju and beat some 14 Christians, burning their Bibles and sound system. “The RSS and the Bajrang Dal have become much bolder in their attacks on Christians in Telengana,” Lionel Francis, coordinator of the Global Council of Indian Christians, told Compass Direct News. “Even though we have filed complaints, no arrests have been made.”
Mohler Released from Hospital; Activities to be Limited
Baptist Press reports that Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. was discharged Jan. 10 from Louisville’s Baptist Hospital East following a two-week hospitalization that included extensive abdominal surgery and a four-day stay in the intensive care unit due to blood clots in the lungs. Mohler and his family are "overjoyed to be back home," according to a press release. "Dr. Mohler looks forward to resuming his presidential and ministerial duties, but his activities will be limited for some time as he continues his recuperation at home," the release stated. Mohler was admitted to the hospital on Dec. 27 complaining of intense abdominal pain and underwent surgery the following day.
Originally published January 12, 2007.
