WASHINGTON (BP) – The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments April 24 in a case involving an Idaho law which bans nearly all abortions in the state. The case involves a challenge to the law, known as the “Defense of Life Act,” which makes it a felony for doctors to perform most abortions, except those performed when necessary to save the life of the mother. On Jan. 5, the Supreme Court ruled Idaho can enforce the law while the court case is being resolved. This ruling put on hold a lower court ruling which blocked the Idaho law, based upon a lawsuit filed by the Biden administration. The Just ..read more

NASHVILLE (BP) – Tennessee lawmakers have approved an “abortion trafficking” ban making it a Class A misdemeanor to transport minors out of state for abortions without parental consent, or to procure abortion pills for minors. Parents and legal guardians retain the right to get their children abortions outside Tennessee, and other adults may do so with the written, notarized consent of the pregnant mother’s parent. The bill does not impact the travel of adult expectant mothers seeking abortions elsewhere. Downgraded from a Class C felony in previous language, the bill awaiting Tennessee Gov. B ..read more

NASHVILLE (BP) – When asked about online chatter that claimed over half of its affiliated churches had left, Acts 29 responded that those reports are “extremely exaggerated.” The group, which is not directly connected to the Southern Baptist Convention but counts numerous Southern Baptist churches as part of its network, told Baptist Press in a statement that it expects its partnership renewal process to finish in early May. The number of churches was at 428 when the process began on March 1. As of April 22, it stood at 397 with a small number of churches yet to respond. There were 486 Acts 29 ..read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. (BP) – Bobby S. “Bob” Terry’s contributions to the Christian publishing world continue to be noticed across the industry. Evangelical Press Association honored him with its Terry White Lifetime Achievement award Tuesday (April 23) during its annual meeting, held this year in Lexington. Terry, editor emeritus of The Alabama Baptist, received a similar honor from Associated Church Press (the William B. Lipphard Award, for Distinguished Service to Religious Journalism) in 2019 and is the only person to date to be honored with both ACP and EPA’s lifetime achievement awards. Widespre ..read more

WASHINGTON (BP) – President Joe Biden signed a $95 billion foreign aid package April 24 that drew bipartisan support for Israel, Ukraine and other allies, and pledged to begin sending weapons and military equipment to Ukraine within hours. “It’s going to make America safer; it’s going to make the world safer, and it continues America’s leadership in the world,” Biden said after signing the bill that gives Ukraine $60.8 billion, Israel $26.4 billion and the Indo-Pacific region $8.1 billion. A portion of Israel’s allocation, $9 billion, will provide humanitarian aid to Gaza. Brent Leatherwood, p ..read more

TOWAOC, Colo. (BP) – A dozen people made professions of faith in Jesus as their Savior and Lord, and many more requested prayer last weekend on the Ute Mountain Ute reservation south of Cortez, Colo. They did so after men and women affiliated with the Fellowship of Native American Christians (FoNAC) testified of their brokenness and repair in three services and in visits in the men’s and women’s jails April 19-21. “It was a great day today,” emcee Tommy Meely, of Choctaw/Chickasaw descent, told the 40 or more at the Saturday evening service, which took place at the tribe’s Rec Center in Towaoc ..read more

NASHVILLE (BP) — Over the next month churches will hold the annual event known as Graduate Sunday. Those days may include tables of photos in the foyer, graduates in their caps and gowns, a meal for senior and a sermon by the youth pastor, leaving parents to wonder about the science behind the speed of time. Those elements usually tend to reflect on the past. While there’s nothing wrong with nostalgia, what if there were glimpses into the student’s future? “My philosophy is to treat it as an opportunity more for commissioning rather than recognition,” said Chris Trent, NextGen catalyst for the ..read more

FORT WORTH (BP) — The question was as sharp as it was simple. “When you die,” Steve Gaines asked, “what do you hope to do in heaven?” Gaines, senior pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn., told the crowd gathered at the Awakening National Prayer Conference on the campus of Southwestern Seminary on April 18 that he looks forward to seeing a number of people in heaven. Jesus, of course. His father, mother, and brother. Historic saints from the Old and New Testaments, ranging from Joseph to Joshua to John. Amidst that shuffle of faithful faces and well-known names, Gaines said he wil ..read more

NASHVILLE (BP) – The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) hosted an online event Monday, April 22, which focused on how Christians can approach political engagement, even beyond this year’s presidential election.   The event featured a conversation between ERLC President Brent Leatherwood and Daniel Darling, director of The Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The two discussed a variety of topics related to engaging politics in today’s often divisive culture. The full conversation, titled “Bringing Hope to an Election Year: Ch ..read more

JERUSALEM (BP) – This Passover, Holocaust survivors in southern Israel are afraid to leave their homes, a regional messianic leader told Baptist Press, while in the U.S. anti-Israel demonstrations have disrupted operations and led to arrests at a handful of elite universities. More than 130 Israeli hostages, their conditions unknown, remained captive as Jews began the traditional celebration of Israeli freedom at sundown April 22. The Israel-Hamas War is exacerbated by attacks between Iran and Israel. Jews feel isolated and unsafe, said Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship Missions Developmen ..read more