Religious freedom advocates applauded a federal appeals court decision in December that blocked enforcement of Nevada’s pandemic-related restrictions because they treat various secular events and businesses “significantly better” than worship gatherings. A three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals — generally considered the most liberal of the federal appellate courts — unanimously granted […]
NIH director: COVID-19 vaccines safe, effective and ethical
The unprecedented pace of developing vaccines for COVID-19 has not jeopardized their effectiveness or safety for Americans, the director of the National Institutes of Health said in a December webinar hosted by the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Francis Collins, NIH’s director since 2009, answered questions from ERLC President Russell Moore about vaccines […]
Few churches back to pre-COVID attendance, offering levels
The vast majority of U.S. Protestant churches say they are holding in-person services, but churchgoers have yet to attend in the numbers they did before the coronavirus pandemic struck, and many pastors say the 2020 economy is hurting their congregation. According to a recent survey from Nashville-based LifeWay Research, 87 percent of Protestant pastors in […]
A Different Thanksgiving Day in 2020
Typically, the Thanksgiving holiday features some of the busiest travel days of the year. With the pandemic still strong and no vaccine or cure available, travel plans are changing. In the past, it has been estimated that as many as 90 percent of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving Day. While that may not change, the […]
Thanksgiving: The 2020 Experience
The Bible has much to say about being thankful or giving thanks. For example, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” The Psalms contain many exhortations to be thankful. Yet, what happens when a pandemic intersects with protests, looting and basic civil unrest? Add […]
SCBC Executive Board approves one-day annual meeting
The Executive Board of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, meeting Oct. 6 at Riverland Hills Baptist Church in Columbia, has approved changing the upcoming annual meeting from two days to one, taking precautions precipitated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Executive Board, with Albert Allen presiding as chairman, adopted a motion to condense the 2020 […]
Georgia law protects churches from COVID-19 liability
To protect businesses, including churches, from claims and lawsuits related to COVID-19, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed the Georgia COVID-19 Pandemic Business Safety Act, which became effective Aug. 5. In order for an entity, defined by the bill to include “religious and educational organizations,” to avoid liability, a sign must be posted “at the point […]
How Many Churches Will Close?
Speculation runs rampant these days as prognosticators and researchers attempt to predict how many churches will be closing within the next 12 to 24 months. Recently, Barna president David Kinnaman indicated that as many as 20 percent of churches could close within the next 18 months. Speaking to the NPR’s “Here and Now” gathering, he […]
Six Reasons Your Pastor Is About to Quit
Please hear me clearly. The vast majority of pastors with whom our Church Answers team communicates are saying they are considering quitting their churches. It’s a trend I have not seen in my lifetime. Some are just weeks away from making an announcement. They are looking for work in the secular world. Some will move […]
Economic shutdowns create crisis; Global Hunger Relief Sunday, Oct. 11
As COVID-19 travels around the globe, it has created a food crisis for much of the developing world. Spread of the disease and the ensuing lockdowns affected supply chains as well as humanitarian support, according to a report from WORLD Magazine. In South Asia, economic shutdowns hit day-laborers in the suburbs between major cities and […]