Tom Strode

In November 2013, Senate Democrats were frustrated that Republicans were blocking President Barack Obama’s nominees. At the time, ending debate and moving to a confirmation vote generally required 60 votes. Democrats used their majority in the Senate to change how that rule was applied, lowering the threshold and allowing a simple majority to move most nominations forward. However, they left the 60-vote requirement in place for Supreme Court nominees.

The bivocational pastor leaves work around 5 p.m., but his day is far from over.

RICHMOND, Va. (BP) – A Southern Baptist pastor’s son is at the center of a suit brought forward to allow homeschooled students the opportunity to compete in public high school sports in Virginia.

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. (BP) Ministry often doesn’t work according to the calendar. Circumstances change. Delays occur. Life happens.

KRAMATORSK, Ukraine (BP) – Code-named Gideon, the Ukrainian military guide took a 60-mile detour to avoid “Death Road,” a dangerous span in eastern Ukraine so named because many have been killed on it by Russian forces.

NASHVILLE (BP) – If churches will take better care of their pastors, then pastors will be able to take better care of their churches. That’s what two Southern Baptist leaders believe as they reflect on their own pastoral experiences and on serving alongside hundreds of pastors.

JASPER, Texas — Donnie Gene Wiltshire, a Baptist pastor and leader who spent more than five decades ministering to the Deaf community, died Wednesday, Oct. 21, after more than a year of battling brain cancer. He was 73.

As of Sept. 15 of this year, I have been at Tigerville Baptist Church for two years. How did this happen? I started as an interim, was installed as a bi-vocational pastor a few months later, and now I’m here week after week working for church revitalization with a scrappy…

“It will not be easy for her to completely be honest with her parents about getting baptized and coming to church,” Sophia said. “But we're still praying with her and hoping that she will stand strong and grow and be able to share with her family.”

An old adage warns against discussing religion or politics in polite company. But in a free republic, these subjects are too important to avoid.