First Baptist Church of Dallas
votes to dually align with SBTC
___By Mark Wingfield
___Managing Editor
___DALLAS--First Baptist Church of Dallas voted in a congregational business meeting Nov. 17 to "loosen" its ties with the Baptist General Convention of Texas and dually align with the new Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.
___The new convention was formed last year by conservatives who could not persuade the BGCT to walk in closer alignment with the more conservative direction the national Southern Baptist Convention has taken since 1979.
___Although the historic downtown Dallas congregation will retain its affiliation with the BGCT and contribute $24,000 next year through the BGCT's Cooperative Program, the church has not ruled out leaving the BGCT entirely, Pastor Mac Brunson said in an interview published in Baptist Press Nov. 18.
___"I think that's something the church will revisit in the next year," he said.
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Patterson: Calvinism OK but wrong
___SPRINGDALE, Ark. (BP)--Five-point Calvinists lack scriptural justification for their beliefs but will not be run out of the Southern Baptist Convention, SBC President Paige Patterson told Arkansas pastors Nov. 8.
___"There's plenty of room under the umbrella for anyone who is anything from a one- to five-point Calvinist," Patterson said, stipulating that any Southern Baptist would have to agree upon the doctrine known as perseverance of the saints or "once saved, always saved."
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More adults are single,
but fewer singles are in church
___By Sarah Zimmerman
___Associated Baptist Press
___ATLANTA (ABP)--Strike one: they're young.
___Strike two: they're single.
___Strike three: they're college-educated.
___Three strikes and today's young professionals are out--out of church, that is.
___Research by pollster George Barna indicates the young, single and well-educated are the adults least likely to attend church.
___Who can blame them? Churches cater to couples starting families, because that's when many young adults return to church. Many people, however, are putting off marriage until well into their 30s, if they marry at all.
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Supreme Court will hear
Texas case on football prayer
___By Mark Wingfield
___Managing Editor
___WASHINGTON--The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review the case of a Texas school district's quest to maintain its tradition of offering prayers over the public-address system at high school football games.
___This is the first case concerning school prayer the court has agreed to hear since it struck down clergy-led prayers at commencement exercises in 1992.
___At issue is the practice of the Sante Fe Independent School District near Galveston. The district's policy of permitting student-led prayers at high school football games was ruled unconstitutional by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals earlier this year.
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