The Southern Baptist Convention issued a joint statement Monday urging Christians to avoid sensationalism and misrepresentations, while also raising issues of concern regarding recent reports that the U.S. military may be violating the religious freedom of Christians.

"We reject any and all attempts to sensationalize or misrepresent situations, in this or any other context. Having said that, we are concerned," the statement says. "While rejecting any conspiracy theory linking the reports above, we believe there are in some of these cases elements that are indicative of a troubling lack of respect for true religious diversity in our military. Furthermore, problematic attempts in some sectors of the military to compromise the free exercise of religion have given a sense of plausibility when other such reports emerge, even when those reports are not grounded in fact."

The impetus for the statement was four separate recent incidents: 1) In a presentation at a U.S. Army training briefing, evangelical Christians were listed alongside other religious sects and the terrorist group al-Qaida under the heading "Religious Extremism." 2) The Southern Baptist Convention's website was blocked on military bases. 3) U.S. military officials met with Mikey Weinstein, who has made anti-Christian inflammatory remarks, on religious issues in the military. And 4) military spokespersons announced that Christian soldiers could be punished for "proselytization." more >>

Dr. Russell Moore will play both a prophetic and representational role as the new president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, he told The Christian Post Friday. Moore, currently dean of the School of Theology, senior vice president for academic administration and professor of Christian theology and ethics at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., will replace Dr. Richard Land in June.

The ERLC has a dual role, Moore explained: to speak to Southern Baptists about the ethical mandates of the Church, and to speak to the larger culture on ethical issues of the day. The larger culture includes governmental leaders, as well as those in the media and arts, such as film.

Southern Baptists do not always agree on every political or cultural issue. Moore does not believe that is a problem. One of the difficulties Christians have had in the past has been assuming there is always a precise biblical answer to every political question, he explained, but that is not the case. There are some issues for which Christians will disagree and the ERLC will not take a position on. more >>

A Texas megachurch will soon be opening up a new 500,000 square-foot campus for its congregation to worship.

First Baptist Church of Dallas, which is headed by Dr. Robert Jeffress, will open the campus located in Downtown Dallas on Sunday.

In a statement released back in February, Jeffress explained that the main purpose of the new campus was to reach out to areas usually untouched by the megachurch movement. more >>

Dr. Russell D. Moore has been selected to replace Dr. Richard Land as president of the Southern Baptist Commission's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.

"I am delighted that the Holy Spirit has led the ERLC's trustees to Dr. Russell Moore as the commission's next president," said Land, who announced his retirement last July and is also executive editor for The Christian Post. "Dr. Moore is a godly Christian minister, a devoted husband and father and a convictional, committed Baptist. His excellent academic preparation, combined with his keen mind and his tender heart for God and His people, make him a person uniquely suited to serve our Savior and Southern Baptists in this crucial role at such a critical moment in our nation's history."

As dean of the School of Theology, senior vice president for academic administration and professor of Christian theology and ethics at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., Moore is one of the most well-known Southern Baptist theologians in the United States today. He is also the author of many books that are popular among evangelical Protestants, including, Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches and Tempted and Tried: Temptation and the Triumph of Christ. more >>

Major evangelical leaders recently announced their support for universal background checks for all firearms purchases in America.

The Rev. Franklin Graham, president of the Christian relief organization Samaritan's Purse and Dr. Richard Land, outgoing head of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, stated this in interviews with Time Magazine.

"As ministers, we agreed together that we could stand on a united front for universal background checks … We think that's reasonable and responsible," said Graham. more >>

A seminary in Pennsylvania has filed a motion to intervene on behalf of two Texas universities suing the Department of Health and Human Services over their "Preventive Services" mandate.

Westminster Theological Seminary of Glenside filed the motion Friday in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas Houston Division.

"Westminster claims an interest in the transaction that is the subject of this action. Westminster is a graduate level theological seminary which adheres to the historic Reformed understanding of the Christian faith," reads the motion in part. "As such, it is resolutely opposed, on biblical and First Amendment grounds, to the federal agencies' mandate being challenged here that requires it to provide its employees health insurance coverage for, and thereby encourage its employees to use, abortifacient drugs." more >>