Nationally, Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes and Leadership Training for Christ events draw more than 40,000 to 17 sites in 13 states. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Four families from the Northern Hills Church of Christ in western South Dakota drove more than 700 miles each way to attend the Heart of America Leadership Training for Christ (LTC) convention this past weekend. Alaethia Thompson — … Continue reading In Heart of America, LTC helps train church leaders from small congregations

By Bobby Ross Jr. | GetReligion

For residents of Austin, Texas, weeks of terror ended Wednesday when Mark Conditt — identified as the serial bomber responsible for killing two people and badly wounding four others — blew himself up.

As reporters began delving into the 23-year-old Conditt’s background, religious details — some more concrete than others — quickly emerged.

My thanks to GetReligion reader Deann Alford, a Texas-based journalist and author, who alerted us to crucial facts in an Austin American-Statesman story. The key: The religious questions linked to this story are valid hooks to investigate — right now. But authorities say they see no clues, so far, to motives in these acts.

The Austin newspaper interviewed Jeremiah Jensen, 24, who was homeschooled in the same community as Conditt:

Read the full column.

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All of my GetReligion columns (March 2018):

Continue reading “Reporters delve into the religion of Mark Conditt, the dead man identified as Austin’s serial bomber”

God works ‘even in the midst of such evil and pain,’ minister says. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle “Are you OK?” “Tell me you’re safe.” “Pamela, please text me back.” At 7:57 a.m. on a recent Tuesday, a gunman opened fire at Marshall County High School in Benton, Ky., a rural community 130 miles northwest of Nashville, Tenn. By the time the rampage ended, … Continue reading After Kentucky school shooting, teen’s faith amazes

By Bobby Ross Jr. | GetReligion

When the dateline on a news story is Nashville, Tenn., there isn’t always a religion angle.

But almost always?

Yes, that’s a pretty safe statement. At least was the case during the year I spent in that Bible Belt state capital, covering faith and politics for The Associated Press.

In late 2015, I praised The Tennessean’s decision to hire a full-time religion writer — Holly Meyer — after eliminating the position when veteran journalist Bob Smietana left the paper in 2013. In my post two years ago, I proclaimed:

The prodigal Godbeat has come home to Music City!

The USA Today Network publication’s investment in Meyer and religion journalism expertise keeps paying dividends. The most recent example came last week after Nashville Mayor Megan Barry confessed to an extramarital affair.

Way up high in the initial main news story on Barry’s affair, quotes attributed to the mayor hinted strongly at holy ghosts:

Read the full column.

• • •

All of my GetReligion columns (February 2018):

Continue reading “A Bible Belt mayor, an extramarital affair and a religion-savvy newspaper”