The Southern Baptist Convention’s publishing arm has been designated one of the nation’s top 500 midsize employers by Forbes magazine for a second consecutive year. LifeWay Christian Resources ranked 196; criteria included how likely workers are to recommend their employer to someone else and how they feel about other employers in their industry. “To be recognized by Forbes based on employee feedback is especially meaningful,” President and CEO Thom Rainer told Baptist Press. “This is a reflection of our employees’ commitment to LifeWay’s mission.” Meanwhile, Christian-owned Chick-fil-A has been selected for the Workforce 100 list. Compiled by Workforce magazine, the [...]

The lead attorney in Hobby Lobby’s religious freedom case has been confirmed to the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Kyle Duncan, 46, had served as general counsel for the Becket Fund, a Christian legal rights organization.   Duncan led the legal team for the retail chain’s successful opposition to a contraceptive mandate in the Affordable Care Act. By a 5-4 ruling in 2014, the Supreme Court upheld Hobby Lobby’s objection—on religious grounds—to providing contraceptive coverage as part of employees’ insurance plans.   Democrats questioned whether Duncan could be impartial on other grounds as well, citing his defense of a [...]

A pair of outspoken Christians—one an evangelist, the other a businessman—are part of the Republican gubernatorial field for Alabama’s June 5 primary. Evangelist Scott Dawson has never held office, while business consultant Bill Hightower has been a state senator since 2013. Both hope to replace current Gov. Kay Ivey. She took office a year ago after former Gov. Robert Bentley resigned amid the threat of impeachment.  A recent fundraising report placed Dawson just ahead of Hightower this year, with the evangelist collecting nearly $169,000, about $2,000 more than Hightower. Ivey raised more than twice either challenger during March alone. Dawson, [...]