Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
White Like Me But Refusing to Love Their Neighbors
A picture in the news this weekend showed three white men holding black shields and black flags. It occurred to me that, though younger, they looked like me. Without their foolish garb, we could be mistaken as being...
4 Ways Your Church Can Minister to Schools
Soon, many Americans will experience one of the biggest events of the year - the first day of school. Think of the shopping, the preparation, the anticipation: A new school year is significant! Your church or small...
Understanding the Principles of Utilitarian Ethics – Part 1
What action will result in the greatest happiness for the largest number of people? This is the critical question utilitarian ethics uses to address moral dilemmas. Based on this defining question, we can make several...
5 Ways Your Church Can Keep Families Together
Many churches are seeking to incorporate times in which the family can stay together to worship, grow and learn about God together in church, but they don't know where to start. This has been confirmed to me by...
August 14, 2017
First Baptist Church of Augusta Bicentennial Celebration Planned for August 20 (Augusta Chronicle) Car Hits Crowd After White Nationalist Rally in Virginia Ends in Violence (New York Times) Video of Christian Preacher...
Empowering hatred
On August 11 and 12 hundreds of avowed white supremacists converged on Charlottesville, Virginia, protesting the city's decision to remove a prominent statue of Robert E. Lee in a symbolic step away from celebrating...
How Your Church May Be Like Comic-Con
Comic-Con International is the annual gathering of all things pop culture held in San Diego. The convention has panels and gatherings on almost anything to do with comics, movies, television and video games. Despite...
Report: Blasphemy Laws Remain ‘Astonishingly Widespread’
Laws against blasphemy remain "astonishingly widespread" around the world, according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). Such legislation is "detrimental to religious freedom," often...
PhD Candidate Examines Intersection of Sports, Religion
"Today, in the popular mind, if you think 'sports and religion,' you probably think Tim Tebow. You think evangelical." But there's much more to sports and religion than what Tebow represents, says a Baylor doctoral...
Rural Churches Serving on Cutting Edge of Ministry
Rural churches and ministries face numerous challenges in the 21st century. At some point in a minister's career, the likelihood of serving in a small-town church seems high, especially if the person transitions from...
Church Staffing Will Require Creative Solutions
Perhaps you are blessed to be part of a congregation that has a full-time professional staff. Your pastor and most of the associate pastors are seminary educated. The staff members provide leadership and train lay...
August 10, 2017
The Rise of Nashville’s Interfaith Culture (Tennessean) National Baptist Convention Still on for Cincinnati Despite Unease Over Tensing Case (WLWT) First Baptist Dallas’ Robert Jeffress: ‘God Has Given Trump Authority...
Peaks and valleys
By John D. Pierce Yesterday’s drive across Glacier National Park from east to west on the Going-to-the-Sun Road offered breath-taking views. The abundant wildflowers and wildlife along Logan Pass soothed the soul. We...
Profiles in Goodwill: Pam Durso
Pam Durso is executive director of Baptist Women in Ministry. 1. Where did you grow up? My father was a Baptist pastor so we moved several times during my childhood and teenage years. I was born in Big Spring, Texas,...
How WWII Could Have Ended Without Atomic Bombs
Were the atomic bombs necessary for ending the conflict with Japan during World War II? Undoubtedly, most U.S. citizens since the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on Aug. 6 and Aug. 9, 1945, have firmly...
Virtue Ethics: Building Disciples with Character – Part 3
What is distinct about a Christian virtue ethic? Christians do not have a monopoly on virtue ethics. However, we should be confident that we have an important contribution to make to the broader discussion. We can be...
Now, that’s evil …
In a very nice cabin set in majestic old forest growth outside of Helen, Ga., Susan I looked forward to several days of hiking on some of the area's charming and challenging trails -- but have been foiled by three...
Why’s Your Church Program Breaking Down? Science!
Any homeowner can tell you concrete cracks. Metal rusts. Wood warps. Caulk fails. Paint peals and sunlight fades everything. Sometimes, we can get by with touching up our home's age spots. But, if we own the house long...
Virtue Ethics: Building Disciples with Character – Part 2
Christians have no sense of "ownership" on virtues and virtue ethics. When Paul penned his message to the Galatians, he was aware that four centuries earlier the Greek philosopher Aristotle had emphasized the...
Why the World Needs More Thoughtful Christians
Communicating the simple message of Jesus while emphasizing the importance of faith seeking understanding through critical thinking is one of the more pronounced tensions in local church ministry. How can we maintain...
Virtue Ethics: Building Disciples with Character – Part 1
Virtue ethics offers a distinct approach to moral issues by concentrating on the character of social agents rather than an analysis of a particular dilemma. The foundational principle is that the actions of virtuous...