Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
Churches to Mark Election Day with Communion
Hundreds of churches across the country will attempt to focus on a more important commitment, as millions of Americans cast their votes next Tuesday. While ballots are being counted and pundits jump to conclusions,...
Why Christians Should Model Civil Public Conversation
September 1983. Franklin, Tennessee. One of our best soccer players runs toward me, tears streaming down his 7-year-old face. Because he'd just accidently kicked the ball into our net and scored for the other team, I...
November 3, 2016
Pope Francis Reiterates: Women Forever Banned from Priesthood (Catholic News Agency) KKK's Official Newspaper, 'The Political Voice of White Christian America,' Supports Donald Trump for President (Washington Post)...
3 Ways Good Mission Funding Can Do Great Harm
A commodity is something that is bought and sold. Mission is the loving and joyful response of Christ's followers to disciple the nations, holding forth Jesus' life and teaching among all the peoples of the world. In...
Beating Burnout: Why Every Moses Needs a Jethro
She said she wanted to be a missionary. When asked how she wanted to serve, she replied, "I just want to love the world" - an undoubtedly admirable but somewhat ill-defined sentiment. My then-missionary wife counseled...
November 2, 2016
Amy Grant's New Christmas Album Reignites the Old 'What's Christian Enough?' Question (Washington Post) Americans United Ally Brent Walker Reflects on a Career Defending Religious Liberty (AU) Baptist Church Comes...
November 1, 2016
Unsealing of Christ's Reputed Tomb Turns Up New Revelations (National Geographic) The Public and Private Faith of Hillary Clinton (CNN) Regent University Hosts a Trump Revival – or Rally? (Religion Dispatches) The High...
The Failed Attempts to Create Utopian Communities
Not many books on my "to read" list are 500 years old, but "Utopia" was on that list until I read it recently. "Utopia" was a term coined by the author Thomas More for his book with that title published (in Latin) in...
Lasting impact
By John D. Pierce We all have those teachers whose impact lasted beyond the final exam. My list of classroom heroes includes Dr. George Braswell. His seminary class on cross-cultural communication has long informed my...
3 Ways Your Church Can Launch New Churches
Does your church have a vision of multiplying? More often than not, we find ourselves thinking that planting a church would be great, but we don't have any intentionality toward it. Yet, Jesus called us to be "senders"...
Faith-Based Advisory Council’s Anti-Poverty Recommendations
Poverty is not inevitable, we are our brothers' and sisters' keepers, and a nation should be assessed by how it helps citizens with the greatest needs. These were focal points in a report from the President's Advisory...
October 31, 2016
North Carolina Baptists Travel to Cuba (Salisbury Post) Haunted House that Planned to Recreate Scenes From Orlando Massacre Canceled (Huffington Post) How a Generation is Changing Evangelical Christianity (Huffington...
Of old papyrus and modern politics …
Americans are not the only ones whose political scene involves multiple perspectives and turbo-charged spin machines ready to frame any event to the advantage of a particular point of view. Israel is a primary case in...
Witnessing the Last Gasp of French Refugee Camp
It is the curse of today's world that companies and organizations, even governments, think it is efficient and cost-effective to run any operation with the minimum number of staff. It isn't. I arrive at a virtually...
What Will Your Kids Find When They Google You?
One day our kids will "Google" us. It hasn't happened yet for me, but I know it will soon. I've already been Facebook "stalked," Instagram-investigated and iPhone-snooped by my 13-year-old. It's only a matter of time...
October 28, 2016
Benediction for Gaddy: Nationally Known Minister Retires (Monroe News-Star, LA) Birmingham's Civil Rights Story 'Needs to be Told,' National Park Official Says (Birmingham News) LifeWay Stops Selling Jen Hatmaker Book...
Nothing to do with Jesus
By John D. Pierce One significant revelation in this endless political season has been the clear disclosure of “the Christian right” as a political movement having nothing to do with Jesus. Absolutely nothing. And it...
Questioning Reports of Declining Church Attendance
I have read many news articles over the past year in various sources claiming that church attendance in the United States is dramatically decreased. The statistics vary a lot, so I won't bother to offer any here. My...
Welcoming Refugees as ‘Guests’ in Jordan
Welcoming refugees is a traditional act of hospitality for the nation of Jordan. An estimated 1.4 million Syrians fled south to Jordan over the past few years, a number equivalent to about 20 percent of Jordan's...
October 27, 2016
Oldest Hebrew Mention of Jerusalem Found on Rare Papyrus from 7th Century BCE (Times of Israel) Iowa Church Drops Lawsuit on Transgender Bathroom Issue (Fox News) Aaron Weaver Promoted to CBF Director of Communications...
Christians Should Model Civility As Divisive Election Ends
Civility is needed now more than ever. No matter the results on Nov. 8, civility will be vital to rebuild community and cooperation in the wake of a contentious presidential election. Civility begins with respectful...