Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
Don’t Be Blind to Idolatry’s Silent Partner
Idolatry and injustice seem to be at the top of the list of violations of covenant faith. The prophets and historians of ancient Israel identified the tendency to claim "godness" for one's own thinking and behavior as...
September 29, 2016
Donald Trump Seemingly Asks if He Should Eject Non-Christian Conservatives from Rally (TIME) 38% of Donald Trump Supporters Say Minorities Have 'Too Much Influence' (TIME) Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore Stands Trial...
Returning Evangelism to Moderate Baptist Life – Part 2
Minimal evangelism initiatives and dwindling membership are key challenges facing moderate Baptist churches. Central to the problem are the mixed messages we send in the church. Too often we equate success with...
You Don’t Realize How Weird Church Is
"Top Gear" is immensely popular, attracting some of the top viewing figures for BBC1 TV. Cars are driven to places and in ways never done before. They are driven around a track at maximum possible speeds and used...
September 28, 2016
From Universities to Churches, Republicans and Democrats Differ in Views of Major Institutions (Pew Research) Averett Teams Up With Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond (GoDanRiver) Evangelicals, Once Skeptical of...
Returning Evangelism to Moderate Baptist Life – Part 1
Evangelism - the sharing of the good news of Jesus Christ - has become a missing element in moderate Baptist life. For a tradition founded in the belief that each person should have a personal experience with Jesus...
Many Christians Obsessed with Keeping Up Appearances
The Public Broadcasting Service has introduced the U.S. to the genius of British comedies for many years. From "Are You Being Served?" to "The Vicar of Dibley," these comedies enticed laughter while making us "Yanks" a...
Caring for God’s Creation in East Asia
The ability of nations to cope with the impact of climate change varies widely. "The rich countries of the West may be able to cope with climate change, but what about the people in countries with few resources?" asks...
U.S. Catholics’ Views of Islam Largely Negative
Few U.S. Catholics have positive views of Islam or know a Muslim personally, according to a Georgetown University report. Thirty percent have very or somewhat unfavorable views of Islam, compared to 18 percent with...
September 26, 2016
Obama Dedicates Smithsonian's 'Glorious' New African-American Museum (NBC News) The Obamas Ring First Baptist Williamsburg's 'Freedom Bell' at NMAAHC Dedication (Williamsburg Yorktown Daily) Virginia Baptist Church's...
Infrequent urbanite
I'm a country boy turned small town guy turned suburbanite for the past 28 years, and I'm fortunate enough to get to visit some nice cities on occasion. I live just outside of Raleigh -- recently named the best city in...
September 23, 2016
Why Most People Leave Religion? They Just 'Stop Believing' (Colorado Springs Gazette) Modern Technology Unlocks Secrets of Damaged Biblical Scroll (New York Times) Allegedly Secret LDS Church Documents Leaked...
When We Need to Reinterpret the Rules
Once upon a time, there were laws in place to prohibit the following things from occurring in the state of Missouri, the state where I live. For example, it was unlawful for a milkman to run while delivering milk, or...
Survey: Many Affirm Human-Induced Climate Change
Younger generations in the U.S. are more likely to affirm human causation driving climate change and global warming than their elders, according to a Barna Group survey. Forty-six percent of Millennials (born between...
Preventing Genocide Will Benefit from Christian, Jewish Teamwork
A growing number of American evangelicals are increasingly vocal about Christian genocide in the Middle East, as well as the persecution of Christians there. Add to the Middle East, Nigeria and South Sudan. Others have...
5 Lessons Learned by a Local Church Pastor
I've learned a number of lessons in my time serving as a local church pastor. Here are five of them: 1. Slow and steady wins the race. Our work as Christians is best described as a "long obedience in the same...
Aiding Strangers More Common Than Charitable Giving, Volunteering
Global adults are more likely to help a stranger in need than to donate money to charity or volunteer time, according to Gallup's 2016 Global Civic Engagement report. Gallup's report is based on a survey asking three...
September 21, 2016
Appeals Court Upholds North Carolina County Commissioners' Prayers (Charlotte Observer) Tony Campolo Lists 5 Reasons Why He Rejects 'Evangelical' Christian Label (Christian Post) Closed Hearing in Charleston Church...
Discovering Spiritual Messages in Secular Films
I have always loved movies. It is a lifelong passion. Because I love the movies, I like to share with others those movies that touched me deeply and to give them a chance to discuss them. I want them to see how they...
5 Ways You Can Avoid On-The-Job Burnout
You've probably heard the saying that doctors make the worst patients. As a chaplain, I can testify that caregivers are the very worst at taking care of ourselves. Prioritizing self-care is hard for a lot of us. We...
Latino Catholic, Anglo Protestant Death Customs Differ
Latino and Latina death practices differ significantly from those of Anglo Protestant families, yet they are largely unknown outside the Latino community. Candi K. Cann, assistant professor in Baylor University's...