Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
No rest for the cheery …
A cruise through Greek islands of the Aegean Sea sounds like an idyllic and restful way to spend a few days, right? Idyllic, yes. Restful, no – not if you’re traveling with a study tour intent on learning as much as...
‘By heart’
By John D. Pierce Unless a new employee has come to work, there is no need for me to verbalize my breakfast order. I’m a regular. My arrival signals the slicing of a whole grain bagel to be passed down to the panini...
When Your Church Needs a Mission Trip in Reverse
Many churches of all denominations send their people, usually young people (but not always), on "mission trips" to work and witness in a different culture from their own. Often (but not always) such one- to two-week...
3 Practices to Help You Wage Peace in a Violent World
The alienation between many Americans and Muslims worldwide is based primarily on fear and not facts. American mainstream media, and all too often Christians, view Muslims - all Muslims - as evil extremists who want to...
May 20, 2016
Oklahoma Legislature Passes Bill Criminalizing Abortion (CNN) Trump Makes Push to Win Over Hispanic Evangelicals (Fox News) Nevada Judge Upholds State's Voucher System Against Church-State Challenge (BJC) Texas City...
Journey to the Center of the Earth …
Jules Verne, the 19th century pioneer of science fiction, fascinated me with his Journey to the Center of the Earth, which involved an expedition deep into the earth's core. On Thursday, participants in the Campbell...
Who/what creates doubt about the Bible?
By John D. Pierce Most Americans still hold a pretty high view of the Bible. At least that's what they say. More than half (54 percent) rated as “Bible engaged” or “Bible friendly” as opposed to 46 percent categorized...
Two Revised, Expanded Study Guides Mark 25 Years of Proactive Moral Content
Anniversary celebrations are more than festivals of achievement. They are opportunities to build up houses of faith. One of the ways we are observing our 25th anniversary is with the release of two much needed moral...
Jesus, Muslims and the Quran: Building Fruitful Dialogue
My friend Peter believes that the Quranic portrayal of Jesus stands in complete contradiction with the New Testament witness. He was once called Ahmad, but when he converted to Christianity after consistently watching...
Auto Title Loans Often Result in Debt Cycles, Seized Vehicles
Auto title loan borrowers often find themselves in debt cycles, and many have their vehicles seized due to their inability to repay the loan, according to a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) report. "Auto...
May 19, 2016
The Divided Methodist Church (The Atlantic) SBC NAMB's Kevin Ezell Says 'Cooperation Agreements' Not 'Gag Orders' (Christian Examiner) Franklin Graham 'Standing for Truth' in Missouri Rally (Crossmap) Wayland Baptist...
Taking the scenic route …
Travelers in Greece with Campbell University Divinity School and Nurturing Faith Experiences took the long way around on Wednesday, driving west from Thessaloniki to Verea and Vergina, then south through Thessaly to...
Cuban Baptists Find Joy, Growth Amid Difficulties
Missouri Baptist leaders heard stories of joy and growth mixed with those of obstacles and persecution during a recent trip to Cuba. Leaders from Churchnet, The Baptist Home and Future Leadership Foundation are...
Can Your Church Be a Commons for Your Community?
New England captured my imagination from the first time I visited as a child. It was geographically far away from South Carolina and may as well have been a different country given the architecture, weather, behavior...
European Baptists Respond to Refugee Crisis
Baptists in the United Kingdom learned how Baptists in Lebanon have responded to the refugee crisis during the Baptist Union of Great Britain's annual assembly on May 14. A video featuring the story of Ali, a taxi...
May 18, 2016
Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School Campus to be Sold (Democrat and Chronicle) How Tim LaHaye's Secretive Council for National Policy Could Influence the Presidential Election (CNN) Waco is an Odd Marriage of...
Virtual Greece
Welcome, real friends and virtual travelers, to a study tour of Greece with a brief side trip to Ephesus, in Turkey. Twenty-five adventurous souls traveling with Campbell University Divinity School and Nurturing Faith...
4 Seeds to Live Out the Gospel Organically
Years ago, John Denver sang a song (written by Guy Clark) that says: "Only two things that money can't buy / That's true love and home-grown tomatoes." Cliff Temple Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, hosts a farmers'...
Missouri Baptist Church to Host ‘Provocative Conversations’
A series of "provocative conversations" will be held at Holmeswood Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri, during late May and June. Local leaders will speak to the congregation and community members about human...
When Churches Don’t Want to Work Together
The collegiality among auctioneers offers a model for Christian churches. I began conducting auctions several years ago, and it's not uncommon for other auctioneers to attend my auctions. One of the things I always try...
Baptists Helping Homeowners in Western Kentucky With Cleanup (Daily Independent) What the Latest Bible Research Reveals About Millennials (Christianity Today) Faith and Facebook: Young Social Media Regulars Less...