Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
‘Eye in the Sky’
"Eye in the Sky" offers a hard examination in the ethics of modern weaponry, the lethal necessities of anti-terrorist operations, the intelligence capacities of advanced technological surveillance techniques, and the...
What’s Your Church’s Blind Spot?
Have you ever experienced a migraine headache? Across my life, I have struggled with occasional migraines. Thankfully, they have diminished in both frequency and intensity over the years. Mine are always preceeded by...
May 6, 2016
Focus on the Family Founder's National Day of Prayer D.C. Address: Children Being Influenced and Perverted by an LGBT Culture (CNS News) Obama National Day of Prayer Address: Religious Freedom for All, God in Everyone,...
Rules of the race
In the few weeks surrounding the Kentucky Derby, when national attention turns ever-so-briefly to horse racing and wearing pretentious hats becomes cool, it's good to know that some ancient sponsors of the sport were...
Christians, Muslims and the Golden Rule
"Do you think it's safe to meet with the Christians? I'm afraid they will hurt you. Please text me as soon as the meeting is done, so I'll know you're OK." These were the words of a junior high-aged Muslim boy when he...
Following an Alternate Script to Successful Life
Where will the next generation of ministers come from? I spend a great deal of time thinking about the future of the church, theological schools and Christian identity. This constellation is relationally thick, and...
The Changing Face of Senior Adults in Church Life
Hardly a week goes by without someone posting an article or blog about reaching Millennials for the church, even though the real challenge may well be the Internet generation - the next wave on the scene. We recognize...
May 5, 2016
Trump's Win Draws Support, Concern from Evangelical Southern Baptists (Baptist Press) Atlanta Church in New Captain America Film (11 Alive News) Justice Department Challenges North Carolina Transgender Law (CNN)...
How Your Church Can Help Domestic Violence Victims
Domestic violence is a reality that many people do not like to talk about or even know about. But the reality is that all of our communities have people who live in abusive homes and experience physical and sexual...
Speaking Truth in Love: Your Greatest Challenge
Paul encourages us to speak the truth in love in Ephesians 4, but speaking the truth in love is not always a simple and straightforward process. There is sometimes an inherent tension between truth and love. We...
Why We Need to Seek Nature’s Forgiveness
One of the most powerful novels I've ever read is "The Brothers Karamazov" by Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. In one portion of this classic, the character of Father Zossima tells his fellow monks the story of his...
May 4, 2016
Trump Turns Evangelical-GOP Coalition Topsy-Turvy (Religion Dispatches) Are Evangelical Churches Abandoning the Working Class? (Christian Post) Bible-Reading Marathons Lead up to National Day of Prayer (AL.com) Police...
What Moms Need from Church on Mother’s Day (and Every Day)
Mother's Day is fast approaching, and many church worship leaders are thinking about how to observe this particular holiday - if at all. Most churches have some tradition of honoring mothers on this day. However, as...
Using Social Media with Grace, Not as Weapon of Shame
Social media is too often used as an avenue to shame, dishonor and ridicule people - even by Christians. Our kids deserve better examples from us of what it means to be in this world but not of it. As I scrolled down...
Church Planters Growing But Face Significant Financial Challenges
Church planters are more likely than the average U.S. adult to feel financial strain, according to a Barna Group study. While U.S. church plants, particularly in urban areas, have increased significantly in the last 20...
May 3, 2016
Rome Georgia First Baptist Church Pastor Joel Snider Retires After More Than 2 Decades (Northwest Georgia News) Hawaii Church Fights Homelessness With Affordable Alaskan 'Igloos' (Inhabitat.com) Alabama's Largest...
May 2, 2016
Wheaton Group Blasts College's Silence Over Hastert Abuse Confession (Religion News Service) Arkansas Baptist College Student With Troubling Past Defeats the Odds (KATV 7) Video of 4-Year-Old Boy Singing at Greensoboro...
Why Women Matter in Church Leadership
It was a beautiful night under the stars. A group of us stood at a place overlooking the city of Budapest in Hungary. Our host, a local Baptist minister, took our Ottawa University choir group on a tour of the city,...
Religion Coverage
No writer about religion has reason to complain that too little has been happening in "the world of religion." Daily as we do our "sighting," we find scores of items in international and domestic affairs that deal...
How the Bible Calls Us to Think and Act in Times of Fear
Western fears about Islam and Muslims seem to be surging again, and there are political and religious leaders quick to point to anecdotes or news clips that only further incite tensions and hostility. They emphasize...
How Will Your Church Help Prisoners Re-Enter Society?
I walked out of prison more resilient than I was at intake, a miracle considering the harsh nature of prison. At intake, I was completely defeated. My addiction had progressed to criminality, and everything in my life...