Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
January 26, 2016
Hillary Clinton Explains How Christianity Has Guided Her Politics (TIME) In Iowa Intro, First Baptist Dallas' Jeffress Says He Can't 'Officially' Endorse Trump, However... (Dallas Morning News) Marco Rubio Top...
Knowing and Growing
By John D. Pierce After many months of careful contemplation, wise counsel, creative thinking and roll-up-your-sleeves crafting, the inaugural Nurturing Faith Journal is in the hands of the printer. Soon it will be in...
A New Partnership for Training Ministers
The process for supplying ministerial leaders used to go something like this: Churches nurtured young people who "responded to the call to ministry." After the candidates completed college, the church sent them on to...
Report: 99.1 Percent of Police Officers Not Accused of Misconduct
In 2015, 124 law enforcement officials were killed in the line of duty, according to a National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) report. "Nine of the fallen officers were female, more than double the...
January 25, 2016
Georgia Church's Second Story Ministry Aimed at Local College Students (Columbus Ledger-Enquirer) Trump, Clinton Go to Church in Iowa (CNN) How a Facebook Comment Turned Into a Nightmare for 'the Evangelical Harvard'...
For the birds
The news doesn't seem to get any better lately: recent numbers released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that women ministers make, on average, 76 cents for every dollar male ministers make for comparable work....
Alice and Libby and Gene
By John D. Pierce Baptist churches often take on forms and functions assumed to be the norm or even biblically directed for all times. Such was long the case for deacons. A leadership structure evolved and solidified...
January 22, 2016
Devil Goes up Outside Florida City Hall (Sun-Sentinel) The Bible Belt is Still Buckled: America's 100 Most Bible-Minded Cities of 2016 (Christianity Today) Why Donald Trump is Winning Over Christian Conservatives...
10 Qualities for Our Nation’s Next President
It's that time again when we must select a new candidate to run for president of the United States. Therefore, I have put together a list of 10 qualities I would like to see in our new president. By the way, my use of...
Baptists Weigh High Court’s Pending Immigration Case
The U.S. Supreme Court announced this week that it would hear a lawsuit challenging an executive action on immigration taken by President Barack Obama. At question is if Obama can act without congressional approval to...
Being Model ‘Students’ for This Year’s Election
Do you remember the first day of college and the anxiety of sitting in a classroom with a new professor, new classmates and a syllabus that seemed impossible to accomplish in 16 weeks? The excitement, anticipation and...
Baptists and Life in Covenant: Part 2
Baptists are a covenantal people, but it is essential to realize that this covenant is not a legal contract. The "way" in which covenant partners walk can only be one of mutual trust. This is where Baptists have given...
Presidential Hopefuls Send Videos on Poverty To Christian Leaders
Eleven presidential candidates sent short videos on their approach to ending poverty and hunger to the Christian organization Circle of Protection. Three candidates failed to submit videos - Donald Trump, Rand Paul and...
January 21, 2016
Chattanooga Regains Title as America's Most Bible-Minded City (Times Free Press) Arkansas Public School District to Offer Controversial Bible Class Next Fall (Christian Post) Ex-Aide Says Polygamous Church Helped Pick...
Ranch life provides good ending
By John D. Pierce Including the “Nurturing Faith Experience: Yellowstone/Grand Tetons” in your winter dreaming and planning could lead to a memorable summer. This unique travel opportunity, July 9-16, will be...
Who Will Win Iowa? What Will It Mean for U.S. Christianity?
Thirteen days (at press time) until the Iowa caucuses when the question everyone is asking in coffeehouses, churches and civic clubs will be answered: Who will win Iowa? Embedded in the question for Christians is: What...
11 Characteristics the Church Needs in Leaders Today
The church of today looks different than 100 years ago - or it should. If it doesn't, you'll have a really hard time being effective in today's culture. The church 10 years from now will look different than today. It's...
Baptists and Life in Covenant: Part 1
More than 400 years ago, a company of Christian believers met in a village in Lincolnshire and made a covenant together. They were facing persecution, imprisonment and even the prospect of death because they wanted to...
January 20, 2016
Religious Groups Focus on Flint's Water (Religion News Service) Religion Often Intersects With Tennessee Politics (Tennessean) Paid Fantasy Sports Sites Violate Texas Law, Attorney General Says (Baptist Standard)...
Calling out ‘American Evangelicalism’
By John D. Pierce It is time, way past time, to call out “American Evangelicalism” for what it is: a political movement that simply baptizes hard-right, secular political ideology in some religious varnish. Hence, my...
Our Stewardship of Earth Affects Many Species
Two of my favorite local natural areas to take photographs have been great locations for bird photography the past two winters. I visited both a few days ago. One area is a wildlife management area and there I found...