Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
Christians as Minority: Finding a Place in Society
Christian theology and teaching historically has assumed that Christians are a minority in society, as I was reminded several years ago. Hence, the teachings about being salt and light, about relating to governments...
You’re Not Josh Duggar, But ‘Small’ Sins Do Damage, Too
I am not Josh Duggar, and I think it is important that my kids know that. A blog titled "I Am Josh Duggar" surfaced recently and made its rounds on social media. The author, Julia Walton, shares that before we judge...
September 4, 2015
U.S. Clerk Jailed for Gay Marriage Defiance; Dispute Goes On (Reuters) Millennials Don't Think Much of Themselves, Report Says (Christian Science Monitor) Arkansas Baptist School System Announces Name Change (THV11)...
Student-Athletes or Athletes Obligated to Attend Class?
The failed attempt by Northwestern University football players to unionize as employees raises important questions about college football. Is "student-athlete" an outdated reference no longer describing accurately the...
When One Church Offered an Assault Rifle as Prize
When I speak with Muslim friends in the United Kingdom, they will often express horror and disbelief at the terrible atrocities they see being done in the name of their faith by extreme Islamists. Sometimes, I have a...
September 3, 2015
Vast Majority of U.S. Catholics Who Left the Church Can't Imagine Returning, Study Says (Washington Post) The Defiant Kim Davis, the Ky. Clerk Who Refuses to Issue Gay Marriage Licenses (Washington Post) Kim Davis,...
Sowing Justice Through Generosity to the Poor
The lectionary readings for this coming Sunday offer stringent words about justice, and the people of God will be shaped by their response to the poor. "Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of anger...
UN Poverty Goals Worthy of Christians’ Support
Fifteen years ago, 189 world leaders gathered to agree on an ambitious and inspirational global development plan: the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These goals sought to halve poverty, dramatically reduce child...
How Your Church Resembles New-Car Technology
Billions of dollars are spent annually on vehicle technology that drivers never use. J.D. Power and Associates released a report last week about technology use in cars, explaining that today's luxury cars are packed to...
September 2, 2015
Christian Theologian R.C. Sproul Steps Down Due to Ashley Madison Hack (USA Today) Trump Hosts Televangelists Who Fleece Their Flocks (Daily Beast) Ben Carson Now Leading With the Evangelical Vote (ABC2WISN) Marco...
Bill Hull’s final words needed for constructive conversations
By John Pierce One of Baptists’ best thinkers, Bill Hull, wrote a final manuscript before his death in December 2013. While struggling with the latter stages of ALS, he had something to say about the current division...
Corrie ten Boom, Chocolate and Dogmatic Debates
One of my favorite stories is told by Corrie ten Boom (1892-1983). Corrie was a Dutch woman of great faith who spent much of World War II hiding Jews from the Nazis. She and many of her family were sent to a...
The Christian Pacifism of Charles Spurgeon
Charles Spurgeon, a Reformed Baptist known as the "prince of preachers" in the 19th century, remains revered. Known especially for his devotional writings, he currently ranks in the top 100 best-sellers of Christian...
8 Questions for Churches Stuck in ‘Post-Everything’ Mode
"Post-everything" is the descriptor I would like to use for explaining what's happening in the larger world around us, including what's staring God's church in the face. Post-modern, post-Christian,...
September 1, 2015
How a Once-White Church Broke Down Racial Barriers (NPR) Supreme Court Says Kentucky Clerk Can't Deny Same-Sex Marriage Licenses (USA Today) 'Big Mountain Jesus' Gets the OK from 9th Court of Appeals (Billings Gazette)...
Labor, Wages Often Overlooked as Sermon Topics
A former Amazon.com employee said the company's staff evaluation practice was "purposeful Darwinism." Another said, "Amazon is where overachievers go to feel bad about themselves." The leading online retailer's...
Drug Sentencing Laws Increased Prison Population
The inmate population serving drug-related sentences in U.S. federal prisons has increased more than 1,800 percent since 1980. The Pew Charitable Trusts (PCT) published an issues brief that showed mandatory drug...
How Should You View Ashley Madison Hacking’s Victims?
Ashley Madison is the world's largest website dedicated to facilitate people to be unfaithful to their partners. Their tagline sums it up: "Life is Short. Have an Affair." But over the last few weeks, the hacking of...
August 31, 2015
Louisville Christian, Muslim Faith Leaders Come Together to Discuss Differences, Strengthen Community (Wave3News) Who Are the Evangelicals Supporting Donald Trump? (Christian Post) The Most Popular Bible of the Year is...
Deer, deer …
Given that we were gone for a month this summer, I didn't really expect a lot from the tomatoes, bell peppers, and squash we planted in April. The squash plants bombed on their own, though I suspect a vole had...
August 28, 2015
Southern Baptists to Cut Missionary Force by 15% (Baptist News Global) Jimmy Carter's Church Adjusts to Demand for Sunday Lessons (ABC News) Jimmy Carter's Church to Limit Sunday Crowds (Baptist News Global) Trump:...