Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
Juneteenth, and freedom still waits
I suspect many people had not heard of "Juneteenth" before this week, when the 150th anniversary of the celebration followed by just two days the heartless murder of nine black worshipers in Charleston's historic...
Why Some Christians are Stuck in Right Field
On every baseball team there is always a kid who has a hard time judging fly balls. This is the guy who is so fixated on where the ball is that he never can figure out where the ball is going to be. So the coach puts...
Why Our Society Better Pay Attention to Men, Boys
I have for a very long time written letters to newspaper editors about the problems I see affecting the whole of society because of the gradual decline of men and boys in education, health, work places and homes. For...
June 19, 2015
Charleston Church Shooting: White Gunman Kills 9 at Historic Black Church (Huffington Post) A Reeling Charleston Tries to Make Sense of the Senseless (KYTX) What Happened in Charleston Terrorism? (Washington Post)...
On Target: 4 Core Convictions About Church’s Mission
God has formed four core convictions in me about the mission of the church (both locally and globally) over the past few years. This list is not exhaustive, but for me they are non-negotiable. Core Conviction No. 1: We...
U.S. Charitable Giving Surpasses $358 Billion, Tops Pre-Recession Levels
More than $358 billion was given to charitable causes in 2014, according to a new report from Giving USA. This is an increase of 7.1 percent from 2013 when $335 billion in charitable gifts were donated. When adjusted...
Detours
There's nothing like a detour when you have your mind set on going somewhere. Detours slow you down. They might frustrate you. Then again, they might afford the opportunity to see something new. All of those came into...
Building Bridges with Asset-Based Pastoral Leadership
I've had three parishioners within the past couple of months express their desire to have a small group where they could explore spirituality. They don't want Bible study, per se, and they don't want a contemplative...
U.S. Confidence in Religious Institutions at All-Time Low
Confidence in every major U.S. institution, save for military and small businesses, polled below historic averages according to a new Gallup survey. "Americans' confidence in all institutions over the last two years...
June 17, 2015
Charity Giving Sets New Record, But Why are Religious Donations Waning? (Christian Science Monitor) Stained Glass at Riverside Church Removed for Repairs (New York Times) Israel: Archaeologists Find Rare 3,000 Year-Old...
Armed Conflicts in 2014 Impact Tens of Millions of Children
Tens of millions of children were negatively affected by armed conflict last year, according to a new report from United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon. The publication noted "unprecedented challenges" in 2014,...
Innovative Ways to Train New Ministers for Service
I taught a summer class recently and co-facilitated two peer groups of seminary students without leaving my home office. Using online technology and the telephone, I was able to pursue my work as an adjunct professor...
June 16, 2015
How to Bolster Space Exploration: Get Religious Groups Onboard (Space.com) In Wake of Sex Abuse Charges Against Diocese, Minnesota Archbishop Resigns (CNN) Abilene Baptist Church Denied Joint Color Guard Request by...
Lessons Learned from Working with People in Poverty
I first read "Tobacco Road" in the 1970s. Erskine Caldwell's 1932 novel of the rural South taught me lessons about poverty that have stayed with me for a lifetime. These are valuable lessons for a pastor who deals with...
An Occupational Hazard That Trips Up Faithful Folks
Imagine a man who during his whole life is entirely careless about God and morality. He's selfish, ignores the commandments and all things religious, and is basically consumed with pursuing his own pleasure - wine, sex...
June 15, 2015
Southern Baptists Arrive, Volunteer in Columbus for Convention (Columbus Dispatch) Southern Baptists Weigh 'What Now' (Baptist Press) Southern Baptists Plan to Avoid Civil Rights Laws by Pretending Receptionists are...
8 Awesome Tips to Use the Bible on Social Media
The Bible can be difficult to understand. Books have been written about how to study the Bible. Invariably they say that you should start by trying to understand what a passage meant to its original audience, to...
9 Ways to Help Children Grow Spiritually This Summer
The end-of-school and the beginning of summer offer opportunities for new rhythms and routines for families with children at home. For most, it's time to play, travel to visit family, make memories of family...
June 12, 2015
Idaho GOP Wants Bible as Textbook for Geology, Biology and School (RT) What's Next for Waterfront Clearwater Christian College? (Tampa Bay Times) Fragment of Gutenburg Bible Expected to Top $500,000 at Auction...
Majority Affirm U.S. Drone Strikes, Many Express Reservations About Civilian Casualties
A majority in the U.S. affirm the use of drone strikes in conflict. According to a Pew Research Center survey published in late May, 58 percent approved drone usage while 35 percent expressed disapproval. At the same...
Should Churches Maintain Fossil-Fuel Investments?
The climate is warming and this will continue as we burn fossil fuels. There are already serious environmental effects. The poor suffer disproportionately and will suffer even more in the future if we do not take...