Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
What Baptists Don’t Understand About Being a Witness – Part 2
When relating to persons of other faiths, Christians can testify passionately about the path they have walked but should not disparage the path others have traveled. We should approach others with humility rather than arrogance.
We Need Sabbath This Summer
From overburdened schedules to political chaos, most of us walk around our city streets as zombies controlled by the devices in our hands. During the remaining weeks of summer, we need to recapture and embrace Sabbath.
What New Name Would God Bestow Upon America?
Names carry an aspirational quality; parents want to grant a graceful gift for a child to carry throughout life. If God were to assign the US a new name reflecting who we are, what might it be? Idolatrous? Cruel? Bully?
Looking to the hills …
Nurturing Faith Inc. has many sides, including its faith-based Nurturing Faith Journal and Bible Studies to a website with daily news updates, inspirational blogs, and a publishing arm that produces books. Perhaps the...
Profiles in Goodwill: Helen Paynter
Helen Paynter is director of the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence, based at Bristol Baptist College in England.
What Baptists Don’t Understand About Being Witnesses – Part 1
Many Baptists assume evangelism corresponds to proselytization yet don’t consider developing interfaith relationships as a priority. Christ, however, calls us to be faithful witnesses, not successful proselytizers.
Humans Causing Extinction of Animals, Plants at Alarming Rate
Humans are accelerating the rate of extinction of plant and animal species by rates unseen before. If we claim to love and serve the Creator, we will love what has been created and do what we can to protect all species.
3 Rules for Preaching in Purple Churches in Political Season
For pastors with mixed-politics congregations, here are 3 rules to hold your diverse ‘purple’ churches together as the political discourse grows increasingly toxic when the presidential race heats up.
Living Without Race in the Practice of Our Christian Faith
If we fully understood race and not just racism, prejudice or stereotypes, we would not want it. We would not claim a race and would not want race to claim us. So why do we have such a difficult time leaving race behind?
Global Hunger Continues to Increase Even as Pace Slows
An estimated 820 million-plus people are experiencing hunger. Around 2 billion, or 26 percent of the global population, are facing moderate to severe food insecurity. Those are the grim stats from a UN organization report.
What’s the Cure for Political Populism Eroding Our Nations?
In the United Kingdom and United States, certain politicians seek – or hold – the highest office in the land while making statements designed to attract attention and appear to be on the side of ordinary folks. Or am I being paranoid?
Millennials Bypass Church Because They Feel They Don’t Belong
Many millennials don’t darken the doors of our churches because they feel they don’t belong. Instead of a place that meets our preferences, our churches must become a refuge from the chaos and a place to foster relationships.
Racial, Ethnic Gaps Remain in Well-Being Measures of US Kids
Racial and ethnic disparities remain despite progress in many areas of US children’s well-being, according to a report that examines the well-being of US kids using a mixture of 16 negative and positive indicators.
The Secret’s Out #2: Churches Mum About LGBTQ Affirmation
Even churches on the progressive end of the Baptist spectrum, who are open to the LGBTQ community being members, still prefer that their welcoming stance and support of same-sex marriage aren’t too widely broadcast.
Religious Liberty Restrictions Decline Slightly, Remain High
The number of countries with significant government restrictions on religious liberty declined slightly in 2017, even as the number of nations with high levels of social hostility toward religion increased, a study says.
Look Back | When Meeting Strangers, Who Do You Really See?
In America’s current immigration environment, how do we see the strangers around us? The ones who don’t look or act like us. We need a spiritual awakening about the “strangers” in our midst. Jesus demands a better America.
July 19, 2019
White Evangelicals Have Won Political Influence. But at What Cost? (Sojourners) Immigrant Father Who Took Sanctuary in a Church for Over a Year Detained by ICE (Newsweek) Houston Church Turns Into Shift Christian...
Why Jesus Always Trumps Presidential Racism
How should we react to the president’s racist tweets? Repeatedly, we discover Jesus combating myopic and hateful attitudes. Through words and actions, Jesus offers an example of how to conqueror bigotry, xenophobia and racism.
The Secret’s Out #1: Pastor Search Committees and Women
When churches reach out for recommendations for pastoral candidates, certain candidates are recommended while others are not. It’s a system that disadvantages women and LGBTQ ministers.
Online Platforms Fuel Swelling Hate Speech, Crime in US
More than two-thirds of U.S. adults believe hate speech and crime have increased in the past five years, and many point to social media and the internet as a prime reason for the spike, a survey found.
July 18, 2019
Reparations Talk Emerges During Global Baptist Meeting (Ethics Daily) Trump’s Approval Among Republicans Went up After His Racist Tweets (Vice) CNN Invites White Supremacist Richard Spencer on TV Talk About Trump’s...