Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
Immigrant Issue Needs Action, Not Political Rhetoric
The tragedy of the Mediterranean migrants became a political character attack in the United Kingdom recently. It appears that the pursuit of power in this country has become a dirty, corrupting, frantic ego-fest,...
May 4, 2015
Boom in Latino Evangelical Churches Underscores Growing Population (Hartford Sentinel) Vermont Church's New Sound System Irks Neighbors Who Complain it Violates Noise Ordinance (Star Tribune) Cops: Man Crashed SUV Into...
There in a hurry
When disaster strikes, no matter where, you can count on N.C. Baptist Men (NCBM) being there. Just two days after a devastating earthquake struck the country of Nepal, two NCBM representatives were on the ground,...
May 1, 2015
Rev. Al Sharpton Discusses Police-Community Relations in Baltimore, Plans Freddie Gray March (ABC News) Conservative Christians are Losing Allies They Once Counted On (Charlotte Observer) Two Women, One Man Make up...
Answering Your Kids’ Questions About Nepal Earthquake
"Mom, did you hear about the earthquake? The news said thousands of people died." If you have not heard a variation of this question recently, you probably will soon. As news of this devastating earthquake continues to...
Profiles In Goodwill: David Hughes
David Hughes is the executive director of the Transforming Center in Wheaton, Illinois. He served previously for 22 years as the pastor of First Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. David's articles that...
Explaining Africa’s Need Without Damaging Stereotypes
Afropessimism. The word may be unfamiliar, but the concept won't be. It's the perfect description of that view we've probably all encountered: that Africa is a "basket case," a single, hopeless country, a seething pit...
Responding to the Unrest in Baltimore
I am tired of all of the uproar and unrest in Baltimore. I understand how layer upon layer of unaddressed injustice over time can make people frustrated enough to behave irrationally. Sustained neglect to this degree...
Christian Nationalism Isn’t Recent Phenomenon
Kevin M. Kruse has a new book called "One Nation Under God: How Corporate America Invented Christian America." It's a scholarly and well-researched work on a significant topic, but its assertions have been...
Don’t Blame God for Natural Disasters’ Death Tolls
On my first visit to Nepal in 1989, I was appalled at the grinding poverty in which the vast majority of its citizens lived. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the rich world came to...
April 30, 2015
Thousands March in Baltimore, NYC Over Death of Freddie Gray (USA Today) Black Pastor in Baltimore Says 'God Has Given us the Strength to Forgive' (Christian Examiner) PNBC Head Says Anger OK, Violence Not (Baptist...
Left/Right Labeling Endangers Civil Discourse
Everybody should know their place and keep their place, including God. This perspective is an unfortunate result of the Enlightenment worldview, which distinguished between the sacred and the secular and formed the...
Where Can You Find Serious Theological Reflection?
More than 3.5 million books are published in the world every year while around 500,000 people complete a marathon. This means it's seven times easier for somebody to publish a book than to run a marathon. It's even...
Profiles In Goodwill: Bill Tillman
Bill Tillman is director of theological education at the Baptist General Convention of Texas. 1. Where did you grow up? McAlester, Oklahoma. 2. What is your favorite verse, book or story in the Bible? Why? Galatians...
April 29, 2015
Citing Lack of Funding, New York's Museum of Biblical Art to Close (Washington Post) Rural 'Exurbs' See Population Boon, Holding Promise for Southern Baptists? (Christian Examiner) Baptists Join Growing Army of Relief...
World Bank Programs Result in Millions Displaced
World Bank development programs have caused 3.4 million persons to be displaced, and many bank-funded initiatives have given rise to human rights abuses. These findings were revealed in a series of reports published by...
“I Shall Not Hate”
It takes a lot of love, faith and courage to decide, "I shall not hate," and to resist calls for revenge. In his book, "I Shall Not Hate," Izzeldin Abuelaish, a Palestinian doctor, reflects on his experiences following...
Immigrant Issue Has Global Flash Points; Global Church Responds
Words differ globally. The U.S. uses the language of immigrants. Europeans use the word migrant. South Africans say foreign workers. Australians speak of asylum-seekers. Different words represent corresponding...
April 28, 2015
Texas Republicans Denounce Pre-K as 'a Godless Environment' (MSNBC) Franklin Graham and Samaritan's Purse Raise Funds to Support Christian Couple Fined for Refusing to Bake Cake for Gay Wedding (Christian Post) CBF...
Adventure and Inspiration
By John Pierce We have just two rooms (with queen beds) remaining for individuals or couples wanting to join us for: NURTURING FAITH EXPERIENCE: MONTANA Historic Belton Chalet, West Glacier, Mont. JULY 13-18 Leader:...
White House, State Dept. Deflect Questions on Armenian Genocide
The U.S. State Department press corps inquired consistently last week about the Obama administration's position regarding the 1915 massacre of 1.5 million Armenians, while the White House press corps offered minimal...