Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
Jamaican, British Baptists Celebrate 200-Year Association
The rich 200-year association between Jamaican and British Baptists will be marked by a series of events this year. The links began when Jamaica invited British missionaries, such as John Rowe, to support the growth...
Avoiding the Twin Dangers of False Body Images
Technology has enabled the creation of false, unhealthy images of beauty. Pictures in many magazines today are not real. They are altered depictions of people that often are no more accurate than the portraits produced...
May 8, 2014
Supreme Court Prayer Ruling May Spur New Alliances (Religion News Service) Bible Curriculum Part of Hobby Lobby Green’s Evangelization Push (ABC News) Hispanic Catholics Differ with Evangelicals – and With the Church...
Should You Hail High Court’s Redefinition of Civic Prayer?
If you think the Supreme Court's ruling on public prayer is an unqualified win for Christians, you might want to reconsider. On May 5, the United States Supreme Court ruled that "ceremonial" prayers opening government...
4 Types of Pastors Needed for Churches in Future
When I attended seminary, most of the student body were young men and women who had just completed college. A few like me had spent a couple of years in the military, another graduate school, worked in a secular...
Alabama Republican Speaks Candidly on Prison Reform
Alabama Republican state Sen. Cam Ward gave a candid - even courageous - interview about prison reform, acknowledging root systemic issues and pressing for changes. He said Alabama has "the most overcrowded,...
May 7, 2014
With the Supreme Court’s Help, Religion Creeps Toward the State (The Atlantic) Alabama Justice Says the First Amendment Only Protects Christians (MSNBC) / Offers Clarification (Mediate) Vatican: Child Abuse is Not...
Reverse Mission: A Sign of Arrogance or Gratitude?
Conversations are ongoing about "reverse mission," as some are arguing that the term should be dropped because it sounds arrogant and divisive. In responding to those who reasoned that it sounds or appears arrogant, I...
Prison-and-Faith Documentary to Air Thursday in Georgia
A new documentary on prisons and faith is set to air Thursday in the state with the fourth largest prison population. "Through the Door," produced by EthicsDaily.com in Nashville, Tenn., will have its TV premiere on...
How to End the Preschool-to-Prison Pipeline
Texas newspapers in March carried alarming articles about the volume of children at all grade levels suspended by administrators for "unacceptable" behaviors. The number of suspensions is indeed remarkable and...
May 6, 2014
If You Don’t Like it, Leave the Room: Justices Allow Prayer at Town’s Council Meeting (CNN) Prayer Divides Supreme Court Justices Along Religious Lines (Los Angeles Times) U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Prayer Changes...
Flying high
A meeting in Wilmington offered the chance for a sunny walk along Wrightsville Beach on Sunday evening. The tide was high and the wind was a lot cooler than expected, but it was still worth the effort. The magical...
Baptist Educator Urges Churches to Transform Society
Jerry Cain, who retired in 2012 as president of Judson University in Illinois, recently challenged Baptists to view their calling to be more than just evangelism. Speaking at the annual gathering of Churchnet (formerly...
Fulghum Offers Instructions for Life’s Wayfarers
Robert Fulghum leapt upon the national scene with his wildly popular collection of our generation's wisdom literature, "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: Uncommon Thoughts on Common Things."...
Like Gardens, Healthy Churches Have Loving Caretakers
Most of our nation has endured an extremely harsh winter. As a result, this spring has been met with a sigh of relief and a sense of welcome that seems stronger than in some years. Facebook is filled with images of...
May 5, 2014
For NBA Teams, Religion Can be Unifying or Divisive (USA Today) Jeb Bush Meets with SBC’s Russell Moore (CNN) Smith: Louisiana College Must Build Trust with Alumni (Town Talk) Church Closes Long Run with a Surprising...
True Ministry: A Joint Enterprise as Easy as ABCD
For the first time since before we opened PORTA–the Albania House in Athens seven years ago, we planned a paint day and a work day. Because we want to leave the facilities in the best possible shape when we depart this...
Immigration: Seeking Truth and Justice – Part 2
Romania's entry into the European Union (EU) in January revealed immigration fears within the United Kingdom and evoked responses from British Baptists. Tony Peck, who for many years was a regional minister in...
Who Leads Your Church: Wizard of Oz or Dorothy?
Who should Christian leaders look like: the Wizard of Oz or Dorothy of Kansas? Brian McLaren reflected on this question in his book, "Adventures in Missing the Point," co-authored with Tony Campolo. "I remembered the...
May 2, 2014
Atlanta Teams With Friendship Baptist to Buy Morris Brown (Atlanta Business Chronicle) First Baptist Burlington Welcomes First Female Pastor (Burlington Free Press, Vermont) Cash-Strapped Catholic Schools Resurect as...
The Joy of Easter
A sermon by Michael Cheuk, Pastor, University Baptist Church, Charlottesville, Va. April 27, 2014. 1 Peter 1:3-9 What an Easter service we enjoyed last Sunday! We baptized three, the handbells played, and the...