Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
“Undefeated”
"Undefeated" won the Oscar for best documentary on Sunday, and today it begins a nationwide rollout. Imagine "Hoop Dreams" mixed with "Facing the Giants." Or "Remember the Titans" with a dash of "The Rookie." Or "The...
“Chronicle”
"Chronicle" is part of an emerging genre of movies called the "found footage" film. It unfolds as if we're watching the footage found on the camera of Andrew (Dane DeHaan), who purchases a video camera and begins to...
Goodwill Baptists to Meet, Discuss Issues with White House
A delegation of goodwill Baptists will meet with White House officials in early March to discuss faith and social issues. Roughly 60 Baptists from across the country will gather in Washington, D.C., March 7 at the...
Is It Time for an Honest and Candid Conversation?
A sermon delivered by Robert Browning, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Frankfort, Ky., on February 26, 2012. Psalm 25:1-10 He made them laugh and elbow their neighbors with, of all things, a prayer. Pastor Joe Nelms was...
The Way of the Desert
A sermon delivered by Michael Cheuk, Pastor, Farmville Baptist Church, Farmville, Va., on February 26, 2012. First Sunday in Lent Mark 1:9-13 I. Hate. Camping. OK, that might be too strong of a statement. I dislike...
New Beginnings
A sermon delivered by Kathy Pickett, Pastor of Congregational Life, Holmeswood Baptist Church, Kansas City, Mo., on February 26, 2012. Genesis 9: 8-17 Psalm 25: 1-10, 1 Peter 3: 18-22, Mark 1: 9-15 The Lenten season...
Taking ourselves too seriously is a serious mistake
By John Pierce Over the years I’ve not always lived up to my philosophy that the right balance in life is to take the Gospel seriously while not taking oneself too seriously. But I sure try. That perspective...
Escalating Fear of Iran Over Middle-East Peace
The streets of Colombo in Sri Lanka have witnessed angry crowds protesting at the soaring fuel costs, which have further crippled an economy already weakened by years of corruption and political mismanagement. Small...
Who Do You Struggle With? The Devil or God
There is a great story in the book "Report to Greco" by Nikos Kazantzakis. When Nikos was young, his mother was very religious; she went to Mass every day. His father was anti-religious, sort of bitter toward religion,...
Becoming a Church That’s on Mission With God
Perhaps one of the greatest and simplest inventions of the last century was the map at the mall with the dot that marked the spot where you were standing when you read the map: "You are here." On one occasion, I...
It’s past time
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) moderator Colleen Burroughs made news last week for stating a simple and obvious opinion -- that CBF really needs to have an open conversation about its "organizational value" on...
Why Your Church Should Consider an Older Pastor
One thing that is predictable about pastor-search committees is that they all want something similar: a great preacher, an amazing administrator who loves visiting, someone who is effective with young families and...
This Lent, Is It Time for You to Deny Denial?
We've all heard, "Denial is not just a river in Egypt." As worn-out as that cliché surely is, it still serves to remind us of one of the most common dances we use to two-step around the truth about ourselves and the...
10 Areas Where Religion May Influence the 2012 Elections
The left-leaning Center for American Progress posted a list of 10 things folk should know about religion that very well may influence the 2012 elections. First is that "all major religious groups favor a more equitable...
5 Steps from Baptists’ History Define Their Vision
Editor's note: This column is another of several EthicsDaily.com will carry from an initiative from Great Britain called "Beyond400.net – Baptists Imagining Life After 400 Years." As we look beyond 400 years of Baptist...
Presidents’ Religions Weren’t Always a Big Deal
With the February birthdays of both Presidents Washington and Lincoln celebrated as a national holiday, I found a column by a Charleston, S.C., Post and Courier pundit somewhere between amusing and disturbing. At least...
How You Can Become a Better Teacher at Church
I have been thinking about Bill Wilson's article on the word "just" since it appeared Oct. 31. In fact, the Rev. Bob Boston, retired Presbyterian minister and counselor, had already chastised me about saying, "I'm just...
Set apart, not below
By John Pierce When someone asks if I believe in the ordination of women to ministry, my standard reply is: “Some of them — and the same for men.” Yesterday, the Highland Hills Baptist Church family...
Ash Wednesday Reminds Us What We All Share
Here in the 53rd year of my life and in the 36th year of my ministry I participated in an act of worship in which I had never participated before – the imposition of ashes. There were a handful of Catholic families in...
Documents Reveal Plan to Cast Doubt on Climate Change
A prominent climatologist has confessed to releasing internal documents from the Heartland Institute, a conservative lobbying organization that denies a link between carbon emissions and climate change. Peter Gleick,...
Down Which Path Will Your Theology Lead You?
If we were picking a patron saint for this year's Lenten season, I think I would nominate St. Gamaliel, the level-headed Pharisee of Acts 5:33-39. Oh, I know he isn't a saint, or even a Christian, for that matter; but...