Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
When Pastors Prey on Our Kids, Where Does the Buck Stop?
When victims of sexual abuse by pastors urged the implementation of stronger protections, leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention threw the hot potato back to local churches citing “autonomy.” A tidy little hand-washing.
Childish Gambino and James Cone on Race, Justice and Hope
As citizens grapple with their racist history and combat modern-day bigotry at the highest levels, Childish Gambino’s Grammy win is a prophetic moment when art speaks truth to culture. And James Cone reminds us why we need justice.
At 50 Million Tons, E-Waste ‘Fastest-Growing Waste Stream’
Working toward a sustainable future will mean addressing the massive volume of electronic waste, or e-waste. It’s “the fastest-growing waste stream in the world,” a new report says.
February 14, 2019
‘He Was in His Face’; Trump Fumes Over Abortion, Confronts Evangelicals (Politico) Southern Baptist Fundamentalist and Trump Religious Adviser Robert Jeffress Calls Anti-Trump Evangelicals ‘Spineless Morons’ Who are...
Profiles in Goodwill: Charlie Fuller
Charlie Fuller is executive pastor of the First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, D.C.
How to Know When Your Church is Ready to Transform – Part 2
Not everyone in your congregation will be ready to transform your church from where you are to where you need to be. That’s OK. You’ll never have unanimity, but that shouldn’t stop you from creating a covenant for transformation.
Belief in Evolution Polls Higher When God Part of Poll
How the public views evolution can depend on how the question is asked, a report said. When given the choice that God played a role in evolution, poll participants were more likely to affirm evolution.
February 13, 2019
Southern Baptist Convention of Texas Expresses Sorrow Over Sex Abuse Revelations (High Plains Public Radio) Southern Baptist Convention Report on Sex Abuse Shines a Light on Evangelical Culture (NBC News) 17 Empty...
Raining busts and horses?
It's been dry in Israel for several years, a small reminder of periodic droughts mentioned in the Bible. That recently came to an end with a spate of heavy winter rains. Israel typically has seasonal rains, usually...
Finding Will in the Hall
By John D. Pierce Recently my two daughters, two nieces and I visited the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, where we saw Webb Pierce’s 1962 Pontiac Bonneville convertible adorned with steer horns, six-shooter...
Vanishing Bugs – The Most Important Issue Not Worrying You
In a world full of global crises, worrying about the plight of insects seems insignificant. But think about this: As we decimate insect populations, we are literally unraveling the global ecosystem from the bottom up.
How to Know When Your Church is Ready to Transform – Part 1
Regardless of denomination, churches are bleeding members. To turn it around, they need to give up the church-as-we-have-known-it mindset and be willing to transform. These five components show your church is ready.
Millennials Affirm Sharing Faith, Unsure about Converting Others
While nearly all Christian millennials affirm sharing about Jesus is part of their faith, nearly half also believe it’s wrong to share with someone of a different faith in an effort to convert them.
February 12, 2019
Christian Leaders, Time to Check Your Own Yearbooks for Past Racist Actions (RNS) Bibles Distributed with South Dakota Seal Raise Concerns (Mitchell Republic) Circuit Court Upholds Virginia School’s World Religion...
Center Works to Counter Abuses Caused by Bad Theology
Bad theology and bad biblical interpretation can cause people to do all sorts of appalling actions in the name of God. To counter those abuses, Bristol Bible College has launched the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence.
Why Are Nearly Half of U.S. Adults Feeling Lonely?
Nearly half of U.S. adults feel lonely, especially young adults born in the mid-1990s and early 2000s. How can so much loneliness exist in a highly populated world? Our self-imposed patterns often lead to loneliness.
How Your Church Can Help Families Bring Sunday into Monday
When discussing liturgical practices, such as communion and baptism, and how they can be used to address current themes, the church can only do so much. So how can the church help families continue that dialogue at home?
February 11, 2019
20 Years, 700 Victims: Southern Baptist Sexual Abuse Spreads as Leaders Resist (Houston Chronicle) Fort Worth Baptist Pastor Ignored His Flock’s Safety in Sex Abuse Cases, Judges, Others Say (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)...
Clergy, Laity Partnership is Essential for Church Health
The laity and clergy were once equal partners in Baptist congregations. With the arrival of the megachurch and the CEO-pastor model, the influence of the laity has been in steady decline while clergy abuses have been on the rise.
Why Your Church Should Oppose Taking Migrant Kids from Parents
Forcibly separating families unnecessarily – especially as a deterrent to cause fear among would-be immigrant families – is cruel. U.S. churches must stand against this crime against humanity.
Look Back | Should Immigrants Learn English to be American?
Requiring immigrants to learn the English language as a condition of citizenship is a contemporary form of jingoism, which provides the opportunity for discriminatory acts toward a group of people along linguistic and racial lines.