Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
Falsifying American History in Jesus’ Name
The "Texas Schoolbook Massacre" – the term given by the media to the action in May by a conservative majority on the Texas State Board of Education to rewrite the social studies and history guidelines for state...
“Toy Story 3”
In November 1995, my oldest son and I discovered Woody, Buzz and Andy. That next year, on Halloween, my son dressed as Buzz Lightyear. As my son grew, we walked in the footsteps of Woody, Buzz and Andy. Why Andy?...
South African Christians Involved in World Cup
Evangelism, education, media. Christians have been making their presence felt at the World Cup in South Africa in a number of ways. Local Baptists are seeing the event, which began on June 11 and runs until July 11,...
CBF structure to get studied look
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship moderator Hall Bass of Arkansas told the group's governing body yesterday that he has appointed a 14-member task force to look at the CBF organizational model that has evolved over the...
Is the SBC Pivoting Toward a New Future?
When Washington Post columnist E. J. Dionne called me after the presidential election of Frank Page at the June 2006 Southern Baptist Convention, he asked if Southern Baptists were moderating. I scoffed at his...
Pastor: Public Education Can Be Redeemed
Wendell Griffen grew up in Delight, a small town in southwest Arkansas. But as far as education, it was no delight. Griffen – formerly a judge on the Arkansas Court of Appeals and now pastor of New Millennium Church...
Can Conservative Evangelicals Be Radical Believers?
Evangelical theology has served us well over the last 50 years. In a sea of shifting sands (cultural, spiritual and ethical), evangelicalism has been a robust defender of the faith and has served to strengthen the...
Holy mackeral … uh, marlin!
Can you imagine a competition in which you won $1.2 million, then watched it swim away because of a technicality?Imagine the heartache felt by the captain of the Citation, a fishing boat participating in Morehead...
Taking Aim at Baptist Bureaucracies
The Great Commission Task Force report that was overwhelmingly approved by messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention on June 15 has its roots in a chapel address given by Southeastern Seminary President Danny Akin...
Is God Mad at the Big-Butter Jesus Church?
My trips to Dayton, Ohio, will be different from now on. My favorite marker, a 62-foot statue of Jesus made of wood, Styrofoam and resin in front of Solid Rock Church on Interstate 75, was struck by lightning and...
Lightning Striking “Touchdown Jesus” is Sober Reminder
The King of Kings statue off Interstate 75 near Monroe, Ohio, was hit by lightning on June 14. The 62-foot statue of Jesus with arms lifted (thus the nickname "Touchdown Jesus") was set ablaze and its Styrofoam, wood...
Baptist bureaucracies in the bull’s eye
The Great Commission Task Force report that was overwhelmingly approved by messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention on June 15 has its roots in an chapel address given by Southeastern Seminary President Danny Akin...
Rising Tide of Anxiety Along the Gulf Coast
Out-of-town friends are calling daily and asking questions like: "How are you guys doing with the oil situation?" and "How do the beaches look?" and "What do you expect to happen in the coming weeks?" Here are my...
Can Reconciliation Begin in the Gaza Strip?
Israel has firmly rejected any idea of an international and independent inquiry into the conduct of the botched raid on the Mavi Marmara. Realistically, it was bound to do so. However, it has gone as far as it can...
For Men Only? Language Matters in Evangelism
Through the years, Rick Warren has consistently provided food for thought on the subject of evangelism. Agree with him or disagree (the latter of which I often do, especially when he links evangelism exclusively with...
Dogs want to run
No, this isn't a commentary on the University of Georgia's offensive strategy for the upcoming football season. It's about the four-footed kind, those rambunctious critters that inhabit so many of our houses and some...
‘The Book of Eli’ Is the Battle for the Bible
"The Book of Eli" is a parable about the battle for the Bible in a post-apocalyptic America that speaks profoundly to the battle for the Bible in contemporary America. Ever since movie star Denzel Washington gave a...
Remembering the Oil Spill in the Niger Delta
The first research I ever did on African politics was about oil in the Niger Delta. I was 18, a freshman in college, and completely naive about a lot of things. Everything I knew about Big Oil came from my dad's...
Think We Have Too Much Government? Think Again.
We've heard the mantra over and over – "Our government is too big!" Never mind that those who are the quickest to shout it at a rally are also the quickest to claim their Social Security and Medicare benefits. As one...
Spiritual Gifts
A sermon delivered by Joel Snider, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Rome, Ga., on June 13, 2010. 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 Morning Prayer: Our Father, we confess there are times when our lives seem thwarted at every...
God Stories: When God Grieves
A sermon delivered by Howard Batson, First Baptist Church, Amarillo, Tx., on June 13, 2010. Genesis 5:28-29; 6:1-8:19 Maybe if Noah’s wife told the story, it would go something like this: Every time I hear rain...