Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
Where Have All the Prophets Gone?
There have never been many of them, but every now and then God manages to refresh the earth in general and the faith community in particular with the presence and the preaching of a prophet. I am not referring to some...
This is Not the Time to Forget Iraq
The last few weeks I have noticed even less attention paid to Iraq in the newspapers and on the cable news channels. Then along came Thomas L. Friedman in this Wednesday's column in the New York Times titled "Remember...
A Place for Jesus in the Church?
A Web-based group calling themselves TopVerse.com recently conducted a survey asking Christians to identify their favorite verses. The reason for the survey was to speed up an online search feature offered at the site....
‘Pack some heat, we’re going to church’
My journalistic scope has its limits. There are more books offered than I can read or care to review. More story ideas are tossed my way than I have time to explore.Likewise, the daily “interview opportunities”...
The things we believe
Just in time for Hallowe'en, an Ipsos poll sponsored by the Associated Press reveals that a third of us believe in ghosts.For the sake of comparison, the poll points out that the 34 percent who believe in ghosts is...
‘Nazareth Manifesto’ DVD Explores Jesus’ Message in Luke 4
The Baptist Center for Ethics today announced release of a 13-minute DVD, "The Nazareth Manifesto," exploring Luke 4:18-19, the Bible passage that sets the theme for the New Baptist Covenant celebration scheduled Jan....
Anti-Abortion Activist Says California Wildfires God’s Judgment for Homosexuality
A controversial anti-abortion activist says California wildfires are God's judgment on a new anti-discrimination law that some conservative Christians say promotes homosexuality in public schools. "Last week I groaned...
What You Can Do About Rape Crisis in Eastern Congo
It's been about two months since I returned home from my last trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and, since life is busy no matter where you are, I'm still reconnecting with friends. Out last weekend with a...
Criswell didn’t look like this
When the Southern Baptist Convention controversy was in full swing in the early 1980s, I was doing campus ministry in Marietta, Ga. The local newspaper, The Marietta Daily Journal, did a news story featuring two...
Religious Communities Respond to California Wildfires
Religious communities across the nation said prayers for both their brethren in the line of fire and all victims of wildfires raging across southern California, while ministering to those in need. The fires, stretching...
White House Seeks to Reduce Program Providing Energy Assistance to the Poor
Two weeks after President Bush vetoed a children's health insurance bill claiming he wants to put poor children first, the White House is threatening to veto legislation to boost funding for a program that helps...
American Baptist Treasures
While I grew up Baptist, I did not grow up American Baptist. Coming from outside 25 years ago, my perspective may be different from those who have always been here. They may not see or recognize the four treasures I...
The last Baptist standing
Wade Burleson may be the last Baptist standing on the International Mission Board who truly understands the Baptist heritage of allowing (indeed, cherishing) freedom to dissent as well as cooperation.Fellow trustee...
Too Much Pluribus, Not Enough Unum
I feel so cliche coming home from a visit to Germany with scores of pictures of the magnificent kirches, churches, at the center of every hamlet and city across Deutschland. I was one of the thousands of visitors from...
SBC Leader Labels Mormonism ‘Fourth Abrahamic Faith’
Southern Baptist Convention leader Richard Land called Mormonism "the fourth Abrahamic faith" in a discussion of controversy over Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's religious affiliation. Land, president...
Limbaugh Blames Environmentalists for California Fires
The law may describe acts of natural disaster beyond human control as "acts of God," but that isn't stopping finger pointing from the right and left for wildfires whipping across Southern California fanned by Santa Ana...
Flannelgraph frailties
Those of us raised on flannelgraph Christian education recall the essence of most Bible lessons we learned as kids: The Bible character — unless a bad-guy pagan like Goliath or Herod — was good and faithful, and...
Choice and Diversity Supplant Denominational Identity and Traditional Curriculum in Sunday Schools
Time was when a vacationing Baptist could drop in on any church in the South and pick up a copy of the same Sunday school quarterly used back home. Today, more churches have ceased shopping exclusively at the company...
Separation of Church, Government Good for Both
One of the most frustrating things I encounter as a minister is the realization that many if not most Christian people do not appreciate the idea of a separation of church and government. In fact, not only do they not...
American Baptist Leaders Blog During Visit to Africa
We arrived in Kinshasa Oct. 17, where there was a decided change in temperature and humidity from Johannesburg. One really begins to understand how big this continent is when you fly it. In the amount of time it takes...
Drinking is risky business … duh
Folks who love their liquor will have a harder time pretending that drinking alcohol is anything but stupid, according to a recent article in the Chicago Tribune.And you don't even have to "get stupid" to be...