Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
‘Life is not over’ — Writer shares her honest, insightful journey of widowhood
By John D. Pierce Ella Wall Prichard didn’t set out to someday write a book about navigating widowhood. In fact, she admits being quite unprepared for this stage of life thrust upon her when her husband Lev died in...
Why Your Church Must Choose Reconciliation Over Winning
I was almost unable to write this article. Several weeks ago, I found myself in a terrifying encounter with a law enforcement officer in Mississippi. The day before the incident, I had conducted funeral services for my...
Does Your Church Offer a Better Way to Our Culture?
What are the cultural themes of the day? Division, greed, injustice, discrimination, selfishness, hate, fear - enough, please! So many in North America are fed up with the prevailing cultural winds blowing through our...
Off Course? How Your Church Can Correct Mission Drift
An important fishing lesson that I've learned the hard way can help local churches assess their ministry and its impact. I enjoy fishing, especially when I'm in a boat and can work the shore under the overhanging trees...
May 29, 2018
Arkansas Ten Commandments Monument Challenged as Unconstitutional (BJC) Conservative Christian Lawyers Gain Influence Under Trump (CNBC) The Massive Failure of Christian Political Leadership (Washington Post) Roman...
May 28, 2018
Cooperative Baptists to Celebrate Women in Leadership at General Assembly in Dallas (CBF) Pastors, Not Politicians, Turned Dixie Republican (Forbes) A Christian Nationalist Blitz (New York Times) The GOP’s Nazi...
Drop The Ropes
By: Ginger Hughes Our youngest loves to pretend “horses.” This means he holds one end of a rope, and someone who loves him enough to go along with his shenanigans (namely me, his daddy, or a grandparent) holds the...
Certainty is root of all fundamentalist problems
By John D. Pierce Like religious fundamentalists at large, Southern Baptist Convention leaders are cornered by their absurd doctrinal certainty. Doubt or even a hint of uncertainty is treated as unbelief — so they...
The Power of Love
A worldwide audience listened last weekend to a sermon about the power of love at the wedding of Britain's Prince Harry and U.S. actress Meghan Markle. Delivered by Episcopal Bishop Michael Curry, the sermon has...
Memorial Day: More Than 1 Million Reasons to Remember
I had the privilege of serving in two distinguished military communities during my years as a pastor. And I continue to share life with those who currently serve or have valiantly served our country. In recent days, I...
Can the Holy Spirit Make You Do Weird Things?
Baptists - and other ecclesial kin - have been a bit suspicious of the Spirit. In a conference in a church in Missouri a few years ago, I asked persons to write down their questions about the Holy Spirit. One honest...
Why You Need to Support a Free Press
World Press Freedom Day was observed earlier this month (May 3). This day is promoted annually by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). According to its website, it "is a date...
May 25, 2018
Paige Patterson Unrepentant After After Seminary Trustee Action (Baptist News Global) Alabama Pastor Patrick Remorseful Over Social Media Comments (Alabama Baptist) Scott Pruitt Twice Proposed Anti-Abortion Legislation...
The Tale of Two Presidents at Southwestern Seminary
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Southern Baptist Convention seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, has relieved President Paige Patterson of his responsibilities. Patterson's status has been in question for weeks...
Should Abused Women (or Men) Stay with Their Spouses?
Comments by a Southern Baptist seminary president about divorce, even in situations of abuse, has led to a rebellion by thousands of Southern Baptist women and men. Many were demanding the seminary president's...
35 Million Above U.S. Poverty Level Lack Funds for Basic Needs
Nearly 51 million households in the U.S. lacked funds to buy basic necessities in 2016, according to a United Way study published on May 17. While there were 16.7 million households with income levels below U.S....
May 23, 2018
Paige Patterson Out After Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Trustees Vote (Christianity Today) Southern Baptist Leader Paige Patterson Removed as President of Southwestern Seminary as Accusations Grow (Dallas...
Profiles in Goodwill: John Pierce
John Pierce is executive editor of Nurturing Faith Journal & Bible Studies (formerly Baptists Today). 1. Where did you grow up? In Boynton, an unincorporated community next to Chickamauga National Military Park in...
When the World’s Burning, Who Needs Poetry?
An endorsement blurb from Johnny Cash graces the back side of "Nashville Skyline," Bob Dylan's 1969 album recorded in Music City. "Here-in is a hell of a poet," said Cash, as reported by Robert Hudson in his book, "The...
Is There Hope for Evangelical Women? – Part 2
Beth Moore's courage to speak out, even at the cost of her reputation and possibly her ministry, gave me hope that the evangelical world would finally listen. Even so, much work remains to be done in light of the...
Can Churches Help Society Find a New ‘New Normal’?
I've been losing a daily bet for some time now that things can't get any more (you fill in the word) - crazy, embarrassing, silly, preposterous, unbelievable - on the public stage. As sure as I make such a wager, the...