Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
March 1, 2018
Report: Anti-Semitic Incidents on the Rise Nationally (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) Alaska’s Congressman Suggests More Jews Would Have Survived Holocaust if They Were Armed (CNN) Proudly Pro-Confederate SC Political...
The Compass Points “The Way”
By: Ginger Hughes A compass has a small magnetic pin suspended within the casing that allows the needle to spin freely responding to our planet’s magnetism. This needle aligns itself, pointing toward the top of the...
Prophetic Religion’s Role to Solve the Dreamer Dilemma
Our nation's immigration system is broken. This is widely agreed, even when little else is. For at least a decade, the outline of a comprehensive fix for our broken immigration system has been relatively clear, but...
A Horrific Slaughter That Must Never Be Forgotten
El Mozote is hidden in the countryside of El Salvador. In 1981, this small village became the site of a horrific massacre. As a tactical move by the army during the country's civil war, approximately 1,000 innocent...
3 Essential Faith Practices for Your Church During Lent
What might be three essential faith practices we should take with us on our 40-day journey toward Easter? On the Sunday before Lent at my congregation, I suggested these based off of Micah 6:8: justice, kindness and...
February 28, 2018
CBF Honors Virginia Pastors With Leadership Awards at ChurchWorks (Baptist News Global) VP Mike Pence in Tennessee Calls Trump ‘Most Pro-Life President in All of History’ (WBIR) Benny Hinn Rebukes Prosperity Gospel,...
When Opioid Abuse Claims Another Promising Life
I can't get his face out of my mind. He had deep eyes the color of leather that perfectly matched the hue of the unkempt hair framing his face. He looked younger than he was. His eyes lit like fire when he laughed, but...
How U.S. Exports Violence into Heart of El Salvador
A Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond trip to El Salvador coincided with the Trump administration's Jan. 9 decision to end temporary protected status for 200,000 Salvadorans. The decision seemingly led up to the...
Know State-Religion Interplay to Protect Religious Freedom
Understanding the interplay between states and religious traditions is vital to protecting religious freedom for all, said Ahmed Shaheed, U.N. Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion and belief, in his annual report...
February 27, 2018
Online ‘Trolls’ Target Baptists (Biblical Recorder) BGAV to Stop Forwarding Churches’ Gifts to Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (Baptist Press) Billy Graham Warned Against Embracing a President. His Son Has Gone Another...
Baptists Urged to Call Elected Reps to Protect Dreamers
Baptist leaders are encouraging constituents to call their elected representatives on March 1 to urge them to pass legislation that protects "Dreamers" from deportation and provides a path to citizenship. "Baptists...
U.S. Decision Leaves Salvadorans ‘Running for Their Lives’
A recent Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond's Mission Immersion Experience to El Salvador brought to light an issue that I had given little thought to - internally displaced persons (IDPs) within the country of...
Our Nation’s Solutions Rest in Middle, Not Extremes
I've considered myself a political moderate ever since I voted in my first election in November 1976. Now, I acknowledge that I usually vote for one party's candidates because that party's perspectives and policies for...
February 26, 2018
Evangelical Leaders Say ‘Pro-Life Ethic’ Means Fighting for Gun Reform (Huffington Post) Christian Publisher: Guns are America’s Golden Calf (Christian Century) Former President Jimmy Carter to Speak at Liberty...
OK Lawmakers Hatred Toward Minority Faiths Not OK
An interim study on "radical Islam, sharia law, Muslim brotherhood and the radicalization process" was commissioned by Oklahoma Representative John Bennett (R-Sallisaw) in October 2016. I wasn't surprised, since some...
Encouraging Your Church to Consider Women in Ministry
Affirming and supporting women in all local church ministry positions is a distinctive of the moderate Baptist movement. Sometimes, it takes instances like the Tennessee Baptist Convention's removal of First Baptist of...
‘We Want to Be Loving, Respectful and Welcoming, But …’
A man called our church in need of help last week. Craig (not his real name) was making his way from Maryland back home to Los Angeles when he got sick. He has suffered with AIDS for many years. Along the way, he ran...
‘Black Panther’
The character of T'Challa / Black Panther has existed in the canon of Marvel Comics since his debut in Fantastic Four No. 52 in 1966. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created him as the first black superhero in the Marvel...
February 23, 2018
Evangelical Pastor: Guns are Not Christian (TIME) Van Jones: A Children's Crusade Jesus Would be Proud of (CNN) NRA's LaPierre Blames Socialism for Gun Control Push Since Parkland (Vox) Environmental Protection Agency...
Baptist Call to Action Day for Dreamers
Baptist Call in Day for Dreamers: Baptists across the U.S. are encouraged to call, email, or write their elected Senators and Representatives on March 1, 2018, in support of passing a "clean" DREAM (Development,...
Listen to Children: Do Something about Gun Violence
Valentine's Day was in full swing at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Lunch had just ended with lovesick students saying goodbye to their Valentines as they left for afternoon classes. Little...