“Remember the psalms were written by the people to God. These are the thoughts of a human about God, not the word of God spoken to humanity.” My Sunday school class had gathered down the street from our church at…
Can Baptists be both committed to the message of Christ and active in political matters?
Jeremiah tells the people of the Babylonian Exile that God is calling them to settle in the region. “Go ahead and get married. Buy a house. Join the PTA, the YMCA, a local church.” Essentially, Jeremiah says, “Be all in. Hold nothing back.”
Retweeting mercy in the midst of darkness
In her July 10 message at the House for All Sinners and Saints in Denver, Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber retells the story of the Merciful Samaritan. The message is timely, coming as it does on the heels of a week —…
An anomaly in the pulpit
“What’s in a name?” the guest preacher asked as the sermon began. The message was taken from the Lukan account of the Gerasene man suffering from demon possession, the man who was called Legion. The reverend addressed the biblical significance…
Relaxing in the mystery: when answers are always necessary
In his spiritual memoir, O Me of Little Faith, Jason Boyett writes about a forbidden topic: the doubt that so often accompanies faith. He recalls his upbringing in a Southern Baptist church in Texas where he learned Romans 3:23 and…
How a résumé-driven mentality is crippling our culture
I come from a long line of folks who cannot abide The Big Head. I don’t know if this malady is well known north of the Mason-Dixon Line, but down here in the South, everybody knows about The Big Head….
A ragged wall that looks a lot like the Church
The rocks were far from perfect. Our 30-year-old retaining wall had come tumbling down, and the stone masons were tasked with rebuilding it. They would reuse the rocks, but they’d have to shape them to fit the new design. The…
Don’t know beans about praying
Similarly, the spirit also helps us out in our weakness. For example, we don’t know beans about praying, but the Spirit himself speaks up for our unexpressed concerns. And he who x-rays our hearts understands the Spirit’s approach, since the…
Bumper sticker theology
By Aileen Lawrimore “Prayer Works!” and its bossier sibling, “Pray. It Works!” are sayings I’ve seen on everything from tote bags to T-shirts, bumper stickers to Bible studies. You can get a “Prayer Works” apron for the saintly cook in…
From despair to hope, sans seraphim
By Aileen Lawrimore “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings:…
Christmas ministry to broken spirits
By Aileen Lawrimore What if, for you, it’s actually not the most wonderful time of the year? What if it’s your first Christmas (or your 51st) without your beloved? What if you’re fighting physical, mental or emotional illness? Or what…
Cocoa butter advice
By Aileen Lawrimore In my family, we call it cocoa butter advice. It’s the advice that no one needs, but everyone offers. You know what I mean, right? It’s like when my sister suffered from a rare disorder called obstetric…