Louis R. Tillman IV has been up to a lot in just a few short years of ministry, including championing social and racial justice causes and helping guide the poor and hungry through the COVID-19 pandemic. And being a Black…
Senior adults benefit from mindfulness techniques, speakers say
Senior adult Christians can cultivate more energy, peace and compassion by embracing mindfulness meditation, a pair of United Methodist spiritual teachers said during a webinar hosted recently by Fellowship Southwest. Mindfulness spiritual techniques also can help seniors navigate the challenges…
Another week, another hurricane — welcome to 2020
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is stretching the disaster response capabilities of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship to the limit. “I’m afraid we are getting to that point,” said Rick Burnette, Global Missions field personnel and the domestic disaster response manager…
About those 545 kids still separated from parents: Expect long-lasting psychological distress
The fact that 545 sets of parents whose children were removed from them at the U.S.-Mexico border cannot be found has reactivated the alarms sounded for several years now by child development and immigration experts. They warn of severe, even…
Is there a message from God in the pandemic?
Author, speaker and Baptist minister Alan Rudnick said he’s considered writing a column asking if God sent the coronavirus to plague humankind. “And, of course I would end by saying ‘no,’” said Rudnick, senior minister-elect at DeWitt Community Church in…
‘All Souls to the Polls’ engages churches to make voting fun and accessible
Contentious, high-stakes elections are nothing new to Darryl Warren Aaron or his members at Providence Baptist Church in Greensboro, N.C. But there is a different feel surrounding the 2020 general election, said the pastor of the city’s oldest Black congregation….
New book connects views on crime and punishment to faith perspectives
Donald Trump’s infamous Bible photo-op in front of a church last June was an appeal to white evangelicals’ belief that crime, punishment and faith are intertwined, author and historian Aaron Griffith said. That worldview came into even starker relief when…
Pastors feeling political pushback from both sides — and then there’s the younger generation
Some pastors simply can’t win for losing when trying to navigate the politics consuming many American churches. Those who try to stay clear of contentious issues are criticized for avoiding important issues. Those who take up those topics are accused…
Study links daily spiritual practices to improved well-being and mental health
A national study conducted by sending text messages to smartphone users demonstrates that consistent spiritual practices can serve as a buffer against depression and boost overall well-being, social scientists say. “This study is unique because it examines daily spiritual experiences…