It’s getting real in a whole new way for Americans involved in local, regional and national interfaith movements. Donald Trump’s election is seeing to that. Religious folk who thought they had an uphill battle against sporadic prejudice, here and there,…
Flood waters deepen minister’s calling into homeless ministry
Merianna Harrelson was cruising along as pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Lexington, S.C., when Mother Nature stepped in with historic flooding in the fall of 2015. The high waters, and the suffering they inspired, drew Harrelson and her husband,…
President-elect inspiring more prayer, worship and (social media) fasting
It could be that the election of Donald Trump is having an unintended consequence: Driving more Americans to the practice of fasting. It’s already been reported that prayer and worship attendance among mainline Christians are rising since Election Day. So…
Hoping for cessation of ‘war on Christmas’ rhetoric? Don’t, historians say
Another season of the so-called “war on Christmas,” especially in the wake of Donald Trump’s election, may be just enough to drive some people over the edge. And all indications are it isn’t going to go away. “There is no…
Unlike some Christians, Lutherans still all-in on Protestant identity
Many Christians — especially in the United States — are struggling with their Protestant identity these days. Articles and blogs abound on the topic. The religiously unaffiliated don’t resonate with the concept of Christianity defined by a religious revolution sparked in the…
Cuban Christians and U.S. missions groups not too worried about post-Fidel era
The Nov. 25 death of Fidel Castro raised questions about the future of communism in Cuba. But Christianity’s future has also become a big question. Catholic and Protestant churches in the island nation have come far since Castro’s 1959 revolution….
To help someone grieving at the holidays, avoid platitudes, experts say
The holidays are especially hard on those mourning the loss of loved ones and friends. And that suffering is often made worse by well-meaning-but-nervous friends who don’t know what to say — or not say — to those who are grieving. “A…
Trump election may signal death — and rebirth — of American Christianity
John Jay Alvaro is one of those thoughtful ministers. He frequently pauses when asked tough questions — especially when it’s about matters of faith and culture. And he chooses his words carefully. That’s precisely what he did Tuesday morning when asked…
Big-church solutions don’t solve small-church problems, experts say
A few years back, Dennis Atwood was having a heck of a time getting his hands on a discipleship curriculum designed for small or even mid-sized congregations. Most of what he found was tailored to churches much larger than the…