From a leadership studies point of view, political parties, even when healthy, aren’t ordinary organizations. They become notoriously dysfunctional when they are unhealthy. Similarly, churches aren’t ordinary organizations. When they follow the patterns of leadership modeled and demonstrated by Jesus,…
Gov. Landry and the new Ten Commandments
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry seemed quite smug with himself, surrounded by similarly adoring fans as he proudly — yes, even regally — signed into law his dangerous bill to place the Ten Commandments in every classroom in every public educational…
Dear SBC: Let my people go!
Dear Southern Baptist Convention: Welcome to Indianapolis! We Baptists — at least, the “normal” kind, whose pastoral leaders possess no desires of grandeur to elevate themselves to “bishop,” or “prophet,” or “apostle” — frequently joke about who might be bishop…
I won’t buy his ‘truth’ or his Bible
One presidential candidate is now selling an American-flag-draped, Constitution-including Bible for $60! If certain American evangelicals, certain Republicans and perhaps all people who still intend to vote for him know their history — especially the history of the Reformation —…
Are Mike Johnson, Mitch McConnell and many key Republicans really Christians?
It was “in Antioch the disciples were for the first time called Christians” (Acts 11:26). This verse of Scripture struck one side of my brains just as the other side revolted, “They are not Christians!” This simultaneous scriptural recollection and…
Christians are preventing America from confession and repentance of racism
It is almost painful to listen to the verbal gyrations of Nikki Haley, who claims Christianity, trying to deny that America always has been, and continues to be, a racist country. Americans need to grow up past their childish fragility….
Silence is not an option for the church on January 6
The church should not remain silent when January 6 rolls around. It was an insurrection. It was incited. It was planned. It was intended. It was a response to a dastardly lie. Trump did lose. Biden did win. People did…
The Barabbification of America
Across the world, many religious people shall regard this week as holy. Jews shall celebrate Passover, while Christians shall commemorate the Crucifixion. Christians shall soon celebrate the Resurrection, known to many as Easter. I’m watching a familiar phenomenon happening in…
Climate disasters reveal serious hypocrisy — both religious and political
When the AIDS epidemic descended upon cities on America’s West and East Coast (but not in the American South just yet), religious “authorities” such as Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and Billy Graham declared it to be God’s judgment for sin….