“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power maybe of God, and not from ourselves” (2 Corinthians 4:7, ASV). I’ve never witnessed anything like the earthquake damage in Christchurch, New Zealand. Never…
KINGDOM VISION: Letting go of the rope
On a recent trip to southwest Virginia, out near Honaker, I had the opportunity to speak at a wonderful church anniversary celebration. Following the worship time, we had a meal and I was seated next to a 97-year-old gentleman. As…
NORTH CAROLINA BRIEFS
N.C. Men preparing response. North Carolina Baptist Men is preparing to respond to a possible landfall by Hurricane Irene on the state’s coast. “We are planning for a response, mobilizing and preparing our equipment and volunteers to be available in…
VIRGINIA BRIEFS
Chaplain service releases new DVD. The Chaplain Service Prison Ministry of Virginia has released a new DVD describing the agency’s ministry to 32,000 adult prisoners in 31 state prisons and three juvenile correctional centers across Virginia. The DVD includes comments…
OUT LOUD
“I’d love to say that we atheists did it all ourselves; I’d love to be able to say that our dazzling wit and slashing rhetorical attacks are persuading people to abandon organized religion in droves. But the truth is that…
VITAL SIGNS: Mind the gap
Three years ago, our youngest son graduated from college. Yeah! Following graduation, he had no idea what he wanted to do with his degree. Boo! Solution: take a “gap year” and spend it in South Africa working in a ministry…
WINN RECOMMENDS
Justice in Love, Nicholas Wolterstorff (Eerdmans) Often, the Christian themes of justice and love are held in tension. Philosophers have posited them as incompatible starting points for thinking about ethics while the rest of us have often wondered if the…
OPINION: Looking for laughter after 9/11
It’s coming. The sun’s daily rise and set prompts the inexorable turn of calendar pages and guarantees it. This Sept. 11 marks 10 years since the day the world stood still as 19 terrorists commandeered four huge jets and flew…
Faith & work
SHAWNEE, Kan. (ABP) — In an uncertain and unstable economy, how do Christians reconcile work as a reflection of the image of God in them with high unemployment and under-employment rates? Should believers reexamine what defines "meaningful" work? How do…
Churches offer ‘Soul Food,’ encouragement to the unemployed
DALTON, Ga. (ABP) — When people are in trouble following natural disasters, churches usually respond rapidly and generously. The disaster of chronic unemployment creates a different set of challenges, but some churches across the country provide models of ministry to…
Beyond immediate ministry, Christians called to address social inequities
ABILENE, Texas (ABP) — While many churches reach out to meet the immediate needs of people who have lost jobs, Christians also are called to tackle underlying social issues related to employment and to partner with others to help make…
Opinion: Two lies for Labor Day
Jim Denison (ABP) — I am a Christian because of the ministry of two "laymen." One was a mechanic, the other a salesman. When I was a teenager, they invited me to ride their bus to church. If they had…