Maybe like me you missed this zinger back in April. Amid the dispute between the White House and the Vatican, Vice President JD Vance posted on X April 18: “Pope Leo preaches the gospel, as he should, and that will…
What I would say to Sam Allberry
A few days ago, Immanuel Church Nashville released a statement that associate pastor Sam Allberry had resigned from his position following an “inappropriate relationship with an adult man,” the nature and extent of which he failed to fully disclose. Allberry…
Jesus Was a Migrant illuminates America’s theological crisis
Last fall, FaithWorks (formerly Fellowship Southwest) led a pilgrimage to the Texas-Mexico border. The pilgrims included the organization’s Racial Justice Advocates pilot cohort and a documentary film crew. Noted writer and historian Jemar Tisby also joined the group. The result,…
‘This is not a drill’
It seems like such a short time ago we asked God to bless the backpacks our students carry as they began a new school year. It is hard to believe our kids are just weeks away from the last day…
Where is the outrage?
In our current era, many people are outraged by the wrong things while remaining indifferent to the genuine injustices happening around them. Outrage is a waste of time if it is not followed by action. Writing letters, making phone calls…
Self-centeredness is having a moment
Have you seen this post: “Selfish people rarely recognize how selfish they are. If you think this is about someone else, you’re the one in denial”? We believe the world would be a better place if everyone thought like we…
Sensationalism and the Shroud of Turin
Popular evangelical biblical scholar Jeremiah Johnston’s latest book, The Jesus Discoveries: 10 Historical Finds that Bring Us Face-to-Face with Jesus, has become an unexpected publishing phenomenon. It currently ranks among the top titles on both the New York Times bestseller…
Let’s change what we tolerate, accept and expect
My wife, Clary, and I were talking after church. During the worship service that morning, the church where I serve as senior pastor ordained a woman to gospel ministry — the second woman the church has ordained to ministry in…
A tale of two Leos
In a recent Atlantic article, David Brooks writes: “Many of us thought that the world would get more democratic as it modernized, but for the past quarter century, we have seen a reversion to authoritarian strongmen. Donald Trump, acting like…
Criminalizing truth
I have spent much of my life working at the intersection of faith and public life, often in rooms where people insist religion should stay out of politics. I understand why. Faith has been used to divide, to dominate, to…
What King Charles didn’t say about the Magna Carta
When King Charles III stood before the United States Capitol and praised the Magna Carta, he presented it as a sacred foundation of liberty — one of the great ancestors of the American Bill of Rights, constitutional democracy and the…
Trump’s ’60 Minutes’ interview shows why we need a free press
The recent 60 Minutes interview with President Donald Trump hosted by Norah O’Donnell was not great television, but it revealed a glaring and well-known flaw in our president. He attacks and denigrates everyone he deems critical of him. He always…