On June 29, 2023, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down affirmative action admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. The majority opinion for both decisions was written by Chief Justice John Roberts Jr….
Our common call: How historic Baptist theology affirms my call to pastoral ministry
I am more confident in my call to pastoral ministry because I know historic Baptist theology. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and the common anointing for ministry are basic to Baptist thought…
Passport Camps: Cultivating an atmosphere of call
Recently I attended the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly in Atlanta. It was the first assembly I’ve attended in years. There were a lot of things to celebrate, but something I noticed may have gone unnoticed by most. My doctoral…
Back to the ATL, hungry for a welcome home
Let’s start with a bit of disclosure. I’m not afraid of flying. Really, I’m not. But as the plane I’m on starts to descend, I realize I’m afraid. Not beacuse we’re rapidly losing altitude. There’s been no abrupt change in…
My long farewell to traditional religion (and what remains)
If I had to summarize my religious journey with one Bible verse, I would choose Matthew 28:17, “When they (the early disciples) saw him (the risen Christ), they worshiped him; but some doubted.” For more than 50 years, since my…
Woe to modern-day Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes
I’m sure some Southern Baptist Convention Christians are wolves in sheep’s clothing, but my hunch is 99% of all SBCers want to be good and think they are good. They are not delusional enough to believe they are perfect, but…
Five reasons separation of church and state is essential
The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States confirms that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the…
5 ways to be an ally to those battling chronic illness
One thing the pandemic did for the disability community was to open dialogue and raise awareness for those living with chronic illness or pain. Long COVID symptoms brought conversations to the forefront regarding those who live with debilitating but often…
That’s not even the most interesting thing about me
I’m not usually the person who walks around every day wearing Pride merchandise. In fact, I tend to wear all black clothing the majority of the time, a holdover from the “emo kid” fashion influence of my teens. So standing…
Moderate and progressive Christians must speak up
I have tried numerous times to synthesize my thoughts on the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in 303 Creative vs. Elenis, where a 6-3 majority ruled that a website designer could deny services to a same-sex couple based on her…
What Baptists have in common with pirates (the nice ones)
In light of recent Baptist news, I’ve been doing some reflection about how Baptists are really a lot like pirates, in a good way. (Disclaimer: I’m talking about the pirates of Treasure Island and Errol Flynn and Pirates of the…
A pilgrim in a strange land: How one United Methodist found a home in moderate Baptist life
It is no secret that The United Methodist Church is in chaos. Churches are voting to leave the denomination left and right, once healthy congregations are now divided, longtime relationships are being damaged, and good people are being hurt. Several…