Since summer 2015, the most important figure in American life has been Donald J. Trump. Every time some of us hoped we would be through with him, he has shown he is not through with us. His exhausting presence and…
Holy Week 2023: When Golgotha came too early
For me, Palm Sunday didn’t work this year. In the liturgical calendar, Palm Sunday introduces Holy Week, a momentarily joyous prelude to the agony of Golgotha. Palm Sunday is supposed to give us hope that will strengthen us to walk…
The broad way that leads to life
“Enter by the narrow gate,” Jesus said, “for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction. … For the gate is narrow and the the way is hard that leads to life.” Sometimes the gate…
On the separation of church and university
In 2011, I was invited to join the Chowan University community as assistant professor of religion. Naturally, I was thrilled to have a job amidst a stifling job market. Furthermore, I realized how fortunate this job offer was as the…
An open letter to Baptist women
As newsfeeds are abuzz with the proposed amendment to the constitution of the Southern Baptist Convention to ban women from serving as “pastors” in its membership churches, Baptist women are rightfully calling for churches and male colleagues to fill pulpits…
If you’re going to quote 1 Timothy 3:2, be sure to read Exodus 20:17
It’s gone on for millennia. Heck, it’s part of the first story. Adam blamed Eve for his indulgence in a snack that was high in fiber but also the knowledge of good and evil. The Apostle Paul, in 1 Timothy…
On the indictment of a president
Donald J. Trump may not be the first United States president who could have been indicted for criminal activity, but he surely is the most likely. The fact we now have reached this point and this statement is controversial tells…
The shift from positional power to relational power
You and I see it almost daily: A person doesn’t know when to let go of their position of power. A father or mother, high executive or low manager, a lay or professional leader, a bus driver or bus mechanic….
What the SBC can learn from NCAA women’s basketball
In case you’ve missed it, we’re in the midst of March Madness. For only the second year, the women’s NCAA basketball tournament can use that moniker too. It had been the exclusive property of the men’s tournament for all the…
Guys, guns and gods
I am an unabashed 1980s baby. My childhood was blessed with He-Man, Transformers, G.I. Joe, and the then-wrestlers from the National Wrestling Alliance, American Wrestling Alliance and the World Wrestling Federation. I grew up memorizing movie lines and moves by…
A response to ‘The List’
If I’m being honest, I was a little indignant when I first scrolled down to the “Ds” and realized the church where I serve as associate pastor hadn’t made “the list.” But then I kept scrolling. And scrolling. For more…
What Mike Law got right
The talk of the Baptist world for the past week has been the list of female pastors serving at churches purportedly affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Pastor Mike Law of Arlington Baptist Church in Arlington, Va., created this partial…