I once thought grace was pretty amazing — Jesus dying on the cross, all my sins forgiven, a guaranteed place in heaven after I died. But what if grace is even more amazing? As a child I learned about “Amazing…
Amid the chaos of war, I witnessed Ukrainians seeking safety and hoping for peace
Few people were flying into Warsaw in the first half of March. Those who were displayed a similar intensity — an unpolished, gut-level sense of mission. Russia had invaded Ukraine on Thursday, Feb. 24. A half dozen former U.S. servicemen…
The student loan forgiveness application should be the first step, not the last
The student loan forgiveness application is now live, and everyone should apply. This application is a result of the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to help working and middle-class federal student loan borrowers transition back to regular payments as pandemic support ends….
The Kentucky youth group brainsaw massacre — a ghost story for All Hallows Eve and Reformation
“Can we go camping tonight, Brad? Pleeeeeease?” During seminary in Kentucky in the early 1990s, I served as youth minister at a small country church in the rolling pastureland 25 miles south of Louisville, Ky., in Elk Creek. Spencer County…
Report from Ukraine: ‘In the midst of the suffering, God is at work’
As the war in Ukraine has passed its seventh month, a shift has occurred. Ukrainian forces have reclaimed parts of occupied territories causing Russian state rhetoric to become even more extreme and desperate. Fighting has intensified in the east and…
Lessons in grieving the loss of a child: From ‘maybe so‘ to ‘it is so’
It was my last conversation with, let’s say, Tim, a close friend for six decades. Our stockpile of trust built a sturdy container strong enough to hold honest end-of-life conversations. Tim is dying and he knows it. Each telephone conversation…
Tooting your horn, missing the point, or telling the truth about church
“Thank you for the tour. Your church has such an interesting history. I was surprised that you didn’t mention God.” What? Really? That can’t be right. Telling a church’s story seems simple. You just tell what happened. Start to do…
Fantasy informs reality
What is one story that has shaped your life and view of the world? One bonus point if you say the Bible. There are so many wonderfully creative stories in book, movie, music and other art forms readily available to…
Yes, there’s a storm brewing in the Southern Baptist Convention
The recent resignation of Adam Greenway from the presidency of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has revealed that deep divisions currently exist within the Southern Baptist Convention. While Greenway’s departure from Southwestern has been bemoaned by his supporters, his detractors —…
For evangelical voters, there’s ‘no exception’ except when their candidate needs an exception
National Republicans are standing up to defend Herschel Walker after a bombshell report that the Senate candidate in the hotly contested battleground state of Georgia paid for a woman’s abortion in 2009. Something has radically changed in the value system of…
White supremacy in blackface: The curious case of Herschel Walker
Blackface is one of the disgraceful aspects of American history. Popularized in the United States after the Civil War, blackface involved white performers playing characters that demeaned and dehumanized African Americans. These offensive and blatantly racist performances were done in…
How the church becomes a grooming place for domestic violence
Churches and Christian groups often instill in young women character traits that, unfortunately, open the gateway to dating violence and domestic abuse. By gendering character traits, the church has increased the power of men and the marginalization of women. Patriarchal…