Our oldest child had a birthday recently. She is now grown and married, with children of her own. But you just never forget the birth of your first child. I was a pastor, so can you guess where we were…
Finding strength in immigration — year after year
For the past 10 years, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Mississippi has had four coordinators and a couple of interims, but only one administrative assistant — and everybody knows her. Deenie Grubbs has been the face, and more specifically the…
What does preaching look like after the inauguration?
Preaching remains at the heart of congregational life. Whether or not preaching has social significance depends upon the character of the minister, the relevance of the message, and the passion of delivery. Preaching is an art, and the wise pastor…
On immigration, Franklin Graham is dead wrong
Franklin Graham is dead wrong about immigration, refugees and the Bible. And his comments will have deadly consequences. And by the way, if you support Samaritan’s Purse and its Operation Christmas Child next December, you will be supporting Graham’s kind…
Gender wage gap: A justice issue for the Church
Philadelphia’s mayor Jim Kenney signed a bill on Jan. 23 prohibiting employers from asking applicants about their salary history. Women’s rights activists favor the bill because it will help lower the pay gap between men and women. Employers do not…
American first or Christian first? Why supporting Trump’s vision for the nation compromises our biblical mandate
Trump’s new vision for our nation is not just un-American, but it is unchristian. And either, if not both, of those shortcomings should bother you. During his inaugural address, the president announced that for at least the next four years,…
Vintage Jesus
“They have no wine,” his mother said to the Son of God, when the cabernet ran out, at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, on the edge of the kingdom of God. But Jesus of Nazareth wasn’t buying it. “Woman,”…
The power of memories
Memories are vital for human beings. They assist us in developing a sense of identity and belonging. They protect us by helping us to remember previous hurts and dangers. But they also give us a sense of hope as they move us to consider our lives, and to remember how certain experiences and events have propelled us to a better future.
El poder de los recuerdos
Los recuerdos son vitales para los seres humanos. Nos ayudan a desarrollar un sentido de identidad y pertenencia. Nos protegen al ayudarnos a recordar heridas y peligros previos. Pero también nos dan un sentido de esperanza, ya que nos permiten reflexionar en nuestras vidas, y recordar cómo ciertas experiencias y eventos nos han llevado a un futuro mejor.
Retaining the courage to speak from the pulpit
I recently mentioned from the pulpit that we’d been invited to participate in a conversation with other pastors called “The Church in the Age of Donald Trump.” The next day I got a very nice, but concerned email: “Did you…
It’s all about love
Matthew’s Gospel offers a simple sentence summary of Jesus’ message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (or “is at hand”). Some Jesus scholars think of him as a Jewish apocalyptic prophet announcing the imminent arrival of God’s…
Why my faith propelled me to the Women’s March
I ran into someone the other day who had just returned from the Women’s March in Washington and she had with her a poster from the march. As she unrolled it to show me she said, “I’m so glad I…