As a child of the Depression, my mother developed two guiding principles that on the surface might seem at odds with each other. She lived her entire life in fear of not having enough resources. And yet she valued sharing…
Muslim justice: A Christian imperative for the Trump years
Our Muslim siblings have been under attack this week. While Muslim discrimination is not new, it’s taking more emboldened forms than ever before in the Trump era. Last Friday, it came in the form of a travel ban from seven…
Remembering Frederick Douglass
Beginning Black History Month, President Trump met with a group of black leaders at the White House on Wednesday. During his remarks at this meeting, President Trump caused people pause when he explained, “Frederick Douglass is an example of somebody…
On becoming a Muslim to be a faithful follower of Jesus
As a committed liberationist-leaning Christian, I may have no choice but to say the Shahada and convert to Islam if I wish to be faithful to my beliefs. One of the bedrock principles of any liberative faith tradition is “solidarity…
The future of CEOs — and what that means for the Church
Because compensation for chief executive officers has grown by over 1,000 percent in the last three decades, research dedicated to the profile of these CEOs has proliferated. Because the U.S. church — for good or ill — tends to take…
Being a preacher’s kid — it’s complicated.
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,”…