By Starlette McNeill Rainer Maria Rilke, the Austrian-German poet and novelist, said of his work Stories of God that he was “busied with transferring God from the sphere of rumor into the realm of direct and daily experiencing.” His words…
God, guns, freedom, and idolatry in America
After another mass shooting last week, I watched countless conversations about mass killings unfold on social media and in the news cycle. As many Christians defended complete and total legislative inaction in the wake of wonton violence, I was literally…
Facts or beliefs?
A recent headline caught my eye about the teaching of Islam in some public schools in Franklin County, TN. Apparently some parents were concerned that students were receiving not simply an education in Islam, but an indoctrination. The article was…
‘He’s in the classroom’
By Bill Leonard “He’s in the classroom.” That’s what the 911 caller said to the operator in Roseburg, Ore., around 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 1, 2015. The caller alerted authorities to the brutal presence of a shooter at the Umpqua…
J. Brent Walker: Our friend and mentor
By Stephen Reeves, Aaron Weaver and Jeff Huett When we think of defenders and champions of religious liberty and the separation of church and state, we think of many from the great Baptist cloud of witnesses. We think of Roger…
Time to prepare for “No Shave November”
Does having a beard make a person more or less effective as a minister? I feel kind of silly even posing the question, because it’s not the kind of question that typically crosses one’s mind—except that I’m in ministry, and…
Congregations without vision cannot see Jesus
Seeing Jesus is a powerful image in the New Testament. Matthew 25:37-40 as an example says, “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?…
Three steps your church can take to confront gun violence
By Amy Butler Often when people comment about living in New York City, they say something along the lines of, “That’s a dangerous place!” or, “I hope you’re being careful!” It’s true that Gotham City is the largest city in…
Praying angry
So much death. So much hurt. We look around now, and it’s all we see. State-sponsored executions, with more to come. Mass shootings. A plane crash in Afghanistan. It’s hard to come away from this with any feelings of hope….