By Brett Younger I belong to a religious group that has been responsible for horrible acts of terrorism. The majority of us do not believe these terrorists are being true to our faith, but others insist on painting us all…
Grievous words
By Molly T. Marshall “A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger” (Prov. 15:1, KJV) was one of the first Bible verses I learned as a child. Not only were we instructed to memorize this instruction,…
Sharing seeds of hope
By Nora O. Lozano La versión en español está disponible aquí. Two weeks ago I once more had the privilege of leading the Latina Leadership Institute Training in Texas. This year was particularly special because we launched the celebrations of…
Compartiendo semillas de esperanza
Nora O. Lozano An English version is available here. Hace dos semanas tuve el privilegio, una vez más, de dirigir el entrenamiento del Instituto de Liderazgo para Latinas (Latina Leadership Institute) en Texas. Este año fue particularmente especial porque iniciamos…
When sticky church becomes stuck church
By George Bullard A ministry acquaintance of mine, Larry Osborne of North Coast Church, an Evangelical Free Church in Vista, Calif., wrote a book several years ago called Sticky Church. The book makes the case that closing the back door…
Avoid thy neighbor?
By Corey Fields I sometimes attend neighborhood watch meetings. The idea behind such gatherings is a very good one. When neighbors know each other and work together, the neighborhood is stronger and crime rates decrease. Most folks I encounter are…
From despair to hope, sans seraphim
By Aileen Lawrimore “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings:…
‘The Revenant’ asks which is more powerful: love or revenge?
By Russ Dean What is the most powerful force within the human psyche? The Apostle Paul says there is only one force in the world for which people will move heaven and earth, a force which people will ultimately, and…
No Oscar nominations for non-whites: Time to change the membership
By Michael Parnell The 2016 Academy Awards nominees were announced on Jan. 14 and for the second year in a row there were no actors of color nominated. That is 20 nominations and not one for an actor or actress…
10 ways pastors can engage church conflict
By Bill Wilson It was early in my pastoral ministry. I still thought my primary job was to please people and make them happy, ensure their comfort and leave them liking me. Thus, when someone disagreed with me or criticized…
Focus on Commandment, not Constitution
By Paula Dempsey The best lack all conviction While the worst are full of passionate intensity. —William Butler Yeats The conversation I overheard in the bread aisle of the grocery store about owning handguns had the same demeanor and tone…
3 things David Bowie can teach churches
As the death of David Bowie, the provocative entertainer, artist, actor and singer, continues to shock fans and the general public, his mark upon culture is undeniable. Bowie’s work spanned decades and touched millions of people. As musicians rise and…