I have a virtual executive assistant. Her name is Misty. She lives 999 miles away from me. A virtual executive assistant management firm connected us. After observing us for several months, eaHelp.com asked me to be a presenter on a…
Holy dreams
By Molly T. Marshall What makes possible a visionary such as Martin Luther King Jr.? What sustains the hope of an Aung San Suu Kyi, a Mahatma Gandhi or a Marian Wright Edelman? They envision a different world and then…
When bad religion makes headlines
The recent hoopla over using the Duke University chapel for Muslim prayers raises interesting issues, and is just another sign of our highly-religious nation’s deeply troubled understanding of its own convictions. The value of religious principles to our nation’s values…
Pastors as social entrepreneurs
Seldom do I meet a pastor who, when they find out I’m in fundraising, asks about raising money. Ironically, most seminaries don’t teach this elemental aspect of ministry—congregations are nonprofits; contributions are elemental to their growth. However, before congregations and…
God have mercy: A Latina prayer
By Nora Lozano As Martin Luther King Day was getting closer, I decided to approach this observance in a prayerful way. After offering general prayers for justice, peace and racial reconciliation, I asked myself: is this enough? How should I…
Our warping of death and tragedy
He stood at attention on the side of the road by his car. I passed this stranger not knowing who he was, not knowing if he had any connection to my current reason for driving along this road in a…
New year, same lessons
The news broke recently that the fire chief for the city of Atlanta has been fired. Surely someone in such a position would only stand to be fired for a few reasons — gross incompetence, legal troubles, getting on the wrong…
Beyond belief
By Corey Fields Last month, former Seventh-day Adventist pastor Ryan Bell (not to be confused with Rob Bell) dropped the bombshell: he doesn’t believe in God anymore. His story has hit national media outlets such as NPR and the Huffington…
Consensus in Congregations the Martin Luther King Jr. Way
I love police, lawyer, and political dramas on television and the big screen. Not sure I always like the violence or murders, but I like how the drama is weaved together. The West Wing, about the presidency of Jeb Bartlett,…
Reflecting on the contributions of Martin Luther King Jr.
By David Gushee Follow David:@dpgushee American life offers us very few heroes today. Certainly there are few people that everyone admires. Instead, our semi-heroes come in shades of red and blue, like the rest of our public life. Martin…
Inclusion reflex
By Jason Coker Last summer I was at a conference in Italy with people from all over the world, and there were a handful of us who became very good friends. We would eat together, sit together during the conference,…
Redemption at Duke Chapel
Admittedly jarring in light of the recent tragedies in Paris and Nigeria was the news that on Fridays at noon the Muslim call to prayer will be chanted and broadcast from atop the Duke University Chapel bell tower. Having travelled…