What would you do if you had a million dollars? That’s a fun “what if” game most of us like to play, pondering all the good we could do, all the fun we might have, all the contributions we could…
Disruptive innovator competencies: temperance and courtesy
By John Chandler My friend from Fork Union (Va.) Baptist Church, Karen Bowles, runs The Etiquette School of the Commonwealth. This successful start-up works with businesses, children, Jefferson Scholars at the University of Virginia and Uptick young leaders. Karen teaches…
This Bud’s for Paige
By Rodney Kennedy Dr. Paige Patterson has taken a time machine back to the 1950s to suggest that there is something immoral about having a glass of wine. By his own admission this is only the second time he has…
My wife and I are partners
When it comes to changing diapers, I wish my wife and I weren’t egalitarian, but we are. Our marriage is an equal partnership. We listen for God’s guidance together and apart. We communicate our needs and express our desires openly….
Do for-profit corporations have religious liberties?
By David Gushee Follow David on twitter: @dpgushee The now-famous Hobby Lobby (HL) case finally has been argued before the Supreme Court, with a decision expected in June. I believe their claim should be denied. Here is my analysis. It…
Navigating the Land of the Giants
By Bill Wilson The story of the Israelite’s thwarted entry into the Promised Land has always made me curious. The 12 spies cross the Jordan and reconnoiter the land before them, returning with a mixed message. Ten of the spies…
Playing politics with religious freedom: Mississippi and RFRA
The Mississippi House of Representatives and Senate passed on Tuesday religious freedom legislation that has prompted outrage from progressive news media and advocacy groups. A column on the website Slate included perhaps the most provocative headline: “Mississippi passed its anti-gay…
Our silence on faith does not serve those leaving the church
By Alan Bean David Gushee, a theologian and ethicist who teaches at Mercer University’s McAfee School of Theology, struck a nerve when he suggested that moderate Baptists with roots in the Southern Baptist Convention could benefit from a statement of…
Why it doesn’t matter if Noah film is inaccurate
Noah starring Russell Crowe has seen success at the box office with the general public but not everyone is happy about the film. Some claim that the Noah story was hijacked and is inaccurate. True, there are parts of Noah…
Let’s clear the air a bit
With RFRA being in the news again as the Supreme Court recently heard arguments on the Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties case, my mind drifted back to the last time it was in the news: when Jan Brewer vetoed…
Sexual complementarity: A dangerous debate
By David Burroughs I read with interest the story in ABPnews/Herald about Dr. David Platt’s sermon given recently at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In reality, I no longer pay much attention to things said by Southern Baptist leaders these days….
Pastors grieve too
In the last three years, I have conducted funerals for almost 40% of the active participants in my congregation. I have also officiated more than a dozen funerals for non- and inactive members. These numbers might seem staggering, but for…