By Mike Parnell Some of my favorite movies are war movies. From “Patton” to “MASH,” “The Great Escape” to “Kelly’s Heroes,” war movies made up a huge part of my early life. Being a child of the ‘60s, we would…
My favorite religious films
By religious, I mean movies about faith, not necessarily Christian or so-called family values. Sometimes, the movies ask tough questions. They are not always inspirational. I have never particularly liked movies about Jesus, because, in my opinion, no movie even…
Lost in the wilds of South America
By Brett Younger One way to explore a new city is to take a wrong turn, get lost, and discover new places by trying to figure out how to get back to the one place you know. This is something…
Can we move past a narcissistic gospel yet?
By Seth Vopat When I was a child and the senior pastor of my church asked me during one of several meetings, “Do you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal savior?” it was a no-brainer. I said, “I…
If you really want to make your pastor’s day
Last week, as more and more cards and notes appeared in my inbox, in my mailbox, and on my desk, all thanking me for serving as their minister, I began to wonder if someone had announced my retirement without my…
Spiritual gifts are from God
By George Bullard Many years ago when walking down the hall in the building where I worked, I decided I would stop by Ken’s office and ask about him. It was discovered several months earlier that Ken had a growth…
The comfort of belonging
By Amy Butler I recall an elderly congregation member telling me the story of moving to the big city from a small town in the Midwest more than 70 years ago. She came to town a young, single woman, choosing…
Vatican report a reminder evangelicalism has been hijacked
The media is abuzz with a newly published report from the Vatican regarding the inclusion of divorced Catholics, homosexuals, and those who use birth control. Traditionally, those groups of people inside and outside the Catholic Church are persona non grata of…
Seeking the welfare of the city
By Molly T. Marshall As a child, New York City seemed to be “the uttermost parts of the world.” Textbook pictures of the Empire State Building, Times Square, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty confirmed how important and busy…