These days it doesn’t take much to leave me feeling dismayed and embarrassed by the public image of the faith to which I’ve tethered my hopes, fears, dreams, and abilities to pay my mortgage. Which, is why I’m ever so…
Repentance is more than saying, ‘I’m sorry’
By Greg Jarrell The author, who leads an intentional Christian community in Charlotte, N.C., attended the recent annual national conference of the Christian Community Development Association, a network of Christians committed to wholistic restoration for communities spiritually, emotionally, physically, economically and…
Do you believe the Bible?
By Doyle Sager “Do you believe the Bible?” A simple, seemingly innocuous question, right? Not so fast. I was recently asked this question (out of the blue). When I inquired as to what had generated the question, the reply came…
Violence and vengeance
Ray should not have hit Janay. That is one problem, and here is another problem. At first, the NFL suspended Rice for two games. Some people were really upset that it was too little punishment. After additional video of the incident was…
The shocking un-truth about church budgets
By Amy Butler This is, hands down, the least favorite time of year for pastors everywhere: church budget planning season. Nobody likes budget planning, from the tedious work it entails to the way in which money necessarily informs the work…
How Hurricane Hugo broke a racial barrier
By George Bullard Twenty-five years ago Hurricane Hugo made landfall in the Charleston, S.C., area and brought significant destruction in almost two dozen counties. At that time I was working for Baptists in South Carolina and supervised the department that…
Healing (a parable)
Leah was getting burned out. She didn’t know if she could continue at this pace. The solutions were more draining than the problem. Leah had a troubled past. Having been abused by her father, rejected and used by other men,…
The mystery of ordination
By Molly T. Marshall This past Sunday evening I participated in an ordination service for three graduates of our seminary, two women and one man. None was a twenty-something; all had been serving for years in their home church, Metropolitan…
Weeping prophets, deep lament
By Greg Jarrell The author, who leads an intentional Christian community in Charlotte, N.C., attended the recent annual national conference of the Christian Community Development Association, a network of Christians committed to wholistic restoration for communities spiritually, emotionally, physically, economically…