By Bill Leonard “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; so they stitched fig-leaves together and made themselves loincloths” (Gen. 3:7). In the beginning: sex. These days we might remember that when so…
Learning the unlearning curve
Leaving the familiar is critical to travel and to life. Doing something new is sometimes impossible unless you move past what is traditional, usual. An important part of human growth is detaching from what has been important previously. A 20…
Missing the point over the border crisis
By Mike Greer On its web site The Minutemen Project says it is once again recruiting volunteers to guard the U.S.-Mexico border from “illegal immigration,” claiming the government has failed to do its job. Jim Gilchrist (strangely, his name means…
‘Snowpiercer’ offers distorted image of how God works
By Michael Parnell There have been some great movies set on trains. Joining that list is Snowpiercer, a movie like Titanic without the love story. Set 17 years in the future, a compound called CW-7 has been set loose in…
The complexity of short-term missions
Lately I’ve had the privilege to be part of great discussions about how to improve our current short-term mission praxis. Many of us know that something is wrong with the way we do short-term work, and thankfully there are a…
What exactly is the issue? The LGBT issue, part 2
By David Gushee Follow David: @dpgushee My topic in this new series for ABPnews/Herald is the fierce conflict in culture, religion and law related to what I have initially called “the LGBT issue.” My goal is to think through this…
Building a high trust leadership culture
By Bill Wilson Some of the very best days I have known in ministry have revolved around high-functioning staff friendships and relationships. Seeing plans come together, an organization take off, or a worship experience exceed expectations is meaningful beyond words….
Dallas preacher says Jesus would seal the border
The Rev. Robert Jeffress thinks Jesus would build a fence at the U.S. border so desperate children from violence-ridden countries would be discouraged from heading north. “Yes, Jesus loved children,” Jeffress admits, “but he also respected law. He said, render unto Caesar the…
Selfies
By John Chandler In a recent New York Times op-ed piece, columnist Charles Blow interprets Pew Research on Millennials (North Americans ages 18-33). Unsurprisingly, he details some of the now-tiresome broad brushstrokes of their political and socioeconomic mores: they are,…