By Molly T. Marshall “Where are you from?” is one of the most frequent questions posed when getting to know another. Recently, leaders of a local Korean congregation invited me to dinner, a lovely affair that did not require my…
Closing the mentoring gap
By Eileen Campbell-Reed This week more than 2,000 Baptists, who openly support the call of women to pastoral ministry, will gather in Atlanta for worship, learning and networking. The General Assembly of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and annual meeting of…
Why we need a “third way” on gay rights
Danny Cortez is the pastor of a small Southern Baptist Church in La Mirada, Calif. A few weeks ago, he created a stir in Baptistland by calling for a “third way” on gay marriage. In a letter to his congregation,…
How to throw away a Bible
By Alan Rudnick After some saints of my church decided to clear out our Sunday school storage area (who wants to do that job?), an unusual question was posed: “What do we do with damaged Bibles?” I was not quite…
Are church camps, conference centers going away?
What is your most memorable experience at a church camp or conference center? Write it down quickly before these camps and conference centers disappear. My first remembrance of Ridgecrest Conference Center in western North Carolina is when I was five…
Vital Christianity: As I see it
By David Gushee Follow David: @dpgushee Here on the eve of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly meeting in Atlanta, and with other national religious conventions recently in the news (for better or for worse), I choose to articulate what…
Who am I?
By Barrett Owen “I hurried to the gate, made my way on to the plane, stowed my luggage, and sat down next to Mother Teresa! I smiled and made eye contact. She politely said, ‘So, who are you? And what…
How do we respond to slumping church attendance?
By Marv Knox Americans are kidding themselves — or maybe kidding each other — about church. The Public Religion Research Institute asked Americans how often they attend church. Is it “weekly or more,” “occasionally” or “seldom or never”? The answer…
How to throw away a Bible
After some saints of my church decided to clear out our Sunday School storage area (who wants to do that job?), an unusual question was posed: “What do we do with damaged Bibles?” I was not quite sure how to…