By Bill Wilson Polarities are ongoing, chronic issues that are unavoidable and unsolvable. They are the hardest issues we face. Attempting to address them with traditional problem-solving skills only makes things worse. There is a significant advantage for those leaders,…
Raising a lover – not a fighter
Chances are you haven’t met my almost five-year-old, except for those obligatory readers from my extended family (hi mom!). I happen to think he’s amazingly brillant and brilliantly amazing. I’m sure this is why he has a healthy self-esteem. Every…
Equal time with Al Mohler
By Miguel De La Torre Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., was quoted widely concerning the re-election of President Barack Obama. If afforded equal time, here’s how I would respond to comments attributed to him…
What do you get when you focus on conflict? More conflict!
I’m sure you have probably heard the old adage that says Baptists are like alley cats. You know what you get when cats fight an alley on Saturday night? More cats. Conflict is similar to this because the more you…
James Bond’s gospel of resurrection
By Darrell Gwaltney The latest James Bond movie, “Skyfall,” delivers the anticipated Bondsian formula of chase scenes, exotic scenery, beautiful women and villains. It also delivers resurrection and a little classic poetry along the way. Bond, James Bond, is making…
The Lakers and a lesson
This week the Los Angeles Lakers hired a new basketball coach. After five losses to open the season, they replaced Mike Brown with former Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks head coach, Mike D’Antoni. Discussion of the Lakers choice of…
Joy, joy, joy
By Amy Butler Lately, that vacation Bible school song “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart” has been running around in my head, and I can’t get it out. Remember the song? We learned it, I…
The Church and the U.S. Marines
Recently I’ve visited several churches. I’ve noticed something in common about all of them, and it’s something that is disconcerting for an organization whose primary purpose is to help people have a faith relationship with Jesus Christ. Here’s my discovery:…
Grassroot campaigns and the Church
“The Kingdom of God is like a grassroots political campaign,” said Jesus, never. If I were a betting man (and I’m not) I would be willing to wager that had Jesus known about grassroots campaigning that’s exactly what he would have used….
A spirituality of gratitude
By Molly T. Marshall Celebrating a college homecoming is an occasion for longing as well as gratitude. I returned to my alma mater, Oklahoma Baptist University, this past weekend to gather with the class of 1972. (My, they looked old!)…
For such a time as this
“Why would anyone want to go into ministry today?” I overheard this question recently, but I did not respond because I was not the person being addressed. As I thought about the question, however, I quickly decided that this may…
Real polls and imaginary pipes
First, a joke: An Orthodox Jewish congregation was dedicating a new synagogue. The pews were packed as the rabbis processed in with the Torah scrolls held high. With great solemnity, they marched toward the ark where the Torah would be housed. …