Our church partners with a rehabilitation organization in town with whom I occasionally have the opportunity to worship. At the beginning of all of their worship experiences, they sing a song that repeats this same opening line – “I woke…
Why the Pope’s resignation matters to Protestants
Surprise and shock are an understatement when it comes to Pope Benedict XVI‘s resignation. Only a handful of Popes have called it quits. The Pope’s decision continues to spark speculation about who the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church will…
By way of ashes
I was 24 and living in Mill Valley, Calif., when I first encountered Ash Wednesday. The Christian liturgical calendar had figured not much at all in my Southern Baptist experience to that point. But one February morning in 1983, spurred…
‘Biblical’ marriage unmasked
By Miguel De La Torre Many Christians today speak about the traditional biblical marriage, but if truth be known, the traditional marriage is not a biblical concept. In fact, it would be hard to find a modern-day Christian who would…
The sin of conspicuous consumption
Is it appropriate for a Christian to buy a $200,000 motor home in a world where children in Haiti and other places are dying due to lack of clean water, life saving medicines and even food? The other evening my…
Perspectives on immigration: safety and security concerns
The issue of immigration is a subject of discussion and debate within the Christian community. Followers of Jesus have diverse perspectives on how to address economic, security, and cultural concerns. Having shared in previous posts the primary points of diversity…
Prayer for the papacy
By Steve Harmon The pope has prayed for me, and following the announcement of his retirement at the end of the month, I’m returning the favor by praying for him and the future of his office. Don’t get the wrong…
Dear Boy Scouts of America
Dear Boy Scouts of America: I hope this finds you well, though all the conversation in the media seems to say otherwise. You’re apparently between a rock and a hard place, at least politically speaking. You don’t want to alienate your base,…
Why your church building-use policy matters
By Bill Wilson I know firsthand how utterly boring and laborious creating a building-use policy can be. Every church I served entered into a major building project. The debate around building use has been a constant. It also has evolved…