By Barry Howard Recently, as I was preparing the eulogy for our pastor emeritus at First Baptist Church of Pensacola, Fla., I came across a copy of an article from the Dallas Morning News dated December 1992. The column was…
Questions of identity dominate CBF’s 20th anniversary
By Alan Sherouse How does a movement that began in reaction live into a proactive future? It’s a persistent question facing the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship 20 years after its inception. Last week CBF gathered in Tampa to commemorate and celebrate,…
Forgetting to remember
By Bill Leonard Last week we moved Lavelle, my mother, to the Alzheimer’s Care Unit (euphemistically called “Reminiscence Neighborhood”) at her assisted living facility. For the last nine years, two in Texas and seven in North Carolina, she has been…
Christian convictions are not the law of the land
By Zachary Bailes “That is aimed, number one, at Sharia law,” Land said. “The imposition of Sharia law as an alternative at any level of the American legal system –- let me be clear about this -– violates the Constitution…
Scapegoating behind anti-immigration laws
By Roger Olson Yet another state, populated largely by people who consider themselves Christians, has apparently criminalized Christian behavior toward illegal immigrants. At least according to the Associated Press which says in an article published in my local newspaper June…
What will we do with failure?
By Bill Wilson Failure. Just saying the word in the same sentence as our name makes us nervous. Far too often, failure and ministry go together. Frequently, failure is the last word for ministers and churches. Many ministers’ inner life…
Keeping a ‘Keepers’ file
By David Wilkinson What do you do to restore order, hope or self-esteem when life gives you a kick in the stomach or on those days when you wonder if you’re really making a difference in the world? I know…
Wondering about immigration — sunset in Alabama?
By Roger Lovette Not far down the street from where I live is a Hispanic family that moved in several years ago. If you were to drive by their house you would see one of the most attractive houses and…
A letter ‘from’ Roger Williams
By Zachary Bailes Dear America: I hope this finds you well. It has been some time since we last spoke. I can’t reveal my whereabouts, as the Church of England is still fairly displeased with my separatist ways. In any…
The truth about the church
By Amy Butler On Facebook this week some members of my church posted this phrase they saw on a church sign: “Visitors Welcome. Members Expected.” Another church member commented: “Pastor Amy would love this.” It’s true: I do. That Facebook…
What ‘they’ think of the Baptists
By Elizabeth Evans Hagan No matter if you believe being gay is theologically sound or not, the presence of the gay and lesbian community in our society is growing all the time. A May 25, 2011, Gallup Poll reported a…
Anthony Weiner and spiritual schizophrenia
By Jim Denison Had you heard of Anthony Weiner last month? The New York congressman has served in the House of Representatives since 1999, but most of us didn’t know his name before the lewd pictures he sent to at…