By Jim Denison Who would have imagined a month ago that Hosni Mubarak would be displaced by a pro-democracy movement fueled by social media? Or that activists would oust the dictator of Tunisia, force the leader of Jordan to replace…
Another interpreter of dreams saves Egypt
By Bob Setzer Long centuries ago, God used an obscure Hebrew ex-con to save Egypt. After serving time for most of his 20s, this young man interpreted Pharaoh’s troubled dreams and was catapulted to Egypt’s second-in-command. From that exalted position,…
Where have all the revivals gone?
By Bill Leonard Recent articles in Baptist periodicals cite “professional evangelists” who confess that their preaching schedules have been reduced considerably since “churches are just not holding revival meetings” as they once did. For many congregations the tradition of one-to-two-week…
Ordinary and extraordinary
By R. Kevin Johnson This series so far has addressed the first three seasons of the structure of devotion known as the Christian or liturgical year. It follows the life of Jesus beginning with the words of the prophets during…
Staffing for survival
By Bill Wilson What is the most important staff position at your church? Of course, as a former pastor, I must declare that we cannot function without a pastor. What would we do without a music/worship leader? We cannot live…
Faith and science, complementarity rather than conflict
By Donald Schmeltekopf How can the church, especially ministers and others in leadership positions, pursue seriously both biblical theology and scientific truth? This question remains as relevant today as ever. The stakes are high. One Christianity Today interview quoted a…
American values in Egypt
By David Gushee Imagine the United States as seen in the Declaration of Independence. Here is a feisty new nation declaring independence on the basis of the belief that under God all people are created equal, that they are “endowed…
Falling in love with the church
By David Wilkinson Valentine’s Day is a reminder that what the church needs today is a lot more love affairs. Both the church universal and your church — the local body of baptized believers where you belong — need your…
No traffic lights
By Patrick Anderson Carolyn and I split our residence between Cedar Key, Fla., and Beech Mountain, N.C. Both communities are at the end of the road. No one can knock on our door at either place and say, “We were…
Adaptive change
By Amy Butler Reference my last column on desperation and you will recognize what it is that church leadership experts recommend for those of us crazy enough to take on the challenge of trying to help churches move into the…
Democracy, principles and pragmatism
By Marv Knox The U.S. response to revolution in Egypt raises vital questions for Christians, particularly American Christians, as we ponder our faith-informed responsibility to our world. Across two centuries, Americans have proclaimed allegiance to democracy. For Christians and Jews,…
The National Prayer Breakfast and redemption
By Jim Denison On Feb. 3, I was among more than 3,000 guests attending this year’s National Prayer Breakfast in Washington. Reflecting upon the experience, it seemed that all the presentations could be summarized in a single theological assertion: God…