There’s something unfortunate about me and holidays. Like the time my hand got slammed in a door just as I was going in to the sanctuary to preach on Christmas Eve. There’s nothing like standing in front of 500 people,…
Holy Week: Breaking the silence
By Bill Leonard “The Kingdom of God is here. And by the way, don’t tell anybody.” That’s what Jesus said to those he gathered up around the Sea of Galilee, at the start of things. His message, John Dominic Crossan…
The Bible: Satan, Obama, and social media
Viewers who watched “The Bible” mini series took to social media to quickly point out a disturbing observation. The character, Satan has a striking resemblance to Barack Obama. The actor, Mohamen Mehdi Ouazanni, obviously wore makeup. Twitter was abuzz: People upset Satan in #TheBible looks like…
Cultivating a culture of call
By Bill Wilson Nearly all observers of the 21st-century church in America agree that the next generation of leadership is a cause for concern. Many write, blog, tweet and generally lament the state of leadership cultivation and training, or lack…
Naked church
Dear Church: if you bring good news to your community you won’t need to inform your neighbors. They already know. If you don’t—well, chances are everybody knows but you. Let’s get down to it: a church is either welcome relief…
The best change processes start now and are continual
Some years ago I had the responsibility to lead a team moving a denominational organization of more than 100 staff persons from a 35,000 square foot building to an 80,000 square foot building less than two miles away. It needed…
How long will women pastors be news?
It is time for Cooperative Baptist Fellowship churches to end the double standard of ordaining women to the ministry but refusing to allow them to serve. I am a Baptist female trying to be faithful to God’s call upon my…
Rise up against Christian extremists
Thoughtful Christians can’t win the argument with hate-mongers simply by shouting them down. They must respond with loving actions that say clearly to Muslims that the extremists don’t speak for us. Where is the voice of the moderate church today?…
Baptists go after payday loans
By Aaron Weaver Abortion, homosexuality and church-state separation are all issues on which Baptists have made their diverse opinions loudly known to the public. But predatory lending is not an issue that many associate with Baptists. Yet, Baptists in several…