Of all the shocking things the Trump administration has done in less than three months, please pay attention to this: Today, the administration said it has the power to deport a student simply because of that student’s beliefs. Not because…
The American church’s fear of persecution versus the words of Jesus
There’s a disconnect between the American church’s fear of persecution and the words of Jesus. In a nation where Christians still hold significant cultural influence, privilege and legal protections, a fear of persecution seems almost exaggerated. Too many in the…
Pastoral workaholism: The struggle is real
Let me give pastors some advice: Run away as fast as possible from anyone trying to convince you that burning out or upholding unhealthy expectations (your own or from others) is a rite of passage. It is not. I agree…
Robert Jones: We need a vital, independent free press
Robert P. Jones was the keynote speaker at an April 8 conference sponsored by the Texas Tribune and Religion News Service on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas. The theme of the day was how journalists tell stories…
How to use social media to join the resistance by God’s people
Each day we are bombarded with multiple news reports of government dismantling, people being abducted by unmarked officers, orders by judges ignored, criminals pardoned, war plans texted on apps, job loss, Social Security at risk, tariff wars starting a Trumpcession,…
Why I’m a pastor who opposes a Ten Commandments bill
On Monday, April 7, the Arkansas General Assembly approved Senate Bill 433, which mandates posting the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom in Arkansas. This bill mimics a similar one passed in Louisiana recently. Among its sponsors was Tim…
CONTROL Inc.
It’s all about control, not about balancing the federal budget, not about bringing down inflation, not about “waste, fraud and abuse.” President Donald Trump is all about control. Let me count the ways: The Kennedy Center. The president purged the…
10 ways to care for the emotional health of your congregation during a pastor transition
A pastoral transition is one of the most impactful seasons in the life of a church. Whether a pastor retires, resigns or is called to another ministry, the transition can stir a wide range of emotions — grief, uncertainty, anxiety,…
Carol and Brett save democracy
On Saturday, I put on my John Lewis “Good Trouble” sweatshirt and joined the crowd causing good trouble. Carol and I marched in New York’s “Hands Off!” demonstration with millions around the world protesting Donald Trump’s policies. The call was…
Thanks, Obama!
Former President Barack Obama finally said what he should have said eight years ago. Speaking at Hamilton College in New York last Thursday, Obama called out the hypocrisy of President Donald Trump and his MAGA faithful. “Imagine if I had…
It’s time for MAGA to be Christian
I’ll let others describe the economic carnage President Trump’s tariffs already have begun to wreak. I want to describe the damage they will do to the American psyche and the American soul. I want to describe the damage they are…
A call for the church to reclaim biblical leadership
When U.S. President Donald Trump called Christianity Today a “left-wing rag” in December 2019, he was responding to an editorial by Mark Galli titled “Trump Should Be Removed from Office.” Trump fired back, claiming, “I have done more for the…