By Amy Butler Knowing the one-year anniversary of her mother’s sudden death had just passed, I asked a friend over coffee the other day to tell me how she was doing. We talked about the year gone by, about…
We don’t have time
By Elizabeth Mangham Lott Reading about Al Mohler’s embarrassment that he once advocated for female clergy brought to mind the great Anne Lamott story about shopping with her friend. Pam had cancer and just three weeks to live when the…
When ministers fall
By David Gushee The city of Atlanta has been riveted this week by sexual-coercion lawsuits filed by four young men against megachurch pastor Eddie Long, who leads a wealthy 25,000-member congregation in nearby Lithonia. It has been major news…
Public professions and sexuality
By Cody Sanders While I came to understand the meaning of embracing the Christian faith fairly early in childhood, a lengthy period of time elapsed before my journey down the aisle to make a public profession of faith. Some churches…
Of mosques, Islamophobes, freedom and responsibility
I’ve been trying to sit out the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque” controversy. This is one of those toxic issues sure to contaminate anyone who touches it. Nonetheless, in light of the invective and hatred that has been unleashed during…
More doors closed to Baptists
(Editor’s note: This commentary is a republished version of one of four content items, originally posted on ABPnews.com on Sept. 16, that were lost due to a hacker attack on our website later that evening.) By Norman Jameson Being a denominational journalist…
Turkey and the end of history
By Jim Denison Are we seeing the beginning of World War III? Turkey recently approved 26 amendments to its national constitution. Voters passed measures to guarantee gender equality and protect children, the disabled and the elderly. Nearly 36 million people,…
Ice cream and the ministry of hospitality
(Editor’s note: While ABP Executive Director David Wilkinson’s “After the -30-” column normally is published every other Friday, technical difficulties prevented it from being posted on its normal schedule last Friday.) By David Wilkinson At our house, hospitality is…
Ezell faces enormous challenges
By Charlie Warren Kevin Ezell has been elected as president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board. It is a crucial time in NAMB’s history. I sincerely hope he has many very successful years of leading Southern Baptists…