By Jim Denison It has been my privilege to lead several study tours of Israel. Each time, I am struck again by the tiny size of the Holy Land. Comparable to New Jersey, it is only six miles wide at…
Some compelling Christians called Baptists
By David Wilkinson The same week that novelist Anne Rice announced that her faith in Christ has led her to disown the name “Christian,” a young woman from Bolivia quietly renewed my hope for people called Christians — and for…
What some Baptists don’t want to hear about others
By Laura Rector “Why did you go to Southern Baptist Convention schools when they don’t support women in ministry, Laura?” That’s the refrain I often hear, as I’ve moved into more moderate circles in recent years. It’s usually followed by…
A still-broken Haiti embraces God’s grace
By David Lane In July, I led a five-person team that provided training in post-trauma counseling to two groups in Haiti: 133 pastors from the Haitian Baptist Convention and 84 teachers from schools in the Grand’Anse province. The trip was…
From Assisi, lessons for Baptists
(Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of commentaries by Barry Howard reflecting on his experiences in Italy. The first is available here and the second is available here.) By Barry Howard As our Eurostar train from Rome…
What kind of Baptist are you?
By David Gushee My last column was filed from Australia, and this one is inspired by a question I often received when first meeting Baptists in Sydney. The question was: “What kind of Baptist are you?” Which meant: “What branch…
Who really holds the keys?
(Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of commentaries by Barry Howard reflecting on his experiences in Italy. The first is available here). By Barry Howard This year our sanctuary choir and orchestra — as they do every…
Getting a life — and giving life
By Amy Butler When young pastors ask me for advice on self-care (insert uproarious laughter here) I always say that one very important part of survival in the trenches of ministry is getting a life. Outside the church. While one…
Baptists lift voices in Vatican
By Barry Howard The group gathering in St. Peter’s Square dressed in formal attire on this hot Thursday afternoon in July was attracting a lot of attention from locals and from tourists. The men in the group were decked out…