“They stole $77,000. And that was all of my savings.” Her voice was so soft I (Doug) had to lean in to hear her. “I’ve talked with the local police, the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission. The money is...
For more than a century, the church in the United States has been actively involved in supporting nearly 7,400 language communities of the world by sending missionary Bible translators, praying and funding Bible translation. According to recent statistics from ProgressBible, 4,172…
More than 61,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli assaults in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023. “The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that many people reportedly continue to be killed and injured, including people seeking food along…
We humans love dichotomies. For example, when we meet someone, our brains tend to classify the person as masculine/feminine, taller/shorter, etc. Of course, false dichotomies abound. While a woman is either pregnant or not, a person can have both masculine…
News of a whites-only group seeking to establish a private community in Missouri is generating mounting opposition from a broad range of religious, civic and political leaders. “Return to the Land is a white-supremacist group that wants to create a…
Retired United Methodist pastor Jerry Eckert knows a lot about advocating for folks who may not have someone to stand up for their rights. Eckert was a co-founder of a volunteer group, Associates in Advocacy, that provides advocates — usually…
The United Methodist Church’s racial monitoring agency is awarding grants to what it calls “bold ministries” aiding immigrants. But it’s not telling who’s getting the money to protect the safety of the ministries and their locations. The UMC’s Washington, D.C.-based…
In 49 C.E., Seneca wrote a book on time management. In On the Shortness of Life, he came down hard on his fellow Romans for pursuing political careers they didn’t really care about, holding elaborate banquets they didn’t especially enjoy…
The IRS recently announced it would no longer enforce the Johnson Amendment. The amendment, passed in 1954, bears the name of then-Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson. The Johnson Amendment prohibited churches, religious organizations and other nonprofits from participating in electoral…
Given the state of public affairs in these riven United States, I too frequently find myself in a foaming-at-the-mouth froth of anger. Utter disgust, flinging foul imprecations and anathemas — mostly under my breath. I catch myself, with James and…
In August 2017, author Michael Wolff conducted research for his book Fire and Fury. He spoke at considerable length with Jeffrey Epstein. On Aug. 10, 2019, the notorious sexual predator was found dead in his prison cell. Authorities ruled his…
In my most recent column I drew attention to the certainty gap between American evangelicals and mainline Protestants. While 85% of evangelicals and 82% of Black Protestants believe in God without a shadow of a doubt, the same can only…
Early in my ministry in South Louisiana, I was pastor of the only Baptist church in a town of about 6,000 people. This was Jimmy Swaggert territory, and many Pentecostals and charismatic/nondenominational churches dotted the area. You were most likely…
