Note: This article discusses suicide, child sexual abuse and domestic violence. It may be distressing for some readers. On June 30, child liberation theologian and abuse survivor advocate Ryan Stollar died by suicide, following a lengthy struggle with his...
A year ago we took my mother home on hospice care. She died three days later, mercifully freed from a series of chronic health problems that were cascading out of control. But getting her out of the hospital—her sixth time…
By David Gushee Follow David on Twitter: @dpgushee Across the United States, many churches are fading, some churches are closing, and a handful of churches are surging with explosive growth. Sunrise, sunset; sunrise, sunset. One of the topics I want to address in…
By Bill Wilson You’ve probably been helped by a rumble strip. You know, the series of grooved cuts in the pavement just off the right side of the road that rattles your car when you drift off the highway. The…
By Marion Aldridge Most churches are small. Compared to the government’s various definitions of “small business,” which can be 50-500 employees, our congregations are tiny. It is a rare church that has a dozen employees. Most have one (the pastor)…
By Jeff Brumley A lot of things surprised McAfee School of Theology’s Robert Nash during an academic delegation to Tehran Jan. 21-23. Surprises included being served name-brand American soda, feeling safer there than some places in the United States, and…
By John Chandler Royal Dutch Shell ended 2013 as the largest revenue company in the world. Their mission is to become “the world’s most innovative company.” To that end, within the company is a unit called “GameChanger.” This 12-person team…
By Bob Allen Attempted mediation of a 12-year-old legal battle pitting the Missouri Baptist Convention against four breakaway agencies failed to produce an agreement, convention officials announced Jan. 31. Convention leaders met with representatives of the Missouri Baptist Foundation, The…
By Bob Allen Guy Sayles, pastor of First Baptist Church in Asheville, N.C., has been diagnosed with cancer, he told members of the high-profile Cooperative Baptist Fellowship-affiliated congregation Feb. 2. “Over the last week or so, following an array of…
