Baptist News Global

Afghanistan and America: Bloodlust and the failure of prophetic imagination

It is hard to be dispassionate when people have died fighting for a cause. Objectivity seems especially hard when it comes to the outcome after 20 years of United States-led war in Afghanistan. The U.S. invaded Afghanistan after Al Qaeda…

Letter to the editor: You not only paid the Piper but shot him for good measure

Letter to the Editor August 18, 2021 Dear Editor: This evening I read It’s Time to Pay the Piper, by David Bumgardner and found myself troubled by the way in which these critiques were delivered. Whether I agree or disagree with the…

If these pews could preach

If stones can communicate, (Joshua 4:6) and rocks cry out, (Luke 19:40) then maybe someday walls will talk and church pews will preach. That’s what I’m thinking as I watch brand new friends load 32 church pews into trailers for…

American officials say Kazakhstan moving in right direction on religious freedom but still restricts minority groups, including Baptists

American officials are praising the Republic of Kazakhstan for considering religious freedom reforms that would help prevent the spread of extremism in Central Asia, hold off the political influence of neighboring China and enable minority faith groups, including Baptists, to…

‘Humanitarian catastrophe’ unfolding in Afghanistan

“What we are witnessing, in real time, is a humanitarian catastrophe.” That’s the grim assessment of the situation in Afghanistan this week by one of the foremost authorities on immigration work in the United States. Ali Noorani, president of the…

Afghanistan: A tragic example of an unjust war

I was born in the waning years of the Vietnam War. I don’t recall the war itself, but one of my earliest childhood memories dates to about 1970 and, for some reason, it is remarkably vivid. I had tagged along…

Blame me for the situation in Afghanistan

If you’re looking for someone to blame for the gut-wrenching situation and images coming out of Afghanistan right now, look no further than me. I’m one of the vast majority of Americans who, on Sept. 12, 2001, believed the only…

The need to be persecuted

Yesterday, I started teaching a new series to my adult Bible study class on 1 Thessalonians. As part of the introduction to this Pauline epistle, I attempted to explain to the class the kind of real persecution these early Christians…

It’s time to pay the Piper

On a crisp November night in 2016, I stumbled upon a message from John Piper that changed my theological and ministerial trajectory forever. I was an eager high school senior with a passion for (what I perceived to be at…

Is there a crisis at the Southern border? Follow the numbers

The official Twitter account of the Arizona Republican Party tweeted on Aug. 9, “The border is wide open, and our towns are being overrun by migrants.” U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn tweeted on Aug. 4, “The Democrats have abandoned our border…

Long-haul COVID offers a reminder to the church of the need to be more accessible to those living with disabilities

In the wake of COVID-19, some individuals who are diagnosed with “long COVID” are experiencing the reality of disability as they face symptoms that restrict their ability to move through life without limitations. President Joe Biden announced that many of…

Americans are deeply divided over the need for racial healing and how to talk about the nation’s past

Americans remain intensely split over the pace and need for racial healing more than a year after the police killing of George Floyd unleashed massive social and political upheaval, new research shows. The Pew Research Center also has found deep…

Eradicating DEI hasn’t made anything better

How Christian nationalism shows up in patriotic worship services

Dear Trump-supporting Christians, are you really OK with this?

‘Every Student. Every State’ campaign promotes school tax credit