Life is full of events which remind us how far we are, at times, from the peaceful kingdom promised to us by Jesus. For the last week, so many of us have been saddened by the bombing of the Boston…
OPINION: The day the world became Catholic
A few weeks ago my wife and I, along with a good friend and fellow North Carolina Baptist minister, traveled together for a much needed vacation along the Atlantic. When ministers get together, the conversation rarely leaves the genre of…
OPINION: An ode to the Ood
I have always had an affinity for British culture. Maybe it’s their many breaks for tea, their fascination with the Queen, or their insistence upon toasting before every drink. Whatever the reason, I’ve always felt myself drawn to the ways…
OPINION: Burt’s Bees and thinking outside the hive
They were the most unlikely of business partners. In 1984 the beautiful town of Bangor, Maine, offered few stable jobs and many people still got by working odd jobs, trading for goods, and growing their own produce. Alex Gallimore Burt…
OPINION: The gun-powdered gospel
It was a cold winter morning sometime before my 10th birthday. I distinctly remember the anticipation as I listened to the sound of leaves crunching with every step of my new boots. I knew where we were going; I had…
OPINION: Louie Giglio and a call for dynamic faith
The eyes of the world gazed upon Washington this week for the second inauguration of President Barack H. Obama on a monumental Monday morning also remembering the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In his inaugural address,…
OPINION: Football realignments and the church
Those who know me know that I absolutely love college football. I love the pageantry, the tradition and, of course, the tailgating. My most magical season reached its annual conclusion last week with Alabama’s rolling 42-14 victory over Notre Dame…
OPINION: How to put Christ back in Christmas
I’m sure this has happened to you this year at least once. There you are, full of Christmas cheer and, like all good Jesus followers have just won the fight for a prime space in a checkout line so you…
OPINION: The passion-filled church
What is my purpose? Why am I here? What is the meaning of my life? These are all ancient, lifelong questions that are never definitively answered. One season of self-discovery and affirmation often leads to others filled with doubt and…