A Catholic nun and a Baptist minister walked into a Thai restaurant. They sat down and ordered Pad Thai. Over noodles and conversation they discovered that, long ago and some 500 miles away, they were connected to the same roots. …
Why is it called Maundy Thursday?
Today is Maundy Thursday — no, not Monday Thursday, which would be an interesting concept: society could work Monday through Thursday, with Fridays off! Some Christians misunderstand that this day is only a “Catholic” celebration. Christians both ancient and modern…
Naked church
Dear Church: if you bring good news to your community you won’t need to inform your neighbors. They already know. If you don’t—well, chances are everybody knows but you. Let’s get down to it: a church is either welcome relief…
When all else fails, you gotta support your kids
Two giants in North American Christian ministry died this week. One was well known across various Christian traditions. The other was not, but was no less a giant. Gordon Cosby of The Church of the Saviour fame died this week….
What kind of Baptist are you?
Do you know the story that periodically makes the rounds about the guy standing on the edge of a bridge ready to jump off to commit suicide? Along comes another person who engages him in conversation trying to get him…
If you do not have love…
With a population of 3,400, you wouldn’t expect Allendale, South Carolina to bring much to the table when it comes to welcoming the stranger. This area has been noted numerous times as the poorest county in the state. They do not like…
A Baptist who celebrates Lent
Huh? A Baptist who celebrates Ash Wednesday and Lent? That’s like an American celebrating Boxing Day. The two just don’t go together. Despite the misnomer, Baptists do celebrate Ash Wednesday and Lent, especially this Baptist. Two of the classic Baptist…
Am I Emergent-Baptist?
I minister on the periphery of Baptist life, trying to start a progressive Baptist church in the heart of the old empire. I’m old enough to remember well the Baptist wars of decades ago, and yet new enough to ministry…
Emergence Christianity, Baptist life, and Flannery O’Connor
A little over a week ago, I walked into the Gibson guitar factory in Memphis, and gathered with six others to begin our tour. The group was fairly evenly divided by gender, with three men and four women. We asked…