A few weeks ago, I had an epiphany. It sprang from an odd source: Episode 178 of a podcast called The Bible for Normal People, “Pete Ruins Isaiah.” Pete Enns is an Old Testament scholar determined to bridge the great…
The righteous and the wicked: The progressive Baptist quest for a new gospel
For decades, progressive white Baptists have opened leadership roles at the highest level to women and people of color. But Black Baptists have shown a greater willingness to affiliate with the conservative Southern Baptist Convention than with more moderate groups…
Live from Fort Worth, it’s a more global church than ever before
When was the last time your church had 200 people show up for a Wednesday night book study? Before COVID, that never would have happened at Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, said Senior Pastor Ryon Price. But recently,…
Religion Notes: New CBF leader headed for Texas; GWU elects new president
The new executive director of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will tour parts of Texas during his first week on the job. Paul Baxley is to address meetings in Dallas, Fort Worth, Waco, Austin, San Antonio and Houston March 20-22, Fellowship…
Prior to Ky. primary, Clinton appears at joint Baptist worship service
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton drew inspiration from a joint worship service combining two Kentucky Baptist congregations working to build community unity during a campaign visit to Louisville in advance of Tuesday’s Kentucky primary. The Democratic candidate for president began…
Trade ‘the talk’ for transparency in sex ed, Baptist minister says
LeAnn Gardner shares a lot of uncomfortable information with the churches she visits. For example, she tells the parents of young children that those kids will almost certainly have sex before marriage — and chances are very good they will cohabitate…
Churches promote ministries that unite generations
By Jeff Brumley The article is more than five years old but the question it raises is still a powerful one for some youth ministers, pastors and congregational coaches today: “Is Youth Ministry Killing the Church?” The 2005 Christian Century…
My Christmas Eve epiphany
I have been driven to a startling conclusion: the God who burns with compassion for the outcast is our salvation. That simple message fueled the ministry of Jesus. Jesus’ solidarity with the poor wasn’t stressed much in the churches I…
Homeless
By Alan Bean Homeless, homeless Moonlight sleeping on a midnight lake These old Paul Simon lyrics have been running like a soundtrack through the back of my mind for the past few days. My wife and I are homeless. We…