I should have figured this out right away, but it took me several months of driving by the mid-sized Baptist church building on the busy freeway to connect all the dots. The church I knew had been battling decline for…
The gospel according to mammals
If I were not a pastor, my life would look very, very different. In fact, after I graduated with an undergraduate degree in anthropology, I had two options to consider: one of my professors encouraged me to apply for an…
Most Americans hang out with people who are a lot like them
A majority of Americans associate most closely with people who look, think, vote and worship like them, according to new research by Public Religion Research Institute. “Across demographic groups, Americans’ core friendship networks tend to be dominated by people of…
How a seminary education causes a pastor to struggle with Comforting Lies versus Unpleasant Truths
Imagine going to medical school or law school and finding out once you graduate and enter your practice that you must forget at least 25% of what you learned or lose your job. Yeah, that is what it’s like for…
What if more churches were like Waffle House?
As a religion reporter, my hope in the local church sometimes feels hopeless. We seem to have drifted so far away from the description of the early church found in Acts 2:42-47. There, we are told “they devoted themselves to…
Mental health remains greatest challenge for 13- to 25-year-olds
Mental health is the biggest challenge presently facing young people in the United States, but some say faith has helped them cope with their continuing emotional struggles, according to a survey designed to help churches minister to Generation Z in…
10 suggestions for welcoming a new pastor
When a congregation welcomes a new pastor, it is an exciting time for both the congregation and the minister. To maximize this new beginning, it is important to prepare spiritually, cognitively and emotionally for a new chapter. Once a call…
The moral dimension of the ministerial vocation
Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. … Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls…
600 Ukrainian Baptist churches actively responding to humanitarian need
Baptist churches in Ukraine are providing around-the-clock humanitarian relief in increasingly difficult circumstances as Russia’s offensive widens, the European Baptist Federation said in a March 8 situation report. “Ukrainian Baptists continue to respond to the war in their country. Churches…