By Bill Leonard “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share…
What kind of church are we building?
By Amy Butler Yesterday when I pronounced the benediction at the end of worship, I told the congregation to gather all the courage they could muster, turn from the work of worship, and go out to change the world. Honestly,…
The new normal for churches
By Scott Dickison Reading the by-now-infamous Pew Research Center’s report on the state of religious affiliation in America this past week, I was taken back to a conversation I had as a divinity school student with an undergraduate considering ministry….
Libby Allen’s bucket list
By Brett Younger Someone in the housing office — not Libby, someone not as competent as Libby — loses my paperwork. I arrive as a new student at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1983 and a young woman who, given…
Fledglings take flight
By Molly T. Marshall I have recently learned that there are eagle voyeurs in our midst. Normal people otherwise, they are absolutely fanatics when it comes to following the progress of these raptors. Through the wonders of “eagle cams,” which…
Thinking about you on Mother’s Day, dear Mary
By Nora O. Lozano Dear Mary, I am not sure if when you were on this earth, there was anything similar in your time and culture to Mother’s Day. Regardless of the day, I do hope that Jesus and your…
Beyond the thumbnail image
By Corey Fields On social media, posts always get better engagement when there is a thumbnail image to go with it. Ours is a distracted and fast-paced society, and the speed at which we scroll through Facebook may be indicative…
Keeping the faith in interfaith
By Jason Coker After the world crumbled to the ground in Nepal, the swami from our local Hindu temple sent the rest of the clergy in town an email — a very simple, yet profound email. He asked all of…
Becoming a green-light church, again
By Bill Wilson Over the years, I have made the case that ministers and churches must cultivate a spirit of and appreciation for entrepreneurship if they are to thrive in the 21st century. Living in a post-church and post-Christian culture…