By Michael Parnell Tom Cruise is not the box office draw he once was. His last seven movies have not made it past the $100 million mark that declares a hit. Cruise has a problem. He keeps playing the same…
Who left on those lights?
By George Bullard During a recent research visit with a congregation, I was waiting in the hall for the pastor to finish a conversation with a staff person before we began our dialogue. A well-dressed older gentleman —probably in his…
Filling the gap for dads
By Will Baker It was a hot, sticky evening as the fathers worked with their sons over those ancient sawhorses. There were about 12 young men hard at work with their dads, creating their own canoe paddles from unshaped planks…
Churchcraft
By Marion Aldridge I have coined a new word: Churchcraft. What I mean by Churchcraft is an individual’s ability to say and do the things that will help to build the organized church. My observation is that a lack of…
Ministry and mental illness
By Kris Aaron Last week was an interesting one. On Wednesday, I met with a young man that had visited our church a few times. After answering a few basic questions about the church, I asked him to tell me…
Retooling your ministry: A necessary joy
By Jerrod Hugenot Around this time of year, we celebrate graduations. From kindergarten to grad school, family members gather round the graduate to affirm an achievement. Whether it is the high school graduation or the hooding of a newly minted…
The problem with gay marriage
By Kyle Caudle The recent story about a Southern Baptist pastor’s son coming out as gay has garnished quite a buzz in Baptist circles and beyond. On first glance this story did not seem especially newsworthy. After all, this is…
‘Can’t we just play nice?’
By Corey Fields “Look for the words ‘social justice’ or ‘economic justice’ on your church website. If you find it, run as fast as you can.” That was the advice of Glenn Beck to his radio show listeners on March…
Know thy neighbor
By Brandon Hudson The wave Recently as I was driving into the neighborhood of the church I serve, I realized I was behind one of my church members at the stop sign. I waved furiously, hoping that he would look…