By Will Campbell When I was going to school on the G.I. Bill of Rights, right after the Spanish-American War, they told me that the first few minutes of any address or sermon should be given over to sheer foolishness…
Son of Amite County, child of God
By Merrill Hawkins I preached my first sermon in 1980 at Mt. Vernon Baptist Church in Amite County, Miss. Walter Stewart, a kind and gentle man, always with several days of beard growth and always at Sunday-morning church, told me…
Shaming women into silence
By Miguel De La Torre When women choose to break out of the restricted social space designated for them, men typically dismiss their contributions by questioning their reputations. When “uppity” women refuse to stay in their place, men attempt to…
Recovering spiritual vitality
By Terry Maples I love the church. I committed my life to serving God through the local church. After 27 years as a congregational educator, I now find myself in more of a consulting/coaching role with congregational leaders. Like many…
Where was God in Okla. twister?
By Mike Smith Like many, I’ve followed the story of the tornado-spawned tragedy in Oklahoma. The images called up memories of when an EF-4 tornado swept through Murfreesboro, Tenn., where I served as a pastor at the time. A young…
‘Lord, bless these graduates’
By Mark Wingfield Graduate recognition Sunday at church always makes me a bit teary. I held it together this year, but only by a thread, even though I was the one voicing the prayer of blessing in morning worship today….
Why must children suffer?
By Jim Somerville Pray for the people of Oklahoma today, friends. The headline of the Richmond Times-Dispatch reads: “Massive Tornado Pummels Oklahoma.” The subheads carry the grim news that at least 24 people are dead and more than 140 injured; that a…
Evading their fair share
By Miguel De La Torre Corporations eliminate paying portions of their taxes by registering their companies in tax havens like Bermuda or the Cayman Islands while keeping their working headquarters in the United States. One tax haven island, the…
God too big for one religion
By Joe Phelps My journey toward a more lovable God and livable faith took a significant step forward in sixth grade. Mrs. Seymour’s music class at Jefferson Elementary in Dayton, Ohio, in 1966 consisted of singing from a book of…