It’s Valentine’s Day, and Ash Wednesday. I’m sitting in the waiting room of my urologist, watching an endless procession of old men come and go. I’m one of them: the brotherhood of enlarged prostates and the thousand other natural shocks…
What shall we bring the grieving, poor as we are?
My heart is heavy today for those who grieve at Christmas. Not just those who are grieving the loss of loved ones and planning funerals instead of parties — I’ve officiated five such services in the past two weeks, and…
God (suffers) with us
As we laid Phyllis, my paternal grandmother, to rest Dec. 11, 2019, I looked around and saw my family trying to piece themselves together. It was an intense funeral, the kind that comes after an unexpected loss; the kind where…
If the Sinner’s Prayer is the only way to salvation, why isn’t it in the Bible?
One night recently, I was speaking by phone with the adult son of a man whose funeral I would officiate a few days later. While getting to know the family and the deceased in preparation for these “pick up” funerals…
A generational torch passes at Bubba-Doo’s
Today I sat on the other side of the Bubba-Doo’s restaurant from where I normally do. I suppose more of us are creatures of habit than we care to admit. There’s nothing wrong with the portion that I sat in…
If you’re uncertain how to approach Israel and Gaza, start with grief
I’ve known churches that have been on the frontlines of every concern of justice, congregations in which you could well assume nearly everyone is voting for the same candidate at the top of the ticket, churches in which no controversial…
The youngest victims of war
The news stories of what has been happening in Israel and Gaza since Oct. 7 have been difficult to absorb. The horrific loss of life, utter destruction of neighborhoods and the terrifying abduction of civilians of all ages have seemed…
Pastor and peacemaker Bob Roberts has traveled the world, and he has some thoughts on Israel and Palestine
Growing up a Baptist pastor’s kid in East Texas, Bob Roberts found himself in church a lot. That time allowed him to develop a love for the church, eventually landing him at Baylor University and then Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary,…
What dying patients are teaching me about the end of life
We lay down trophies and accolades After visiting a well-known aging pastor and his wife, I thought about the couple’s influence among their peers, church, community and denomination. Most of this had vanished because of their declining health and years…