James Dobson, the Focus on the Family founder who turned “family values” into a household phrase and political rallying cry, died Thursday morning at age 89. The James Dobson Family Institute announced his death in an early morning email that…
When is the right time to speak the truth about toxic people?
As many of our readers know, I officiate a lot of funerals. In addition to nearly 17 years as pastor with responsibilities for such things, I officiate pick-up funerals for families who do not have a church or a minister….
What Joni Ernst doesn’t understand about heaven
Growing up, my family played a game. It’s a game that today drives my wife crazy. “You all speak in movie quotes,” she says. “Who does that?” We do. I do. For as long as I can remember, we’ve performed…
Jill Biden’s renewed faith could light the way
A few years ago, I had the privilege of interviewing First Lady Jill Biden’s prayer partner, Robin Jackson. You can read about that here. From the moment Jackson said hello, I knew we would be lifelong friends. In fact, I…
‘He’s gone, but he ain’t gone far’
President Jimmy Carter died Dec. 29, 2024, at the age of 100. For the American nation, his death could not have come at a more teachable moment given that the proceedings of his state funeral occurred barely two weeks before…
Ask Lazarus: Not all resurrection stories have pleasant endings
I don’t mean to sound morbid, but I’m sure I’m not the first person to notice how eerily similar funeral services are to the ritual of sentencing a person to prison. With the ritual of a funeral ceremony, many people…
Time to rethink ‘Crossing the Jordan’
Duane Thomas died Oct. 29. You likely never heard of him, but he was one of my treasured friends. Charlotte and I moved to Siloam Springs, Ark., when I became pastor of First Baptist Church there in March of 1968, at…
People are dying in Africa, but the world doesn’t notice
There’s a perception that numbers matter, and so, the more problems there are in a place, the more interest they arouse. Not so in the case of disasters in Africa in the last year compared to what’s seen of the…
God is in the river
Recently my wife and I flew to North Carolina to attend the memorial service of our dear friend and former missionary colleague Eugene Ruble. Gene and Peggy served in Indonesia for many of the years we also were there as…
What your faith community needs to know for Suicide Awareness Month
This article discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. If you are in crisis, call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You know someone, even if you don’t know it. You work with someone. Go to school with someone….
Two ideas for living with death
The sociologist Peter Berger once said the power of religion rests, ultimately, upon the credibility of the banners it puts in our hands as we walk toward death. A recent brush with death awakened me to the surprising fact that,…
What will you do with your Daniel scar?
Today, I did something I’ve never done before at a funeral. Something so ill-advised that pastoral care professors reading this likely will flinch on hearing it. Something that’s the wrong thing except when it is suddenly very necessary. I told…