By Jeff Brumley Regardless of denomination, congregational makeup or worship style, crafting a fresh and compelling Easter sermon, year and year out, can be a major challenge for many pastors. But the solution lies in the holiday itself, said Brett…
1 in 5 undecided about Easter worship
By Bob Allen One fifth of Americans haven’t decided if they will attend church on Easter Sunday, according to newly reported numbers by LifeWay Research. The rest of the population is roughly half and half. Four in 10 — 41…
Overcoming darkness
By Henry Green The complicity of the church in the Nazi policy to annihilate the Jewish race cannot be denied. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said: “The church confesses her timidity, her evasiveness, her dangerous concessions. The church has been untrue to her…
Tenebrae & Trust
There’s something unfortunate about me and holidays. Like the time my hand got slammed in a door just as I was going in to the sanctuary to preach on Christmas Eve. There’s nothing like standing in front of 500 people,…
Students find plenty to do in Haiti
By Jeff Brumley College student Shelby Johnson missed the March 3 announcement that the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship was shifting its work in Haiti from disaster response to long-term projects, like community health and economic development. But the English and Spanish double…
Beyond our wants and fears
Saturday “Maaa-maaaaah!” The wail comes over my phone. It’s late in the afternoon following a beautiful day with friends at the park. My six year old is now in full meltdown, transmitting her frustration from Dad’s phone. We are driving…
Being Easter people in the interfaith environment
I sometimes preach a sermon entitled “The Four Little Candles.” The author of the original story is unknown. In it I tell the story of four little candles that were burning softly and quietly. Listening closely you can hear them…
Baptists hopeful about new pope
By Jeff Brumley Baptists reacting to this week’s installation of Pope Francis voiced hope about his record for improving relations between Catholics and Protestants, his concern for the poor and the face he puts on the broader Christian community for non-believers. Alan Rudnick, pastor…
Aging out of church
One of the things that gnaws at a pastor is wondering why people stop coming to church. Yes, there always are people who hop from one church to another for this reason or that; and we grieve those losses. And…