Imagine a church building where the sanctuary morphs into biblical locations, where worshipers confront the burning bush at the same time it’s preached about, and where converts can be baptized without being physically present. That’s not the church of the future. For one pastor, that’s the church of now.
God lives in a really big house
There is nothing wrong with worshiping and serving God in a particular house, in a particular tradition. But when we start thinking that our house is the only house where God can dwell, then we severely limit our understanding and experience of God.
Ken Ham puts the fear into Halloween — and into the gospel
Used to be, it was the occasional apple or other healthy snack that ruined an otherwise perfect candy collection on Halloween night. But creationist Ken Ham has taken spoiling the holiday to a new level with “Halloween Learn & Share Kits” designed to scare children straight into the judging arms of Jesus.
Failing to recognize the Jesus of the haters
I’m a social liberal. Want to know why? Jesus. Not the Jesus as interpreted by Paul. The Jesus of the Gospels. I grew up in a Baptist church in rural Texas and we went to church at least twice a…
Jesus and John Wayne: Must we choose?
Evangelical support for Donald Trump should come as no surprise. The Republican candidate is the personification of idealized white manhood, an iconic American in the mold of John Wayne. For evangelical leaders of a certain age, that makes him the…
Jesus, the man of violence
When we think of Jesus, images of a peace-loving, gentle pacifist comes to mind, at least it did to the mind of Howard Yoder. We read our particular ideology into the biblical text when we claim Jesus was a pacifist….
Ewan McGregor explores the humanness of Jesus
“Daunting” is one word Ewan McGregor used about stepping into the role of Jesus in the new film “Last Days in the Desert.”
Pilgrimage making comeback — even with Baptists and unbelievers
Baptists and many other Protestant Christians are gradually embracing ancient physical practices that nurture spiritual growth. “I have a friend, a Baptist pastor, who makes his own prayer beads and I carry prayer beads in my pocket all the time,”…
Advocates seek systemic change in prison justice issues
For the past 15 years, Alan Bean has found himself involved in some of the biggest criminal justice controversies in Texas and Louisiana. In 1999, the mild-mannered Baptist minister founded Friends of Justice and assumed the role of prophet and…