During the five years she served as his caregiver, Sue Strother and her husband, Joe, understood the roles each filled. “He bore the pain. I bore the strain,” Mrs. Strother said. Her husband, pastor of North Riverside Baptist Church in…
African-American Baptists followed divergent paths toward goal of racial uplift, says VUU professor
BELTON, Texas — The story of black Baptists in the 20th century reflects the larger story of African-Americans’ quest for equality, says Virginia Union University historian Adam Bond. African-American Baptists shared a common goal of “racial uplift,” but their approaches…
African-American Baptists followed divergent paths toward goal of racial uplift
BELTON—The story of Black Baptists in the 20th century reflects the larger story of African-Americans’ quest for equality, historian Adam Bond said. African-American Baptists shared a common goal of “racial uplift,” but their approaches varied from social-gospel reform to a…
God and Caesar: What does it mean to be a faithful citizen?
Since the earliest days of Christianity, followers of Jesus have wrestled with the demands of dual citizenship — as citizens of God’s kingdom and of the nations of this world. Jesus established the principle: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s…
Faith of presidential candidates raises questions for Christians
President Barack Obama holds positions on hot-button social issues that put him at odds with many evangelical Christians. His challenger, Mitt Romney, served as a bishop of a church that many evangelicals consider a cult. Add to the mix persistent…
Drowning in debt: Scripture offers warnings about potential perils of debt
The Federal Reserve reported American consumer debt reached $2.5 trillion last December, and there’s no indication it has dropped significantly since then — or that Christians are immune. Stewardship sermons aside, many American Christians find themselves drowning in debt. Some…
Biblical teaching goes deeper than fund-raising appeals, consultant says
People perish without vision, and so do congregations. But churches may suffer when doctrine-deprived members only hear about vision within the context of fund-raising appeals, said Jeff Anderson, founder of Acceptable Gift and author of Plastic Donuts: A Fresh Perspective…
Churches benefit in tough times from proper preparation in good times
When it comes to finances, bad things sometimes happen to good churches. Natural disasters occur. So do instances of theft and vandalism. Local layoffs or a national economic downturn can affect giving drastically. Good stewardship demands churches prepare for financial…
Kingdom calling is not about a church’s institutional survival
Stewardship sermons often focus on finances. Even when preachers include stewardship of time and talents, emphasis on their use at church typically trumps application to the workplace or community. Amy Sherman wants church leaders to grasp a wider vision. “I…