February 1st was World Hijab Day. For those of you who might not know, hijab is the head covering worn by some Muslim women. The idea was to invite women who do not hijab, both Muslim and women of other…
Let’s drop the kids at church and go get some coffee
In a recent conversation with leaders in a congregation they wondered about people who drop children off at church–particularly on Sunday mornings–and then go to a coffee shop to have some “alone time”. They indicated this was an increasing challenge in…
By way of ashes
I was 24 and living in Mill Valley, Calif., when I first encountered Ash Wednesday. The Christian liturgical calendar had figured not much at all in my Southern Baptist experience to that point. But one February morning in 1983, spurred…
Perspectives on immigration: safety and security concerns
The issue of immigration is a subject of discussion and debate within the Christian community. Followers of Jesus have diverse perspectives on how to address economic, security, and cultural concerns. Having shared in previous posts the primary points of diversity…
True Love Waits turns 20
By Jeff Brumley Ryan Rouse, 33, credits a little piece of paper kept in his Bible for helping him remain a virgin until his wedding day in 2002. “There were definitely times when temptation would start to factor in –…
Church sponsors handgun class
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist church in Texas is offering a concealed handgun license class March 2 as a community service. “This is an opportunity to meet a real need in our county,” Brad Foster, pastor of Calvary Baptist…
Who cares for the caregivers?
By Ken Camp The New Testament commands Christ’s followers to “bear one another’s burdens.” But applying that principle to caregivers—people who shoulder the around-the-clock responsibility for meeting the needs of someone who cannot live independently because of advanced age, illness…
Evangelism is more than confrontation
One of my long-term church friends and I have friendly banter about my use of words and phrases that are probably more complicated than they need to be. Regularly, Lane and I have friendly conversations about the use of complex…
Are Immigrants a fiscal drain on public resources?
The goal of this series is to heighten one’s awareness to the diversity of perspective within the Body of Christ on the issue of immigration, and to provide a synopsis of the differing views of Christians in a way that…
Baptist church sign wows NYC, media
By Jeff Brumley “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.” Thus read the sign recently in front of Madison Avenue Baptist Church, a New York City congregation whose pastor is all about convincing folks…
Church Super Bowl party with a twist
By Robert Dilday Like many American congregations University Baptist Church in Charlottesville, Va., has a Super Bowl tradition, but this one has a twist. The viewing audience is homeless men seeking shelter from the sub-freezing temperatures typical during February in…
Super Bowl big day for traffickers
By Daniel Wallace While Baltimore and San Francisco fought it out on the gridiron Sunday in New Orleans, law enforcement and ministries across the city were waging a battle against the modern version of the slave trade: human trafficking. Authorities…