By Vicki Brown Baptist missionary-sending agencies in the United States say they have no plans to recruit missionaries from other countries to reach out to people groups from those nations that have immigrated to America. While the Southern Baptist Convention…
Effective global missions demands multicultural partnerships
By Ken Camp Missions in the 21st century demands multicultural partnership, global missions researcher and author Patrick Johnstone insists. And pastors of some churches filled with first-generation immigrants agree. “Like it or not, we have a multicultural missions force that…
Ministry off the list
By Amy Butler On my desk I have an old-fashioned pad of paper on which I write, every day, all of the things I must accomplish. My list is a list of those tasks that hang over me — reports…
Engaging the stranger
By Bill Leonard As Advent turns to Christmas and the reality of a New Year looms, we revisit that often overlooked post-nativity saga portrayed by innumerable artists as “the flight to Egypt.” Matthew 2:12-14 says that after the Magi left…
Economy-driven worship?
By Bob Burroughs We are experiencing unprecedented times of financial strain. Everyone, every family, every business, every church is having difficulty meeting budget and/or making ends meet. People are being laid off by the thousands — with no end in…
The tired arms of ministers
By Bill Wilson A friend recently shared a daily devotion that pointed out the story in Exodus 17 regarding Moses’ arms. Remember? As long as Moses held his staff with his arms aloft, the Israelites prevailed in their battle with…
Separate and unequal
By Bill Leonard When Jim Crow segregation laws ruled the American South, their classic defense lay in the phrase, “Separate but Equal,” meaning that while the races were divided, their facilities and services were supposedly the same. Of course everybody…
Trust the people
By Mike Smith Few words spark more immediate anxiety in a pastor than, “Preacher, we’ve found a great book, and we’re going to get a group together and teach it.” This came home when two women informed me they were…
Out of the mouths of babes
By Amy Butler I have a secret fear of children’s sermons, largely because, even though you are leading the time, you really have no control over the situation at all. Case in point: I had to do the children’s sermon…