“Write a sermon on this week’s lectionary text.” “Write a Country and Western song about Job.” “Write a prayer for Reddit.” “Write a Bible song about ducks.” “Add a prayer to go with that sermon.” “Write a worship song about…
Of Margie, mountains and ‘El Shaddai’
I learned a lot of things in seminary, like how to perform baptisms and administer Communion, why understanding cultural context is important when reading and interpreting Scripture, and the importance of sneaking Amy Grant lyrics into almost any theological conversation….
In praise of billiards: A tool for ministry
When I was in my early sixties, my mother moved into an adult retirement community not far from our home. There she took up the game of pool. Every afternoon, she and a group of women played doubles. She became…
Pandemic exposed injustices, but those lessons are fading away, research shows
The realities of racial, economic and gender injustice exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic began to fade from consciousness only a year later, according to researcher Eileen Campbell-Reed. During the first two years of the coronavirus outbreak, the Baptist theologian and…
When a friend went to prison for murder, the words of Jesus took on new meaning
The jokes about what is not taught in seminary usually write themselves. How often during the past few years have you heard wisecracks about having not learned Zoom, YouTube or how to edit worship videos on iMovie? Or the jokes…
The night I administered infant baptism as an act of compassion
Note: This article includes a description of a stillborn birth. It seemed to be a normal evening. I was at home watching TV when I received an urgent call from one of the members of my congregation who needed my…
Rural churches: Pay attention to the mental health needs of farm workers
Mercer University researchers have identified a critical pastoral care need for leaders of rural churches: America’s farmers are in a mental health crisis. Across all farmers surveyed in a Georgia sample, 82% reported a moderate level of stress according to…
Why I’m a pro-choice pastor: I’ve listened to the stories of too many women
I am pro-choice. Just about all Baptist leaders were in the years leading up to and after the Supreme Court decision commonly referred to as Roe v. Wade was handed down. In 1971, 1975 and 1976, messengers to the Southern…
What happens when the good news of therapy and the good news of Scripture conflict?
One of the Scriptures I memorized growing up was Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy…