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…
Maybe the church needs pastors who aren’t entrepreneurs
I once was a “professional Christian.” Like David Ramsey, (who recently authored “What Could the Church Learn from Amazon?”), I also stepped away from the church, and I agree with him that part of the problem was “the pressures that…
Supreme Court says Baptist pastor should be able to touch and pray over Death Row inmate as he is executed
In an 8-1 opinion, the United States Supreme Court March 24 ruled that a Texas Death Row inmate should be allowed to have his Baptist pastor accompany him into the execution chamber, lay hands on him and pray audibly over…
As a pastor serves bread to the elderly in Ukraine, he prays to retain his humanity
As Ukrainian theologian and pastor Fyodor Raychynets serves bread to the elderly imprisoned in bomb shelters, his prayer is to retain his humanity. “I have to remind myself on a daily basis that we are humans and we are —…
The preacher said it was ‘his time to go,’ but that brought no comfort to the family
The preacher at the memorial service no doubt thought he was giving a message of comfort to those who had lost a loved one. The central thrust of his message was that it was Jim’s time to go. Apparently, this…
CBF field personnel serving in Kyiv happened to be on leave in the U.S., which is extending their ability to help
Offering prayer and encouragement via smartphone to terrified Ukrainians under Russian attack has become the reality for Cooperative Baptist Fellowship field personnel Mina and Gennady Podgaisky. “Last night I was giving counseling at 3 in the morning to people in…
What I learned from delivering freshly baked cookies to 155 households in my church
In May 2020, I visited 155 households in my church. And dropped off thousands of homemade cookies. I had (some) help and (many) cups of flour to get the job done. And while I enjoy baking, even I hit my…