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…
A thoughtful question at Bubba-Doo’s
Before I arrive at my favorite country store, I can know instinctively who I might see once I get there. All I’ve got to do is glance at my watch. Based on what time it is, I’ll have a decent…
Andy Stanley wants to refocus American evangelicals on Jesus more than politics
Critics say Andy Stanley doesn’t take political involvement seriously. He begs to differ. The author of a new book titled Not In It To Win It, Stanley is a man on a mission to challenge the American evangelical church to…
Annual report on Baptist women in ministry finds some gains but serious losses due to COVID
Women in ministry continue to feel blocked in their callings and ignored in their ministry settings because they are female, according to an annual report released June 21 by Baptist Women in Ministry. “The State of Women in Baptist Life,”…
Letter to the Editor: The importance of establishing best practices for pastoral searches
Letter to the Editor June 17, 2022 Dear Editor: In a 2014 article in BNG, writer Marion Aldridge penned an excellent piece on pastoral search committees. According to the article, “Even a tiny, troubled Baptist church can get 100 resumes.”…
Pastors dabble in brewing and mining to survive Zimbabwe’s burning economy
Father Chukucha cuts a lone figure as he circles the withering garden of his parish in Mberengwa, one of the poorest districts of the middle of Zimbabwe. While 250 miles away in another district, Pastor Noel Fengu, a Baptist minister,…
How a seminary education causes a pastor to struggle with Comforting Lies versus Unpleasant Truths
Imagine going to medical school or law school and finding out once you graduate and enter your practice that you must forget at least 25% of what you learned or lose your job. Yeah, that is what it’s like for…
The Supreme Court’s politicized decision on abortion will do nothing to help churches thrive
As if the American church isn’t divided enough, it appears we’re about to roll back the clock 50 years on abortion rights and throw more jet fuel on the culture war bonfires consuming our congregations. For some churches and pastors,…
Mental health remains greatest challenge for 13- to 25-year-olds
Mental health is the biggest challenge presently facing young people in the United States, but some say faith has helped them cope with their continuing emotional struggles, according to a survey designed to help churches minister to Generation Z in…