For many years, my journey in the “care of souls” has led me to walk alongside those who are grieving. This path has taken me from a ministry setting to managing a mental health department in a maximum security prison,…
Two great divides
I titled my last column “Divides” because as I said there: “Divides confront us daily. The digital divide, political divides, economic divides, class divides, educational divides.” The focus of that piece was the divide between the world of television commercials…
What’s your church: Republican? Democrat? Independent? Gospel?
On July 7, 2025, the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas Tyler Division, issued the following ruling: When a house of worship in good faith speaks to its congregation, through its customary channels of communication on matters of faith…
Divides
Divides confront us daily. The digital divide, political divides, economic divides, class divides, educational divides. You can probably name some others. I still have cable TV. I’m not into streaming. Cable TV has commercials. Most mornings the Today Show is…
An invitation to speak prophetically but not endorse candidates
On July 7, the IRS announced it no longer will enforce restrictions on places of worship endorsing political candidates provided those endorsements occur in the regular communication of the congregation to its members. This is a suspension of enforcement of…
How a group of Presbyterians is trying to reshape the SBC
Imagine, if you will, an enormous wooden horse encamped outside the Southern Baptist Convention headquarters. Downtown Nashville’s bachelorettes, bar hoppers and backup singers stop and stare at the giant horse with “Center for Baptist Leadership” emblazoned on its barrel. William…
How to talk about polarizing topics at church
Churches can talk about polarizing topics — even politics — if they enter those conversations seeking transformation rather than conformity, church consultant Matt Cook told participants at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly in St. Louis June 26. Cook, director…
Our increasingly gendered politics
To say gender has become far more performative in today’s politics is hardly an understatement. While last year’s presidential election saw the Trump campaign double down on masculine tropes, his administration in 2025 is seeking public policies that reinforce gender…
JD Vance should listen to Pope Leo
Vice President JD Vance is in a curious position now that Pope Leo XIV has assumed office, since Vance is both a Catholic in good standing and a figure who regularly clashes with Catholic leadership. On Jan. 29, the newly…
Firing Holocaust Memorial board members is about changing history’s story
When Donald Trump abruptly fired Doug Emhoff and other Biden appointees from the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, it wasn’t just a petty political maneuver — it was a warning flare about how empire behaves when it fears truth-tellers. This is…
What advice would my grandfather give a pastor today?
My grandfather Stigall was a walking quote. A man who, by intention or by divine gift, could lay down a zinger with little effort. His thoughts and expressions came out in eruptions. Held in for as long as he could,…
America’s strange contentment with political extremes
Reason does not always lead to the best decisions, but it is our best hope for avoiding the worst. — Al Gore At the beginning of each new month, I receive an email from the manufacturer of my thermostat providing…