By Ken Camp A funeral home contacts a pastor. The family of a deceased person has no church affiliation, and neither did their relative, but they want a minister to conduct their loved one’s memorial service. The minister agrees, but…
LEGO theology
LEGO building blocks are a wonderful toy. My grandchildren love them. Each kit comes with detailed illustrations to show the builder how to create a particular item. The real fun comes, however, when the builder departs from the instructions to…
Activists reflect on Baptist peacemaking in wake of Stassen death
By Jeff Brumley The term “Baptist peacemaking” conjures up images of President Jimmy Carter observing elections on troubled continents. For others it means human rights activists brokering peace deals between warring factions in Africa or the Middle East. But it…
Baptists pushing hospitality beyond comfort zones — and discovering deeper spirituality
By Jeff Brumley Hospitality to a lot of Christians means taking a meal to a sick church friend or inviting neighbors over for a barbecue on Memorial Day. But neither of those meanings come even close to the spiritual practice…
10 lessons: looking back on Holy Week
Holy Week invited us to reflect on the deeper matters of faith by revisiting the story of Jesus, especially giving attention to the events that occurred between Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem and his resurrection. The overarching message of God’s love…
Don Draper’s progress
“I keep wondering: have I broken the vessel?” Don Draper’s mid-flirtation confession to his airline seatmate in the April 13 premiere of the seventh (and final) season of the AMC drama Mad Men may prove to be the single most…
On the importance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead
On occasion I have heard someone declare that one thing or another serves as the foundation of their faith. Sometimes it is the Bible. Sometimes it is the love Jesus taught. Sometimes it is even Jesus Himself. But the fact…
How to have a ‘good’ Good Friday
How can Good Friday be good? Good Friday is the day that Christians all around the world remember the suffering of Jesus Christ on a cross. Depictions of Jesus Christ’s suffering are immortalized within our cultural framework because of such…
Our Silence is driving millennials out of the church
David Gushee, a theologian and ethicist who teaches at the McAfee School of Theology, struck a nerve when he suggested that moderate Baptists with roots in the Southern Baptist Convention could benefit from a statement of faith. Bill Leonard, my…
Mohler defends exclusivity of Christ
By Bob Allen The idea that Christianity is the only saving path to God is a hard sell in a culture that increasingly celebrates religious diversity, Southern Baptist seminary President Albert Mohler told preachers gathered for this year’s Together for…
PBS examines Calvinism in SBC
By Bob Allen While other U.S. denominations face schism over homosexuality, Southern Baptists are rehashing a 17th-century debate about why a loving God would create billions of souls predestined to an eternity in hell. “I think it’s a fantastic thing,”…
Why it doesn’t matter if Noah film is inaccurate
Noah starring Russell Crowe has seen success at the box office with the general public but not everyone is happy about the film. Some claim that the Noah story was hijacked and is inaccurate. True, there are parts of Noah…