By Ken Camp Women ministers need to recognize their calling as a seed God has planted in their lives, the first female executive of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship told an organization of women in ministry March 24. Suzii Paynter urged…
Pastor says wifely submission models gospel
By Bob Allen An Alabama pastor recently told Southern Baptist seminarians that defending male headship and wifely submission is critical in a culture increasingly accepting of same-sex marriage. “We defend sexual complementarity in marriage for the sake of the gospel…
Lay claim to ‘audacious freedom,’ divinity school students urged
By Ken Camp Baptist church historian Bill Leonard challenged students at Texas Christian University’s Brite Divinity School to carry out their calling by claiming, reclaiming, discovering or recovering “the audacious freedom we call gospel.” Jesus announced the coming of God’s…
let’s get apocalyptic, baby
These days it feels as if the only 2 things I’m seemingly very good at are: watching + evaluating. I watch TV, the rattling, odorous recycling truck every other Wednesday (YOU DIDN’T EMPTY THE CAN!), and my neighbors, through an…
Osteen illustrates nondenominationalizing of U.S. religion, says church historian
By Ken Camp Megachurch Pastor Joel Osteen and Lakewood Church in Houston offer a high-profile case study in the “nondenominationalizing” of 21st century evangelical American religion, says church historian Bill Leonard. Osteen manages to be “modern and postmodern, traditional and…
Impacting tomorrow is not a goal for many congregations
Congregations seeking to be vital and vibrant ten years from now are congregations seeking to impact tomorrow. Congregations hoping tomorrow will bring a return of the past are seeking to praise yesterday. Too few congregations are in the former category….
Bad assumptions
I recently had the opportunity to read a stirring challenge to those most opposed to the still-controversial and legally-unsettled HHS mandate requiring all businesses to provide contraceptive coverage to their employees including four abortifacient drugs. The two prongs of the…
Learning to suffer
I find it extremely ironic that the Church, which claims to be the embodiment the lamb that was slain, has such a difficult time ministering to those who are suffering. When tragedy strikes us, many congregants, deacons, and even some…
Conference links intelligent design to ‘essential’ doctrines of Christianity
By Bob Allen Critics of a view of creation termed “intelligent design” describe a conference this weekend, co-sponsored by Houston Baptist University, as an admission that the movement’s roots lie not in science, as proponents insist, but in religion. Faith…