By Mike Parnell Some of my favorite movies are war movies. From “Patton” to “MASH,” “The Great Escape” to “Kelly’s Heroes,” war movies made up a huge part of my early life. Being a child of the ‘60s, we would…
Missionaries serving refugees fleeing Mid-east violence exercise extra sensitivity
By Jeff Brumley As complicated and sensitive as the situation in the Middle East is for Western governments, it is just as tricky for Christian organizations with missionaries in the region. The region historically hostile to evangelism and ministry has…
BWA allocates funds for persecuted Iraqi Christians
By Jeff Brumley The Baptist World Alliance has issued a call for Baptists and other Christians to provide funds to help Iraqi Christians displaced by war, and the global organization has sent an initial donation of $20,000 for that cause. The funds…
Wars and rumors of … religion
By Bill Leonard “On July 28, 1914, World War I began when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.” That’s how the “Today in History” column in the Winston-Salem Journal referenced the centennial of World War I. The “Great War” lasted from…
Gaza children learn NC Christians care about them
As the bombs began to fall, we grieved that we could leave but they could not. My wife, Emily and I are members of Watts Street Baptist Church in Durham, N.C. In November, 2012, we had the unique opportunity to visit…
Christians, war and neighbor love
By David Gushee Follow David on Twitter: @dpgushee As I write, this is the lede on the main New York Times Iraq story: “Wielding the threat of sectarian slaughter, Sunni Islamist militants claimed on Sunday that they had massacred hundreds of…
Baptists urged to wage peace in war-torn African nations
By Jeff Brumley Baptists living in war-torn African nations are being asked to press their governments for peace amid fighting that has claimed more than 5 million lives and displaced close to 1 million. The All Africa Baptist Fellowship, or…
Faith leaders oppose new sanctions in Iran
By Bob Allen The Baptist Peace Fellowship is among dozens of U.S. peace, security and faith groups to sign a letter from a Quaker public-interest lobby opposing Senate legislation to impose new sanctions on Iran. The Friends Committee on National…
Forever Changed #18: the journey home
This is my last writing to you as I will be replaced this week and begin to transition home. I have been trying to figure out what to write on this last report. So here goes… As I reflect on…