Opinion
Seven Mountain Mandate | How Do You Conquer Arts and Entertainment? Ask Phil Keaggy.
Seven Mountain Mandate ideology seeks to conquer various realms of society “for Christ.” Arts and entertainment presents an enticing and challenging, mountain for them to climb.
From the Archives | Juneteenth: Observing a Modern Day Jubilee
When General Granger Gordon rode into Galveston and on June 19, 1865, summoned the slaves together and made the announcement that they were free, it was a day of Jubilee! It was a day of great rejoicing.
What Happens Next?
We focus on doing during times like these, don’t we? But is it possible there are other things we could be doing?
The Hateful Faithful and the State of U.S. Democracy
Editor’s Note: The following first appeared on Judge Wendell Griffen’s Substack. The signs that democracy in the United States is dysfunctional are no longer doubtful. Last week, a federal judge in California issued a temporary restraining order against President...
We Can’t Watch and We Can’t Turn Away
If you’ve watched the news for just a few minutes a day since last week, you’ve learned more about the horrors of the world than many ancient people knew in an entire lifetime.
The Unsurprising Rise of Christian Nationalism and What We Can Do About It
Erin Parks writes about being completely unsurprised by the rise of Christian Nationalism and shares tips on combating it in our churches.
By the Way | Resolutions – and Crickets – Among Southern Baptists in Dallas
Randall Balmer explores what Southern Baptists resolved to do last week in Dallas, and the many things they resolved to remain silent on.
Trump’s Panopticon: Establishing Conformity through the Gaze of the State
We are all inmates in Trump’s Panopticon. Fear of his gaze has been sufficient for many— congresspersons, elite law firms, universities, multi-national corporations, other sovereign nations— to self-discipline.
Harvard Forced to Get the Picture After Losing Lawsuit Over 19th Century Image of Renty Taylor
The images captured in 1850 are believed to be the earliest known pictures of Africans who were enslaved during American chattel slavery. The daguerreotypes, an early type of photo, are of Renty Taylor and his daughter, Delia. Both are posed and photographed shirtless and until recently were the property of Harvard University.
Belief Behind the Book | Shay MacKay’s “At the Edge of the Sea”
Angela Yarber takes a look at Shay MacKay’s “At the Edge of the Sea,” a collection of essays that invites readers to explore everyday mysticism.
Hearing the Elephant and Seeing the Owl: Memories of Dr. John Killinger
Barry Howard reflects on the wisdom of Dr. John Killinger, who passed away on June 5, the same day that Walter Brueggemann died.
Practicing Faith while Fidgeting: ADHD and the Need for Accommodating Worship Spaces
In the first of a series, Erin Parks shares what worship spaces are like for those with ADHD.
“Los Angeles is Not Burning”: A View From the Ground
Katie Moore, a native Texan living in Los Angeles, describes the events of the past week leading up to the National Guard deployment.
Seven Mountain Mandate | Government Rule by Clerics and Kings
Whether Trump is setting the stage for a true believer in Christian supremacy to occupy the Oval Office may be irrelevant. He is already giving them what they want: rule by a king who will advance their theocratic ambitions in exchange for their allegiance.
Questions Leading to Questions: The Wisdom Senior Adults Offer to the Church
The church cannot afford to forget our older pew neighbors. We must remember them, include them and call upon them.
How We Arrived at a Fascist Immigration Policy
For all their faults (and there were many), Reagan and Bush understood that leadership requires a delicate balance between reflecting and shaping the views of constituents on complex subjects.
The Language of Pentecost
Pentecost is the promise that no matter what divides us, God has given us a common tongue to speak that everyone can hear.
Walter Brueggemann Challenged My Assumptions and Deepened My Faith: Reflections from a Former Student
Barry Howard reflects on Walter Brueggemann, who completed his journey in “sure trust” and “glad obedience.”
Nostalgia for What Never Was
We have let the sickness of nostalgia permeate our American political landscape.
‘Fix Your Hearts or Die’: Standing With the Trans Community
Drawing from an episode of “Twin Peaks,” Samuel Shepley writes about actively supporting the trans community.
Skulls of Nineteen African Americans Returned Proves Proponents of Race Need Their Heads Examined
In the 1870s, nineteen African Americans who had been patients at Charity Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana and later died of various causes were decapitated. Their crania were then sent to Leipzig, Germany where they were studied under the guise of a pseudoscience known as phrenology. It purported the shape and size of one’s skull was connected to intelligence, with some arguing it was an indication of racial superiority.
Balancing reality and hope in times of disillusionment
Times of disillusionment call for a delicate balance between facing realism and holding to hope. Living in despair is no more the answer than dismissing reality.
Everyone Listens to Women Preach: What Women’s Sports Reveal About the Future of the Church
The problem was never the athletes. It was our failure to believe that if we invest in women, if we give them our platforms, resources, and trust, they’ll deliver. Church, does that sound familiar?
Slava Ukraini
Mitch Randall reports on his week in Lviv, Ukraine, and the incredible resilience of the Ukrainian people amid the Russian army’s continual assault.
Food Safety as Congregational Care
Implementing food safety principles will require a little more effort and communication, but ensuring the safety of our congregations is crucial.
Pentecost: The Spirit That Births the Church
Grace Ji-Sun Kim reflects on how Pentecost wasn’t spoken about in her Korean Presbyterian Church, but was occurring nonetheless.
Jeff Hiller’s Sacred Journey From the Pews to the Party Bus
Jeff Hiller had overnight Hollywood success that only took twenty years to realize. It all began in an unlikely place — church.
The Mosaic of God: Why We Need Every Face to See the Divine Image
Living into the mosaic means creating space—not just for welcome, but for co-flourishing. It means the church isn’t complete without the child who stims in the pew, or the person who doubts and stays anyway.
Seven Mountain Mandate | The Long-Fought Battle to Overtake Public Education is at a Crucial Inflection Point
The Seven Mountain Mandate goal to conquer the U.S. education system has been long-fought, and nearing completion at the hands of the Trump administration.
Belief Behind the Book | I Was an Abomination by Sheryl Weikal
For Pride Month, Angela Yarber looks at Sheryl Weikal’s “I Was an Abomination” for June’s first Belief Behind the Book.