Recent Articles
The Strangest Pastoral Advice I’ve Ever Given
Many LGBTQIA+ persons have endured negative, harmful words from churchgoers. Everyone benefits when we lay aside a violent, white, male god in order to embrace lives that are more Christ-like.
Free Webinar: “The Christian Case Against Conversion Therapy”
A free webinar exploring the dangers of conversion therapy for members of the LGBTQ+ community is scheduled for Aug. 24 at noon CT. The event is co-sponsored by Baptist News Global, Good Faith Media and Q Christian Fellowship.
August 4, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Religion Scholar: We’ve Finally Begun to Confront White Christian Nationalism, But What About its Source Text?; Oklahoma Pastor and Republican Party Chair Employs Star of David to Protest Vaccine Requirements; Supreme Court Justice Breyer Rejects Maine Church’s Attempt to Block Delta Variant Restrictions that Don’t Exist; and more
Fox Is Not a Friend
A pleasant hotel breakfast was derailed by a “Fox and Friends” segment heavy on outrage and light on facts. An alternative reality has been produced by this media outlet, which puts money and influence before truth and the common good.
Why We Returned to Virtual Worship Gatherings
Congregations have faced many challenges throughout the pandemic. One church shifted to virtual, then in-person, then virtual again, learning important lessons about community in the process.
Why Do I Stay in the Church?
Critics of the church are sometimes excessive and unbalanced, but, for the most part, the church is guilty as charged with a long list of sins. How can you stay in a church that did these things?
August 3, 2021
In today’s curated and news analysis headlines: Why is the South the Epicenter of Anti-Abortion Fervor?; Many Faith Leaders in North Texas Embracing Their Role in Vaccine Push; It’s Mindboggling, it’s Crazy’: ‘A Moral Obligation’: Black Ministers are Leading Rallies for Voting Rights Just as They Did During the Civil Rights Era; and more
In Church and Politics, Words Can Hide Insidious Aims
From church business meetings to political forums, if you look closely, you’ll see the true, often insidious, motives behind flowery words. It is all about power, control and self-interest.
4 Reasons You’re Paying Too Much for Health Care
The epidemic of over-treatment has caused soaring health care costs and placed excess strain on the system. Many clinics and hospitals have become dependent on the additional revenue from excessive tests. What can we do? Two things.
Less than Half of U.S. Households Give to Charitable Causes
The number of U.S. households contributing to charitable causes fell below 50% in 2018, according to a new report. Giving to both religious and secular causes has been declining steadily since 2000, mostly due to fewer households making donations.
August 2, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Scholar: After Living Three Years Inside a Kalamazoo Church Avoiding Deportation, Pakistani Immigrant Rediscovers Freedom; Why Did a Republican Senator Ask a Biden Nominee if He Believes in God?; A Trump Supporter was Arrested After a Church Prayer Group Member Sent Texts to the FBI that Showed Him Inside the Capitol Building on January 6; and more
Prez Words Push Closer to Vax Mandate
The push for vaccine mandates against COVID-19 picked up steam with President Biden’s announcement that federal workers and contractors will have to prove they’ve been vaccinated. Some states and the VA have already made the decision.
Olympics Superstar Champions Mental Health
Olympics superstar Simone Biles has her priorities right. The renowned gymnast withdrew from further competition in the Olympics to preserve her mental health. We ought to focus on the mental health of our athletes, not on medals.
Bracing to Face COVID-19 Wilderness – Again
After what seemed like a delightfully ‘normal-ish’ summer of vacations and visits with family, the season ahead once again feels uncertain. Rising case rates of COVID-19 have us bracing ourselves for the wilderness – again.
July 30, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: “It Was Clear the Terrorists Perceived Themselves to be Christians”: The January 6 Select Committee Cannot Ignore the Pervasive Christian Nationalism Present That Day; Religious Leaders Weigh Reinstating Mask Mandates and Whether They Could Upset Some Members; Cutting Carbon Pollution Quickly Would Save About 74 Million Lives, Study Finds; Southern Baptists Join Catholic Bishops in Asserting ‘No Constitutional Basis’ for Abortion at All; and more.
White Christian Nationalism Fuels Insurrection
The firsthand testimony of four police officers left little doubt that what happened at the Capitol on Jan. 6 was nothing short of a failed insurrection. And the fuel that ignited that insurrection? White Christian nationalism.
Olympics Earn Gold Medals in Racism, Sexism
Both before and after the Summer Olympics’ opening ceremonies took place, we watched athletes – the best in their sport – drop out, get kicked out or be fined. We witnessed blatant racism and sexism. Is the church any different?
When Police Protect, Serve Some Over Others
Critiquing law enforcement does not equal hate or disdain for them. It is a desire to see them more consistently follow their oath to ‘protect and serve’ everyone. Sadly, police favor whites with more respect than other citizens.
July 29, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: White Evangelicals Resist COVID-19 Vaccine Most Among Religious Groups; Religious Americans, Led by White Evangelicals, Less Likely to Believe Intelligent Life Exists on Other Planets; Hobby Lobby Ordered to Forfeit $1.6M Ancient Artifact; This Year’s Biggest Concert Belongs to a Christian Rapper; and more
Building Community – One Berry at a Time
A friend grows blueberries – lots of them. My friend won’t accept any payment for the best berries in town, but there is a condition: If you pick some for yourself, you have to give some away. It’s his ‘blueberry ministry.’
Mass Graves Reveal 966 Children Left Unnamed
At two residential schools for Indigenous children, 966 mass graves were found. Who ran these schools? What was their intent? While what happened can’t unhappen, what steps will we take so such terrible things can’t unhappen again?
‘Pig’
‘Pig,’ a new drama thriller starring Nicolas Cage, tells the story of those we pass by. Playing a disheveled woodsman on a quest to find his truffle-hunting pig, Cage’s pitch-perfect performance is a ride you’ll enjoy taking.
July 28, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: A Pastor’s Take: Why Religion Won’t Fix Vaccine Hesitancy in Tennessee; Conservative Baptist Network Calls on New SBC President Ed Litton to Resign;
Ross Douthat: The Ungovernable Catholic Church; and more.
Getting ‘Under Conviction’ about Our Convictions
Many churchgoers don’t want their sinful convictions of comfort and ease challenged. Yet, only when convicted about convictions that don’t align with Jesus’ life and teachings can they move toward moral and spiritual renewal.
When Grief Unravels Your Life – Part 2
How do you handle grief upon grief stacking up in your life? Remember these losses are part of your history, interwoven into the fabric of who you are. If you weave the threads of loss into your life, you will be richer for it.
You’ve Run Out of Excuses to Avoid Vaccine
Out of more than 161 million fully vaccinated people in the US, the CDC is hard pressed to find more than 849 deaths related to COVID-19 among them. So any debate about the effectiveness and safety of the vaccines is ridiculous.
July 27, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Pastor Greg Locke Vows to Ban Anyone Wearing a Mask from Church and Blasts the So-called ‘Godless Democrats’; NC Evangelical Minister, Grandson of the Rev. Billy Graham, Hospitalized in Critical Condition with COVID; Texas Man Accused of Setting Family Home Ablaze and Killing His Brother for Not Following the Bible; Mary, Mother of Jesus, Turns up as an Icon for Pop Stars and Social Justice Warriors; and more
White-Privileged Ignore Back-Crushing Stance
While we have a couple of space-happy billionaires shelling out their concentrated wealth to fly high, so many who are privileged are flying blind, unaware of the crushing weight they put on the backs of those they stand on.
When Grief Unravels Your Life – Part 1
Grief is like a river. The river has myriad moods with currents changing from spring’s rush to summer’s laze. However, if you’re caught off-guard, a current of grief can catch you in a windswept turbulence threatening your safety.
Faith Groups to Prez Biden: Protect Sacred Land
Fifty religious groups from numerous faiths signed a letter, urging President Biden to recognize a region near Phoenix that holds spiritual significance for local Indigenous tribes and shielding it from copper-hungry mining firms.