Recent Articles
Emerging Voices | Physical Fitness Crucial for Churches
Over 40% of US adults and nearly 20% of children are obese. Ministers need to ensure they do not neglect addressing physical health as they administer pastoral care. Here are 5 ways your church can be more physically fit.
Look Back | King: Religious Freedom Champion
Martin Luther King Jr. was well aware of the Baptist distinctive to ensure the right of all to worship (or abstain from worship) freely, along with the conviction that separation of church and state was essential to such freedom.
January 15, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: The Capitol Riot Revealed the Darkest Nightmares of White Evangelical America; How Self-Proclaimed ‘Prophets’ from a Growing Christian Movement Provided Religious Motivation for the White Nationalist Insurrection; ‘He Groomed Them’: Many Black Philadelphians Don’t See How White People Didn’t See the Insurrection Coming; From the Capitol to Critical Race Theory, White Christians Grieve Declining Hegemony; and more.
Speak Up and Step Out: Surviving White Christian Nationalism
White Christian nationalists would rather burn the country to the ground than see equality for others achieved. We must confront their misguided ways with love, peace and justice to create a more perfect union for everyone.
King’s Nonviolent Resistance Was Way of Life
Nonviolent resistance was not a method but a way of life for Martin Luther King Jr., but it was not without danger. Indeed, the ultimate outworking of the adoption of nonviolence is a preparedness to give one’s life for the cause.
Emerging Voices | The Church and the Death Penalty
Here’s a troubling fact: Where the most Christians are populated in the US is directly correlated to the most executions. It’s a statement that should shock us all. Do we really want to claim we know if someone is beyond redemption?
We Need Constellating Light to Follow King’s Path
Admiring Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream is not the same as being captured by it. Too many find it possible to respect the man but relinquish the mission. It has become too easy to revere the dreamer but renege on the dream.
January 14, 2021
In today’s curated and analysis headlines: Scholars of Religion and Politics Respond to the Capitol Insurrection; QAnon Reshaped Trump’s Party and Radicalized Believers. The Capitol Siege May Just be the Start; ‘How Did We Get Here?’ A Call for an Evangelical Reckoning on Trump; and more
A New Look at an Old Word
The words we consider to be scripture were written by many different human persons over nearly 1,000 years, being constantly adapted and edited along the way. The Bible does not have to be perfect to tell us what we need to know.
The Other Dream of Martin Luther King Jr.
We all know about Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream for racial equality, but he appeared to have another dream, inspired by his studies of the life of Mahatma Gandhi. This dream was for cooperation and understanding between religions.
God is in Control – Well, Not So Fast!
Some look at the terrorist attack on the US Capitol and say ‘God is in control.’ That abdicates the responsibility God has given us. Will we have the faith to move the mountains of racism, prejudice and white supremacy?
It’s Time to Name Our Sins
We must hold the people responsible for the attack on the US Capitol accountable. It’s also time for all of us to hold ourselves accountable by confessing our sins when we replaced a commitment to the common good with other loyalties.
January 13, 2021
Today’s curated news and analysis headlines include: Coverage of evangelicals and the Trump-led Capitol insurrection; Joe Biden’s Catholicism is All About Healing. Now, He Will be Leading a Divided Nation; Twitter Purged More Than 70,000 Accounts Affiliated With QAnon Following Capitol Riot; and more
There’s No Leapfrogging to Healing, Reconciliation
We can’t simply declare peace and harmony by ignoring that which has brought about conflict and injustice. Reconciliation requires honest confession, strategic planning and purposeful implementation.
King, Heschel: Fast Friends and Activists
Bound by a profound sense of mutual gratitude, Martin Luther King Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel had become fast friends, their lives intersecting in a brief period of time during the civil rights movement.
White America, This Is Who We Are
In the wake of the attack on the US Capitol, we need to stop saying ‘this is not who we are.’ This is who we are. We still support laws and policies that maintain white people at the top of the social and economic ladder.
We Warned You: This Was Trump Show’s Likely Ending
We warned you. This was how the Trump Show was likely to end – with something horrible, violent, terrifying. And then, on Jan. 6, domestic terrorists, spurred on by the president, stormed the Capitol. We warned you for years.
Another King Holiday: We’re Still Not Listening
It’s that time of year again when we pretend we believe him. We are remembering the dreamer, Martin Luther King Jr., though last year was clear evidence we had fallen asleep at the wheel. We haven’t come together – ever.
Christian Percentage of Global Population to Increase
The number of Christians as a percentage of the global population is expected to increase over the next few decades, with the percentage increasing slightly to 32.5% by 2025 and rising to 35% by 2050, a report said.
Lott Carey Podcast Explores Black Pastoral Leadership
A new podcast series drawing from the wisdom of Black pastors premieres Wednesday. ‘Pilgrimages of Striving and Thriving’ explores how Black pastoral leaders in the US flourish in their various ministerial contexts.
January 11, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: First Baptist D.C.’s Response to Insurrection at the Capitol; A Christian Insurrection; David French: Only the Church Can Truly Defeat a Christian Insurrection; and more
An Attack Done in Jesus’ Name
The assault on the US Capitol on Jan. 6 is a textbook example of Christian nationalism, which perverts Christianity and endangers our political union, claiming a special, privileged position for Christianity and its adherents.
Why Jan. 6 is Day of Reckoning for the Church
Jan. 6 should go down in history as a day of reckoning for the church in America. Evangelical leaders said Trump’s election was an act of God to put the US back on the right path spiritually. The mob action would say otherwise.
Faith Leaders Respond to Storming of US Capitol
Faith leaders began speaking out on social media as news emerged that pro-Trump protesters had broken through police barriers and stormed the US Capitol building on Wednesday, Jan. 6. Here’s what some of them told Good Faith Media.
An Evangelical Response to Trump-Inspired Attack
Trump-supporting protesters stormed the US Capitol on Jan. 6, endangering the lives of our governmental leadership. President Trump incited his followers and must be held accountable for this travesty.
In 2021, Expose Your Life to Wonder
While many of us have moved away from New Year resolutions, we should still set challenging goals for the short-time future and the longer-term future. We can build those goals from our values, interests, curiosity and wonder.
January 8, 2020
Two days after the Trump-incited insurrection and in today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Insurrection Fueled by Conspiracy Groups, Extremists and Fringe Movements; Rioters Breached US Capitol Security on Wednesday. This Was the Police Response When it Was Black Protesters on DC Streets Last Year.; The Police’s Response to the Capitol Breach Wasn’t an Aberration (FiveThirtyEight)
The Far Right Told Us What it Had Planned. We Didn’t Listen.; Christian Leaders and Artists Respond to Violence in U.S. Capitol; and more
America, It’s Time to Make a Choice
We stand at a crossroads. Every American has a choice to make. It’s not between political parties or politicians, but between good and evil.
White Privilege on Display at U.S. Capitol
Trump supporters invaded the U.S. Capitol building and disrupted the certification of Joe Biden’s victory. Protected by white privilege, most walked away unharmed and few were arrested.
You Have a Story to Share
If you are a living, breathing person, you have a story. The importance for this lies in a deep soul need to share our story and connect with others by hearing their stories. Your story is more than facts; it is deeply personal.