Recent Articles
Obesity Responsible for 4 Million Global Deaths Annually
Obesity’s prevalence has increased threefold since 1975, rising in all nations and with the most notable increases taking place in rural areas. Nearly half the world is now considered obese or overweight, a report said.
The temple beneath the bridge …
Beneath a huge bridge on the main road from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, just past a huge subdivision called Mevaseret Zion and less than four miles northwest of the Old City, one can find the remains of an ancient temple that may have been used to worship both Yahweh and...
Bible study, really?
By John D. Pierce What’s passed off as group Bible study is often mere opinion sharing — perhaps after reading and disregarding a verse or two. Or perhaps the chance to rehash Saturday’s ballgame, and to reinforce each other’s political preferences and prejudices —...
Reaction and Response: Logsdon Seminary Closing
The abrupt shuttering of Logsdon Seminary at Hardin-Simmons University in Texas on Feb. 7 left alumni, students and faculty with feelings ranging from shock to disappointment, from confusion to grief.
Emerging Voices | Logsdon Seminary Affirmed Women in Ministry
Like many other women, I was called to ministry as a teen in a Southern Baptist church that did not affirm women serving in ministry. Logsdon Seminary was a place where women called to ministry could thrive.
When Your Struggle with Self-Hatred, Guilt Can Be Healthy
People from all religious backgrounds blame their religious upbringing for the struggles they have with self-hatred and guilt. Such struggles can’t be blamed solely on religion. Moreover, that struggle is not always unhealthy.
February 12, 2020
Georgia Adoption Bill Stirs Debate Over Religion, Discrimination (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) Red Dress Sundays Celebrates Second Annual Services (Charleston Chronicle) First Baptist Church Decatur Kicked Out of Local Baptist Association Over LGBTQ Views...
Read, reflect and learn
By John D. Pierce The March/April issue of Nurturing Faith Journal is rolling off the presses and heading to mailboxes. Get your copy (or digital subscription) at nurturingfaith.net. Chocked full of ORIGINAL content, the journal features insightful analysis of issues...
With Abrupt Announcement, Logsdon Seminary is Gone
An abrupt announcement on Feb. 7 said Logsdon Seminary at Hardin-Simmons University in Texas would close after a vote by trustees. Few details were provided; questions remain unanswered. And just like that, the seminary is gone.
Washington Gladden Balanced Social Activism, Spiritual Focus
Washington Gladden, an early leader in the Social Gospel movement, modeled a Christian life that understood the yin and yang that interwove social activism and spiritual centeredness. You can’t have one without the other.
Less than 5% of Refugee Resettlement Needs Met in 2019
As the Trump administration cuts the number of refugees allowed to resettle in the US, less than 64,000 of the 1.4 million refugees considered top priorities in 2019 were actually relocated globally, a UN agency reported.
February 11, 2020
Good Faith Media Formed by EthicsDaily, Nurturing Faith (EthicsDaily) Louisiana Man Pleads Guilty to Burning Down Three Black Churches (New York Times) In Amazon’s Bookstore, No Second Chances for a Third Reich (New York Times) Alumni, Texas Baptists React to Logsdon...
It’s a good time for Good Faith
By John D. Pierce At a time when bad faith reveals a departure from truth as fact, and Christianity gets redefined apart from following Jesus, enter Good Faith Media! After a year of prayer, deliberation and growing enthusiasm, two independent, national organizations...
Good Faith Media Formed by EthicsDaily, Nurturing Faith
A new, expansive faith-based media company will emerge in June 2020, combining the resources of two independent, national nonprofit organizations into a new entity called Good Faith Media.
Emerging Voices | Uncovering What Happened to Texas
Texas Baptist life has shifted widely. The institutions built by the generation before us, intended to keep a spirit of inclusion in our state Baptist convention, have shown considerable decline. What happened?
February 10, 2020
Joe Scarborough Says Trump ‘Mocked the Words of Jesus Christ’ at National Prayer Breakfast (Newsweek) Impeachment Leads to Theological War of Words Between Trump, His Critics and His Backers (RNS) Hardin-Simmons Trustees Vote to Close Logsdon Seminary (Baptist...
Questioning Society Discovers Jesus in Comic Books
Many people, especially young adults, claim to have no religious affiliation, but pop culture features Jesus’ story in three comic books, illustrating that what Jesus taught and stood for is still timely.
Women’s Rights, Opportunities in Global Workforce Lag Behind Men
While women’s employment rights and prospects have improved overall, significant hindrances remain in many countries, as women are only granted around 75% of the rights men have in the global workforce, a report said.
Look Back | Why You Should Help Someone Who May Rip You Off
No one likes to be conned. It’s enough to make you angry when it happens to you. However, gifts, once given, are no longer ours to worry over. Gifts given in love retain the love, even if the recipient attempts to discard it.
January 7, 2020
Trump Struggles with Basic Christian Teaching at National Prayer Breakfast (Huffington Post) Trump’s Prayer Breakfast Jibes Jolt Many Faith Leaders (WTMJ) Graham on Romney’s Explanation for Vote to Convict Trump: ‘Your Religion is Clouding Your Thinking’ (Fox News)...
When Our Institutions Fail the People, Where Do We Turn?
With its vote, the US Senate declared there is no longer any institutional check on the power of the president. How did we get here? Racism, racial anxiety, white privilege and white fragility are central factors.
When Life’s Spinning Carousel Dulls Your Senses
We all face seasons in life when our senses are dulled because we have been kicked into survival mode. When you feel like you’re riding a carousel watching the world blur by, it’s vital to ground yourself in the here and now.
Lord, Give Us Leaders Who Care for Suffering People
Many of our leaders seem to have lost the ability to cry for their people, to see human suffering and be moved to action. While both sides play politics, they are distracted from the tired, the poor, the jobless and the hungry.
January 6, 2020
How a Secluded Church in Rural SC Became a Concert Destination (Charleston Post & Courier) Breaking Down Trump’s Religion-Heavy State of the Union (RNS) Mitt Romney’s Mormon Faith Motivated Him to Vote for Trump’s Removal from Office (Washington Post) Among...
Music Matters | Embracing Emotion in Worship Music
Some suggest we should not sing worship songs that elicit strong emotions because it can lead people astray, but we deceive ourselves if we think we can divorce musical meaning from musical feeling. Each contributes to the other.
5 Healthy Traits to Help Your Church Call Your Next Pastor
When your church searches for your next pastor, are you making a hire or extending a call? There are distinct differences. Vocational ministry is a unique calling. These 5 traits will help you establish a healthy call process.
White Evangelical Support for Trump Remains Strong in 2020
White evangelicals, who overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump for president in 2016, continue to do so, a report found, with 76% saying they would ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ vote for him again in this year’s election.
January 5, 2020
After a Backlash, Belmont University Says it Will Let Non-Christian Art Professors Teach After All (ArtNet News) Colorado Church, Engineer Have Plans for Super Tiny Homes for Homeless (Pueblo Chieftain) Federal Judge Accepts Religious Liberty Defense of Immigrant...
Will US Become Sanctuary for Refugees Fleeing for Their Lives?
People uproot themselves for many reasons to come to the US, but it is rarely out of a simple desire to leave home. Some come here fearing for their safety. Woe to those who turn away people claiming to be fleeing for their lives.
Why You Can’t Allow Fear to Eclipse Justice, Equality
Love of a white nationalistic agenda is neither truly American nor Christian. Certain pious politicians and politicized preachers act in the same self-serving ways their predecessors enabled and excused gender and racial inequality.