Recent Articles
Why Is the ‘Great Commission’ Controversial?
The “Great Commission” is an interpretation of what Jesus said to his closest early followers at the end of Matthew 28. Briefly, Jesus told them to go to “all nations,” make disciples, baptize them and teach them to follow his commandments.
The Pool That Wasn’t
It came as a pleasant surprise to hear a knock at the door and see two friends and former neighbors who had stopped by just to chat. Their visit prompted reflection on an unethical archaeological dig in East Jerusalem.
Southern Baptists Report Continued Membership Decline, Uptick in Baptisms
The Southern Baptist Convention reported a continued decline in membership in 2022, even as the total number of baptisms increased, according to report published by LifeWay Research.
May 10, 2023
Religious Lessons and Symbolism from a King’s Coronation; Church of England to Vote Against Shell Chair on Climate; Texas Lawmakers Want to Bring Religion in Public School Classroom While Training 3rd Graders in ‘Battlefield Trauma Care’ (and more)
A Proud Boys’ Prayer and the Many Silent ‘Amens’
Before entering the U.S. Capitol building on January 6, 2021, a group of white nationalist Proud Boys knelt to seek divine support. Then and now, there are many silent ‘amens’ voiced by self-proclaimed Christians in the U.S. to such prayers.
Emerging Voices | Why We Must Stop Proclaiming the ‘Shame Gospel’
Preachers and pastors, knowingly or unknowingly, sometimes appeal to shame in sermons. This is a harmful practice and trend that must be rejected and abandoned for the sake of the gospel of love.
How to Identify and Respond to Covert Communal Narcissists
The term narcissist gets thrown around a lot and tends to be misused. And yet, covert communal narcissism happens regularly in many contexts – including houses of faith. Here are some ways you can identify and respond to them.
May 9, 2023
Texas Congressman Faces Criticism for Prayer Comment After Allen Mall Shooting; U.S. Political Groups and Their Religious Leanings; Book Review: Christian Faith Was Jackie Robinson’s Haven in a Heartless World (and more)
Let Freedom Ride
Democracy for African Americans is under attack. This is according to a new report from the National Urban League. As history repeats itself so does the call to let freedom ride.
Searching for Easter Eggs and Signs of Life
According to my limited research, the history of Easter egg hunts is debatable. During this Easter season, I’ve been reflecting on the intersection between egg hunts and our search for signs of life and hope.
How Giving Our Neighbors a Ride Could Save Lives
Millions of U.S. adults went without necessary health care services in the last 12 months due to a lack of transportation. One solution may be simpler than we think.
May 8, 2023
The First Campgrounds Took the City to the Wilderness; David French: Tucker Carlson’s Dark and Malignant Influence Over the Christian Right; ‘Nationalism’ Redefines the American Right (and more)
ELCA Commences Participation in Truth and Healing Movement
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has commenced participation in the Truth and Healing Movement. First developed by Indigenous leaders, the movement builds momentum toward developing a Truth and Healing Commission on the U.S. Indian Boarding School policy.
Mental Health Crisis Growing in U.S. Colleges and Universities
There is a growing mental health crisis on college and university campuses across the U.S., according to a report from Gallup and the Lumina Foundation. Mental health and emotional distress were the leading reasons for students considering “stopping out.”
Look Back | How Does Your Church Respond to Mental Illness?
My faith teaches me that we are all equals, having been created in God’s image, and that God seeks to be in relationship with all of us. Because of this, everyone deserves to be respected and cherished as precious children of God.
May 5, 2023
White Christian Nationalist Proud Boys Convicted of January 6 Seditious Conspiracy; White Christian Nationalist Celebrates the Suppression of Women in “Classical Christian Education”; White Christian Nationalists Want More Religion in Public Life. Texas Lawmakers are Listening.; North Texas Church Expects to Receive 100 Migrants Daily after Title 42 Expires (and more)
Road to the Big House: A Case for Inclusion
I stopped by the Biltmore Estate in 2022 with several friends. Seeing the mansion, one friend made a quip about Jesus’ teaching about mansions. After considering how it confounded his earliest disciples, here is what I think Jesus was trying to teach them – and us.
How Screen Time Impacts Teens’ Mental Health
Mental health struggles are increasing across the U.S., continuing a decade-long trend. Even more disturbing is the growing number of high school students who have seriously considered attempting suicide.
Report Highlights ‘Systematic, Ongoing and Egregious Violations’ of Religious Freedom
More than a dozen nations have engaged in “systematic, ongoing and egregious violations” of religious freedom, according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom’s 2023 Annual Report.
May 4, 2023
White Christian Nationalist Church in Troy, Alabama Raffling Off Flamethrowers, AR-15 Rifles; White Christian Nationalists are Fighting to Glorify Their Anglo-Saxon God in a Suburban Texas School District; Can Evangelicalism Survive its White, Straight, Conservative Victory? (and more)
Remove Logs, Save Lives: Affirming Trans Youth
Transgender youth are more likely than their straight or cisgender peers to attempt suicide, and most experience symptoms of anxiety and symptoms of depression. The Christian community must take the log out of its own eye so that lives can be saved.
Is Jesus Ambiguous on Violence?
Apologists seeking to save God from God are quick to contrast the God of the Hebrew Bible with the God of the New Testament – seen through the lens of Jesus Christ as a God of love and mercy.
Waiting: The Denouement of Eastertide
We are born with the need to tell and to hear stories. In most stories, after the final climax, there is falling action and the denouement. For the Christian faith tradition, the Eastertide seems like such a period.
May 3, 2023
In NC, a Church Network Turns Unused Church Buildings into Homes for Refugees; Peter Wehner: The Evangelical Church is Breaking Apart; Southern Baptist Leader Process Fails Amid Racial Tensions (and more)
A Tract and Transactional Faith
A Campus Crusade for Christ group’s visit to Berry College in the 1970s led to the creation of a spoof tract to critique their evangelism technique. Their approach offered a very transactional faith, which diverged from Jesus’ teachings.
Addressing Mental Health Post-Pandemic
The aftershocks of the pandemic continue to challenge us in the area of mental health. However, it is unwise to place all the blame on the pandemic for the worsening mental health issues in the United States.
Why I Refuse to Save God from God
The Hebrew Bible introduces a tribal deity fighting Canaanite deities for land supremacy, instructing God’s people to do likewise. Is this God responsible for being the cause of both good and evil?
May 2, 2023
Americans Should Move to Russia to Live Under Biblical Laws, Lawmaker Says; Pro-Trump Pastors Rebuked for ‘Overt Embrace of White Christian Nationalism’; Black Baptist Church Founded in 1865 Still Vital Despite Attendance Drop; Rome, Sacred Ground for Nearly 3,000 Years, and Counting (and more)
Churches Can Help ‘Stamp Out Stigma’ Around Mental Health
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Unfortunately, it remains a stigma for many Christians, who believe that “more faith” is the answer.
‘Nurturing Faith Commentary: Year A, Volume 4’ and ‘Reading John’ Now Available
Two new titles – ‘Nurturing Faith Commentary: Year A, Volume 4’ and ‘Reading John: The Bible’s Transforming Storybook’ – are now available from Nurturing Faith Books, the publishing imprint of Good Faith Media.