Recent Articles
August 29, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Why Pastors are Burning Out; Pagan and Witchcraft Festivals Confront Growing Christian Harassment; A North Texas School District Says a Book Chapter By its Namesake About a Lynching is Not Appropriate for Some Students (and more)
Theological Education, Debt and Jubilee
With my childhood faith beginning to crumble, I enrolled in seminary and took out several student loans. As I sat and “pondered anew what the almighty could do,” those loans also sat and waited.
A Drive-by Reflection of Heritage and New Vision
An unexpected detour onto rural backroads took me past several churches, some of which seemed to have a history based on their names. Often church splits result from a separation between heritage and vision.
Look Back | As New School Year Begins, Let’s Praise Teachers
Teachers show up each day and do their best to teach and take care of their students. Their work is as simple and as complex as that. Let’s support, and praise, our teachers.
August 26, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: How the Southern Baptist Convention Became a Safe Haven for Abusers; How a Far Right, Christian Nationalist Cellphone Company ‘Took Over’ Four Texas School Boards; A New Challenge for Schools and Teachers: School Prayer; Conflicts in Global Anglicanism Become Black and White (and more)
Why Christian Nationalists Want to Ban Books
Books are being challenged by parents and removed from public school libraries across the U.S. This is another manifestation of Christian nationalism, in which adherents desire to force everyone to think, act and believe just like them.
Re-Enchantment: A Return to Comic-Con
We live in a world of disenchantment, according to author Andrew Root. He suggests that Comic-Con is a place for re-enchantment. Here was my experience attending the 2022 gathering of Comic-Con International.
Climate Change Is Exacerbating Pathogenic Disease
Pathogenic diseases that impact humans are being exacerbated by climate change, according to research published in mid-August. Of the infectious diseases studied, greenhouse gas emission heightened the negative impacts of more than half.
August 25, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Why Does an Episcopal Church in an Alaskan Town Have a Prominent Star of David Window?; How Stokely Carmichael Speaking in a Black Baptist Church Helped Inspire the Creation of C-Span; ‘New America’: Avowed White Nationalists, LGBTQ-Hater Pushes Vision to Catholic Right; Extremely Rare Discoveries are Helping Archaeologists Paint a Picture of This 2,000-Year-Old Roman Temple (and more)
Are We in a New Civil Rights Movement?
Are we in a new civil rights movement? A recent webinar hosted by Equal Justice USA and featuring historian and author Jemar Tisby, explored this question and others related to race, criminal justice, the legal system and Christian nationalism.
Reflecting on Inflection Points
The mathematical concept of an inflection point has been adopted, and adapted, into popular parlance to refer to a change in the direction of a process. What insight does the concept offer in the covenant faith journey?
Is Disagreeing Agreeably on Facebook Possible?
Nearly two years after creating a private Facebook group to promote constructive dialogue, the experiment hasn’t gone as planned. Here is what I’ve seen as the group’s moderator, as well as three lessons learned.
August 24, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Why the Evangelical Movement is in Disarray After Dobbs: An Interview with Russell Moore; The Right-Wing Christian Sect Plotting a Political Takeover; Texas Church Forced to Pay Unspecified Damages for Altered ‘Hamilton’; Taliban Impose ‘Harsh’ Limits on Afghans’ Religious Freedom: U.S. Panel (and more)
Have You Raised Your Ebenezer and Taken Time to Be Holy?
Christian hymns often move us deeply, inspire us to live more fully and faithfully, and sustain us through life’s challenging times. But do we take time to consider what we’re singing?
When Pastors Go Through Seasons of Doubt
Pastors go through seasons of doubt. During my current sojourn through such a season, I found respite and renewal in an unlikely place. Here is what I’m learning from this journey.
Faith Seeking Understanding | Love Your God; Love Your Neighbors
With the phrase “your God” pinging in my recent thoughts, I began to seek greater understanding of the divine call to “love your God” and “love your neighbor.” This imperative is found in multiple faith traditions.
New Resources on Baptismal Identity and The Raceless Gospel
Baptism offers a radical theology of liberation. Yes, too often it is seen as only one of the requirements for church membership and an addendum to the regular worship service. It is so much more than this.
The Threat of Christian Nationalism to U.S. Democracy
Congresswoman Lauren Boebert’s statement about the church directing the government is historically incorrect. Keeping church and state separate is essential to a functioning democracy.
Creation Care and Seeking the Welfare of the City
Jeremiah 29:5-7 offers an ongoing word for God’s people in every age. It is a call to seek the welfare of the land we are in. This imperative also applies to caring for creation.
Remembering Frederick Buechner and His Permission to Be Fearless
Facing a difficult prognosis several years ago, Frederick Buechner’s words reminded me not to fear becoming or letting go because God was there — in the terrible and the beautiful. I’m thankful for his life and ministry.
Why the U.S. Must Adopt a Prevention-Focused Approach to Public Health
The United States spent over $4 trillion on health care in 2020, a number that is expected to increase in the years ahead. The nation’s focus on treatment rather than prevention must change to improve public health.
SCOTUS Ruling Erodes Church-State Separation in Public Schools
No student should ever be made to feel excluded in school. Yet, the Kennedy v. Bremerton SCOTUS ruling could result in students feeling pressured to participate in religious expressions that do not reflect their beliefs.
August 19, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: The Christian Right Plots How to Avenge the FBI Raid at Trump’s Mar a Lago; A Texas Coffee Shop Owner is Giving Away Plan B for Free as Fight Over Contraception Access Takes Hold; Oil’s New Bible-Thumping, Bible-Bashing, Texas Billionaire; Christian Parenting Blogger Chose Honesty. Now Fans are Following Her Lead.; Jordan River: Rich in Holiness, Poor in Water (and more)
Lott Carey’s 125th Annual Session
Over 400 disciples met in New Orleans, Louisiana, this week to celebrate the 125th session of the Lott Carey Global Christian Missional Community. Good Faith Media attended the gathering, providing coverage of the event.
Evan Dhu Cameron and the Expansion of Public Education in Oklahoma
Minister Evan Dhu Cameron was the first state superintendent in the newly formed state of Oklahoma. He worked to establish thousands of schools across the state at the expense of taxpayers where all the children could be educated.
#PandemicPastoring Report and Webinar Set for Sept. 1
A webinar focused on the short- and long-term impacts of pastoring through a pandemic will take place on Sept. 1. Produced jointly by Three Minute Ministry Mentor and Good Faith Media, 3MMM founder Eileen Campbell-Reed will host the webinar.
August 18, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Most in Texas Want More Legislation to Address Gun Violence: Poll; Trump’s Ability to Summon Demons Brings the Worst of Religion to Politics, George Pyle Writes; Near Total Abortion Ban Advances in South Carolina; Texas ‘Unwoke’ School District Removing, Reviewing Dozens of Books, Including the Bible (and more)
I Do! I Like Them, Sam-I-Am!
‘Green Eggs and Ham’ by Dr. Seuss came to mind when my wife and I began shifting our diet to most plant-based meals. Here are a few things that I’ve observed and learned through the process.
It Takes a Community
I have worked in public education for over 20 years, and I can say with assurance that improving the outcomes for our nation’s children will take community-wide efforts. Houses of faith can play an important role.
How the Up-Front Contract Can Create Healthier Churches
An “Up-Front Contract,” or UFC, is a mutual agreement between the salesperson and potential client before a meeting is scheduled. Here is how this approach can create healthier churches.