by Mitch Randall | Feb 25, 2021 | Opinion
Returning to the baptismal waters was more emotional than I ever expected. Recently, I was asked to baptize a young woman named Kate in the church where I served for 11 years. As a pastor with over two decades of local congregational experience, I grew accustomed to...
by Helle Liht | Mar 18, 2020 | Opinion
I live by the sea. Every time I walk on its shore or drive past it by car, I have to admit: Water is fascinating. Sometimes still, sometimes stormy. Hundreds of different shades of blue, green and grey. Sometimes reflecting the golden shimmering sun, sometimes the...
by Church from Scratch | Dec 16, 2019 | Opinion
Has anyone else noticed that we seem to have a paradox on our hands today when it comes to baptism? On the one hand, we have people being baptized left, right and center because they see it as “just something you do,” perhaps a coming-of-age rite or an anemic...
by Paul Beasley-Murray | Jun 3, 2019 | Opinion
In a booklet for people preparing for baptism, I wrote, “Baptism is a dramatic way of declaring that we belong to Jesus. The only prop needed is a large quantity of water. The spectators are asked to imagine that this water is a watery grave. “So when you go under the...
by Christina Embree | Feb 11, 2019 | Opinion
How can we bridge the gap between church (the place) and church (the body of Christ) as we disciple our kids in our homes? A few years ago, I had the chance to sit in on a class with my husband and some of our seminary friends. The class discussion revolved around how...