The Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year’s Season is beginning to descend on us. With it comes many activities coupled with gracious opportunities to share the gospel of Christ. The busiest travel days this year will be the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday following Thanksgiving. More Americans travel to be with family on Thanksgiving than any other holiday, […]
President’s Perspective: What’s Best for the Kingdom?
We live in a world where everyone wants to know the answer to the question, “What’s in it for me?” I remember a conversation with some concerned parents one time who demanded that we consider what is best for the youth in the church. I was young and somewhat arrogant. I’m sure my answer seemed […]
Editor’s Word: Is the CP Important?
Is the Cooperative Program important today? With Great Commission Giving and Cooperative Giving as alternatives to CP giving, the question begs some type of answer — and the answer can be convoluted and complicated. Before and during the initial years of the Conservative Resurgence, messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting could not help […]
Outside the Walls: ‘My One Is You!’
Linwood is an 11-year-old boy who is not yet a Jesus follower. His grandmother has a burden for him and his parents, as they do not go to church regularly. She knows that if they turned their lives over to Jesus, it would radically change the environment of their homes and the life of Linwood. […]
Wholly Healthy: Common Respiratory Illnesses
In the fall and winter of the year, hospitals tend to fill up with respiratory infections. These come in many varieties. But just so everyone can understand, I think it might be good to give a quick summary of the things that afflict our population. Often, our friends and family are diagnosed with bronchitis. While […]
Comic Belief: Friday Mess Becomes Sunday Miracle
It’s Friday, but Sunday is coming. Only a pastor can relate to those words in terms of sermon preparation. It’s Friday, and right now nothing is coming for Sunday. I’m a psychologist, but I’m supposed to preach the sermon. I’ve tried to find a sermon on the Internet, and I kept booting up in the […]
Comic Belief: Rise and Shine
A man lived on the border between Wisconsin and Minnesota. He had assumed that he lived in Minnesota, but a new survey showed that he actually lived in Wisconsin. “Thank goodness,” he exclaimed, “I never could bear those cold Minnesota winters.” Thank goodness it is possible to rise and shine. There is always a group […]
Outside the Walls: You’ve Got One Job
“You’ve got one job.” That’s what my wife, Leisa, tells me every time she sends me to the grocery store. Notoriously, she will send me at the most inopportune times, like when I’m trying to watch college football. This should be a part of all pastors’ premarital counseling. I would share a few rules with […]
Wholly Healthy: ‘Pawed’ Friend May Affect Health
By way of full confession, my family has five dogs. All of them are mixed breed critters who have already outlived their warranties, but they keep living happy dog lives. We also have two large cats who are vocal and social at mealtime, but otherwise generally prefer not to be touched. The point being: We […]
President’s Perspective: Anxiety over Upcoming Meeting Causing Recurring Dream
As we get closer to the annual meeting, my anticipation and anxiety continue to grow by leaps and bounds. Over the last few weeks, I’ve had a recurring dream that I’m trying to get to the meeting, and I just can’t get there. Every road is blocked. Every which way I turn, there seems to […]