As I look around at the current SBC landscape, I can’t help but consider the words of Paul found in Ephesians 4:1-3: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with […]
Comic Belief: Rumination, Meditation and Renewal
The Bible teaches that we must continually renew our minds. Otherwise we drift in our thinking and eventually our living. We must be in a constant state of renewal. That usually involves getting away from our daily lives to think about how we live. We must evaluate where we are going. When our outside actions […]
Wholly Healthy: Update Tetanus Immunization
Spring is upon us, and there’s work to be done. I’ve already been cutting back the overgrown Mountain Laurel on our drive, and my wife has taken her beloved riding lawnmower for its inaugural spin. Both activities, and many more typical of summer life, have the potential for creating cuts, scrapes and holes in the […]
Editor’s Word: Examining Digital Ministry
I read a book in the late 1970s called “Future Church.” The author envisioned a time when the church would be a place without any outwardly identifying marks. In his imagination, he saw the future church with no crosses or other symbols Christians have used for hundreds of years. COVID-19 created a pandemic worldwide, and, […]
Comic Belief: Sacred Cows
One of our neighbor’s kids learned how to ride a bike at an early age. That was great, but he didn’t know how to stop. He panicked and searched for a bush to crash into to stop him. Life is difficult when you can’t stop. The end result is usually a wreck and serious injury […]
Legislative Update: ‘Crossover’ deadline means increased activity at Statehouse
April 11 probably won’t show up on your smartphone calendar to remind you of its observance, but at the South Carolina Statehouse it is a date that draws everyone’s attention. The official term is “crossover,” and it simply means no bill can be considered after April 11 unless it has crossed over from the House […]
Wholly Healthy: Taking Blood Thinners
Some of the most challenging medical problems we face have to do with the formation of blood clots. For instance, clots can create heart attacks and can cause lack of blood flow to the extremities, resulting in loss of fingers, toes, arms or legs. Clots — when lodged in large blood vessels in the lungs […]
President’s Perspective: Balanced Leadership in a Day of Extremes
Warren Bennis once said, “Leadership is like beauty. It’s hard to define, but you know it when you see it.” Sadly, good leaders are seldom seen these days. From politics to pulpits and everywhere in between, we are in a leadership crisis. There is no shortage of people willing to lead, nor is there a […]
Editor’s Word: Oligarchy and Greed
We have heard the words “oligarchy” and “oligarchs” recently as we watched, heard, or read the news about Russia’s terrible invasion of Ukraine. While Russia was tearing apart the country of Ukraine, the oligarchs of that nation were trying to shield their money and possessions from sanctions. Oligarchy literally means “rule by the few.” An […]
Comic Belief: Main Cog in the Synagogue
I spoke to a group of pastors in Phoenix. Ministry in Phoenix can be difficult. It’s so beautiful in the winter, heaven doesn’t motivate — and it is so hot in the summer, hell won’t scare them. Church work is hard everywhere. For many pastors, their prayer at banquets should be, “Lord, thank You for […]