Hughes, Hamlin and the Salvation of Football

Can a Christian Love a Game that Permanently Injures People?

I was watching Monday Night Football along with 28 million others when Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin tackled Cincinnati wide-receiver Tee Higgins on what appeared to be a routine pass, catch and tackle play. I noticed in real time that Hamlin jumped up from the tackle, hesitated for a few seconds and then fell hard on […]

Damar Hamlin Injury

THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST DILEMMA

Two SBC Viruses Threatening the Life of the Convention

There is most likely a virus inside your body right now. Probably even a few. These latent viruses are tiny squatters that call our bodies home. Some of the more well-known latent viruses inhabit as much as 80 to 90% of the human population. These insidious microbes slip into our bodies when we are kids. […]

The Southern Baptist Convention

A LAMENT FOR UVALDE

One Vital Response in the Fight Against Evil

It’s been a little more than two weeks since a young man walked into Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and fatally shot nineteen students and two teachers. Two weeks may be the average life span of a national story these days, so most people are now going back to their own version of a […]

Lament

THE SCOURGE OF SCHOOL SHOOTINGS

When Will We Muster the Moral Courage to Act?

The latest horrific school shooting occurred yesterday in Uvalde, Texas, where a lone gunman killed 19 children and 2 adults. It’s the 27th school shooting this year. What is it going to take for us to muster the moral courage to do something about it?   American Violence The Gun Violence Archive, an independent data […]

Uvalde School Shooting

NAOMI JUDD AND THE STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS

Seven Things to Do When a Loved One Commits Suicide

Last week, the day before she was to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, singer Naomi Judd took her own life. She was 76 years old and left behind a husband, two daughters, and thousands of adoring fans. Her story has immeasurable value for those who deal with the debilitating pain of […]

Naomi Judd

THIS IS MY FIGHT SONG

Four Little Known Bible Fight Songs

Confession: I’m a sucker for inspirational, underdog-overcoming-life stories. The Bible is replete with them. Noah against the flood, Gideon and his band of 300 warriors against thousands of Midianites, Esther against Haman, Daniel in the lion’s den, Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego in the fiery furnace, and of course, David against Goliath. I can’t get enough […]

fight song

COUCH POTATO CHRISTIAN CHURCH

The Back to Church Imperative in a Post-Pandemic World

According to the best research, it takes 60-70 days to form a new habit. In 2020, most churches in America discontinued live attendance worship services for three to nine months. That’s plenty of time to form a new habit.   The Slow, Reluctant Return to Church Sociologists and historians will be unraveling the ramifications of […]

the new church

CHOOSING MENTAL HEALTH

Why Simone Biles Will Always Be A Winner

Simone Biles, the most lauded U.S. gymnast in history, unexpectedly pulled out of the women’s team competition at the Tokyo Olympics, citing concerns about her mental health. Good for her. It has been encouraging to watch the Olympic community of athletes rally to support her decision. Good for them. It has been refreshing to read […]

simone biles

WOMEN IN MINISTRY, VOLUME TWENTY-SIX

The Historic Attempt to Silence the Feminine Voice in the Church

Under an arch in a Roman Basilica is a mosaic portraying four female characters: two female saints, Mary (the mother of Jesus), and a fourth woman. An inscription identifies the fourth woman as Theodora Episcopa. The masculine form for Bishop in Latin is episcopus; the feminine form is episcopa. Both the mosaic’s visual and grammatical […]

bishop theodora