Over the years, a few people have asked me for a private baptism experience. I have always declined. A private ceremony undermines key purposes of baptism – a public witness of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and public identification with a community of believers.
Many tributes will be shared this week in reflection on the life of George H. W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States. President Bush died a few days ago and a grateful nation mourns his contribution to our country.
Organizational or institutional arrogance can be a significant problem, even among successful ministries. In How the Mighty Fall, corporate arrogance leading to downfall includes these stages: hubris born of success, undisciplined pursuit of more, denial of risk and peril, grasping for...
A recent news report caught my eye like a bright, shining diamond on a beautiful woman’s hand. The report was about “ring shaming” – the practice of posting a photograph of an engagement/wedding ring online and shaming the purchaser for being too cheap, having bad taste, or otherwise failing to...
This past Sunday was Veteran’s Day. It corresponded with the one-hundredth anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I which made it an even more historic commemoration. In the worship service I attended, veterans of each branch of the military were saluted during a musical tribute. The...
It’s the week of a national election in our country and, no matter the outcome, pundits and pontificators will declare the results the end of western civilization. Not likely.
Pipe bombs and the Pittsburgh shooting are the latest examples of political and religious terrorism in our country. Many commentators have connected these despicable acts to the rise of bombastic, vitriolic political and religious rhetoric over the past few years. While killing or attempting to...
Every year, about this time of year, my travels take me to multiple western state conventions. They are a priority in my scheduling each year. Why are these conventions, typically smaller and less influential than others in the South, a priority? If you lived and worked among them, you would...
The Kavanaugh confirmation process was a pivotal moment in recent American political history. Time will reveal its long-term importance. Much of what happened was driven by serious issues, but the debate and dialogue about them was often drowned out by bloggers and bloviates. In the midst of the...
A young man was recently dismissed from the baseball team at the University of Georgia, and may face further University discipline, for apparently shouting racist remarks in the stands during a football game. The University was within its rights to take this action. Every school, including...