Crystal Springs Baptist Church issues formal apology for banning black wedding
"We, the church, realize that the Hendersons and Wilsons should have never been asked to relocate their wedding"
I'm not saying we're not sinners. We're all sinners. We're born in sin," Charles Wilson said. "But you're not born to hate. No child is born to hate. You have to be taught to hate. When you say come to the church, are the same people that put us out of church still there? How have they changed?"
Church, State, and The President
This administration…has carried secularism to levels never attempted by any of its predecessors
It is a bad, dangerous, and devious encroachment on constitutional liberty, and could undermine one of the greatest pillars of American national success. The balance between faith and reason is for the determination of each individual, and of the people as a whole, not of unauthorized government officials uttering impious humbug as they arbitrarily try to define that balance.
The 50 Shades of Evangelicalism
It is frustrating to see ourselves summarized through the extreme voices of… Pat Robertson and John Hagee
And, while referring to a particular group as evangelical may be more accurate than simply calling them Christian, the increasingly varied shades of evangelicalism make even that term insufficient. For example, are we referring to the ultra-conservative televangelist and one-time Republican presidential hopeful, Pat Robertson? Or, do we see Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners and vocal Obama supporter as the quintessential evangelical?
Practicing While Preaching
Choosing a translation that fits what I wanted in the sermon would have been being partial
The wisdom of impartiality is the practice of receiving in love a sincere believer as my brother in Christ regardless of inherent qualities such as race, social status or spiritual maturity, and of making any distinctions of my treatment of people to be based solely on the moral code of Scripture.”
The Three Rs of Christian Engagement in the Culture War
It really does feel like free speech, religious freedom, and the institution of marriage are up for grabs in our day
I know, I know—you really don’t like the term “culture war.” The mission of the church is not to “reclaim” America. The growth of the church does not rely on political victories or societal approval. And we don’t want the people we are trying to reach to think we are at war with them. I... Continue Reading
No One Is More Tolerant Than God
In other words, God tolerates a world of bad ideas (among other things)
This means that if God will trump worldly wisdom, he must forbear its existence. God tolerates man’s wisdom to show his foolishness is wiser; God tolerates man’s strength to show his weakness is stronger. Gay rights activists across the country plan to descend upon Chick-fil-A this evening in response to Wednesday’s “Appreciation Day.” Here will... Continue Reading
Indiana Supreme Court rules no ‘express’ trust in church property case
Case remanded to trial court
The Indiana Supreme Court remanded the case of a Presbyterian Church (USA) congregation against its presbytery and synod back to a trial court and established Indiana as a “neutral principles of law” state. In the case of the Presbytery of Ohio Valley and the Synod of Lincoln Trails of the Presbyterian Church (USA) vs. Olivet... Continue Reading
Two Big Distractions for Pastors
Almost every pastor in our survey named one or both of these issues as a distraction.
They told us in overwhelming numbers that dealing with critics was a huge distraction. To a lesser extent, but still significant, the pastors said conflict among staff and key leaders was a significant distraction as well. The early church, according to Acts 6, was experiencing phenomenal growth. The author, Luke, simply says, “the number of... Continue Reading
Lifeway and ‘The Blind Side’: Another Side to the Story
Consumers want great stories without the words that offend their deeply held religious beliefs.
It seems that Hollywood can’t help itself. Instead of trusting in the power of a good story, it turns again and again to gratuitous profanity – even when that’s exactly what the audience doesn’t want. A few weeks ago, I told you that, in my opinion, Lifeway bookstores made a big mistake when it removed... Continue Reading
Does American Christianity Need Saving?
Whether or not U.S. Christianity is declining, one must wonder what kind of Christianity does not focus on perpetuating itself around the world.
A survey conducted by Trinity College (CT) in 2008 found that, since 2001, the mainline has fallen in membership the fastest while non-denominational churches have been “trending upward.” “Fewer than 200,000 people favored this term in 1990 but in 2008 it accounts for over eight million Americans,” the survey reports. New York Times columnist Ross... Continue Reading