What do asteroids teach about the cosmos and God? In recent weeks, scientists have alerted the public to a possible upcoming disaster. An asteroid, 2024 YR4, discovered in December 2024, has a possibility of striking the Earth near December 22, 2032. The asteroid is not of the planet-killing variety. It is too small for that. While relatively small, if the asteroid slammed into Earth, it would release approximately 500 times the amount of energy of the atomic bomb dropped on... Read more
Women in Ministry and 1 Timothy 2 When discussing women in ministry one of the most cited and debated passages is 1 Timothy 2:8-15. The passage reads, Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension. Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for... Read more
Women Pastors and 1 Corinthians 14 One of the most controversial disputes among Baptists is the role of women in the service of the Church. Long ago, the SBC moved to disfellowship congregations with women as Senior Pastors. Over the last few years, the SBC has started to censure and disfellowship churches that have women in Associate Pastoral roles (i.e. Children’s Pastor, Youth Pastor, Women’s Pastor, Pastor of Worship, etc.) and even churches merely that believe that women may serve... Read more
How to listen to a sermon For Protestants, particularly Evangelicals, the sermon is the center of worship. The centrality of preaching is even reflected in our sanctuary design. In most Protestant sanctuaries, the pulpit is in the center. With the centrality of preaching, one would think teaching people how to listen and evaluate a sermon would be vital practices of the Church. Surprisingly, this does not happen with any regularity at all. As a result, people often evaluate a sermon... Read more
Thanksgiving Is Coming! Thanksgiving is nearly here, and, although I am not Moses, I have 10 Commandments to help you and your loved ones enjoy the holiday. For the last two Thanksgivings, I have had COVID and have been unable to celebrate. Banished from family activities, I have endured the last two Thanksgivings in front of my TV watching the football games in isolation trying to chase the metallic taste from the medicine out of my mouth. This year, I... Read more
” . . . And the Windows of the Heavens Were Opened . . .” Genesis 7:11 On the evening of Thursday, September 26th, Hurricane Helene hit land near Perry, FL beginning its relentless, remorseless onslaught against the southern US. Announcing her arrival by blasting a 15ft wall of water against Florida’s coast, she flung cars and boats out of her path as if they were a collection of Legos in the path of a locomotive. Cars, boats, homes, beaches,... Read more
Planned Parenthood in the Pulpit While abortion is commonly addressed from pulpits around the world, it is seldom addressed the way Rev. Rebecca Todd Peters did at the Community Church of Chapel Hill last July. The title of her sermon was, “Reproductive Justice: Beyond the Abortion Imaginary. How Three Imaginaries, or Myths, Shape the Conversation about Abortion.” Link to Sermon Excerpt Striding to the pulpit in her black clerical vestments, Rev. Peters’ clerical collar and bright pink Planned Parenthood stole... Read more
Pope Francis and Non-Christian Religions This weekend Pope Francis, the persistently provocative Roman Pontiff, made comments sure to cause facepalming among his advisors and frustration among his faithful. In remarks in Singapore Francis said, Religions are like different languages in order to arrive at God, but God is God for all. Since God is God for all, then we are all Children of God . . . If you start to fight, “My religion is more important than yours, mine... Read more
23 Years Later I cannot fathom it has been 23 years since 9/11. It feels like yesterday. It also feels like a different world. I was supposed to be at a leadership training event on the morning of 9/11, but one of my members was facing surgery. So, I decided to swing by the hospital for a visit. Pulling into the hospital parking lot in my grey Honda, I turned on the radio to listen to the news. The report... Read more
What Was That? The Opening Ceremony of the Olympics generated significant controversy over a performance that looked like it was a blasphemous presentation of The Last Supper. While many will argue about that, what is apparent is that the ceremony was a worship service of a new religion. The Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Games was shocking and divisive. Among the conflicting reports is hard to know now exactly what Thomas Jolly, the creator of the Opening Ceremony, had in... Read more
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