It is not exactly a new observation to note the increasing coarseness of our society. We speak more brusquely, use harsher language, are more willing to use abusive language, and frankly are meaner to each other than we have been in a long time. We are just not nice. In fact, the term “nice” is not even seen as a compliment anymore. Once upon a time, calling someone “nice” meant that they were kind, generous, or had a gracious spirit.... Read more

The annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is in June and already there is controversy. One of the controversies has emerged because a new group of SBC pastors has started a group, the Conservative Baptist Network of Southern Baptists. Their belief is that somehow the SBC is starting to drift left. I am trying very hard not to be snarky here, but that belief is completely unfounded. Nonetheless, controversy is emerging. There is further controversy over authors Beth... Read more

Failure is an ugly word and it can be a difficult experience. Over 20 years ago, when I began ministry, I served as a youth minister in a congregation just outside of Boiling Springs, NC. Honestly, I should have never gone. The congregation was full of controversy. The pastor, music director, chairman of deacons, organist, and other officers had resigned in consecutive order on a Sunday morning. Having been in contact with the congregation beforehand, I was surprised to hear... Read more

  The headline made national news, “Struggling Minnesota Church Asks Older Members to Leave.” The truth is a little more complicated. Cottage Grove United Methodist Church is a part of the two-campus church known as the Grove United Methodist Church in MN. Cottage Grove had been struggling for many years, and repeated efforts to revitalize the congregation had failed. The congregation had become too small to afford a pastor and the weekly sermon was given by a lay minister. The... Read more

  What do we mean by the word “God?” Every year, eight weeks after Easter, the Church celebrates Trinity Sunday. Sometimes Trinity Sunday falls on Father’s Day and sometimes it falls when we are celebrating graduation, so it is sometimes forgotten in worship. For congregations that do not follow the lectionary, sermons on the Trinity are infrequent as well. I suspect there is good reason for this state of affairs. The Trinity is a very difficult doctrine to understand and... Read more

  The CBF’s move transition to become a progressive theological organization was fueled by a decision made at the beginning. They would not make a statement of faith. Avoiding making a statement of faith was done, most assuredly, to avoid controversy, but it was also done based on a mistaken premise. The premise behind the decision was theological clarity produces division. Unfortunately, the leaders of the CBF were not correct. It is not clarity that produces division but ambiguity. Ambiguity... Read more

  In 1979 the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) began making a sharp theological turn to the right. For those who called themselves theologically moderate, this turn was tantamount to a fundamentalist takeover of the denomination they loved. The takeover was accomplished by the continual election of conservative leaders to the SBC presidency and the power of the SBC president to make appointments. Eventually, the six SBC seminaries were headed by conservative leaders, and moderates were removed. The process took over... Read more

On a Monday morning several weeks ago I received a letter on my desk. The letter had been placed in the offering plate during worship on Sunday and the ushers were unsure what to do with it. So, they gave it to me. The letter read: Dear God, When I was a boy in Jamesville, NC my brother and I took money out of the plate when it was being passed. We only took enough for some candy. I think... Read more

The thing most people do not know about ministers is just how ordinary we are. In my interaction with people, I get the impression that because I deal with the Holy, people think I have become otherworldly. I’m not, I promise. I have really, really bad days just like everyone else. And sometimes those bad days happen on Sunday. It was an awkward day followed by a set of angry outbursts. A conflict that had been percolating underneath was finally surfaced.... Read more

  It seems to me that there are two kinds of veterans: ones who will not talk about their time in the service and ones who will not talk about anything else. My grandad, “Papa,” was among the former. Seldom did he talk to me about his time in the military. I knew he served during World War II in the Philippines, but that was about it. Once, when I was very young, I asked him if he had won... Read more