FIRST-PERSON: When failure no longer surprises us
Moral failure among pastors has become tragically familiar. What is perhaps most revealing is not that it continues to happen – Scripture already assumes the ongoing presence of sin – but that we still seem surprised when it does. Each new story is treated as an unthinkable collapse rather than a sober reminder of how fragile our assumptions about spiritual health can be.
FIRST-PERSON: How much does It cost to follow Jesus?
How much does it cost to know Jesus? Well, it depends.
FIRST-PERSON: Overwhelming situations are God’s gracious preparation
I have found so much encouragement over the years from the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand as recorded in John 6. The ultimate point of that story is that Jesus is the Bread of Life. But on another level, this story is about Jesus teaching something to the disciples.
FIRST-PERSON: Our Shepherd is the LORD Almighty
David begins Psalm 23 with “The LORD is my Shepherd, I have everything I need.” What a truth-packed verse! It is the most essential statement in the whole Psalm. If we truly believe this, then everything else will make sense. David’s first five words are: “The LORD is my Shepherd.” It is important that we understand who God is before we look at what He does or how He acts.
FIRST-PERSON: A Force for Good: Richard Hammar
round 1992, attorney Richard Hammar, who founded Church Law & Tax, published one of the first child and youth protection resources for churches: Reducing the Risk. This abuse prevention material was based on research that Hammar had conducted starting in the 1980s determining that sexual abuse was one of the top legal issues for churches and ministries.
EDITORIAL: Protesting has its place, but it’s not inside churches
Americans cherish the right to protest. It is woven into the fabric of our democracy and protected by the Constitution. But that right does not extend to barging into a church during worship, shouting down a congregation and traumatizing families gathered in prayer.
FIRST-PERSON: Pastoring when your church members go before the Supreme Court
On Jan. 14, the Supreme Court heard the oral arguments in West Virginia v. B.P.J, a case regarding transgendered students in sports. The case traces back to an incident concerning Becky Pepper-Jackson (B.P.J.), a biologically male student allowed to change in the girls’ locker room. At the same time, one of church members in our student ministry, Adaleia Cross, who competed on the same team, reported being sexually harassed by B.P.J in the girls’ locker room.
FIRST-PERSON: SCOTUS arguments a promising defense of women’s sports
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday (Jan. 13) in two important cases. The cases could have wide-ranging impact in the country’s ongoing debate concerning gender identity.
FIRST-PERSON: Underground abortion networks reveal spiritual crisis, not policy problem
Underground abortion networks are emerging out of the shadows, and it is every bit as alarming as it sounds.
FIRST-PERSON: The blessings of pastoring a rural church
In August of last year, I packed up my belongings to move from upstate South Carolina to a small rural town right along the S.C.-N.C. state line in Lancaster County. I had previously been working on the facilities team at a large Southern Baptist church in Greenville, S.C., where the church membership exceeded 2,000. The facilities job opened many opportunities for me and allowed me to get my foot in the door of ministry.
