UBI – The Promise and Peril of Universal Basic Income

Last updated on: September 14, 2020 at 10:15 am By Chuck Bentley

What is Universal Basic Income (UBI), you might ask? Although known by many other names–citizen’s income, citizen’s basic income, basic income guarantee, guaranteed annual income, or universal demogrant–, this is how its most ardent supporters would answer that question: “It is a regular income paid to everyone without any conditions. Everyone would automatically receive a regular income paid into their bank accounts.” Notice the key phrases: regular income, everyone, no conditions. Yes, you have it right; you do not need... Read more

How to Have Meaningful Cross-Racial Conversation

Last updated on: June 30, 2020 at 12:22 pm By Guest Contributor

We have all heard, time and again, that we need to have healthy cross-race conversations about race! What once was a common statement has now turned into our national mantra, largely triggered by the horrific killing of George Floyd and the resulting protests. No one I know disagrees with the need for cross-race conversations, but why is everyone so terrified about actually having them? As a former diversity consultant to the NBA and a pastor of an NJ church whose members span over 70... Read more

Confronting Economic Injustice

Last updated on: June 22, 2020 at 12:22 pm By Chuck Bentley

My heart aches. I lament the cruel treatment of black people, the senseless loss of life. I have shed tears in private. I am disturbed by my only recent real sensitivity to the obvious pent up hurt and hopelessness in the black community. They are tired, frustrated, and longing for lasting change. So am I. Unfortunately, none of this is new. Injustice, outrage, peaceful protests, rioting, and more dialogue are a repetitive cycle. One thing I am sure of: It... Read more

How to Keep Our Focus on Christ When The World Whirls

Last updated on: June 10, 2020 at 4:15 pm By Guest Contributor

Wherever you are reading this – if you can, I want you to get out a piece of paper and pen. You’re not being graded on this… this is between you and God, but I want you to think about what comes to mind when I ask you this: “Where do you want to be when you’re 90 years old? What is going to matter to you at those ages? What do you want your life legacy to look like?”... Read more

Why God Can’t Go Out In Public

Last updated on: May 26, 2020 at 2:07 pm By Guest Contributor

Ever notice how quiet it gets when God is mentioned in a public setting? Say someone prays out loud in a restaurant. Uneasiness settles over the atmosphere like a wet fog. Sometimes a “You’ve got to be kidding me” look is cast toward the perpetrator. Awkward is an understatement; tense is probably more accurate. But, why? Why can we talk so easily about virtually every other topic in a country where three-quarters of the citizenry purport to be religious? What... Read more

The Priceless Economic Impact of Bible Believing Churches

Last updated on: May 26, 2020 at 12:37 pm By Guest Contributor

The late Rob Moll (1977-2019), a writer and former editor at Christianity Today, was a friend of mine. Our friendship began when his life impacted my life in a very unexpected way, via an article he wrote in August 2008 for the Wall Street Journal, “Want More Growth in China? Have Faith.” While I typically scan the Wall Street Journal for business and economic news on a frequent basis, I had never looked for or expected to find an article... Read more

12 Unique Ways to Love Your Neighbor During COVID-19

Last updated on: May 4, 2020 at 3:05 pm By Guest Contributor

It’s obvious we are living in an unprecedented time. Collectively, we global citizens, are facing something in COVID-19 I don’t think any of us could have ever imagined we would face in our lifetime. We’re all trying to balance so many things at once: the pressures of daily life, financial uncertainty, health worries, job loss or job insecurity, homeschooling children, and so much more. And that’s hardly scratching the surface. Obviously, I’m not trying to sit here and regurgitate what... Read more

Faith and Work After COVID: A Gelassenheit Way Forward

Last updated on: April 23, 2020 at 12:00 pm By Guest Contributor

Gelassenheit. The word struck my soul as soon as I saw it. I was early in my PhD program in religion and theology, pouring through the history of early Anabaptism. My research focused on the relationship between Christian and business ethics and I knew I had just stumbled on something profound—little did I know where it would take me. My interest was more than academic. Over the past several years, deep tensions were forming in my own faith. Ever since... Read more

Christianity Offers Many Possible Answers About the Coronavirus. It is Supposed to.

Last updated on: April 9, 2020 at 4:45 pm By Guest Contributor

The COVID-19 pandemic makes us wonder “If God exists, why does He allow a pandemic to happen?” This is the old theodicy question that troubles both Christians and non-Christians alike. N.T. Wright wrote a great article in the TIME magazine, entitled, “Christianity offers no answers about the Coronavirus. It’s not supposed to.” Is this true? Yes and no. The problem is not that Christianity has no answers to the problem of theodicy. The real problem is that multiple writers of... Read more