The message of Jesus is simple: Love God. Love others. That’s it. Everything else is secondary. No “buts.” No sinner’s prayer. No conversions. God loved us before we knew who God was. So we should love God, it’s only fair. God loved others, too, while God loved us. So we should love others, too, like God does. It’s difficult, sometimes, to love others who are particularly unlikable, much less lovable. Pause and consider for a moment, I’m sure you can... Read more
Despite the efforts of Southern Baptists and other fundamentalists to rewrite history and erase ordained women preachers from history, Baptist women have persisted. There have always been Baptist women preachers. Perhaps taking inspiration from examples in Paul’s letters, as well as a call from the Lord, the first known Baptist woman preacher in the United States was Martha Stearns Marshall, sister of Separate Baptist Shubal Stearns and wife of Daniel Marshall, who preached and prayed in the late 1750s. History... Read more
People are suffering. Seeking freedom and the American Dream. Searching for safety and security. Many American Christians have gotten so used to not seeing the poor at their church doors, that they can no longer see the refugees at our nation’s door. People who have lost everything but hope are turning to the United States, and the country is turning them away. After hundreds of years to develop and grow, American Christians have perfected a type of Christianity that values... Read more
Because the Bible says discriminating is wrong. Scripture says favoritism is wrong. For example: “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor... Read more
Immigration officials have been 100 percent successful in stopping terrorists from entering the U.S. from the countries covered by the president’s ban. The vetting process is 100 percent successful. The current vetting process is 100% successful. There have been zero terror attacks in the U.S. by a refugee from those countries. Zero. The president claims the ban is needed to improve procedures that are already 100 percent successful. The process can’t get any better than perfect. Since it’s impossible for... Read more
He drowned in the Mediterranean Sea on Sept. 2, 2015. He was three years-old. Photos of his body on the beach continue to illustrate the refugee crisis in Syria. As the parent of a three year-old, it’s too painful to post a photo of Alan, alive or dead. He was born in Kobani, Syria. His father thought Kobani more dangerous than a 30 mile boat ride in the Mediterranean. Alan died in Turkey, along with his mother and brother. They... Read more
On the day the world recognized International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the White House issued a statement that ignored six million murdered Jews, the president signed an executive action that will ensure the deaths of innocent people. The order triggered protests and chaos as different federal officials in different airports struggle to interpret and apply the order, issued with little guidance. The order bans Syrian refugees indefinitely. The ban doesn’t extend to countries where Trump has ongoing business interests. No provisions... Read more
On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Trump White House released a statement that made invisible six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust. How do you issue a statement about the Holocaust and not mention Jewish people? Racist antisemitism, hidden in plain sight. How does that happen? The president’s chief strategist and senior counselor, Steve Bannon, has fanned the flames of racism and white nationalism for years through the alt-right website Breitbart. The hollow statement from Trump is a message to... Read more
Select your answer to see how you score.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In