Methodists Have Reached a Crossroads… Again

Last updated on: September 20, 2023 at 9:22 pm By Ginny Baxter

Methodists have reached a crossroads in 2023, as many conservative churches have left the United Methodist Church (UMC) to create a new, more conservative denomination called the Global Methodist Church. But this isn’t the only time the church has split. Keep in mind that the current divide affects millions of people, as the United Methodist denomination has 12 million members worldwide and is the second largest denomination in the U.S. Also keep in mind that Methodists have a history of... Read more

From ‘Passion’ to ‘Messiah’ to ‘Ave Maria’: A Look at Classical Christian Music

Last updated on: September 19, 2023 at 3:41 pm By Ginny Baxter

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Ahhhh….classical music….People tend to love it or hate it, and I love it. Since September is Classical Music Month, I decided there’s no better time to write about three great pieces of classical Christian music and the composers who wrote them. Those pieces are Johann Sebastian Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion”: Click here for the Netherlands Bach Society’s performance; Frideric Handel’s “Messiah”: Listen to the Royal Choral Society perform the “Hallelujah Chorus,” which reportedly brought a king to his feet, here; And finally,... Read more

Can Faith Help You Fight Your Demons? Yes & I’ve Seen It

Last updated on: September 14, 2023 at 11:26 am By Ginny Baxter

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Can faith change a person for the better? I’m convinced it can, and I need look only as far as my one-time husband for proof. Faith has changed the lives of countless Christians in the last 2,000 years, including a man I once knew. We met in college, and I thought he was funny, interesting and intelligent, as well as good looking. We were both products of deeply religious middle-class families and shared many of the same interests and values... Read more

Can Christians Help People at Risk for Suicide?

Last updated on: September 11, 2023 at 12:35 am By Ginny Baxter

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They Can & Here’s How Their ashes rest in an urn in my bedroom. My sister. My nephew…. He shot himself to death on Memorial Day 2017, and she followed suit on July 27. He was 42. She was 63. I try to put thoughts about them behind me. At times, it’s quite painful, but at others, I feel nothing. However, I can’t help but think about them right now. September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and this Sunday,... Read more

Faith in the NFL: The Role Christianity Plays in Pro Football

Last updated on: September 1, 2023 at 12:31 am By Ginny Baxter

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The college football season is underway, as is high school football, and the pro season will kick off Sept. 7. This season, as with any season, you may expect some NFL players and coaches to talk about their Christian faith, wear crosses or say quick prayers of thanks after big plays. They make Christianity an important part of their identities. On the flip side, atheists or agnostics in the NFL tend to remain quiet about their beliefs. All that said, what... Read more

Isaac, Jacob & Leah: Learning from Family Conflicts in the Bible

Last updated on: August 29, 2023 at 10:17 am By Ginny Baxter

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A Triangle of Biblical Proportions, Murderous Intentions & A Tangled Tale of Love As a cradle Christian, I grew up hearing stories about family conflicts in the Bible. Deception and a determination to ignore God’s will often led to family conflict and even tragedy, especially in the lives of Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, and Rachel and Leah. The Bible describes a trail of sin that winds its way through Abraham’s family from one generation to the next. We... Read more

Should the Southern Baptist Convention Allow Women in the Pulpit?

Last updated on: August 23, 2023 at 7:50 am By Ginny Baxter

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I don’t have a dog in this fight, but… There’s an old Southern saying that perfectly describes my position on this question about the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC): I don’t have a dog in this fight. I have faithfully attended the United Methodist Church since leaving the Baptist church during college and think it’s up to Baptists to answer the question for themselves. But as an outsider who doesn’t have a dog in the fight, I would like to see... Read more

Are Angels Real?

Last updated on: August 21, 2023 at 7:47 pm By Ginny Baxter

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What Modern Culture, History & the Bible Reveal about God’s Messengers While angels come in all shapes, sizes and temperaments in popular culture, many take the form of humans. Down through history, we have had everything from beautifully painted angels by Renaissance masters to cute cherubs on greeting cards. But what does the Bible say? Are angels real? Or are they simply literary images that biblical writers used to make a point? The Bible has quite a bit to say... Read more

Christianity & Humanitarianism Can Go Hand in Hand in Hand

Last updated on: August 14, 2023 at 6:15 pm By Ginny Baxter

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How Christians Are Following God’s Call All too often, we hear stories about contemptable people behaving in contemptable ways. Many of them, unfortunately, are Christians. But I’m here to tell you that Christianity and humanitarianism can go hand in hand, and many times they do. The famous examples include athletes, actors and actresses, and singers, but my favorite story concerns twin sisters whose soup kitchen has fed thousands of hungry people in my own community since 1986. Following are my... Read more

Did Slavery Benefit Slaves? Florida Schools Say ‘Yes!’ Faith Leaders Say ‘Definitely Not!’

Last updated on: August 6, 2023 at 1:00 pm By Ginny Baxter

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Did you know that blacks benefited from slavery in the antebellum South? No? Neither did I. And neither did Florida faith leaders who are taking a stand against their state’s attempt to rewrite African-American history. We will look at the faith connection shortly, but first, let’s look at the uproar over how race is taught in Florida public schools and consider the question, “Did Slavery Benefit Slaves?” Teaching Slavery’s “Benefits” It seems that the Florida State Board of Education has... Read more