When my parents died, I kept the treasures of their beloved testaments. I also kept the German Bible that my dad was given while stationed in Germany during WWII. The book of Esther was ripped out.
Holy Whispers
October 18, 2022 by
I love hearing whispers—secrets for my ears only, messages so extraordinary they cannot be spoken out loud. I love the whispers I have heard in my life that I could not explain.
And Your Daughters Shall “Prophesy”
August 31, 2022 by
There’s just something about the word “prophesy” that reminds church women that men prophesy, but prophesying women might encounter some pushback.
Making a Statement
August 17, 2022 by
Although I had claimed my professional vocation, I had never questioned biblical interpretations that prescribed the subordination of women at home and at church.
Of the Order of Balaam’s Donkey
August 10, 2022 by
It was a rare opportunity for me to preach. In the Baptist Student Union (BSU) at the University of Georgia where I served as campus minister, the three campus ministers preached only a couple of times per year. I can’t recall what my sermon was about that evening or what biblical text I preached from, […]
Connections 02.04.18: A Community of Service and Sacrifice
January 28, 2018 by
I spent twenty-two of the thirty-one years of my career serving as a pastor. I did so for seven years, then took a six-year break to teach in a college, and then returned to the pastorate for another fifteen years. For the last three years I’ve served as the Connections editor.
Arm-wrestling Prayer
July 13, 2016 by
After more than ten years in ordained ministry, I have found that we do more talking about prayer than actually talking to God. To be sure, we know that we should pray….
Uniform 11.08.2015: A Fence around the Kingdom
November 1, 2015 by
Women deacons weren’t widespread at the time, but the church my mother attended had made the change to their constitution, ruling that the office of deacon was open to qualified “people” rather than just “men.”
A View from the Pew: Making the Most of a Ministerial Transition
September 30, 2014 by
An unexpected resignation of a church staff member can feel like a punch to the gut. When a trusted staff member resigns, it’s not unusual to feel an acute sense of loss and even betrayal.