As a transplanted Southerner living in the high desert of New Mexico, I am constantly trying to disciple the church flock on the finer points of our cherished Baptist distinctives. Every time that we have a potluck fellowship at church, it gives me another opportunity to teach these Southwestern folks about the cherished Baptist Bird. The first few…
Obama’s Strange Reassurances of Faith
“However, I think that President Obama, through some of his own words and actions, including his outreach efforts to the Muslim world, his seeming indifference and/or hostility to Israel, his cancellation of the National Prayer Breakfast for two years in a row, and his lack of church attendance while President, has contributed to people’s misunderstandings about his religious background,…
Religious Liberty: Do You Hear What I Hear?
When I hear someone use the phrase, “separation of church and state,” I admit that my first reaction is negative. While I am well aware of the history behind the phrase and the constitutional principle that it embodies, there can be little doubt that this phrase has become a lighting rod in the culture wars…
A Bunker Mentality in the SBC?
“A bunker mentality is a slang phrase for a phenomenon that occurs when a group or individual stops taking new, pertinent information into account, and begins viewing outsiders as enemies, due to an isolation resulting from being under attack. Political campaigns and figures are often accused of having this mentality, particularly when a leader, administration or…
Virginia Baptists & Religious Liberty
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” First Amendment to the United States Constitution One of America’s…