By John Mark Boes In recent weeks, we have seen devastating flooding in eastern Kentucky, another mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, TX (not to mention mass shootings elsewhere), continued war in Ukraine and across the globe, the ever-increasing scourge of hunger, and migrants continue to arrive at our southern border. In the … Continue reading
The Impact of Abundant Life, Continued: Rosalie’s Story
By Chris Hughes For Rosalie, the journey from the Congo to Fort Worth, Texas, has been filled with many obstacles and setbacks. But God’s providence and the faithful presence of supportive people along the way has made all the difference. “God has sent so many people in my life. That’s how I’ve experienced God’s love,” … Continue reading
Jesus Is Anointed by Mary: A Reflection on John 12:1-8
By Jiquan Davis After Mary has done this for Jesus, Judas says, “Why not sell the perfume and give the money to the poor.” Others present with Jesus were saying the same thing. This bottle of perfume was expensive and could pay for a lot of things to help the poor people of the city and … Continue reading
Do Hard Things: A Motto for Resilient Relationships
By Cindy Ruble The international school our children attended in Malaysia had a yearly motto, a value they wanted to instill in each student that year. One year, the motto was “Do hard things.” I’ve thought about that motto many times through the years as I find it to be an essential part of living … Continue reading
Understanding pastoral leader burnout and finding a way forward
By Laura Stephens-Reed Thinking in general, I do not like the application of business mindsets to ministry. The Church, after all, is not out to make money for those who have invested in it. It’s not even about the number of people in the pews. Instead, the Church’s function is to grow disciples and to … Continue reading
Amy Julia Becker, To Be Made Well
“Master, I want to see,” said the old blind beggar. It was an emphatically clear and concise answer to a bold question asked by Jesus of Nazareth. And this answer was met with a clear resolution: restored eyesight. In the Gospels, we see Jesus healing the sick and relieving the infirmities of the broken. In … Continue reading
Carrie Harris begins new role as Director of Fellowship Experiences
August 1, 2022 By CBF Communications A longtime staff member who has served the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship for nearly eight years has been named CBF’s new Director of Fellowship Experiences. Carrie Harris, who previously has served in CBF Identity roles focused on marketing and communications, begins work this month to coordinate all CBF experiences, including … Continue reading
Amid Fallout, Presence Persists: Chaouki and Maha Boulos Minister in Lebanon
By Grayson Hester As the crisis in Ukraine continues to dominate headlines and millions of refugees travel across Europe, American readers would be forgiven for forgetting the other ongoing crises we face. There’s the pandemic, of course. And, when we have the wherewithal, we can consider the climate crisis, existential in its escalation. But what … Continue reading
“Have you Eaten?”: Reflections on the “Bread for the World” Advocacy Summit
By David Deulofeu-Antunez When we think of poverty and hunger, what images come to mind? For many years, this question evoked images of absolute poverty and starvation. It reminded me of images of global south countries, like Haïti after the 2010 earthquake, or of my own native Cuba during the period especial, a euphemism the … Continue reading
The pros and cons of hiring a member of the congregation for your church staff
By Rev. Laura Stephens-Reed Many pastors are taught in seminary that a church should never hire one of its members to serve on staff, for reasons explained below. That said, ministers might enter a new-to-them context where a member is already in the role of Administrative Assistant or Director of Christian Education. And there might … Continue reading