We know the trends around church participation, especially post-high school. Pew studies have found that 9.2% of adults leave the church each decade.[1] At face value, these trends are bewildering and frightening. What’s happening within and around the church that’s causing such a drastic flight? What are the dynamics for those raised in the church … Continue reading
Advocacy is not a foreign term for Cooperative Baptist churches. However, one of the challenges of being advocates is to examine our past and present failings to be a more inclusive place where everyone has been welcomed and made to feel at home. Recently, our partners at BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty), who … Continue reading
During the General Assembly this summer, we were scheduled to sit down with New York Times best-selling author Jemar Tisby on the day the Supreme Court struck down Affirmative Action, effectively ending race-conscious admissions. “As a black man observing the events from afar, I had to question my status in America’s version of Christianity. This … Continue reading
During this year’s General Assembly, we hosted over twenty interviews. This week, we are featuring our conversation with: Confronting Whiteness Confronting Whiteness is an anti-racist ministry committed to equipping people racialized as white to confront the destructive ideology of whiteness and its harmful impact on individuals and our society through an intentional small group journey … Continue reading
Faith in many traditions works in absolutes, or maybe another word is certainty. There is comfort in reading the Scriptures with a black-and-white, definite, and certain mindset. But what might be the limitations of such a fixed mindset? “There is an enormous intimacy in wrestling. You have to be physically close to the other person … Continue reading
If you’ve watched a wildlife nature show, you probably have Stan Brock to thank. For those that grew up in the 1960s and 70s, you probably tuned into Wild Kingdom, a long-running TV show Stan was the cohost. But after TV success, the British outdoorsman turned his attention to something different: medical care for those … Continue reading
During this year’s General Assembly, we hosted over twenty interviews. This week, we are featuring our conversation with: Subscribe or Livestream CBF’s podcast shares stories from across the Fellowship and innovative practices of those working to renew God’s world. The vision is to share ideas, stories, and innovations from ministers, authors, and practitioners. Join this … Continue reading
We live in a highly polarized time. You’ve probably heard it a thousand times, knowing we often discuss it on the Podcast. It is easy in our given times not to pull our heads above the mess to see that we have been here before. In other words, there have been other catalytic moments in … Continue reading
I’m an early riser. There is no better start to the workday than sitting in front of the desk at 6:30 a.m. with my first cup of coffee and the creative juices flowing. I have had an ever-changing relationship with work over the last decade, realizing my complete lack of boundaries and the need to … Continue reading
Is American democracy under threat from Christian Nationalists? David Gushee seems to believe so. When you are in a crisis, it’s hard to rise above it to see where we have come from, where we are, and where we need to go. It also can feel a lot bigger than it actually is. So, how … Continue reading