By Paul Baxley One year ago today, a large number of congregations in and beyond the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship worshipped for the first time virtually as the coronavirus pandemic began to redefine all aspects of life in the United States the week prior. A week or 10 days earlier, many congregations started to realize that … Continue reading
By Andy Hale We’ve officially been under the various degrees of pandemic mandates for over a year. My wife and I were flying home from DC when everything began to shut down. We had just wrapped up CBF’s Advocacy in Action conference. Many strains were felt from this pandemic, from dramatic changes to work to … Continue reading
By Luke Perrin A few weeks ago in my preaching class, our small group precept spent some time focusing on the story of the Golden Calf from the book of Exodus. It’s tale with vivid imagery, juxtaposing God with what the Israelites quite literally forged to be God. It’s a tale that has been used … Continue reading
By Andy Hale “I can’t even imagine pastoring a church throughout this crisis,” a church member said to me over the phone last week. “Well,” I responded, “I did take a class in seminary on leading through a global pandemic.” What prepares us to lead in moments of crisis? What knowledge do we need to … Continue reading
February 25, 2021 By Jeff Huett DECATUR, Ga. — Changes in the status of the venue in Washington, D.C., for the 2021 Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly have provided an opportunity for CBF to reach across the Fellowship to plan the most compelling Assembly possible for this moment, even as uncertainty around the global pandemic … Continue reading
By Andy Hale When I was a kid, my first Little League team was named after the New York Mets. It was the luck of the draw, considering the team from Queens had just won a World Series. Naturally, the Mets became my favorite team. And while some Mets fans wore the jersey of Keith … Continue reading
By Paul Baxley This past Sunday we began the Season of Advent. So much was different this year. Because of the surging coronavirus pandemic, we did not begin Advent with large congregations in sanctuaries. Many more worshipped online than in person. We could not sing the carols of Advent with the same energy, instead the … Continue reading
By Andy Hale It is election week. The tension is palpable. The stress is high. The division is evident. Whatever happens on Tuesday night, and more likely over the coming weeks, Americans face a new chapter. The unease by which we look at this next chapter, no matter who is elected, is that we have … Continue reading
Since 1985, the Network on Ministry in Specialized Settings (“COMISS”) has observed the last week of October as Spiritual Care Week – a time when we celebrate the sacred work of chaplains and pastoral counselors. This year’s Spiritual Care Week theme is “Collaborative Healthcare: Chaplains Complete the Picture.” Sometimes a picture is more informative and revealing than words. Often … Continue reading
By Stephen K. Reeves Will anything change this time? Will we look back on 2020 as the time America radically changed for the better? Will the arc of the moral universe be bent towards justice? As a pandemic rages claiming the lives of more than 100,000 Americans, so too a spiritual sickness grips our nation. … Continue reading
