I’m coming up on one of those high school anniversaries I don’t want to admit. And despite my denial of my age, a part of me also doesn’t like reminiscing about a period of my life filled with getting it wrong, not liking who I was, and wishing I could change the past. And yet, … Continue reading
By Chris Hughes If you were to have set foot onto the campus of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, between 1925 and 1959, there is a good chance you would have been given a very warm greeting from a man named John Thomas, the head custodian at the time. John Thomas was a … Continue reading
Have you ever heard the term “generational trauma?” It is the idea that a group of people can experience a collective experience of distress that affects the generation that follows them. Psychological research has proven that generational trauma has affected the next generation’s social, economic, health, and emotional wellbeing. Have you ever considered the generational … Continue reading
The following is a statement from CBF Executive Coordinator Paul Baxley: Today it was announced that Derek Chauvin has been found guilty on all three charges in the murder of George Floyd last May. The members of the jury heard the evidence, reflected on the testimony, and reached a conclusion that is just and right. … Continue reading
By Andy Hale They say that you should never meet your heroes. Generally speaking, I have had a good run of meeting people I admire. But I’ll spare you the list of my childhood heroes since you’ll probably have a hearty laugh at my expense. We tend to iconize and exaggerate the character, achievements, and … Continue reading
March 18, 2021 By Paul Baxley Just over 24 hours have passed since many of us awakened to the news that a 21-year-old white man (and member of a Baptist church) had taken the lives of eight people in Atlanta, including six Asian American women. We are only now starting to learn more about each … 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 Kristan Pitts Advent is a season of paradox. It’s a season where we hold in tension the celebration of the birth of Christ and the anticipation of Christ’s second coming. 2020 has been an exercise of what it means to exist in tension. We have experienced a pandemic, increased visibility of structural injustice, polarizing political … Continue reading
By Andy Hale As if it wasn’t obvious, we are not exactly in the most unified time in America’s existence. And when you zoom out, the entire globe isn’t exactly at peace with one another. We have factioned ourselves into divisive categories over political allegiance and cultural perspectives. There are very clear and alienated worldviews … Continue reading
By Andy Hale While this has been one of the most challenging years on record, it has generated a lot of healthy conversation about overdue change in our communities. No more critical discussion has been amplified thus than systemic racism and disparity. And yet, that phrase alone draws a line in the sand as to … Continue reading