Would you know the subtle signs of abuse if it was right in front of you? Unfortunately, most of us cannot recognize the subtle signs but maybe the more overt ones. There is a good chance that someone is experiencing this kind of trauma in our congregations. But how might we be prepared to see … Continue reading
Suppose you poll most churchgoers on the most popular and familiar of all of Jesus’ parables. In that case, you’d probably have two leading candidates, The Parable of the Good Samaritan and The Parable of the Prodigal Sons. Recognized worldwide as one of the more inspiring stories of compassion and hospitality, The Good Samaritan has … Continue reading
By Cindy Ruble The women’s advocacy center with whom I partner in Asia has seen a 58 percent increase in their hotline calls regarding domestic violence, adult sexual assault, child sexual abuse and relationship issues since the pandemic began. Hotline calls from outside our region more than doubled as the center’s online presence increased on … Continue reading
May 28, 2021 By Jeff Huett The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, in collaboration with CBF state and regional organizations across the Fellowship, are inviting pastors and staff ministers to gather for a time of rest and renewal with a community of their peers this summer. The spiritual retreats are scheduled from mid-June to early September and … Continue reading
By Jonathan Hall By this point, I have begun to assume that most people are at least somewhat familiar with the Enneagram, if not full-on fanatics. My relationship with the popular personality type system has seen its share of triumph and confusion over the past three or so years that I have known about it, … Continue reading
By Hannah Moody It took me a while to understand that life goes on during a pandemic. Birds still chirp. Rain still falls. Leaves still turn. We still have responsibilities whether it’s school, work, family life; we still have our obligations to do. So why can it be so hard to realize this? With a … Continue reading
By Laura Stephens-Reed Back before Christmas, the website Masterclass was offering a two-for-one membership deal. The opportunity to learn about any subject I could imagine was more than my inner nerd could pass up. I can virtually sit at the feet of experts in the arts, sciences, athletics, history, and more. A neuroscientist is currently … Continue reading