Earliest Spring Since 1896 (When Word&Way was Born)
The last time the Spring equinox landed this early in the United States came in 1896. Just a few months later — on July 9, 1896 — the very first issue of Word&Way rolled off the printer.
White House Takes Low-Key Approach to Churches That Ignore Coronavirus Advice
On Wednesday (March 19), Trump administration officials continued to call out those who have violated government recommendations to avoid meeting in groups larger than 10 people. But they said little about the subset of faith communities that is resisting their guidance:
Excommunicated Baptists Say Megachurch Smeared Them as Racists—and so did SBC Leaders
According to a group of 30 to 40 “Concerned Members of FBCN,” which includes several former deacons, racism had nothing to do with why pastoral candidate Marcus Hayes was rejected as pastor of First Baptist Church (FBC) Naples, a prominent SBC megachurch in Florida.
Baptists in Lebanon See Additional Challenges from Coronavirus
Elie Haddad, president of Arab Baptist Theological Seminary told Word&Way the school has moved coursework from on-campus to online, and they asked staff to mostly work from home.
Four Ways to Help Prevent Loneliness While You’re Social Distancing
Loneliness, we know from the research, can be as bad for your health as smoking. It’s more predictive of mortality than obesity. There are at least four specific activities that can help compensate for all the things we are not doing.
Jubilee in a Time of Pandemic
Despite people hoarding toilet paper as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps the globe, I see hopeful signs that suggest deep down we know we’ve not been doing right as a society. We might call these moments of Jubilee.
How Our Church Broadened Its Reach Despite Virus Restrictions
A Sunday when we didn’t have enough people in our building for a pickup basketball game turned out to be a Sunday on which our ministry may have been broader than it has ever been.
Jubilee — It’s Complicated
The Hebrews were instructed to observe a Sabbath year every seven years and a Jubilee year every 50. Even a simpleton such as I can see how complicated those instructions are.
Some U.S. Churches Downplayed Coronavirus but Change Course
As governmental and health officials across the U.S. warned last week about the need for social distancing and other measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the U.S., some pastors openly scoffed at the suggestions of canceling — but now even many of those
Religious Beliefs Cited to Discriminate Against Women, LGBTQ
Religious beliefs are being used as justification for discriminatory actions across the world, a trend highlighted in a report published on March 2 by the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief.