Opinion

Do our personal (or corporate) prayers ever include the question, “Lord, how can you use me (or us) to improve or remedy this condition or this situation?

Our church’s recent quarterly business meeting seemed routine enough (if there is such a thing as a routine business meeting). But very quietly, something historic occurred that evening.

The Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Annual Gathering were held a little more than a week apart in June. SBCers and CBFers have much in common — like devotion to missions, evangelism and education — although they differ at points when describing and pursuing these goals. One subject that came up frequently at both meetings was racism, a concern across the nation.

The wall in my home office is covered with pictures.

Some of the pictures predate me, like the one of my wife’s grandfather’s family and the picture of my maternal grandmother. Then there are graduation pictures of my wife and me. There are pictures of our children when they were younger and recent pictures of our grandchildren.

Every picture has a story.

Every day, I walk a fine line between servant leadership and people pleasing. Some days, I get it right. Other days, I can’t even see the line.

Larry Johnson, associated with The Baptist Home of Missouri since 1984 and the Baptist ministry’s president when he retired in 2005, was remembered May 21 for putting into practice in his last days qualities that distinguished him during his vocation.

I smiled when I read the news that long-time Baptist journalist and longer-time friend of the family Bill Webb had decided to retire.

I did not smile because he was leaving Word & Way, or not even because he had chosen to retire and spend time with family and other pursuits of passion. I smiled because of the overwhelming gratitude that I felt watching him end this chapter of his vocation.

Our culture seems to have shelved “and” in favor of “or.”

Liberal or conservative. Prolife or pro-choice. Gun rights or gun control. Let’s be honest: Polarization sells more news (and more politics) than consensus.

With this column I am formally announcing my retirement later this year as Word & Way editor after more than 20 years of service.

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson created the National Park Service. This makes 2016 its 100th birthday.