Sword & trowel: Resurrection life
A recent opinion poll indicated the most popular Easter candy is Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs. These delicious morsels of chocolate and peanut butter surpassed other classic favorites, including Cadbury Mini Eggs and the ever-popular marshmallow Peeps. Yes, there are many cultural treats and traditions surrounding Easter that excite us. From Easter Egg hunts, to taking pictures at the mall with the Easter Bunny, to picking out new...
Sword & trowel: News & the Good News
Next month, the Baptist Messenger will celebrate its 107th anniversary, or “birthday,” if you will. 12, contained stories about the work of the Foreign and Home Mission Boards, Christian education, teaching about Christian doctrine and theology, and the Oklahoma Baptist Orphans’ Home.” So much has changed in the world since 1912. Yet in so many ways, the mission and focal points of that first issue remains the very same today, with...
DR workers seeing salvation decisions amid NE relief efforts
BELLEVUE, Neb.—In the wake of flooding that displaced an estimated 250,000 people in the areas of the Midwest, Southern Baptists have stepped forth to provide hope and help amid disaster. According to Don Williams, state disaster relief director for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, dozens of Oklahoma Baptist volunteers have been participating in recovery efforts south of Omaha, Neb., Life Springs Church. Relief efforts...
Sword & trowel: Marcia, Marcia, millennials!
You could make the case that the two most talked about American generations are the Baby Boomers and the Millennials. Every now and then, we read surveys or reports about other generations, like the Silent Generation. Yet, so much do Boomers and Millennials dominate the cultural conversation that Gen X has been known to resent it, earning the name the “Jan Brady” generation. That is to say, Gen X feels left out and has developed an...
Sword & trowel: College dropouts
We often hear news reports about school drop-out rates. Whether high school or college, we all recognize that school dropout is an issue that creates life problems for many individuals. A new LifeWay Research Poll explores another kind of college dropout that also is happening at an alarmingly high rate. The poll found that two of three college-age students are dropping out of church. LifeWay said, “Church pews may be full of...
