Conventional Thinking: It’s time
Let me admit something. I did not grow up being involved in Southern Baptist life. In fact, I did not attend the annual meetings of the Southern Baptist Convention or the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO) until I was well into my 20s. It’s not because I was out of church. I was saved as a child and in church for the most part, but my involvement was minimal and certainly not far-reaching. When I finally did decide to...
Conventional Thinking: The Care in foster care
We live in times of continual outrage, in which a bombardment of news and events come at us daily. This is so constant it creates a numbing effect, so that when an issue comes along that needs our full attention, Christians have grown apathetic. Take, for example, the urgent issue of foster care. Did you know that there are approximately 8,500 children currently in Oklahoma DHS custody? A number like that can sound like a mere...
Conventional Thinking: Christmas & calendar confusion
I was recently told that Hallmark Channel’s “Countdown to Christmas” begins Oct. 26. This news brings excitement and dread to numerous people I know, and it is symbolic of a larger trend I want to discuss. The first group of excited people are typically those who love anything Christmas at any time. It could be the dead of summer, and they want to hear music involving chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Like it or not, there’s...
Conventional Thinking: Readin’ people’s faces
Decades ago, an editorial in the Baptist Messenger called Oklahoma a “hot spot” for gambling because our state, at that time, had more than 20 casinos. Fast forward to today, according to the latest numbers, Oklahoma now has more than 100 casinos and is undeniably a “hot spot” for gambling. With casinos booming, it’s worth stopping to ask the question, “Why do people gamble in the first place?” A recent article talked about the...
Conventional Thinking: Rude awakening
A recent public opinion poll reported by ABC News said that Americans today are “ruder than ever,” with “nearly eight in 10 respondents to the poll said lack of respect and courtesy is a serious national problem, and six in 10 said the problem is getting worse.” The evidence for this shows in simple things. For example, we used to have phone booths, so people could have public phone conversations in private. Today, people are...
