Sword & trowel: Transgender to transformed
According to a recent Gallup Poll, “the percentage of American adults identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) increased to 4.5 percent in 2017, up from 4.1 percent in 2016 and 3.5 percent in 2012 when Gallup began tracking the measure.” These reported percentages were even higher among Millennials and young adults. Whether the actual numbers are statistically higher than reported by this poll or not, what we do...
Called to rescue: GoStudents 2019
GoStudents helps Oklahoma Baptist churches equip students with the task of sharing Jesus with unreached and unengaged people. This evangelism strategy of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma primarily serves churches that cannot send an entire mission team, but can send one or two students. This summer, GoStudents had its highest number of students and youth leaders participate. A total of 322 participants consisting of 17 teams...
Rite of Passage: Lessons from KFC
I started writing this article from a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Dublin, Ireland. Ireland is one of the countries I’ve always wanted to visit but never had. My great-grandfather emigrated from Ireland to the United States, and I would love to visit my roots. When I noticed that a flight out of London had a seven-hour layover in Dublin, I knew it was my chance to spend some time there. We landed early, and our plane was delayed going...
BAPTISM SUNDAY: Repent, believe & be baptized
EDITOR’S NOTE: Baptist Press is releasing a series of articles and columns leading up to Sept. 8, which is Baptism Sunday in the Southern Baptist Convention. For resources, go to namb.net/baptism-sunday. CLEARWATER, Fla. (BP)—Acts 2 says that Peter not only proclaimed the Gospel, he concluded with a clear call to repentance, faith and baptism. “Do it now,” Peter seemed to say. He “strongly urged” (CSB)...
LABOR DAY: More than summer’s end
JACKSON, Tenn. (BP)—We celebrated our nation’s 243rd birthday in July, and now we celebrate those who have worked to build our nation into what it is. While Labor Day may conjure good feelings of time off and laid back gatherings with friends and family at the end of summer, it actually is our country’s tribute to the American laborer and all that these workers have accomplished. This federal holiday, however, was not born...
Kendricks discuss new film’s unique qualities
NASHVILLE (BP)—Alex and Stephen Kendrick’s latest film “Overcomer,” which is now in theaters, breaks the mold from their previous movies in one important way. “Every movie we’ve done before has contained a ‘go-and-do’ call to action,” Alex Kendrick said. “This one isn’t go-and-do; it’s know-and-understand.” Whereas the Kendrick brothers’ past movies called...
