Opinion Archives - Page 8 of 60

First person: Help your congregation remember the sermon

January 31, 2026

I’ve done it as a listener, and you probably have, too. By time Monday rolls around and the week cranks up, you’ve already forgotten the sermon from the day before.

ICYMI: How not to respond to hurting people

January 26, 2026

A family of four dies unexpectedly on the highway. A routine visit to the doctor’s office reveals a terminal illness. A late Friday afternoon meeting

First person: Taking the gospel where people are … YouTube?

January 22, 2026

I pastor a small church in the country — 45 minutes or so from the closest stop light. We average about 25 people in worship.

First person: Why Myanmar needs Baptists ‘to pay close attention to the suffering of Christians’

January 21, 2026

For generations, Baptists have affirmed religious freedom as a sacred gift from God — not a privilege granted by governments.

First person: Responding to hurting people

January 20, 2026

Demeaning insecurities often plague us when trials invade our lives. We wonder if God still loves us. We worry that our pain is the direct result of our sin. We grieve what we perceive to be the absence of God in our lives.

First person: Why storytelling is important — and how it needs to be done differently

January 17, 2026

We’re living in a time when people don’t automatically trust institutions — especially churches and ministries. Scandals, political polarization, social media outrage and overpromising have left many audiences skeptical before you ever open your mouth.

First person: Understanding seasons of emotional ‘winter’

January 10, 2026

“I have never felt the flames melting the skin off my veins, but I’ve been through hell in my mind. I’ve had the long sleepless nights, felt the breathless despair in the fight. I’ve laid on the ground crying for help. I’ve felt the rush of anxiety’s waves, and the guilt that won’t wash away, and the deep dread of hopeless days.”