Wednesday's Catch: Military Ministry and More

Three Lessons for Military Ministry

Ministry in a military community offers many unique opportunities and challenges. As we approach Veterans Day, it’s important to consider how you can effectively reach those in the military who are a part of your church and community. Here are three things to keep in mind. Read More

A community that has a National Guard armory is a military community as much as a community that is close to a military base.

The Embodied Church in a Digital Age

Should we cheer or moan when online churches perform virtual baptisms? Read More

In the Anglican tradition a baptism without water is not a valid baptism. Water is the matter of the sacrament irregardless of whether it is administered by immersion or pouring. If a home-bound person wishes others to witness the baptism, video-recording or live-streaming the administration of the sacrament may be appropriate but the virtual baptism of an avatar with virtual water would not be valid anymore than the Mormon practice of baptizing the living for the dead. Virtual church also raises questions about the nature of the Body of Christ, the nature of pastoral ministry, and other theological issues.

10 Reasons the Old Testament Is Important for Christians

If Christians are part of the new covenant, why should we seek to understand and apply the Old Testament (OT)?  I’ll give 10 reasons why the first word in the phrase Old Testament must not mean unimportant or insignificant to Christians. Read More

Churches Risk Non-Profit Status to Make Political Statements

As the contentious midterm elections approached, some churches pushed legal boundaries by displaying campaign-related signs and slogans. Although U.S. tax code prohibits churches and other non-profit organizations from engaging in politics, IRS enforcement in that area has been lax, experts say. Adding to the concerns of community members and local officials, several churches that broadcast political messages also served as polling places. Read More

In westernmost Kentucky where I now live, churches are used a polling places as well as schools, community centers, and local government buildings. In southeast Louisiana where I used to live, schools, community centers, and local government buildings were used as polling places but not churches. The federal constitutional separation of church and state was interpreted to exclude churches as polling places as it was thought that the use of churches would unduly influence the voters. Baptists were particularly strong proponents of this policy in a region of the state that had a large Roman Catholic population.