By Todd Brady
Todd Brady, Vice President for University Ministries, Union University, Jackson

Todd Brady

Since Starbucks released its plain red 2015 holiday season cups, a social media storm has been brewing among two groups of Christians — those who find themselves offended and those who couldn’t care less. Starbucks has said that simplicity motivated their seasonal design while one news agency responded to their latest style of holiday cups by exclaiming, “War on Christmas: Starbucks Red Cups are Emblematic of the Christian Culture Cleansing of the West.”

Each year at the beginning of the Christmas season, Starbucks changes the color of their coffee cups from white to red (a genius marketing idea). After enjoying several Pumpkin Spice Lattes throughout the Thanksgiving season, I always look forward to drinking a Peppermint Mocha in a Christmas cup — complete with whipped cream and dark chocolate curls. [Read more…]

By Johnnie Godwin
Contributing Columnist, B&R

Johnnie Godwin

I recently performed the wedding ceremony of a granddaughter, who is also a marathoner. Both bride and groom had just completed serious courses on what Christian marriage means. In their ceremony of covenant marriage, here’s what I said: “Marriage is a marathon — not a half-marathon or a trial run in an ‘iffy’ thing called “a relationship.” Then the couple made their own vows to affirm the kind of life and death covenant commitment Paul described in Ephesians for church and marriage.

So what does it mean to be a Southern Baptist? Ask that same question to any one of almost 16 million Southern Baptists today, and you likely won’t get a specific, clear, accurate New Testament answer. As the name “Southern Baptist” has eroded in my lifetime, so has the general understanding of what it means to be a Southern Baptist. I know what it means to be a Southern Baptist historically and in covenant relationship with a local church. I was born into a Southern Baptist home 78 years ago, was saved at age 7, surrendered to preach at age 15, was licensed to preach at 16 and was ordained to the ministry at age 21. Since then I’ve gotten three degrees from Baptist schools. I served as pastor of Southern Baptist churches for 11 years and did many interim pastorates. I worked for an SBC agency for 22 years. I’ve taught the “Baptist Faith and Message” many times. I’ve written what it means to be a Southern Baptist. Now, like Paul, I’m not bragging; rather, I’m challenging all who wear the name Southern Baptist to know what it means both in belief and behavior. [Read more…]

By Chuck Lawless
Baptist Press

Chuck Lawless

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (BP) — I admit it. I’m not a good listener. I’m so accustomed to preaching most Sundays that I struggle listening to others (and my wife will undoubtedly affirm that). So, I’m a bit hesitant to talk about how to listen to a sermon, except that I’m really talking to myself as much I am to you, the reader.

So, you’re welcome to eavesdrop on these suggestions:

1) Pray for the preacher and the sermon long before the service.

If I wait until the sermon starts to begin praying (or worse yet, never pray for the preacher and the sermon), I’ve not adequately prepared myself to listen. [Read more…]