Kanye West’s Sunday Services

            Social media chatter has revealed mixed reactions to the Sunday services rap megastar Kanye West is holding. West professed saving faith in Jesus Christ, and for the past year or so, he has been hosting servicesto be “a way to point people to Jesus through the arts and through a community of people who love and care for each other.”               Kanye West …

Top 5 FAQs Regarding Minister’s Housing Allowance

Top 5 FAQs Regarding Minister’s Housing Allowance  What the Recent Court Victory Means for You by Greg Love It’s everyone’s favorite topic —taxes! That’s right! Today we’re talking about minister’s housing allowance —where it stands today, how we got here and what it means for you.  In a handful of cases heard in the early 2010s, the topic of minister’s housing allowance …

How Can a Survivor Thrive After Sexual Abuse?

How Can a Survivor Thrive After Sexual Abuse? by Jennifer Michelle Greenberg Abuse has, tragically, been a part of the story of more people than we dared imagine. And the devastating truth is that much of this abuse has happened within the church, by those who proclaim God’s name.  Jenn Greenberg is one of those stories. She was abused by …

An Interview with Rosaria Butterfield

By Jessica Burke When Rosaria Butterfield was first invited by Pastor Ken Smith to dinner at his house over twenty years ago, she was antagonistic towards the gospel. She was a tenured dean at Syracuse University immersed in a feminist, lesbian community. She hated Christians like Ken and his wife Floy and only accepted his invitation as research for a …

Is Saving For Retirement Biblical?

Is Saving For Retirement Biblical? Why Saving for Tomorrow Isn’t About a Lack of Faith Today  by Greg Love Working alongside pastors and ministry partners over the years, I’ve noticed that the concept of retirement—especially in the most formal sense of the word —can at times carry a negative connotation.  And I understand why. For most, ministry is a lifelong calling from …

AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER TO THE NATIONS: Becoming a Runway for Sent Ones

By Matt Rogers We want to be a church that is an aircraft carrier to the nations. That is, we want our church to be a runway for sent ones. I’ve cast this vision hundreds of times in the life of our ten-year-old church in Greenville, South Carolina. By virtue of our location, we have a steady stream of young …

A Word On Contentment

By Julie Simmons Picture the scene – you are driving your shiny, new car past well-manicured lawns on a bright, sunny day.  You and your well-dressed friends are laughing at a clever joke.  All of you are perfectly happy, without a care in the world.  The commercials would make you think it is all because of your new automobile.  Ok, maybe the car commercial …

Song Selection At Multiethnic Churches

By Jonathan Solomon             Until January 2018, the only church cultures that I knew were the Church Of God In Christ and the United Holy Churches of America Inc. I believed that worship had everything to do with how you physically respond to the lyrics, the Bible, and the testimonies of your brothers and sisters. We danced, sang, shouted, and some …

SBC 2019: A Layperson’s Recap

By Adrian Stephens Heading to Birmingham, Alabama, for my first Southern Baptist Convention, I felt fear and anxiety because of the city’s racial and ethnic division and the historical events that occurred in the town. I didn’t know what to expect, but I honestly didn’t believe I would leave encouraged. On Monday, I was relieved to see a few other …