Community

The Problem with Liberals

Taylor Thomas
We can't stop talking to one another, no matter who wins the election. I grew up in rural North Carolina, a bright young liberal dot in a fundamentalist Baptist community that hasn’t elected a Democrat to local office in four decades. Many conserv... Read More...
5 min read

Where Shall We Stand?

Warren Scherb
In this week's post, graduate student Warren Scherb reflects on the Church's position within a transitioning global climate. As a community of believers face a new era in history, Scherb urges readers to seek philosophical insight and spiritual wisdom in order to actively uphold justice.... Read More...
5 min read

Masks, Racism and the Gospel of QAnon

Aaron Ross
In light of recent outcries and crises, how should the church uphold its purpose? We confront seemingly new challenges that scream for answers, and a sense of emergency may prompt ill-informed responses. However, through a broadening of perspective, believers may look back in time, drawing upon church history and past obstacles, to advance the kingdom of God through and beyond 2020.... Read More...
4 min read

Moving Past the Church’s Racial Apathy

Robert Crosby
With the mounting racial tensions in today's social, political, and religious climates, the Church needs to function as a facilitator for reconciliation. Unfortunately, Christians have tended to approach the issue of reconciliation with apathy in recent years. How can we as Christians overcome these sentiments and ignite change both within and without the Church? Furthermore, why are churches especially equipped to serve as agents of reconciliation within our society?... Read More...
5 min read

The First Social Distancers

Jim Vigil
"Just as the ten lepers daringly approached Jesus, we are all vulnerable and in need of mercy and kindness." In this week's post, Jim Vigil, Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program at Southeastern University, relates biblical instances of social distancing to our present times. ... Read More...
0 min read

A Theological Agenda for the COVID-19 Pandemic

Peter Hartwig
"We have seen the sudden disappearance of what we have known, for at least a century, as church life. This is a mournful time. But that loss — as with any loss — need not be singularly tragic, especially for those of us who serve and follow a crucified Messiah." In this week's post, Peter Hartwig, theologian in residence at National Community Church, reflects on the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for the Church.... Read More...
5 min read

Who Is the Church? Wisdom from Tradition and Scripture

Hanna Larracas
Christians today find themselves navigating the Church’s identity in the midst of prolonged quarantines. In this week's post, Hanna Larracas, Master of Divinity student at Boston University School of Theology and Southeastern University graduate, explores tradition and Scripture to inform the discourse being held by the Christian community through unprecedented times.... Read More...
7 min read

The Church and the Other

Jenna MacFarlane
The language we as the church often embody conveys that we have blocked those outside the faith versus inside the church by constructing unseen walls. How can this be so, if we claim to welcome all? In this week’s post, Jenna MacFarlane, senior at Southeastern University, addresses this imbalance within communities and how we as the church can develop healthier language in helping the Other feel authentic belonging. ... Read More...
5 min read

Broken Friends

Fredric Rohm
During the New York City Times Square celebration, the music group Lovelytheband performed their hit song "Broken." Regardless of the band's religion or worldview, the underlying message weaved throughout their songs seem to have a clear association with the Christian gospel. In this week's article, Dr. Ric Rohm, professor of business and leadership at Southeastern University, discusses why believers should embrace brokenness, admit to personal vulnerabilities, and love others despite who they are within.... Read More...
12 min read

Biblical Hospitality over Busy Cordiality

Juliet Groton
The power that hospitality holds is often forgotten. A meaningful cup of coffee brewed with care and intentionality paired with the authentic company of listening ears opens hearts more effectively than trying to convert one's guests. This week, Juliet Groton, intercultural studies major at Southeastern University, reveals her personal experiences and findings which seek to reinvent the current exemplification of Christian hospitality. ... Read More...
6 min read

Two Common Myths about Spiritual Gifts

Andrew Gabriel
Spiritual gifts are all supernatural in the sense that the Spirit is involved. The Bible affirms, “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:11). Join this week's discussion as author Andrew K. Gabriel, Ph.D., deconstructs common myths behind spiritual gifts and how a church's capacity multiplies when it chooses to invest in members' development. ... Read More...
6 min read

Profoundly Lonely

Dominic J.S. Mejia
According to recent research, about half of all Americans could be considered lonely. Young people in the United States are profoundly lonely. Yet, the loneliness that is plaguing so many young people is not temporary, not born out of a particular event, not a reflective or contemplative isolation. It is a deep, abiding, and cyclical alienation from other people. In this week's article, Master of Divinity candidate at Boston University School of Theology and a United Methodist Director of Children and Youth Ministries in New England, Dominic J. Mejia explores ways the church as loving community can serve as a means of grace in the lives of folks who feel alienated and disconnected. ... Read More...
5 min read

Christ, the Savior is Born!

Alan Ehler
Christmas is the season when families share gifts with one another, hope with those around them, and memories that last a lifetime. The holidays also represent a responsibility to share the good news with others under the firm biblical-grounded belief that Jesus Christ is Savior. In this week's article, a fresh perspective carries believers into new areas where our attention can be refocused during this busy winter season.... Read More...
5 min read

Cultivating Divine Interaction in Christian Craft

Asia Lerner
As the Church, we understand that vocational ministry is not the only outreach method that facilitates Gospel distribution to those in need of hearing it. Another effective outreach system contextualizes the Good News for a culture through media. In this week’s student feature, Asia Lerner, senior Biblical studies major at Southeastern University, discusses her research intertwining the Divine with modern artistry and cultural engagement. ... Read More...
4 min read