It’s a longstanding tradition among churchgoers to sit in the same place in the sanctuary Sunday after Sunday. If attending church services in an old enough building, then that place is a specific spot on a specific pew. Let’s talk about that.

When I think about my soul, what comes to mind are songs like “It Is Well with My Soul” and verses like 3 John 2: “Beloved, I pray that in every way you may succeed and prosper and be in good health [physically], just as [I know] your soul prospers [spiritually]” (Amplified Bible).

In his timeless book, Jesus and the Disinherited, black minister and theologian Howard Thurman wrote, “There is one overmastering problem that the socially and politically disinherited always face: Under what terms is survival possible?”

I pray we will become so gripped by God’s righteous vocation that we cannot help but give up our self-interest in order to live as Christ in this life, opposing the forces of this world in the name of Christ so all may know the joy and life of eternity.

“When are you going to leave? Everyone I love leaves.” Elise Kaufman’s heart broke when she heard a young boy ask her when she was going to move away. In his world, nothing good lasted long.

Becky Ellison listened to Ginger tell her story for two hours. At one point, Ellison asked, “What do you want tomorrow to look like?” “So not like today,” Ginger replied.

My concern is not with speaking truth to power—if that actually is what people like Jeffress and Graham are doing. My concern is with using worldly terms—the political designators “conservative” and “progressive”—to define who is and who is not a Christian.

Eric Black reviews “A Sojourner’s Truth” by Natasha Sistrunk Robinson.

There is a wealth of incredible stories being crafted in the lives and ministries of Texas Baptist people, churches and institutions. From those stories, I hear about the difference Jesus is making in lives around the world. More people need to know the difference Jesus is making.

In keeping with our desire to inform, inspire and challenge people to live like Jesus, Baptists Preaching is an attempt to provide a selection of important sermons preached in Texas Baptist churches and, over time, to create a repository of Baptist preaching for future study and research.

Things must be going really well for a church to have time to debate what Jesus meant by the story of the sheep and the goats or the Good Samaritan.

Survivors of trafficking, prostitution, abuse and addiction share a story… It takes communities to place individuals in these situations, and it takes community to provide healing and empowerment to survivors. We are this community.