Books expand our vision of the world. Books open the world up to us much more than our phones and the ever-shrinking community and influences we have on social media. Books can push us out of our comfort zone and help us think about this world in a new way.

There is a calm humility associated with kneeling, and I wonder what we could learn, receive or do as a result of this heart posture.

Rather than being distracted by what words people use to celebrate this time of year, Baptists need to remember they arose in response to religious persecution and have been proponents for religious liberty for 400 years so they can continue to be a leading voice for religious liberty now.

Are we paying attention to the whole Christmas story, or are we glossing over the less tranquil parts? Are we writing the real nature of God breaking into the world out of our Christmases merry and bright?

Christmas is not a happy time for all people. Cultural and societal pressures turn Christmas into a time of stress, anxiety and disappointment for many, especially those without the means to buy Christmas as it’s portrayed. Where is the joy, peace and promised liberation of Christmas?

As pastors, we are not immune to the sting of sorrow, even when we put on our best acting faces. I’ve had to speak joyful words of hope at a funeral, trying to help others smile about a life wonderfully lived, while stifling my own grief quietly and deep inside like a geyser wanting to explode.

Kristen Padilla grew up the daughter of a pastor and shares a touching story about her father’s influence on her and her ministry.

This season, as we think about God becoming human, let us think about what the sheer fact of Christ’s existence means for us.

Every commercial promises the product they are selling can meet our deepest needs, can save us from a life that doesn’t matter, and can give us peace from the chaos surrounding us. We are all searching for peace in this crazy world. So, where can we find this peace our souls need?

Instead of plunging into consumerism this season, what if we celebrate gratitude as the people of God by passing this plate this Thanksgiving?

Millennials are low-hanging fruit these days. As we gather together across the generations this year, can we emphasize generational gifts rather than gaps?

Hardin-Simmons University emphasizes that everyone—from faculty to staff, students to alumni—are all a part of the HSU Family. This means something different to my immediate family.