Little more than a dozen years ago, my wife and I walked into an AT&T store in Fort Worth, Texas, to replace our old cell phones. We’d resisted the appeal of the iPhone thus far, and we didn’t plan to change our attitudes that day. But the sales staff at that AT&T store must have been well-trained or particularly gifted. Within an hour of entering the store, we walked out with two brand new iPhones. The glamour of the sleek new phones, however, wore off quickly. That evening, as … [Read more...]
Nation’s biblical illiteracy at root a matter of the heart
Bible knowledge among Americans, in recent years, has plummeted. And, unless God’s people immerse themselves day and night in God’s Word – reading it, praying it, sharing it, obeying it – America will face a devastating spiritual famine. The dire warning in Amos 8:11 should capture our attention: “‘The days are coming,’ declares the LORD God, ‘when I will send ... a famine of hearing the words of the LORD.” Already, only 6 percent of American adults hold to a Christian worldview, … [Read more...]
‘Tidings of great joy’ proclaimed at Christmas
On Dec. 9, 1965, nearly half of the nation’s viewership watched what WORLD Magazine reporter Maryrose Delahunty called “one of the most memorable monologues in television history: an account of Christ’s birth, recited word for word from the Gospel of Luke.” Since that time, many families have added to their annual holiday celebrations this memorable monologue – spoken by Linus in the now classic show, A Charlie Brown Christmas. Few traditions stir the Christmas spirit in me more than … [Read more...]
Gratitude a source of hope, even in a crooked culture
“Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life.” – Philippians 2:14-16 (CSB) Grumbling comes easy in a world and culture that has gone wrong – that is, as Paul describes it, “in a crooked and perverted generation.” We’ve seen a share of crookedness and perversion in our own time – most recently, … [Read more...]
Pathway aims to mobilize journalistic cavalry
On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the so-called “War to End all Wars” finally ended. It was a day to remember, and appropriately it has been remembered – since 1919, as “Armistice Day” and, since 1954, as “Veterans Day.” Rather than ending warfare, however, World War I initiated a new, devastating kind of war, made possible by a new, deadly machinery. In four years, “more than nine million soldiers, sailors and airmen were killed,” according to British historian … [Read more...]
‘The Pathway’ shares good news in a world gone wrong
Nine years ago, The Pathway’s late founding editor Don Hinkle (1954-2022) invited me into a friendship I’ll always treasure and into the adventure of Southern Baptist state newspaper work. Despite appearances, producing any single edition of The Pathway since that time has involved us in an escapade. Writing a century ago about newspaper work, author and journalist G.K. Chesterton depicted humorously the excitement and daring of the task: “Nothing looks more neat and regular than a … [Read more...]
On whom do you rely? A meditation on Isaiah 36-37
And the widows of Ashur are loud in their wail, And the idols are broke in the temple of Baal; And the might of the Gentile, unsmote by the sword, Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord! – Lord Byron (George Gordon), from “The Destruction of Sennacherib” In the year 701 B.C., the Assyrian army under its king Sennacherib attacked the fortified cities of Judah and lay siege to Jerusalem. For some two centuries, the neo-Assyrian empire had been a force to reckon with … [Read more...]
Two decades after 9/11, hope still found at the cross
Amid the tragic events of 9/11, many of us were dumbfounded by human depravity as we watched violent men, out of hatred and spiritual blindness, kill nearly 3,000 men, women and children. Yet many of us were also speechless when we caught glimpses of the splendor and nobility of humanity. We witnessed the depth of human wickedness on 9/11, represented by the terrorists who attacked the United States. But we also saw the greatest virtues of humanity, represented by the selfless heroes who … [Read more...]
Let’s stand, struggle, witness with persecuted believers
Nov. 1 marks International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church “I don’t think my father will kill me.” Zane Pratt, vice president for global training at the International Mission Board, heard these words from a 17-year-old boy who placed his faith in Christ only an hour earlier. This teenager was the first Muslim that Pratt had ever led to Christ. “I have to tell my father,” the boy told Pratt. “This is too important. This news is too good. I don’t think my father will kill me. My … [Read more...]
Our children can benefit from reading God’s Word
Earlier this year, in a bold attempt to use the “mammon of unrighteousness” (Luke 16:9) for godly ends, Pastor Monte Shinkle invited the children of Concord Baptist Church, Jefferson City, to explore the truth of Scripture. Any child who could read the whole Bible in 2019, he announced, would receive a grand total of $100. Unbeknownst to me and my wife at the time, my daughter Emma heard the offer and took the bait. As a result, since January, she has read four chapters of Scripture … [Read more...]
The everlasting impact of facial hair
Last week, my wife and children agreed that if I were ever to stop shaving, disaster would ensue. Whether I aim for a goatee, mutton chops or a brawny beard, the genetics for success are simply missing. So I’m settled with the fact that, from eternity, God has ordained that I grow no facial hair, but only recently did I realize the weight of my predicament. The writer E.B. White once remarked that a simple bout of hay fever could turn the course of history. The same could be said, … [Read more...]
The martyr’s cause: John Foxe and our Gospel embassy
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article first appeared on the website, "Yesterday, Today, and Forever," at HistoricalTheology.org. On Easter 1555, the zealous English evangelical William Flower burst into a rage in St. Margaret’s Church, Westminster, when he noticed a priest administering the Mass – a rite that Flower saw as the epitome of Roman Catholic idolatry. Immediately, he struck the offending priest with his woodknife, cutting him on the head, arm and hand. Blood from the priest’s wounds, … [Read more...]