On Sept 19, 1749 the Philadelphia Baptist Association affirmed its support for local church autonomy. Why is that important? First, the Philadelphia Baptist Association became a model for Baptist life, and to a degree the American ethos, for centuries to come. Second, it established that, unlike the Catholic, Anglican and Methodist churches, there was no […]
Ezer Chayil – New Wednesday Night Bible Study
Every Wednesday night we have a lite meal at 6 followed by prayer requests and bible study until 7:30. Tonight I am starting a new study and because I was pleased with some of the information my research turned up I thought I would share tonight’s handout. Hopefully you can come join us soon! Ezer […]
Freedom and Religion
In the midst of everything that has been happening in the last week it is forgivable that you might have not noticed that yesterday the US blacklisted two Siberian officials and placed them on a travel ban. Why did the US do this? Because the two were alleged to have stripped, suffocated, doused with water […]
Victim Bashing
It is sometimes curious how diverse things intersect. A Christian congregation gathered at Jacksonville Beach Pier to turn Dorian away and to tell the hurricane to “calm down.” Meanwhile Marianne Williamson, a New Age self-help author, tweeted and then deleted a statement that Dorian could be turned by the “creative use of the mind.” So […]
Black Thumb
My grandmother could make anything grow, anything to which she turned her attention. In central Alabama she grew pomegranates, ornamental bananas, and saguaro cactus, not to mention dozens of other things. She owned a professional greenhouse and was the person to call to ask how things grew. I’m the guy with strange vines growing up […]
Repentance
About 400 years ago, sometime in late August of 1619, a pirate ship carrying “20 and odd” Africans landed in Point Comfort, Virginia. There they were sold for provisions for the ship. Thus the history of slavery in what would become the United States began. It was not the first time slaves were in America. […]