The recent history of trying to get a religious liberty bill passed in Georgia reads like a Greek tragedy or some Alford Hitchcock iconic thriller with a bad ending. Our forefathers would be …

Last Sunday I preached for the 210th homecoming at Poplar Springs North Baptist Church near Dublin, where Cecil Clegg is the transitional pastor. There was a great spirit in the church. They …

Last year the Chicago Cubs won the Major League Baseball World Series, but it was 108 years in coming. They had not won a World Series since 1908, the same year Henry Ford introduced the Model T and …

Scott Barkley’s story about Jerry Vines’ enrolling in Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s Ph. D program has inspired and motivated me – not to enroll in a Ph.D. program (it is …

Our granddaughter, Hayley Echols, and her husband, Taylor, have just celebrated their first wedding anniversary. On the day of the anniversary Hayley wrote on Instagram, “Contrary to popular …

On June 30, 2016 Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter announced that transgendered individuals were granted the opportunity to serve openly in the military. He stated, “They can no longer be …

I would like to learn how to become a better writer, but I am resistant, maybe even vehemently opposed, to the latest guidelines provided by the 2017 Associated Press Stylebook. Typically, a …

Few people in history have had a more enigmatic, paradoxical life than Orenthal James “O.J.” Simpson. In terms of success, he has climbed to the highest mountain. In terms of failure, he has sunk …

Before becoming editor of The Christian Index, I was a pastor for 41 years and had deacons in every church I served. For the most part, they were great, wonderful, godly men. I learned early on that …

I was reading an article entitled “Are American Friendships Superficial” recently. The article was about a woman from Germany who came to the United States. It described her likes and dislikes …

Amidst America’s celebration of 241 years of freedom and independence on July 4, there was also much talk of North Korea launching another ballistic missile toward Japan. The most recent launch was …

When one thinks of our great country the words “united," “indivisible,” and “one nation under God” come to mind. However, the very freedom that has united us for more than two centuries …

Dennis Nunn, founder and president of Every Believer a Witness Ministries , shared the following story communicated to him by Jeremy Atwood, a pastor in Kentucky who had hosted a “Pastor Equipping …

At the Southern Baptist Convention in Phoenix I talked to a young pastor who was recently called to a church that was founded in the 1950s and within the last ten years had transitioned from a …

Every Baptist wants to know that the money he/she places in the offering plate goes to worthwhile causes. Georgia Baptists can express gratitude for the way their Cooperative Program dollars are …

Republican Karen Handel, left, and Democrat Jon Ossoff are currently vying for the congressional seat in Georgia's Sixth District, a race that has garnered attention nationwide. Screen grab/wsbtv.com …

Maybe I am on some kind of farewell preaching tour. I don’t know and I hope not, but I had the opportunity to preach in another one of my former churches this past Sunday – First Baptist Church …

President Donald Trump signs the executive order Jan. 27 barring citizens of seven countries – Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen – from entering the United States for at least …

The abandonment of the societal missions approach and the creation of the Cooperative Program in 1925 – and, in turn, the creation of the Foreign Mission Board and Home Mission Board – ushered in …

If you live anywhere close to the 6th Congressional District in Georgia, you have been inundated with political advertisements from congressional candidates Karen Handel and Jon Ossoff. If …

Last April retail giant  Target made an announcement that created a bit of angst among folks whose lives are marked by civility and decency. The Corporation announced it would allow men to use …

Index editor J. Gerald Harris was called as pastor to Newport Baptist Church not long after graduating from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. In April of 1967 – fifty years ago – I was …

Just as surely as the Yellow Brick Road in the Wizard of Oz leads to the Emerald City, the Primrose Path of liberalism leads to destruction. In case you are not familiar with the phrase …

NOTE: An earlier version of this post mistakenly omitted point #9. This commentary is the third in a three part series on developing an effective church ministry. If you have not read the …

This commentary is a second installment in a three-part series on growing an effective church. I am submitting twelve factors that are essential to the establishment of a strong, viable church. These …