Talk about baptism, and you’re immediately plunged into arguments. Whom should we baptize—professing converts or infants? How should we baptize—by immersion, pouring, or sprinkling? Why do we baptize—as a sign of God’s claim or as a convert’s public confession of faith? What does baptism do—nothing, something, everything? If it does something, how long does it
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The Palms, the Temple, and the Nations
This post was written by Esau McCaulley and originally published by Christianity Today in March 2018. The black Baptists of the South are not known for their adherence to a liturgical calendar, but we do know Palm Sunday and Easter. Palm Sunday is the tremor before the earthquake of our resurrection celebration, the birth pangs. Palm Sunday,
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On the Festival of Christ’s Nativity
This post was written by Thomas Howard and originally published in Christianity Today in December 1973. The most astounding and the most familiar story of all is the story of the Nativity. And this very familiarity may give us trouble, from time to time. We feel as though we ought to be perpetually awestruck by a tale
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Christ and Calamity Wins Award of Merit in CT’s Book Awards
Even though it was written and released with our current moment in mind, we always believed Christ and Calamity would become a lasting balm for believers. Speaking pastorally to our suffering and uncertainty during a global pandemic has the same foundations in faith, no matter what calamities — big or small — we may face.
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The Poverty of Christmas
This post was written by Katelyn Beaty and originally published in Christianity Today in December 2015. We don’t believe in Christmas anymore. We believe in Christmas gatherings, Christmas shopping, and Christmas recitals, of course, and even Christmas outreach events and Christmas acts of charity. If you are reading this issue of CT while fighting tryptophan-induced sleep, you
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How Do We Rest When Life Seems So Crazy?
When our circumstances seem to spin out of control, rest is often the last thing on our minds. In these interview clips, Curtis Zackery explains how the rhythms of our life can transcend what’s going on around us. In Finding Soul Rest, Zackery provides a practical guide to finding your identity in rhythm with God. Rooted
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What Does It Mean to Truly Find Rest?
Jesus tells us that he “will give us rest.” But what does that look like in a society marked by increasing rates of overcommitment and burnout? What does it mean to truly find rest that satisfies the soul? In these interview clips, Curtis Zackery explains how the rest we truly need is only provided by
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An Invitation to Attend to the Light This Christmas
Imagine the first dawn after the birth of Jesus. Picture an exhausted Joseph, holding his adopted newborn in the aftermath of a very strange night, rubbing his bleary eyes and suddenly remembering the words of the prophet Isaiah: The people walking in darknesshave seen a great light;on those living in the land of deep darknessa
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In and Down: Inviting God Into Our Inner Lives
Exhausted. Dry. Tired. Disillusioned. Anxious. Stressed. Frustrated. Burned out. One or a few of these words might describe what you are feeling in life right now. If so, it is important to give yourself permission to ask one big question: why? It has been said, “The main obstacle to love for God is service for
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How Much Do You Know about Evangelicals and the US Presidency?
American evangelicals are often assumed to be a monolithic political force absolutely unified in their priorities. But evangelical engagement with politics has been more complex than is often remembered. Dual Citizens reveals a variety of evangelical thought towards political developments over the past few decades. These essential articles pulled from more than 60 years of
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