The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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Mastering our mouths, taming our tongues, watching our words is one of the toughest things to do! We use words all the time not only in our conversations but also in our emails, texts, social media, blogs, posts and tweets. We are a nation of talkers! “Self-control means controlling the tongue!” -Proverbs 13:3 Another way to put it: He who guards his mouth controls himself. The Book of James has this to say about the tongue: “...but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil,...
A pastor on a denominationally-related Facebook page took issue with ministers dressing casually in the pulpit. This is truly an unwinnable argument. Many congregations have been influenced by the contemporary church movement—though this movement from the 80s is hardly contemporary anymore. One of the precepts is that members intentionally “dress down.” A common excuse from the unchurched was they didn’t have “Sunday clothes.” Hence, the argument went, we’ll do away with both Sunday clothe...
I stopped by a fast-food restaurant en route to work lately and saw the line of cars around the building. I decided walking in for a morning biscuit would be faster. However, the lady at the counter said, “We’re out of biscuits and won’t have any for 20 more minutes.” I saw the biscuit-maker behind the counter who was working furiously, and I decided not to wait. Another gentleman in a work uniform walked out with me. He snidely said, “Who’s got 20 minutes?” “Right?” I said snidely back. I’v...
A local church is meeting elsewhere during renovations, and their electronic sign flashes, “Temporary worship.” It is only the next panel that tells the current location, so be patient! This made me think about temporary worship I was in for a few weeks. I was pastor at First Baptist Church, Selma, when we did some major roof and ceiling repairs. We asked (at the time) First Presbyterian across the street if we might use their sanctuary for the ten weeks. Our neighbors responded with kin...
Those who follow a legend have a daunting task. Consider Joshua who followed Moses of whom it was said he knew God face-to-face! But Joshua had been a careful student learning from the mentor who instructed him. Joshua isn’t remembered as a lawgiver as Moses was. Not really a King John or Thomas Jefferson giving great legal documents, but more like Patton driving the German army out of North Africa. He would be the general who brought the people into the land of promise. Just before his death Jo...
Jesus is often referred to as "the light of life". And John 1:4 states that "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." With verse 9 further stating that "The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world." In fact, early religious iconography often depicts Jesus surrounded by a halo, which is a ring of light surrounding a person. While often science and religion seem to be at odds, upon further study, they intertwine once more. Such is the case with a newly...
May 17, 2025 – VATICAN CITY – Pope Leo XIV will lead his inaugural mass Sunday. Vice President J.D. Vance – himself a Catholic convert – will lead a substantial United States delegation that includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) and other members of Congress. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the King and Queen of Spain – Felipe and Letizia will also be there as well as Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, German Chancello...
I was going through one of my Dad’s old notebooks the other day and saw where he had saved old articles and poems from the past. There were also some poems and articles that he wrote. Like me, my Dad was a Methodist Pastor in Alabama and the panhandle of Florida as was my grandfather and my great-grandfather too. My Dad died in 1988 at the age of 57, but while he was alive he taught me to regularly reflect on my life and my witness for Christ. I miss him everyday and wish I could hear his v...
It’s been my experience that funeral home directors generally have a great sense of humor. I asked a gentleman about this once and he explained that a sense of humor is the only thing that saved him from awful depression. I can imagine these men and women deal with the greatest of tragedies. But on the other hand, I’ve heard some interesting stories from them. One funeral home employee told me about trying to salvage a graveside service after several pallbearers were drunk, and one fell into the...
Christian author, Lee Strobel, was in Birmingham last year. I met him and heard his fascinating story of abandoning atheism for a life of faith. Strobel, a journalist and legal reporter for “The Chicago Tribune,” was an unbeliever when his wife came to faith. She did was Peter admonished in his first letter, “letting her light shine” rather than nagging him for his unbelief! Stroebel was struck by the changes in her life and began a journalistic investigation into the gospel record, resulti...
Our Alabama Baptist retreat at Shocco Springs is a gorgeous place, and I’ve enjoyed every event I’ve attended there. Several years ago, I attended a two-day training course for pastors. A conference for senior adults was on site at the same time. I saw that the other group was having a concert that night when our group wasn’t meeting, so I went. The singer did a great job. He sang some “oldies” like “Silhouette” by Peter Noone and “Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” by Elvis. He sang the...
May 7, 2025 - VATICAN CITY - A Historic Day in the Vatican. Today marks the commencement of the Papal Conclave to select the successor of Pope Francis - who died on Easter Monday. The conclave is a profound and ceremonious event that will determine the successor to the throne of Saint Peter. The conclave is a venerable tradition within the Roman Catholic Church, dating back centuries, where cardinals from around the globe gather to elect the new Pope. This solemn assembly is bound by secrecy,...
May 8, 2025 – VATICAN CITY – The cardinals finally elected a new Pope. Late on Thursday evening white smoke began bellowing out of the building where the 133 cardinals were gathered to select the new Pope. This notified the faithful gathered in Vatican Square than an announcement of the selection would be coming. The cardinals shocked many Vatican watchers by selecting an America - Robert Francis Prevost as the Successor to St. Peter. The 69-year-old pontiff chose the papal name of Leo the XIV...
My neighbor stopped me to announce he’d taken up lawn care as a second job. He asked if I’d be interested in patronizing him. I’ve always taken care of our yard, without charge, but I know sometimes things happen on weekends, or I get rained out. “How much would it cost?” I inquired. “Probably about sixty dollars,” he said. I was shocked. The last time I priced lawns was when I was 12 or 13 years old. I mowed three yards in the neighborhood. Mrs. Harris’s yard was $6, Mrs. Herron’s was $4...
As we gather this Easter season, let us lift our hearts in celebration of the cornerstone of our faith: the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is a time to rejoice in the miracle of new life, the triumph of hope over despair, and the eternal promise that through Christ, all things are made new. Easter reminds us that even in our darkest hours, light breaks through. The stone was rolled away. The tomb was found empty. Death was defeated. And with it, every believer was given a...
Tickets for the Fall touring production of "The Thorn" open for sale to the general public on Ticketmaster, today. The Fall tour of "The Thorn" includes two performances in Huntsville, Alabama at the Von Braun Center on November 15th at 7PM and November 16th at 1PM. A stage production of the story of Christ told from the perspective of the Disciple John, "The Thorn", blends the gospel story with theatrical elements reminiscent of Cirque du Soleil. "The Thorn" opens with the Disciple John being...
It was “Good Friday”, the day that Jesus the Christ was crucified just outside the city of Jerusalem on a hill called Golgotha, "The Place of the Skull". Jesus was nailed to one cross and two criminals were crucified on either side of him. This whole story is found in Luke 23:32-43. In Luke 23:39-43, we can read about and visualize the dramatic scene as it unfolds as the three of them are dying on their crosses next to each other: One of the criminals beside Jesus scoffed at him and said, "So...
Jesus Christ died on the cross in 32 A.D. According to the Bible, he rose on the third day and spent weeks with his Apostles before ascending into Heaven. His Apostles took over where he left off and started the early Church. Marty Matulia spoke to the Adult lecture series at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church in Shelby County about the early Church fathers who spread the Gospel in the decades after Jesus and the generations that came after the Apostles passed on. Matulia is with Guadalupe...
March 30, 2025 – BIRMINGHAM, AL – Guadalupe Radio Director Marty Matulia completed his lecture series at St. Mark the Evangelist Con the Early Church Fathers who collectively defined Christianity and helped establish our current understanding of the nature of Jesus Christ and our faith. The Guadalupe Radio Network operates several EWTN affiliated radio station in Texas, Alabama, and Florida. https://www.grnonline.com/home?station=GRN Matulia explained that the first age of Christian Fathers was...
I was thinking lately about when phone calls were segregated by “local” and “long distance.” This segregation sometimes was strange, since I knew some who lived on different phone exchanges--when they talked, one paid a toll and the other didn’t. And then I remembered two incidents in churches when long distance charges became an issue. I served a church in Indiana while a student in Louisville, and we made the 75-mile trip every weekend. The nearest mid-sized town where the emergency clinic an...
Admiral James Stockdale faced the nation at the vice-presidential debate in October 1992. Businessman Ross Perot named him as his running mate, so Stockdale stood with Vice President Dan Quayle and Sen. Al Gore in Atlanta. When it was his first time to speak, Stockdale said, “Who am I? Why am I here?” This turned out to be a laugh line and parody, which is unfortunate. Stockdale was a decorated soldier who spent seven years as a POW in Vietnam. But his questions are good ones for us in the chu...
It was the closest I ever came to my “big showbiz break,” as Rush Limbaugh called it. I got through to Kit Carson, EIB’s call screener (after about 50 tries!). It was my birthday, so I hoped it would be a good ploy to get online with Maha Rushie. I also said I’d like to ask him about a book he talked of writing called “The Back Nine.” Screener Kit said they were jammed for the afternoon, but he’d call the next day. Alas, it was not to be since I never got the call-back, nor did Rush write th...
A Journey Through the Most Important Week in Christianity Holy Week is the most important week in Christianity. This week of great reverence and reflection spans the final eight days of Jesus' life-from His triumphant entry into Jerusalem, to His Last Supper with His Apostles, to His execution as an enemy of the state, to His rising from the dead on the third day as He foretold to his disciples. It is astounding how much wisdom, insight, and inspiration are available to us during this one week...
April 21, 2025 – VATICAN CITY - The Vatican announced that Pope Francis passed away in the night at the age of 88 in his Vatican residence. Cardinal Kevin Joseph is the Vatican Chamberlain. "Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis," said Cardinal Farrell. "At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to l...
March 20, 2025 – MOUNTAIN BROOK, AL. – Nationally known radio host and podcaster David Gornoski addressed the Gathering at Olexa's Tearoom in Mountain Brook. Gornoski is an evangelical Christian who believes that the U.S. should seek to be more Christlike and is skeptical of many of the institutions of the federal government and the corporate culture. "If you are waiting around for politicians to save your life you are not doing Jesus," said Gornoski. "We cannot stand here and wait around for...
