Posts in Opinion
Why Feeling Thankful Is Not Always Enough

(OPINION) Have you ever considered that we could be thankful and never give thanks? Imagine having a heart full of gratitude but never expressing your thankfulness. A search of the New Testament for the words “thanks,” “thanksgiving” and “thankful” reveals some interesting finds.

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There Is A Better Way To Lose Weight Than Using Ozempic

(OPINION) As someone who battled unhealthy eating habits the first 59 years of my life, I am the last one to criticize someone for trying almost anything to lose weight. These are difficult battles, and many of us will take a lifeline wherever we find it. So, to repeat, I am the last one to criticize.

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And Now This Word To America: Peace And Be Still!

(OPINION) So what are we to do? Wring our hands and swallow nerve pills like they’re Pez? Stay hopping mad at those on the other side of our political barricades? That’s sure no way to spend the next four years. That’s a recipe for madness, both personal and societal.

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Miracles, God, Faith, Ecumenism And Other Cosmic Oddities

(OPINION) After researching everything I could find about supposed miracles — from books and articles, doctors, religion experts, skeptics and, naturally, dozens of people who’d claimed they’d run smack dab into the hand of God — here are three conclusions.

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🇺🇸 Trump’s Comeback: What It Means For Immigrants, People Of Faith And The Press 🔌

This week’s Weekend Plug-in explores three key storylines after the election — again — of Donald Trump as president.

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A Single Christian’s Perspective On Matchmaking

(OPINION) As a single woman in my 20s, I’ve experienced my fair share of matchmaking attempts and not-so-subtle comments about eligible bachelors. While I used to find this annoying, I’ve come to realize that I don’t mind being set up. There’s just one problem — most of what I’ve experienced isn’t matchmaking. It’s hinting.

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5 Biblical Principles Relevant To Christians During An Election

(OPINION) During the centuries, Christians have held widely different views on their relation to the political order. Some have taken the attitude that they should have nothing to do with civil government. At the opposite extreme, others have identified the church with the state. Between these positions, different groups have made various combinations.

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My Family Was Excommunicated After Alleging Church Abuse

(OPINION) I had long self-righteously labeled non-churchgoers as unbelievers or undisciplined Christians. However, after being thrust into the outskirts of the churchgoing tribe, I can more accurately see the people on the outside, especially those who wandered away hurting and filled with distrust.

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🗳️ What Do The 1968, 1996 and 2024 Elections Have In Common? Hint: It Involves A Cake 🔌

For Weekend Plug-in columnist Bobby Ross Jr., Nov. 5 will mark not just the presidential election but also his birthday. This is the third time this has happened in his lifetime, and it made him curious about 2024’s parallels, if any, with 1968 and 1996.

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The Moral Blindness Of Harris’ Position On Abortion

(OPINION) I can’t do justice to these responses in full here, but they all go back to that same fundamental point: Abortion snuffs out a real, human life, a life with unknown potential, however tiny and still-developing it may be.

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With The Election Looming, Let’s Show A Little More Love And A Lot Less Bile

(OPINION) Every day when I read or listen to the national news, I want to drive over to the public square and shout, “You kids stop it! Stop it right now!” So, before things get any further out of hand, let me offer up some thoughts on the election for all of us who are civically involved but not fanatics.

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Creation And Space: Time Really Does Stand Still

(OPINION) Pop quiz: What do you imagine God was doing before creation, back then in eternity past? Many answer how, in eternity past, God chose us before the foundation of the earth to be part of the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. True, except that in eternity, there is no such thing as time back then, before creation. Eternity is timeless.

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Representation Matters: A Black Christian Woman’s Perspective On Kamala Harris

(OPINION) This moment in time is not solely about Harris becoming the first Black and Asian woman as a presidential nominee. This historic juncture, in particular for Black girls and women, bridges the hopes and dreams from our past, the tangible opportunities of the present and the limitless possibilities for the future.

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Samaritan’s Purse And The Real Gospel In Action

(OPINION) To the shock of the state of North Carolina, where my wife Nancy and I have lived in 2003, Hurricane Helene wreaked massive devastation, taking at least 118 lives with at least 92 still missing. No one saw this coming, and it has brought unimaginable suffering to whole communities living in the mountains of our state, where horrific, unprecedented flooding wiped out little towns and destroyed countless homes, businesses and roads.

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