Small churches find right fit at Equip

Two-day conference at York University brings together leaders from the Midwest, the Plains and the Rocky Mountain states. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle YORK, NEB. — To prepare for a panel discussion on challenges and opportunities facing small-town and rural Churches of Christ, minister Jason Zaiger reached out to more than 20 congregations and individuals in his home state of Iowa. Zaiger, who with … Continue reading Small churches find right fit at Equip

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Wind and worship

Stormy weather makes for eventful drive to York University’s Equip Conference. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle WICHITA, KAN. — I won’t say Sunday was windy, but I’m pretty sure I saw Dorothy and Toto’s farmhouse swept up along Interstate 35. Despite high-wind warnings and plummeting temperatures on my 400-mile route, I got up early to drive to the Equip Conference at York University in Nebraska. About 160 miles north of my … Continue reading Wind and worship

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🗳️ Pastors for Trump founder touts ‘HUGE Announcement’ on possible run for Congress🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged TULSA, Okla. — Jackson Lahmeyer, the 34-year-old founder of Pastors for Trump, didn’t always mix his Christian faith with politics.  The leader of Sheridan Church, an independent charismatic … Continue reading 🗳️ Pastors for Trump founder touts ‘HUGE Announcement’ on possible run for Congress🔌

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🌎 Godbeat globetrotting: 5 memorable moments in world religion reporting 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged MATANZAS, Cuba — I’m not a world traveler. I mean, I’m not a good world traveler. I pack too much. I’m a picky eater. Mostly, I prefer … Continue reading 🌎 Godbeat globetrotting: 5 memorable moments in world religion reporting 🔌

No fuel? No food? Amid crisis in Cuba, there’s no shortage of faith

Christians travel by boat, bus, train — and even a cargo truck — to attend a national discipleship gathering. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle MATANZAS, Cuba — René Sánchez Blanco sailed eight hours on a ferry from the Isle of Youth to Cuba’s mainland and then spent five hours on buses. Mario and Yani Suárez waited three days in line at a bus station … Continue reading No fuel? No food? Amid crisis in Cuba, there’s no shortage of faith

🇨🇺 Feeding bodies and souls: Faith sustains Cuban farmer during time of crisis 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged LIMONAR, Cuba — It’s a tough time for Christian farmer Jorge Sánchez. A U.S. blockade on oil shipments to this Caribbean island nation has spurred Cuba’s deepening … Continue reading 🇨🇺 Feeding bodies and souls: Faith sustains Cuban farmer during time of crisis 🔌

‘Cuban people love the American people’

Minister urges U.S. church members to keep making mission trips to the Caribbean island. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle MATANZAS, Cuba — This might seem like a bad time for Americans to visit Cuba. Tony Fernandez thinks it’s the perfect time. The longtime minister for the Versalles Church of Christ — a growing congregation in this provincial capital in west-central Cuba — welcomed a U.S. mission team … Continue reading ‘Cuban people love the American people’

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Random acts of kindness

In the name of Jesus, the world could use a whole lot more kindness. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle A random act of kindness made my day. My 4-year-old granddaughter squirmed in her car seat as we pulled into the Chick-fil-A drive-thru. Just after 6 a.m., Norah was wide awake and excited after a sleepover at her Papa and Nana’s house. I rolled down my … Continue reading Random acts of kindness

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📣 Remembering the Rev. Jesse Jackson: His life in quotes 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged OKLAHOMA CITY — Like so many of my journalism colleagues, I crossed paths with the Rev. Jesse Jackson. My main reporting on the civil rights icon — … Continue reading 📣 Remembering the Rev. Jesse Jackson: His life in quotes 🔌