Why an old, declining church closed to make way for a new, growing congregation to take over its building. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jeff Pendleton met and married his wife, Marcia, at the Red Bridge Church of Christ, a once-thriving congregation less than a mile from the Kansas state line. He baptized his daughter, Kelly, there. When loved … Continue reading When God comes with a loud thud
For Les Ferguson Jr., writing a book was a way to deal with his own hurt and pain — and help others, too. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle A double murder. A destroyed family. A shattered faith. After the tragic deaths of his wife and 21-year-old son in 2011, minister Les Ferguson Jr. struggled not to believe that God existed but that he cared. … Continue reading In ‘Still Wrestling,’ minister whose wife, son were slain explores faith, doubt
Marshall Keeble and Martin Luther King Jr. fought for ‘different things in different ages.’ By Hamil R. Harris and Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle Marshall Keeble was calling sinners home at a 1939 gospel meeting in Ridgely, Tenn., when a young white man approached him after the sermon. The renowned black evangelist reached out his hand, thinking this was one more soul ready … Continue reading Two legacies, 50 years later
Famous traveling evangelist mentored many of the most influential African-American ministers in Churches of Christ. Third Place, Theme Issue, Section or Series, Associated Church Press By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle LOS ANGELES — In 1963, an 11-year-old named Dewayne Winrow preached at Southwestern Christian College’s annual Bible lectureship in Terrell, Texas. The boy’s message resonated with one notable person in the audience: Marshall … Continue reading Marshall Keeble’s ‘boy preachers’ still baptizing and saving souls
The widow of famous traveling evangelist Marshall Keeble lived to be 108. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle I never got to meet Marshall Keeble or hear him preach. I was a baby when Keeble, the famous traveling evangelist who started hundreds of Churches of Christ, died 50 years ago. “I wish you would have had the chance of meeting him,” Daniel Harrison, minister … Continue reading ‘Sister Keeble’ stayed strong in mind, faith
Nationally, Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes and Leadership Training for Christ events draw more than 40,000 to 17 sites in 13 states. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Four families from the Northern Hills Church of Christ in western South Dakota drove more than 700 miles each way to attend the Heart of America Leadership Training for Christ (LTC) convention this past weekend. Alaethia Thompson — … Continue reading In Heart of America, LTC helps train church leaders from small congregations
Its president cited the historic commitment of the public university to the critical and civil examination of ideas, no matter how controversial. By Bobby Ross Jr. | For Religion News Service EDMOND, Okla. — Students at the University of Central Oklahoma got a lesson in free speech as the 16,000-student public university welcomed a presentation by Ken Ham, a nationally known creationist who rejects Charles … Continue reading After a rescinded invitation, Ken Ham talks about God at an Oklahoma university
Social media advocacy empowers survivors, pedophile preacher’s son says. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle For far too long, victims have been silenced. Finally, they have an outlet to spotlight their painful ordeals. That’s how Jimmy Hinton characterizes the social media movements — first #MeToo and now #ChurchToo — where sexual abuse survivors are recounting their real-life nightmares. “Quite simply, millions of abuse survivors are fed … Continue reading #ChurchToo: Sexual abuse victims ‘fed up’ with silence
By Bobby Ross Jr. | GetReligion
For residents of Austin, Texas, weeks of terror ended Wednesday when Mark Conditt — identified as the serial bomber responsible for killing two people and badly wounding four others — blew himself up.
As reporters began delving into the 23-year-old Conditt’s background, religious details — some more concrete than others — quickly emerged.
My thanks to GetReligion reader Deann Alford, a Texas-based journalist and author, who alerted us to crucial facts in an Austin American-Statesman story. The key: The religious questions linked to this story are valid hooks to investigate — right now. But authorities say they see no clues, so far, to motives in these acts.
The Austin newspaper interviewed Jeremiah Jensen, 24, who was homeschooled in the same community as Conditt:
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All of my GetReligion columns (March 2018):
Faith. Family. Fastballs. 