In ‘Still Wrestling,’ minister whose wife, son were slain explores faith, doubt
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
Two legacies, 50 years later
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
Marshall Keeble’s ‘boy preachers’ still baptizing and saving souls
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
‘Sister Keeble’ stayed strong in mind, faith
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
‘Dear Jesus, send some angels’: Faith and prayer inside Southwest Flight 1380
By Bobby Ross Jr. | GetReligion
Several years ago, I was flying home from a reporting trip when the pilot came on the loudspeaker and reported trouble with the controls that direct the plane.
He said we needed to make an emergency landing, and rescue vehicles would be waiting as a precaution. But he stressed that the flashing lights on the ground shouldn’t alarm anyone because he didn’t expect any problem landing the plane.
That statement would have provided more comfort if I hadn’t kept asking myself: If the plane were going to crash, would he be so candid as to say so?
“Attention, passengers, I fully expect that we are all about to die. Please buckle your seat belts and get your affairs in order.”
For an anxious flyer such as myself, that experience was scary enough.
But I can’t even imagine what the passengers of Southwest Flight 1380 endured this week. As you no doubt heard, one passenger was killed and seven others wounded Tuesday after an engine exploded.
However, as I noted Wednesday, devout Christian pilot Tammie Jo Shults is being praised for her “nerves of steel” in calmly maneuvering the plane to the ground and avoiding a much worse catastrophe.
Since I wrote that post, I’ve come across more faith-filled news coverage that needs to be highlighted.
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All of my GetReligion columns (March 2018):
Continue reading “‘Dear Jesus, send some angels’: Faith and prayer inside Southwest Flight 1380”
In Heart of America, LTC helps train church leaders from small congregations
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
Where the buffalo roam, a Passion play approaches the century mark
Oklahoma’s version of old Jerusalem provides the setting for what organizers describe as North America’s longest continuously running outdoor Passion play. By Bobby Ross Jr. | For Religion News Service WICHITA MOUNTAINS WILDLIFE REFUGE, Okla. — Before the sun sets at a remote mountain attraction called Holy City of the Wichitas, Jesus and a band of white-winged angels walk through a crowd gathering on the … Continue reading Where the buffalo roam, a Passion play approaches the century mark
Papa Ross, World War II hero and loving grandfather, was born 100 years ago today
Lloyd Lee Ross, my grandfather, was born on March 24, 1918. Today would have been his 100th birthday. Papa Ross was one of a kind. And I — like so many others whose lives he touched — loved him so much. After he died in 2011, I wrote a column about him that appeared in the Father’s Day edition of The Commercial Appeal newspaper in … Continue reading Papa Ross, World War II hero and loving grandfather, was born 100 years ago today
When adoption agencies can turn away gay prospective parents, what happens to the kids?
Those who study the issue say it’s hard to tell exactly how such rules governing adoption affect the numbers of children placed in “forever” homes. By Bobby Ross Jr. | For Religion News Service OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma lawmakers may soon sanction private adoption agencies turning away same-sex couples and other prospective parents who don’t meet their religious criteria, a possibility cheered by the Roman … Continue reading When adoption agencies can turn away gay prospective parents, what happens to the kids?
Faith. Family. Fastballs. 