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😷 ‘That escalated quickly’: Five years ago, COVID turned the world upside down 🔌

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 — To quote Will Ferrell’s character in the original “Anchorman” movie, “Boy, that escalated quickly. I mean, that really got out of hand fast.” The fictional … Continue reading 😷 ‘That escalated quickly’: Five years ago, COVID turned the world upside down 🔌

😷 COVID miracle: At the pandemic’s five-year anniversary, it’s time to tell the story 🔌

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 ATOKA, Okla. — To Tod Dillard, COVID-19 was no big deal. Until it nearly killed him. After getting infected, the Air Force veteran and longtime law enforcement officer … Continue reading 😷 COVID miracle: At the pandemic’s five-year anniversary, it’s time to tell the story 🔌

A lifeline for people who hurt — all the time

Chronic pain is more prevalent than many Christians realize. This ministry helps. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle WOODWARD, Okla. — Their elbows, knees and ankles throb. Fatigue wrecks their ability to move at times. Like around one-fifth of U.S. adults, these Christians — young and old, male and female — live with chronic pain. Often, they suffer alone, feeling as if no one understands. But at a … Continue reading A lifeline for people who hurt — all the time

What it means to live in pain

A husband reflects on his wife’s battle with autoimmune diseases. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle You can’t see the pain. You can’t understand why the pretty woman in the burgundy SUV parks in the handicapped space. You can’t figure out why the devoted Christian — who taught children’s Sunday school classes and made homemade lasagna for fellowship meals — stopped showing up for worship. Related: A … Continue reading What it means to live in pain

‘God’s clinic’ cares for thousands

Colorado congregation strives to meet its community’s physical — and spiritual — needs. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle LONGMONT, Colo. — Something big is happening at the Longmont Church of Christ. I didn’t realize just how big until I arrived at the church, 40 miles north of Denver, and found a full parking lot … on a Tuesday. “We have an interesting community outreach program,” deacon … Continue reading ‘God’s clinic’ cares for thousands

‘We only need one to live’

Desperate to save a beloved older member, a church ran an ad seeking a kidney donor. A thousand miles away, a young believer felt God prick her heart. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle NEW BERN, N.C. — Sam Birmingham needed a kidney. He desperately needed a kidney. His quality of life — his life itself — depended on it.  But the longtime Christian, who had … Continue reading ‘We only need one to live’

Most Christians welcome the COVID-19 vaccines, but some are skeptical

A majority view the coronavirus shots as an answer to prayer, a survey finds. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle Many of the 700 members of the Grace Chapel Church of Christ in Cumming, Ga., north of Atlanta, are excited about the rapid development of vaccines to fight COVID-19. “This is an answer to prayer, for certain,” said Paul Huyghebaert, the church’s lead minister. When his turn comes, … Continue reading Most Christians welcome the COVID-19 vaccines, but some are skeptical

In red-state Oklahoma, marijuana ballot question splits people of faith

Oklahoma residents grapple with faith, legalizing medical marijuana. @washingtonpost version of my @RNS story on State Question 788 https://t.co/hmmIRp7xzJ — Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) June 10, 2018 Clergy on both sides of State Question 788, which would permit the distribution of medical marijuana, call it a moral issue. By Bobby Ross Jr. | For Religion News Service OKLAHOMA CITY — As Presbyterian minister Bobby Griffith … Continue reading In red-state Oklahoma, marijuana ballot question splits people of faith

Learning NOT to love chicken-fried steak

Texas minister and wife focus on eating better and exercising more. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle WACO, Texas — When Jordan and Debbie Hubbard married nearly 13 years ago, they shared a love for tasty, high-calorie foods. Think Texas-sized chicken-fried steaks. “We were both fat and happy,” said Jordan Hubbard, 42, who at one time weighed close to 320 pounds. “We ate … Continue reading Learning NOT to love chicken-fried steak