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Who is to say what’s right or wrong with rap music?
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Q: Is it wrong to listen to rap music? Some people say yes, others no. Some say it’s wrong to watch movies or certain television shows. Who is to say what’s right or wrong in these areas? – M.E.
A: We must remember that our minds are molded in many different ways – often in ways we are not ...Read more

Don’t people go to church anymore because there’s no longing for God?
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Q: In an age of instant gratification, few people understand the term “longing for God.” Is this a reason why so few people don’t go to church anymore; there’s no longing for God because we can fulfill all of our desires instantly? – L.G.
A: Longing means that a person is unsatisfied or ...Read more

Is it true that God uses people more when they’ve been through the fire of difficulties and despair?
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Q: Is it true that God uses people more when they’ve been through the fire of difficulties and despair? – T.F.
A: Consider the transformation in Simon Peter. He denied Christ. He was cowed by the crowd, shamed by a little maid, and took his place with the enemies of Christ. This was Peter who ...Read more

The God Squad: The Golden Rule is everywhere
The mission statement of the God Squad is that we know enough about how we are different and not enough yet about how we are all the same. I realize that I have been spending too much time writing about how we are different and not enough about how we are the same so let us begin our exaltation of sameness with the Golden Rule.
Q: You have ...Read more

What does it mean to surrender ourselves to the Lord?
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Q: What does it mean to surrender ourselves to the Lord? I am a Christian but I’m still a person with ambition and goals to attain. I doubt that the Lord expects us to give up our dreams. – S.A.
A: The hymnist J.W. Van DeVenter, who wrote “I Surrender All,” was not always a minister. His first...Read more

What’s the key to redirecting the mind?
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Q: Entertainment about dying and going to Heaven and coming back and telling breathtaking stories are popular. It’s a distraction from reality. The other horror that has been popularized is that Hell will be an eternal happy hour – fantasies that my kids are believing because of cultural ...Read more

Bird flu is causing an egg shortage. A church is giving dozens to those in need
COLUMBIA, S.C. — “It’s an eggs-ellent day,” Pastor John Ptak said as an orderly line formed and a light drizzle fell outside the White Knoll, South Carolina, campus of Radius Church on Thursday morning.
People lined up early for free eggs, handed out by the dozen at the weekly food pantry operated by the church.
When they heard of the ...Read more

Can I mend my relationships with my parents?
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Q: My parents didn’t have much time for us children but they did provide for us lavishly. I want to be successful like they have been – traveling the world, attending parties – but I can’t hide the fact that my siblings and I really don’t like being around them. I don’t want to just feed my...Read more

Is there a way to straighten out my tangled mind?
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Q: My job was eliminated and I was given the chance to work in another position reporting to a person I hired and trained. I left the company pretty mad. This was unfair and unjust. I’m not happy with how I’m handling it, but I would have been more miserable if I had stayed under such humiliating ...Read more

Are mass deportations Christian? Florida leaders contemplate the question
Thomas Wenski, the archbishop of Miami, has been working with immigrants in Miami for going on 50 years.
His flock is worried. Although thousands of recent immigrants in his Catholic archdiocese are here legally, many know people who are not. Florida is home to some 1.2 million people who are in the country illegally.
Some of Wenski’s ...Read more

The God Squad: The way love heals us
In an interfaith column like The God Squad, it is easy to scoop up sectarian holidays and learn from their wisdom. Passover, Chanukah, Easter, Christmas, Diwali, Ramadan, Vesak all have much to teach us about the way sacred time intersects with secular time. However, the sacred calendar does not have ...Read more

Religious groups suing to prevent ICE raids in houses of worship
Twenty-seven organizations representing Jewish and Christian-based denominations filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against President Donald Trump’s administration, asking a judge to prevent immigration enforcement actions in houses of worship.
As part of the administration’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants, the Department of Homeland ...Read more

Should athletes talk about religion and politics? What Americans said in new poll
Athletes have historically displayed their faith in different ways during competitions, and a majority of Americans who watch sports are supportive of it, a new poll found.
Fifty-six percent of sports fans in the U.S. said they are very or somewhat supportive of athletes speaking about religious faith or other spiritual issues, according to a ...Read more
Amid sweeping immigration crackdown, Minnesota churches scrambling to respond
Church leaders are scrambling to respond as the Trump administration makes sweeping changes in immigration policy, ranging from freezing federal funds for refugee resettlement to revoking a policy prohibiting the arrest of undocumented immigrants in Christian houses of worship.
“This is a moment for us to recommit to the stranger among us ...Read more
Georgia-based Baptist group joins lawsuit to keep ICE out of churches
ATLANTA — A network of Baptist churches headquartered in Georgia is suing the Department of Homeland Security over its decision to scrap a Biden-era policy that limited federal immigration arrests near so-called “sensitive locations,” such as churches, schools and hospitals.
The Decatur-based Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s lawsuit ...Read more

The God Squad: Can prayer heal people?
As we move away from God winks for a bit and devote our time and love to understanding the big questions, we encounter a very big question, “Can prayer heal?”
Q: I read your column faithfully. My question for you is my prayer list. It just keeps growing, and I have had a difficult time reading my list and praying for each person and ...Read more

Kansas City's International House of Prayer founder committed sexual abuse, misconduct against 17 women, investigation finds
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — International House of Prayer-Kansas City founder Mike Bickle committed sexual abuse or misconduct against 17 women — including minors — over decades, amid a thriving culture of systematic abuse and coverups, a third-party investigation has found.
“Throughout the investigation, we have identified and interviewed ...Read more

Rev. Budde, who asked Trump to 'show mercy,' says the time for love is now
ATLANTA — The physical health benefits of love have been affirmed by science — reduced depression, lower blood pressure, less anxiety, and even improved sleep. In this moment of political division in the United States, theologians say Americans must now look to the spiritual benefits of love, and seek to reconnect with those who hold ...Read more

Michigan priest defrocked for imitating Elon Musk's 'Nazi' salute
A Michigan priest was relieved of his duties after giving what appeared to be a Nazi salute inspired by Elon Musk at a political rally last week.
The Anglican Catholic Church condemned Father Calvin Robinson for making “a gesture that many have interpreted as a pro-Nazi salute” at the end of an address to an anti-abortion, right-wing ...Read more

The God Squad: Is faith for babies?
Q: Your exploration of the question “Is God Too Big For Us?” was of much interest. I appreciate your honesty in noting that we do not have knowledge about God. Thus your words about God are declarations of faith, but not matters of knowledge. My question has to do with your faith confession that trust in God is like the words of a child�...Read more
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