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Continue reading →: The Amish can teach us the spiritual benefits of simplicity
If you were to ask me what religious denomination is growing in the United States, I would have guessed the Pentecostals. Well, my guess is wrong. The fastest growing religious group in America is the Amish. You know the Amish, right? They are the folks who live on farms, refuse…
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Continue reading →: Prophets keep alive the ministry of imagination
When was the last time you hosted a tea party and invited a bunny, a doll, a witch, stuffed bears, and your younger brother? How about the last time you sat on the rug, held an airplane in one hand and a tank in the other and had an epic…
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Continue reading →: Ezekiel shows God on the move and calls us to participate
Every now and then I find myself in the office listening to a person who has just passed through a crisis of faith. Many crises come as a result of a life-change or loss, perhaps in the midst of grief or anger. Whatever the cause, most crises of faith have…
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Continue reading →: Tips for finding a new church
Trying to find a new church can be a daunting, overwhelming, and exhausting task. Whether a person is new to the area or simply searching for a new place to worship, finding that “perfect” community takes time and prayer. We pastors spend a lot of time with guests. Many people…
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Continue reading →: Students are encouraged to follow in Jesus’ footsteps: Grow in wisdom and stature!
Rockdale readers: My guess is that not many young people from the middle and high school crowd read the newspaper; so, I need to ask you a favor: Please pass this along to a young person nearest you. It’s been nearly three weeks since Rockdale County students have returned to…
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Continue reading →: Conversion is a Baptist’s cup of tea, fraught with diverse theologies
I. I guess you can say that we Baptists have a love affair with conversions. Audacious, Damascus-road conversions. If someone comes up to you on the street and asks if you’re saved, I’ll bet my Bible he’s a Baptist. To this day, despite the fact that I’m in the ministry,…
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Continue reading →: Make room for storytelling, memoirs of faith as a spiritual practice
My father’s side of the family is especially good at storytelling. I don’t know what it is about those LaGuardias, but their stories can captivate people for hours. It’s probably my Grandpa’s influence. I remember attending barbeques (“grilling out” in the South) as a child and listening to him for…
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Continue reading →: Christians approach the public square with agape love
It was Paul who wrote that Christians should, “Be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God” (Romans 13:1). At the time, he was writing to churches in the heart of the Roman empire that they were concerned with their relationship to the state. And,…
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Continue reading →: “The Avengers” and “Dark Knight Rises” inspire questions concerning God’s vengeance, loving our enemies
“Remind us again, O maker of peace, O drier of tear and calmer of storm, that lion and lamb share a common destiny” (Kenneth Sehested). Throughout the school year, I order my life around the Christian calender. That calendar begins with Advent and ends with Holy Trinity Sunday. But in…
Engaging Heart, Mind, and Soul
Rev. Dr. Joe LaGuardia
Rev. Dr. Joe LaGuardia is a pastor, writer, and chaplain residing in Florida. He is author of three books and regular contributor to Smyth & Helwys’ Formations Series. His articles have appeared in USA Today, Baptist News Global, Christian Ethics Today, TCPalm, and Rockdale Citizen.
Baptist Spirituality explores the intersection of faith and culture incorporating biblical scholarship, culture and the arts, politics, science, and theology.
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