Twenty years ago we were holding our heads down in shame as we endured the ugly PTL scandal?which added new phrases to our national vocabulary such as “air conditioned dog house” and “gold-plated faucets.” Televangelist Jim Bakker went to prison, Jimmy Swaggart’s Bible college collapsed and many disillusioned people lost faith in evangelical ministries because donor funds were misused.
By J. lee grady
We don’t talk much today about Nadab and Abihu. They were obscure Bible characters who failed miserably. Certainly their tragic story doesn’t work well as an illustration in the typical seeker-friendly sermon about wealth or success. So we tend to ignore these guys, even though they are mentioned in the Old Testament nine times.
By J. Lee Grady
My heart sank two weeks ago when I heard that Dr. D. James Kennedy had died at age 76 of complications from an earlier heart attack. Knowing that Jerry Falwell died in May, and considering that Billy Graham is not in good health, I wondered who could possibly replace these stalwart Christian statesmen.
By J. Lee Grady
I’ve been holding my tongue for a few weeks since I learned that Bishop Thomas Weeks III was arrested after being accused of kicking, choking and hitting his wife, prominent preacher Juanita Bynum, in a hotel parking lot in Atlanta on Aug. 22. We did not need another embarrassing display of religious hypocrisy played out in the national media.
By J. Lee Grady
Mark Hall doesn’t act like a celebrity. It’s not that the lead singer of the rock worship band Casting Crowns doesn’t appreciate his two platinum records or the awards he’s received from the recording industry. It’s just that fame is not his goal.
By J. Lee Grady
My cell phone was jammed this week with messages from friends who had just heard shocking news reports about several prominent Christian leaders. All the callers asked the same question: “What in the world is happening to the church?”
