As gun violence in America has many churches taking a closer look at security plans, one East Texas pastor has a unique perspective on the matter. Brother Norman Crisp’s congregation at First Baptist Church in Daingerfield knows tragedy firsthand. On June 22, 1980, a gunman opened fire there, ultimately killing 5 people and wounding 10…
Tag: Religion
McClung family moving to Poland to pursue ministry as YWAM missionaries
An East Texas family is preparing to embark on a long-term mission to serve others in the region from a newly-established ministry base in southern Poland. This week marks one year since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine. The anniversary highlights an ongoing humanitarian crisis across central Europe. In early May, the McClung family…
Namesake of Tyler’s first hospital, current chaplain share common connection to Poland
The namesake of Tyler’s CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Hospital and a chaplain currently serving patients there share an interesting connection. Polish-born Mother Frances Siedliska founded the order of religious known as the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth in 1875. Years later in the 1930s, 16 sisters came to Tyler from Chicago to operate…
Cloistered Dominican nuns mark 75 years of prayer in East Texas
The Monastery of the Infant Jesus is celebrating 75 years since its founding in East Texas. Located on Lotus Lane in north Lufkin, the community of nearly two dozen cloistered Dominican nuns are devoted to praying for the needs of the world around them. “I wanted to be hidden so that God could be the…
World’s largest airport chaplaincy provides peace in busy DFW Airport
At the start of the holiday travel season, countless East Texans will be among the passengers navigating crowds at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Despite the airport being one of the busiest places on Earth, people are finding their faith inside one of the five DFW Airport interfaith chapels. “You don’t ever know how travel is…
Wine-making family weathers seasons of change by relying on prayer
Kiepersol Estates Winery is marking 20 years in East Texas. Their journey from South Africa has become a testament to the power of prayer. The homegrown business has weathered everything from weather extremes to the loss of its founder. But there’s now a sense of peace at the vineyards in Bullard, according to proprietor Marnelle…
WATCH: Centuries of Chinese history lie in wait at Temple of Heaven
Click here to tour the Temple of Heaven, a complex of religious buildings in central Beijing.
Good Samaritan couple survives roadside crash
After a violent roadside crash, an East Texas couple is dedicating their lives to restoring others’ relationships with God. Late on May 19, Jerry and Sheri Beeson pulled off Interstate 20 at the Farm-to-Market Road 31 overpass west of Marshall. They were trying to help a man who had wrecked his Jeep Grand Cherokee earlier…
Commander’s widow shares journey of faith on 15th anniversary of Shuttle Columbia tragedy
This month marks 15 years since the Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart over East Texas. The widow of the Columbia’s commander is sharing how that tragedy turned into a test of faith for her family. While enduring the loss of a spouse wasn’t easy, Evelyn Husband-Thompson says she has been able to find healing comfort…
Why the Cologne Cathedral is Germany’s most-visited destination
The Cologne Cathedral, a symbol of Christianity’s influence through the ages, is the most-visited destination in Germany. Situated along the shores of the river Rhine, the church is also home to the shrine of the Magi, making it one of the most significant pilgrimage destinations for believers. After the remains of the Magi were transferred…
Baseball legend Darryl Strawberry uses ministry to reach others battling addiction
After a very public fall from grace, a Major League Baseball legend, has dedicated his life to preaching the Gospel and sharing a message of redemption. Darryl Strawberry became one of the biggest stars in baseball in the 1980s and 1990s, until his career was derailed by drugs. Drafted by the New York Mets, Strawberry…
Sewing Hope: The extraordinary woman called the ‘Mother Theresa of Africa’
Wednesday, I had the opportunity to spend time with an extraordinary woman who has changed the lives of thousands of young girls, who otherwise would remain on the fringes of society. Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe is gaining worldwide attention for her humanitarian work to rescue children from a notorious rebel army in Africa. She’s helping mend…
Major relics of history’s youngest saint in history visit Tyler cathedral
Thousands of East Texans journeyed to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Tyler this week to venerate the youngest saint ever canonized. The major remains of Maria Goretti left Italy for a first-time tour of the United States. For the faithful, it was an opportunity to reflect on the life and sacrifice of the…
Actor Kirk Cameron shares his spiritual walk from atheist to evangelist
Actor Kirk Cameron became a pop culture idol as the star of the 1980s hit TV comedy ‘Growing Pains.’ Raised in a family without God, he found his faith while portraying teenager Mike Seaver on the ABC sitcom. Now, as one of the most prominent Christian voices in Hollywood, Cameron is inspiring others by sharing…
Ministers patrolling E. Texas streets through community policing program
Rockie Simpler is not a peace officer, but a man of the cloth. Still, his ministry puts him alongside Mount Pleasant police officers — armed only with the word of God. “This patrol car is my church,” Simpler said. “I use it as a tool to go out and help people with the Lord. I…
Theology on Tap serves up Bible study with a twist
A Christian men’s group in Tyler is reaching out the faithful in an unlikely way, through Bible study with a twist. Theology on Tap provides fellowship and conversations about faith and spirituality in a casual setting. Rev. Justin Braun, a priest with the Catholic Diocese of Tyler, helped start the group in 2012. “We’re East…
E. Texas priest awaits ordination as bishop of Tyler diocese
In the two months since the announcement that Pope Benedict XVI had chosen a local priest to become the fourth bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Tyler, Reverend Monsignor Joseph E. Strickland has kept a whirlwind schedule. Through his blog, “Run Father Run,” Bishop-elect Strickland has provided an inside look at his latest spiritual journey…
Are we losing faith in America?
The number of Christians in the U.S. has decreased by 10 percent over the last decade, according to the American Religious Identification Survey. Protestants accounted for the biggest segment of the membership drop. Roman Catholicism, the other segment of Christians, saw a shift in geographic location. The majority of the denomination’s members is now centered in the…
Lane Luckie 