Last night Jamie and I walked over to a small taqueria down the street to eat dinner on their patio. We brought our dog, Jayber. Shortly after we sat down, a group of about 10 bikers came in. Big and loud. We gave them our table and moved over to the other side of the … Continue reading A Short Story →

"Christianity Will Have Power" - The New York Times Jesus was born into the kingdom of Herod, and Herod was a very powerful king. But Jesus quickly realized that his way of leadership would not be Herod’s. "My kingdom," he says to Pilate, "is not of this world." The temptation of Jesus, of course, would … Continue reading Power →

One of the best books I have read recently, and probably the best book on writing I have ever read, is Several short sentences about writing by Verlyn Klinkenborg. Jamie picked it up for me when we were at a bookstore a couple of months ago thinking I would like it. Klinkenborg has a Ph.D. … Continue reading Several short sentences about writing →

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16First Baptist Church, Eagle Lake, TexasJuly 19, 2020Brent Beasley https://www.youtube.com/embed/D0e6y3C73m0 I have lived in Fort Worth for the last eleven years. I lead an organization called the Fort Worth Education Partnership, which is dedicated to the idea that every child in Fort Worth deserves access to a high-quality public education, no matter what … Continue reading Following the Way →

High up in the Winchester Cathedral in England sits a stained glass window that is extremely unusual for the time in which it was created — the 17th century. It doesn’t represent a scene from the Bible. It doesn’t memorialize a saint. It’s a kaleidoscope of colors, a very contemporary looking stained glass window. It’s … Continue reading A Quality Education for All →

Brooks Ramsey died yesterday at the age of 98, two weeks after his wife of 75 years, Rebecca, died at age 93. Brooks was the first pastor of Second Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. Their current pastor, Stephen Cook, texted me last night to let me know about Brooks; I was so sorry to hear … Continue reading Brooks Ramsey: A Eulogy →

Mark 11:1-11 Broadway Baptist Church Palm Sunday March 29, 2015 Brent Beasley The story actually begins earlier and miles away, in Galilee, where Jesus of Nazareth lived and for three years taught in the synagogues in the fishing villages around the lake and on the hillsides and on the roads. He had gathered followers, disciples, … Continue reading Holy Interruptions: Jesus →

Matthew 5:21-26 Rising Star Baptist Church Sixth Sunday after Epiphany February 16, 2020 Brent Beasley When your heart is clenched in anger, it is shut tight against love. And you only have one heart. [Barbara Blaisdell, “Pastoral Perspective,” Feasting on the Gospels, Matthew, Volume 1, p. 94] Now, Jesus does not simply say, Do not … Continue reading Before You Get to the Altar →

Like a lot of people these days, I am following closely the process of Democrats choosing a candidate to run against Donald Trump, and at the same time I happen to be reading a remarkable book on strategy and leadership by Yale professor John Lewis Gaddis called On Grand Strategy. Gaddis uses a central metaphorical … Continue reading The Hedgehog and the Fox →

February 16  -  Rising Star Baptist Church