By James E. Copple In 1967, being new in my faith and rather naïve, I arbitrarily sent a letter to all the Nazarene Colleges in the United States (six at the time) that said the first school to offer me $600 in financial-aid would become the school of my choice. Eastern Nazarene College (ENC) was […]

By James E. Copple In a summer of disaster, there’s hope and holy pride in the poignant, modestly magnanimous efforts of African refugee camps to lift our fellow man in need. The summer of 2017 has had more than its share of natural disasters: Hurricanes Harvey and Irma; earthquakes in Mexico; fires in the Western […]

FaithWatch is a publication of Strategic Applications International and Servant Forge. The mission of FaithWatch is to provide information and resources to faith communities on critical issues. It is about putting our faith into ACTION and designed to offer quick and easy interventions, supported by resources, strategies and best practices. Click on the FaithWatch thumbnail […]

By James E. Copple Donald Trump’s election to the presidency has generated heat, light and for many, perplexing grief. A lifelong Democrat, Trump wasn’t my candidate. Even so, I’m disconcerted by my feelings of grief – emotions more acute than when Reagan was elected or when the Bushes won office. I vacillate between anger and […]

By James E. Copple What am I missing here? Anyone seeking to be legally married should secure a license from the state, and I mean anyone. Once signed by the state, you are legally married. Marriage is a secular act, comparable to getting a license to operate a business; drive a car; or carry a […]

By James E. Copple There are at least 2.3 million compelling stories to be told in the self-perpetuating vicious cycle of institutional incarceration, narratives that attempt to answer: “Why? What happened?” But maybe the better question would ask: “What didn’t happen? What’s missing?” John and Cecelia have a story, and it’s one that traces the […]

By James E. Copple Alcohol has become a “hot topic” in circles of faith – the absolutes about alcohol consumption that kept us sheltered in the moralistic teachings of our ancestors are all but gone or at least ridiculed, and young people ask, “why not?” Therefore, the issues and consequences of alcohol use are surfacing […]

By James E. Copple   Where are the men? Gender-violence and human-trafficking are issues caused mostly by men but challenged mostly by women. There is a conspicuous silence and lack of interest on the part of Muslim men, government leaders (mostly men) and by men in general. Recent attention to the kidnapping of 276 Nigerian […]

By James E. Copple Occasionally, I have a crisis of confidence that undermines my faith; challenges my optimism; and generally leaves me grumpy and deflated. It was several weeks ago, in the silence of my home and looking over various projects mostly dealing with the poor and disenfranchised, when I wept (truly) and begged God […]