Bill Jones muses about Baptists, faith, ethics, justice, politics . . . and more
It’s been 5 long years since the love of my life went to be with Jesus in the wee hours (1:16 a.m., according to the doctor attending Joanna in the hospital) of February 14, 2021. In those 5 years, I’ve written thousands upon thousands of words about Joanna and what she meant to me, which Read more . . .
“The devil sure got ahold of you!” – Steve Troxel, November 1970 In the fall of 1969, I had come to OBU, as many freshmen do, assured that – when it came to God, salvation, the hereafter, and so forth – I had all the answers. After all, I had been in Southern Baptist churches Read more . . .
Forty-nine years ago last night, I went to bed a single man in the apartment of my best friend, Bob Morris. Forty-nine years ago tonight, I went to bed next to my new bride, Joanna, in OUR new home. I’ve written so much about Joanna since she passed away in February 2021 that one might Read more . . .
Frank Sinatra, in 1965, recorded a beautiful song titled The September of My Years, which lent its name to the cover of an album he released that year. In an emotionally rich song, Frank wistfully reflects back on his life, “smiling gently as I near September, the golden warm September of my years.” Late that Read more . . .
One year ago today – July 27, 2024 – almost 3½ years after Joanna’s passing, our family gathered with friends, at our house, to share memories of this woman who truly had touched all of our lives in profound ways – as well as many, many more who were unable to attend. I bought a Read more . . .
On April 4, 2021 – Easter Sunday – we inurned Joanna’s cremains in the Columbarium at our beloved Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas. Mine will join hers there after the Lord calls me home. A few days earlier, our then-pastor, George Mason, and I talked on the phone. My dear friend George gave me encouragement Read more . . .
Click for AUDIO; Click for PART 1: Introduction Links in this post: 1, 6/25/2016: photo of Joanna & me with Nancy & Ken Sehested; 2, 8/6/2018: Bill Jones article in Baptist Standard; 3, 8/1/2018: Ross Shelton article in Baptist Standard; 4, 7/27/2018: Jackie Baugh Moore article in Ethics Daily; 5, 2/15/2020: Bill Jones, Closing Logsdon Read more . . .
Click for AUDIO; Click for PART 11: Other memories not fitting neatly into just one of the categories of the previous 10 posts Link in this post: Video of Charlie Johnson’s 2016 TBC Breakfast address: Public Education and the Struggle for Religious Liberty 2013-present: Pastors for Texas Children In the late 2000s, Suzii Paynter – then Read more . . .
Click for AUDIO; Click for PART 10, 2013-present: Pastors for Texas Children Links in this post: 1, T. B. Maston Foundation website; 2, “Baptist Briefs videos on YouTube”; 3, Baptist Briefs videos on the Youth Revival Movement; 4, Riding the Wind of God: A Personal History of the Youth Revival Movement; 5, Both-And: A Maston Reader; Read more . . .
Click for AUDIO; Click for PART 9, 2008-2020: T. B. Maston Foundation for Christian Ethics Links in this post: 1, Baptist Briefs videos on YouTube; 2, Good Faith Media article about the end of Weekly Baptist Roundup; 3, Baptist News Global Curated page; 4, Baptist Standard article about the end of TBC; 5, Bill Jones remarks Read more . . .