Posts published in “In the Margins”

IN THE MARGINS: Live and let love – when to speak up (and when to stay quiet)

IN THE MARGINS: Live and let love – when to speak up (and when to stay quiet)

October 3, 2025

By Tony MartinEditor “Live and let live” sounds peaceful, doesn’t it? You do you, I’ll do me, and as long as nobody tramples anyone’s rights,…

IN THE MARGINS: Forgiving the unforgivable

IN THE MARGINS: Forgiving the unforgivable

September 25, 2025

IN THE MARGINS: Whatever happened to empathy?

IN THE MARGINS: Whatever happened to empathy?

September 17, 2025

IN THE MARGINS: How should Christians think about conflict?

(Photo credit: shutterstock.com/danhusseyphoto)

IN THE MARGINS: How should Christians think about conflict?

September 10, 2025

IN THE MARGINS: Rekindling the spark of spiritual momentum

IN THE MARGINS: Rekindling the spark of spiritual momentum

September 3, 2025

Clergy Act advances from House
Ways and Means Committee
DALLAS – On Dec. 10 the House Ways and Means Committee advanced the Clergy Act, H.R. 227, in a bipartisan, unanimous vote. The Clergy Act would provide ministers who opted out of Social Security a one-time window to opt back in. The bipartisan legislation was reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by California Congressmen Vince Fong and Mike Thompson, and has gained the support of several co-sponsors. The legislation is supported by GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention and other leaders from a wide variety of large and historic denominational benefit boards. In a news release issued by Rep. Fong’s office, GuideStone President Hance Dilbeck expressed gratitude to Fong for his leadership. The Clergy Act would create a two-year window beginning in 2029 that would allow eligible ministers who have opted out of Social Security to revoke their exemption and begin contributing. Ministers must still meet the standard 10-year contribution requirement to earn full retired-worker benefits, receiving benefits proportional to their contributions.