The statistics suggest that over the last decade in America, the cultural Christians have finally begun to break ranks with other, more observant Christians. It’s not that participating Christianity is declining so much as it is that the persons who in previous surveys have classified themselves as ‘Christian’ because it was the culturally expected thing to do have now begun no longer to classify themselves with any religious designation at all. From recent Pew surveys we are told that the ranks of fervent Christians – including especially evangelicals – have slipped hardly at all. But the numerical decline among their less observant mainline counterparts has begun to accelerate. The decline of cultural Christianity is both a good and a bad thing for the future of the Christian religion in the United States. It is a good thing in that the Christian church will now be smaller, sleeker, and more muscular. Its members will really believe its doctrines and will not be participating in its ..Continue reading→
Home
Thoughts
What are Friends and Family For?
During the Christmas season, friends and family are one of the blessings we celebrate. But, looking at our actual life choices, many of us do not always see friends and family as sources of strength along life’s journey. A New York Times special report that was published online on October 18, 2015 described the life and death of a retired mover named George Bell. There was nothing distinctive about Bell and he died alone of heart disease in his apartment at age 72, without any family being aware of his existence. The article concluded that Bell’s solitary existence, life, and death are becoming all too commonplace among the 50,000 or so deceased persons in New York City each year. For Gerard Sweeney, a private lawyer who does public administrative work and handles cases like Bell’s, “You can die in such anonymity in New York. We’ve had instances of people dead for months. No one finds them, no one misses them.” The statistics suggest that Bell’s life of solitude is increasingly frequen..Continue reading→
Is the Reformation Mostly Over?
Today, nearly 500 years after the Protestant reformation, orthodox Protestants and Catholics are closer to each other than they perhaps have ever been. And this is as it should be. While they still have important differences about the primacy of Rome, the place of Mary, justification by faith, and the structure of the church, it is not uncommon on practical ethics issues for conservative Protestants and Catholics to be working alongside each other in the political trenches – and to view each other as allies in every possible sense of the term. What has driven them closer together is the need for survival in the face of an aggressive and advancing secularism. Today faithful Christians of all kinds – Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox – are being urged by their secular counterparts to cast aside their antiquated beliefs about God and families, and instead to embrace new ideas about gender, marriage, human personhood, and God (i.e. God’s non-existence) that are more compatible with ‘conte..Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
Ephesians 2:19
“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,”Continue reading→
Mark 8:29 (08-29-16)
And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.— Mark 8:29 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... The sweetest confession we will ever make is this: I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and I want him to be Lord of my life. Let's say it again, out loud, to the glory of God the father. Then, let's commit that before the year ends, we're going to help someone else come to say it for the first tim..Continue reading→
Galatians 3:28
“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”Continue reading→
Romans 8:28 (08-28-16)
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.— Romans 8:28 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... The real issue in our lives is not God's faithfulness, but ours. The history of God's faithfulness to Israel and to his promises is found in the Scriptures. We can depend and rely on him to do what he promises, despite the apparent circumstances of our lives. The real issue is whether or not we choose..Continue reading→
Prayers
One with Christ
Passage: Galatians 3:15-29 Prayer: Dear Father, Thank you, Father, for giving your holy law to Moses and for the role it played in bringing people to Christ. Thank you even more that Christ has come as our real teacher and that we have been delivered to him, that we might be justified by faith. Thank you for making us your sons through faith, for making it possible to put on Christ by our baptism into Christ. Thank you that in him there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, but that..Continue reading→
Church & Ministries
5 Values for a Healthy and Unified Team
At Saddleback Church we say we are One Church Many Locations and in Saddleback Worship we place the idea of functioning as one team as one of our top team values. The transformative powers of a healthy and united team are unmatched. Here are some sweet points to help us remember what being one team is all about. Unconditional Love “Let love be your highest goal.” 1 Corinthians 14:1 A healthy team begins and ends with love. Unconditional love means that every team member is wanted and valued. ..Continue reading→
Church, parents urged to help kids believe in God more after study shows ‘crisis in faith’ among younger generation
The youth are the hope of the Church, with their young minds serving as a blank canvas for the promotion of the Christian faith. A new study, however, revealed that some of those from the young generation are taking the wrong turn in terms of their spiritual life, giving Christian parents a greater role in keeping their kids' faith now more than ever. Research conducted by Dr. Mark Gray, a senior research associate at the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetow..Continue reading→
Perry Noble: Alcohol treatment was ‘one of the most difficult things I’ve experienced’
Perry Noble has said treatment for alcohol abuse was "the hardest thing he'd experienced". Perry Noble, the former pastor of the Newspring megachurch fired over alcohol problems who checked into a 30-day rehab programme, has said his period in an Arizona treatment facility was "one of the most difficult things I've ever experienced". Noble was dismissed by his church's board of directors in July. They said in a statement he had "made some unfortunate choices and decisions that h..Continue reading→
Few evangelical churches led by a woman
A woman raises her hand in prayer during a Joel Osteen ministry event at Yankee Stadium in New York. White men still dominate leadership of evangelical ministries, according to a survey by Religion News Service. Just one of 33 ministries contacted was led by a woman and just three by non-white men. Reporter Steve Rabey, who carried out the survey with support from the Fund for Investigative Journalism, found that more than half of the ministries contacted declined to answer questions a..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
Happy Wife. Happy Life.
Since the world streams into our homes electronically, it’s pretty easy to see that setting the world’s concerns aside means shutting the online door. This should be common sense. But recognize that this is God’s direction. He teaches us how to have a happy home. Dedicated time away from the world is his formula to equip us for strong relationships when the time is right for us to engage the world with vigor. The beeps. The buzzes. The vibrations. The earbuds. The squinting eyes. The bluish glo..Continue reading→
Progressive Christians to “Take Back Their Faith” After Election
Astute observers realize that this is more about being properly positioned and seen as against manufactured evils – how “moral” and “religious” they look to other like-minded people choosing ‘love’ over ‘hate’ – rather than genuine concern for the people/groups these “evils,” it’s claimed, negatively effect. It’s self-congratulatory virtue vanity, it’s empty, and it violates Jesus’ admonition against practicing one’s righteousness before men instead of calling those they claim to represent to a ..Continue reading→
The Whole Church Showing Up in Your Quiet Time
When I sit down to read my Bible, I remember that I am not alone. The Scripture is not alone either. I’m not only depending on the Spirit to work in me for that moment; I know that he has been working in the church universal through the centuries, preserving an orthodox profession and testifying to the truth of God’s Word. I know he is working in my local church, participating in this retrieval and Reformation, looking back to the church universal and “translat[ing] it into our new cultural cont..Continue reading→
“Conscience” by Naselli and Crowley (A Review)
I wish the authors would have related justification to the conscience and Christian liberty. Sadly, the doctrine of justification was not discussed in this book. In reality, Christian liberty is an “appendage of justification,” as Calvin said; certainly justification has everything to do with our conscience and Christian liberty (see Gal. 5:1 & Westminster Confession of Faith ch. 20). The Reformation had a lot to say about justification, liberty, and conscience! This book would have been even be..Continue reading→
Life & Society
C of E’s First Woman Bishop Questions Appointment Of ‘Wonder Woman’ As UN Ambassador
Bishop of Stockport Libby Lane, pictured here with the Archbishop of Canterbury after her consecration as the Church of England's first woman bishop, delivered the Temple lecture last night.Reuters The Church of England's first woman bishop has questioned the appointment of the comic book character "Wonder Woman" as an honorary ambassador for the United Nations. Bishop of Stockport Libby Lane said: "We live in a world where there are women who are everyday heroes in all walks of life..Continue reading→
Persecution ‘All Too Familiar’ As World Marks International Religious Freedom Day
Western Christians have become immune to those suffering religious persecution, Bishop Angaelos, the head bishop of the Coptic Church in the UK, warned on Thursday. In a statement to mark International Religious Freedom Day 2016, Angaelos said the oppression of faith minorities has become "an all-too familiar occurrence". But despite the importance of freedom of belief many have become "desensitised or disheartened" by the struggle. Christians abandon their homes in Iraq to escape violence fro..Continue reading→
The More People Have Benefits Stopped, The More They Turn To Food Banks
Reuters New research from Christian-based charity the Trussell Trust suggests that taking away benefits from people as a punishment means they end up using foodbanks. The study, carried out with researchers from Oxford University, said that 'sanctions', which see the withdrawal of benefits for breaking the rules, lead to an increase in the use of food banks, which are often hosted by churches. The sanctions regime has been criticizsd for being too harsh, with people sanctioned for m..Continue reading→
‘You Don’t Have to Like Her’: Oprah Winfrey Endorses Clinton for President on T.D. Jakes Show
Talk show host Oprah Winfrey recently appeared on the “T.D. Jakes Show,” where she urged viewers to vote for Hillary Clinton, stating that “you don’t have to like her” to vote for her. During the broadcast, Jakes, leader of the Potter’s House megachurch in Dallas, Texas, asked Winfrey how the country can be unified rather than divided. “We have focused so much on what divides us, rather than what unites us,” he said. “You brought all types of people together that normally would not be. How are..Continue reading→
Music
Colors by House Of Heroes
Track Listing 01. This City Is a Cage 02. Colors Run 03. Pioneer 04. Rat 05. We Make Our Stars 06. Feel 07. God 08. In the End 09. Crash 10. Matador 11. Shots Fired 12. Get Away 13. Colors Die OutContinue reading→
One Way & The Fruit of the Spirit by SwordSmith Records
This DVD+CD Combo is an action-packed gospel adventure story and includes 4 new verse songs and a kids worship song! Mr. Luinski, a nasty businessman, overhears a group of unsuspecting friends talking about one of the most incredible things God has given us, the fruit of the Spirit. He hears them say that the fruit is valuable, so Luinski follows the friends around during their fun-filled weekend unsuccessfully trying to steal the fruit. By revealing his need for salvation, his trusty assistant, Jane, explains the truth about Christ and the fruit of the Spirit. Join Luinski, Jane, and a group of friends[...]Continue reading→
Everything Was Sound by Silent Planet
Vocalist Garrett Russell who holds a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology (and revealed that he has been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder) delves wholly into mental health with this release. Each song deals with a different character diagnosed with mental illness, whether caused by environmental factors or they are adapting to the world they find themselves in.[...]Continue reading→
Hold the Light by Bread of Stone
Track Listing 01. I'm Not Afraid 02. Sing Hallelujah 03. Parachute (f/ Matt Daily of Superchick) 04. It's All For You 05. Be Still (f/ Tricia of Superchick) 06. Like A River 07. Battleground (f/ Manafest) 08. The Change (f/ Beacon Light) 09. With All Of My Heart 10. Start Over Continue reading→
In The River by Hollis Creek Revival
Track Listing 01. Believe 02. Wildfire 03. Holding On 04. Home 05. Right On Time 06. Like Brand New 07. Sing Loud 08. Violin 09. Weightless Yesterday 10. What A Day That Will Be Continue reading→
Fearless (Live from DTI 2016) by Vineyard Music UK
Worship is at the heart of Dreaming The Impossible (DTI) and that's what FEARLESS (Live From DTI 2016)is all about. DTI is the national Vineyard youth festival for the UK and Ireland bringing together a generation of young people to meet Jesus and fearlessly follow Him. It's in Jesus that we find purpose, hope, freedom and a secure identity rooted in Him. Then we dream the impossible. DTI is about inspiring and equipping young people to love their local church and change the world. We come together as family to worship Jesus, dig into His Word and expect to be changed as[...]Continue reading→
PIECES by Trisha Alicia
"Pieces," with music featuring Canton Jones and Antonio Neal, is full of urban contemporary Christian songs and spoken word that boasts declarations of what God is doing, for those committed to trusting in Him. From the intro, a short piece that gives a grounding of who Trisha is and why the project was necessary, to the title track, "Pieces" the story of Trisha and another woman who, despite setbacks come to Christ and say take my pieces and make them into something beautiful this project is sure to please. The creative body of work takes the listener on an inspirational journey with[...]Continue reading→
Beyond Control by Kings Kaleidoscope
King's Kaleidoscope: an amalgamation of members as frenzied and flawless as the band's sound. The group is comprised of up to ten musicians, each bringing different musical genres to the table. Any number of instruments can be found in the bands lineup at a given time: A string trio, horns section, two drummers, flute, vibraphone, guitars and vintage synths weave an incredibly detailed musical tapestry. With each song, King's Kaleidoscope presents orchestral, overwhelmingly imaginative compositions that continuously bounce and overlap musical genres. With roaring horns, looped drums, chopped and reverbed orchestral notes and vocal melodies, King's Kaleidoscope takes each listener through[...]Continue reading→
Shine On Us by Vineyard Music
Shine On Us was recorded LIVE at Cause Con 2016, a 3-day catalytic conference launching young adults further into God's kingdom calling on their lives. Over 500 from across the US converged in Kansas City, MO to worship, connect, inspire, and engage in something bigger than themselves: a #Cause2Live4.[...]Continue reading→
American
Woman Complains About Body Image Issues After Late-Term Abortion of Girl With Spina Bifida
Missouri mom Jessica McCoy had a late-term abortion a few months ago after learning that her unborn daughter had spina bifida and a chromosomal abnormality. The mother of three born children has been sharing about her abortion publicly, both describing her grief at the loss of her daughter and justifying her decision to have her unborn daughter killed because of the girl’s disabilities. Several women’s publications picked up McCoy’s story this week after she posted photos on Instagram describi..
Texas Lawmakers Initially Approve Bill to Ban Abortions on Babies Just Because of Their Race or Gender
Today, the Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 415, the Dismemberment Abortion Ban, on second reading. The bill was preliminarily approved by the Senate on a bipartisan 22-9 vote. In addition to every Republican of the Senate supporting the measure, two Democrats – Senators Eddie Lucio Jr. (D-Brownsville) and Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) – voted for the life-saving measure. Senate Bill 415 and House Bill 844, the Dismemberment Abortion Ban, outlaw the barbaric and inhumane procedure that ends the li..
More Patients in Quebec Killed in Assisted Suicide as Hundreds Request Lethal Drugs
CBC news reported (March 14) that the number of euthanasia deaths in Québec significantly increased in the second half of 2016. According to the CBC news report: A total of 461 patients were granted doctor-assisted death during the first year of Quebec’s medical aid in dying law, according to data obtained by CBC’s French-language service, Radio-Canada. The number of requests increased significantly in the second half of 2016. From December 2015 to end of June 2016, 253 patients requested the ..
Woman Was About to Have an Abortion When Something Incredible Happened to Save Her Baby’s Life
Two volunteers at the 40 Days for Life vigil in Pensacola spoke to a deeply troubled young woman who had conceived a child as the result of a sexual assault. “She was hurting and felt that abortion was her only solution to the recent trauma she had experienced,” said Ernie, the local coordinator. Counselors offered encouragement, assistance, prayers and tears. But still, she believed abortion was her only option … and she went inside the abortion center. The volunteers kept praying – and trust..
Australia
Bringing them up in the Lord
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS Wednesday 21 December 2016 About 60 million children in China are “left behind” in their home villages, to be looked after by their grandparents or relatives because their parents are trying to find work in cities. This enormous group of neglected children – more than a quarter of the 215 million children in China – is in great need of hope, encouragement and care. These “left-behind” children are highly vulnerable to serious crimes such as sexual abuse and assault and suff..
Back where it all began
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS Saturday 20 December 2016 Next year is a special year. Bible Society Australia will be celebrating its bicentenary, but 2017 is not only about thanking God for all he’s done in the past through his word. Bible Society Australia is calling upon you, your church and your community groups to help us continue the legacy of equipping our people with the life-giving word of God. Get The Word Out (GTWO) is Bible Society Australia’s year-long focus on providing one nation on earth ..
Everything you helped us achieve in 2016
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS | Greg Clarke Monday 19 December 2016 Bible Society Australia isn’t about any one person. From the very start we’ve been a Society. Bible Society is the thousands of supporters and volunteers like you. And it’s through your generosity this year we’ve been able to: Train 30 literacy teachers in South Sudan under Professor Twong Yolong – so thousands of Collo people, traumatised by war, can read and write Translated the scriptures to the Tay, Nung and Muong people in Vietnam –..
Egyptian Christians killed in bomb attack on church
A bomb blast in St Peter’s church in Cairo on Sunday killed 25 people and wounded 49, mostly women and children. The bombing during morning mass was the deadliest attack on Egypt’s Christians since a 2011 bombing killed 21 people at a church in Alexandria. The Sunday bombing is the latest indication of how challenging it is for Christians living in Egypt, who account for about 10 per cent of Egypt’s 92 million people. The Bible Society of Egypt has requested prayers f..
Law & Government
Men With Scabies Arrested After Committing Homosexual Sex Act on Display Bed at Bed Bath & Beyond
(NorthJersey.com) – Two men were arrested and charged with engaging in lewd behavior on a display bed at Bed Bath & Beyond during regular business hours. Police officers responded to the Route 3 Riverfront shopping center at 5 p.m. Monday on a report from a witness that two men were engaged in a sex act, records show. Police arrested two 28-year-old men, one from Nutley and the other from North Carolina. Both were charged with lewdness, criminal mischief and possession of marijuana, according ..
Alabama Man Charged With Capital Murder for Killing Unborn Child in Beating Girlfriend
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — An Alabama man has been charged with capital murder for allegedly killing his unborn child while beating his girlfriend. According to reports, Reginald Sharp, 27, knocked his girlfriend to the ground in a domestic incident last July and then beat her with his fists and a belt. She was 26 weeks (six months) pregnant. The woman was transported to St. Vincent’s Hospital, where her baby was stillborn the next day. The county coroner listed the child’s death as “intrauterine feta..
Trump Mocks Schwarzenegger, Jokingly Asks for ‘Prayer’ for ‘Apprentice’ Ratings at National Prayer Breakfast
(ABC News) — President Trump jokingly requested prayer for Arnold Schwarzenegger as he addressed attendees at this morning’s National Prayer Breakfast. “They hired a big movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to take my place, and we know how that turned out,” Trump said at the top of his remarks. He continued, “The ratings went right down the tubes. It’s been a total disaster. And Mark [Burnett] will never, ever bet against Trump again, and I want to just pray for Arnold, if we can, for those rat..
Boy Scouts to Allow Girls Who Identify as Boys
(New York Times) — Reversing its stance of more than a century, the Boy Scouts of America said on Monday that the group would begin accepting members based on the gender listed on their application, paving the way for transgender boys to join the organization. “For more than 100 years, the Boy Scouts of America, along with schools, youth sports and other youth organizations, have ultimately deferred to the information on an individual’s birth certificate to determine eligibility for our single-..
Entertainment
Martin Scorsese talks Spirituality and Silence
Comment countSilence was one of the most provocative, moving bits of cinema I saw last year. It’s complex and murky and inspiring and troubling and beautiful–all of which, in a way, reflects how I interact with faith itself. Perhaps, when we attempt to understand and embrace the transcendent, it can be no other way. The movie is arguably one of Martin Scorsese’s most overtly religious works. But as many have noted, almost every movie that Scorsese has ever done is about, in some way, faith. Scor..
Why Silence Deserved Oscar’s Love
Comment countAndrew Garfield and Yōsuke Kubozuka in Silence, photo courtesy Paramount PicturesWhen Academy Award nominees earlier this week, plenty of Oscar’s snubs made headlines. No Amy Adams? No Sully? Where’s Hugh Grant? But the Academy reserved its biggest oversight for one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed directors: Martin Scorsese. Silence, the film that Scorsese spent 26 years planning and making, earned just a single nomination—for Rodrigo Prieto’s gorgeous cinematography. Nothing for Andr..
The Story of God: Is There Anybody Out There?
Comment countMorgan Freeman from National Geographic’s The Story of GodFor two seasons, National Geographic’s The Story of God With Morgan Freeman has taken us behind the curtain to see the world’s religions, both great and small, at work. This Monday in the second season finale, Freeman and his crew tackle the biggest question of all: Is there a reason for all this religion? In other words, is there a God? But proof of God, as Oxford Theoretical Physicist Ard Louis says on the show, is impossib..
The Story of God: Finding Heaven in Hell
Comment countMorgan Freeman from National Geographic’s The Story of God.What is heaven? What is hell? And how do they impact how we live right now? “Heaven and Hell,” the latest episode of The Story of God With Morgan Freeman (airing Jan. 23) grapples with those questions. They’re questions that have fascinated me, too. They always have, ever since I was a little boy. In the episode, Freeman and others take an interfaith trip through the Good Place and Bad Place. The show takes us to a cave in T..
Health and Science
Is Genesis History? New Film Affirms Truthfulness of Biblical Record
A soon-to-be-released documentary-style film, featuring footage from around the U.S. and interviews with over a dozen scholars and scientists, will provide visual evidence and scientific arguments for the Bible’s accounts of Creation and the Flood. On February 23, hundreds of movie theaters across the U.S. will participate in a one-night showing of the film “Is Genesis History?” The film, produced by Compass Cinema and structured as a documentary, features interviews with respected Christian sc..
Researchers Experiment Creation of Human-Pig ‘Chimera Embryos’ to Address Shortage of Donor Organs
LA JOLLA, Calif. — A team of biologists at the Salk Institute in California has reportedly created the first-ever human-pig chimeras in an effort to test the idea of growing organs in animals that can later be used in human transplants. “This biomedical advance has long been a dream and a quandary for scientists hoping to address a critical shortage of donor organs,” National Geographic writes. “Every ten minutes, a person is added to the national waiting list for organ transplants. And every d..
Why Our Body Destroys Itself
The science and spirituality behind the latest Nobel Prize in medicine. With every patient I treat, I hear myself echo the same sentiment: I know this hurts. I’m sorry. It will be over soon. In the emergency department, healing rarely comes without pain. It may be the wrenching of a joint back into place, the lancing of an abscess, or the administering of antibiotics through the business end of a large needle. But with the exception of the few who decide at the first flash of my scalpel that pe..
Perplexed Scientists Think C-Sections During Childbirth Are Affecting Human Evolution
Photo Credit: Lisa EspinosaWhy is obstructed labor such a common complication during human childbirth? A team of evolutionary scientists thinks recent human evolution and the modern practice of childbirth via C-section contribute to the problem. Obstructed labor happens when a baby is unable to smoothly pass from the mother’s womb through the birth canal. A major cause of both maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality, obstructed labor is especially common in poorer countries and results in ..
US
The Superbowl and vocation
The Superbowl is this weekend, time for the obligatory polls about whether or not God gets involved in the outcome of sporting events. One-quarter of Americans believe that he does. About a half believe that God rewards faithful athletes with health and success. Certainly, the easy answer is that of course God doesn’t care about a sporting event because He has much more important things to do. But if God attends to the fall of a sparrow, why wouldn’t He attend to the fall of a pigskin? The real ..
The anti-Trump “resistance”
French Resistance fighters, 1944 Democrats have gone into full resistance mode, with Democratic Senators boycotting confirmation hearings to prevent a vote on President Trump’s candidates. (Republicans suspended the rules and approved Treasury Secretary candidate Steven Mnuchin and HHS Secretary candidate Tom Price anyway. See this.) Meanwhile, a self-described “alternative left” has emerged that is pressuring Democratic elected officials not to co-operate with the Republicans. Notice how the us..
Trump’s Supreme Court nominee
President Donald Trump has nominated Colorado appeals court Judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by the late Antonin Scalia. Reportedly, Judge Gorsuch is from that same mold: eloquent, learned, articulate, and an “originalist” when it comes to interpreting the Constitution. He is the author of a book against euthanasia and supported Hobby Lobby in its suit against the Obamacare birth control mandate. An Anglican, he would be the only Protestant on the bench, joining the 5 Ca..
“Pregnant people”
The British Medical Association has issued guidelines saying that to avoid offending the transgendered, health workers should not refer to “pregnant women.” Rather, say, “pregnant people.” After all, a biological female–no, that wording is forbidden too; we must say “assigned female”–who identifies as a man can have a baby. And since we must go by self-identification, that means that men can be pregnant. The Transgender movement has at least destroyed feminism. Now that men can claim the identit..
Church & Theology
“Enlightenment” and True Freedom
“I think, therefore I am.” René Descartes penned this popular line in his 1637 treatise, Discourse on the Method, and it’s a good summary of the book itself. Heralding the importance of scientific discoveries and the necessity of doubting one’s own view of the world, Descartes’s work is often considered the first domino to fall in what is now called the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment, with its explosion of scientific discoveries and philosophical arguments, had one task:..
New Book — Rooted: Theology For Growing Christians
As you may know, my friend Jeff Medders and I wrote a short, accessible book on the most important doctrines of the Christian faith. It’s called Rooted: Theology for Growing Christians, and it released this weekend from Rainer Publishing. As two men who’ve served in church leadership in various ways, we kept running into laypeople who were accidental Universalists, Arians, mystics, and even worse. We’ve found that it’s often not their fault; rather, they spent most of thei..
Church Grammar: Theology as the Language of Christianity
If you’re anything like me, you’ve had your favorite dinnertime evangelists, the local Jehovah’s Witnesses, show up at your door. They’re kind. They smile. And they even tuck in their shirts. To top it all off, they speak Christianese pretty well. Or do they? Though they sound like Christians, they come bearing bad news–an anti-gospel that denies the divinity of Jesus and only offers the possibility of Heaven for a select few people. Their gospel sounds so close to the bib..
Jesus Hanging Out with Wild Animals
The Temptations of Christ, 12th century mosaic at St Mark’s Basilica, Venice. On a recent episode of Word Matters, Trevin Wax and I discussed Mark’s rendering of Jesus’s temptation in the wilderness, particularly the unique insertion of the phrase, “He was with the wild animals” (Mark 1:13, HCSB). After discussing the prominent views of this passage throughout church history, Trevin and I both landed at the same conclusion: Mark is recapitulating the temptation scene of Ge..