Last spring I had the privilege of speaking at a conference for NFL players put on by Pro Athletes Outreach (PAO), a group which exists to unite a community of pro athletes and couples to grow as disciples of Jesus and positively impact their spheres of influence. They have a fantastic outreach to professional football and baseball athletes and their wives. I’ve seen firsthand the amazing difference they’re making. In the off-season I exchanged emails and texts with dozens of NFL players and cha..Continue reading→
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Thoughts
Motherhood Is a Marathon
I wanted to do great things for God. In the spring of my senior year of college, on the brink of embarking upon my own journey into adulthood, my future was undecided and that was simultaneously terrifying and thrilling. As a philosophy major, my path was narrower than I had realized, but I was sure it would take me on some grand and glorious adventure. I knew the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. “Glorify” sounds like such a grand term. It evokes images of battlefie..Continue reading→
1 Peter 5:7–8: How Not to Battle Anxiety
Anxieties attack our faith and torment our peace. The question with anxiety is not whether it will come, but rather, how can I fight it when it does? Watch NowContinue reading→
Is Love of Money Really the Root of All Evils?
Is the love of money the “root of all evils” or only the “root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10)? “All evils” is the formal English equivalent of the original Greek (pantōn tōn kakōn). It is remarkable that all older versions of the Bible translate 1 Timothy 6:10 in the more literal way: “The love of money is the root of all evils” (or all evil). This includes the Wycliffe Bible, Luther Bibel, Geneva Bible, King James Version, Douay-Rheims, Darby Bible, and Revised Standard Version. Bu..Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
John 6:29
“Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.””Continue reading→
Matthew 8:27 (08-27-16)
But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!— Matthew 8:27 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... What kind of man? Ah, much more than a man, he is our Lord, King, Messiah, Shepherd, and Savior. My Prayer... Tender Shepherd and Abba Father, thank you for emptying heaven of your choicest glory and sending Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. As I face the storms in my life, please give me the courage to stand bravely in fai..Continue reading→
Isaiah 26:3
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”Continue reading→
Romans 8:26-27 (08-26-16)
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.— Romans 8:26-27 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Sometimes our prayers seem to bounce off the ceiling and fall to the floor. Other times, we are..Continue reading→
Church & Ministries
Top Anglican official backs Bishop of Grantham over sexuality
The Bishop of Grantham, Nicholas Chamberlain, was consecrated by the Bishop of Lincoln, who knew he was gay and in a relationship. The Bishop of Grantham, Rt Rev Nicholas Chamberlain, has received high-level support from the most senior official in the Anglican communion after controversy erupted over his sexuality. Chamberlain has been backed by Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon, the secretary general of the Anglican Communion, who said in a statement: "It is clear that Bishop Nicholas..Continue reading→
Four Ways to Use CLASS to Help People Grow
Healthy, growing churches create pathways for people to take the next step in their spiritual journeys. Recently, Pastor Rick Warren wrote about understanding where people are spiritually as you plan your ministry to help them grow to the next level. Saddleback’s approach has been to offer CLASS, which is made up of four separate classes people can take to better understand their next step. Obviously, there are churches of all shapes and sizes, and yours may not necessarily benefit the most fro..Continue reading→
Donald Trump pledges to remedy injustice during church visit: ‘I’m going to get things done’
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Omarosa Manigault, the American reality game show personality, in church in Detroit. Donald Trump has spoken out in regret at the divisions in American society. A Gospel singer at the Great Faith service attended by Donald Trum He has also pledged to address falling wages, unemployment and the hardships of the economic downturn. Trump was speaking at Great Faith Ministries, a non-denominational church in Detroit, traditionally a ..Continue reading→
Egypt: Muslim MP wants to build a church honouring Coptic pope
The body of Pope Shenouda III, the head of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church for 41 years, rested in an open casket during his funeral service at the Abassiya Cathedral in Cairo March 20, 2012. A church may be built in his honour. A Muslim MP in Egypt has submitted the first request to build a new church under a controversial law passed last week by the country's parliament. The law aimed at liberalising church building and renovation was hotly debated and received Church support..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
It Has Risen: Is This The Key To Growing Protestant Churches?
Nowhere do clergy matter more than in their most deeply held attitudes. Sociologists who study religion debate whether the decline in church attendance is a matter of demand—fewer moderns want it—or a matter of supply, with would-be Christians not finding the faith they want. “When we asked clergy why they thought churches grew or declined, those in the shrinking churches replied decline was because of socio-economic factors, the influence of secular society. Clergy in expanding churches said gr..Continue reading→
Deceit and Lies We Have Been Told on Homosexuality – REALity
The editors of the New Atlantis Journal, however, were not about to put up with HRC’s nonsense. The latter was only lies and distortions. In a special publication entitled “Lies and Bullying from the Human Rights Campaign” it delineated how HRC had distorted the journal’s recent publication on homosexuality stating in the introduction “Most of the HRC document is an exercise in distortion.” It then tackled in detail these distortions. Those who are setting our so-called “values”, such as the sm..Continue reading→
Satan’s Civil Rights
At one level, this seems like cultural fair play, but at another level, it shows how dramatically Western culture has changed. After centuries of underground existence, Satanic teaching is now so self-confident of its acceptance that it openly demands —and gets—a public voice. The Pew Research Center showed that out of about 245 million US adults in 2014, 173 million were Christians. However, many of these now adopt a Hindu slant on life. For the first time, a Satanist group has official permis..Continue reading→
Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa Splits From Association, Citing Old Testament Prophet
Brodersen, the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, says the pastors of the Calvary Chapel Association saw founder Smith as their common bond. Upon Smith’s death, many members had different visions of where the denomination should go. Thus, Costa Mesa split from the CCA and is now part of the Calvary Chapel Global Network. Calvary Chapel’s Chuck Smith’s son-in-law Brian Brodersen announced his resignation from the Calvary Chapel Association and founded a new association, the Calvary Cha..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Survey Finds: Sex And Housework More Important Than Religion For Successful Marriage
Unsplash Religion appears to be a relatively minor factor in the way Americans choose their spouses, according to a new Pew Research Center study. Although 44 per cent say that shared religious beliefs are "very important" for a successful marriage, considerably more respondents say that shared interests including a satisfying sexual relationship (63 per cent) and an equitable division of household chores (61 per cent) are crucial. Of those who are currently married, 27 per cent say their spo..Continue reading→
Man Who Identifies as Woman Pleads Guilty to Voyeurism at Idaho Target
AMMON, Idaho — An Idaho man who identifies as a woman has plead guilty to a charge of felony voyeurism after he recorded video footage of a teenager trying on a swimsuit in a Target fitting room. Sean Patrick Smith, 46, who goes by Shauna Patricia Smith, was to go before a jury within days, but on Oct. 17, he unexpectedly entered a guilty plea of “Video Voyeurism Without Mutual Consent” before District Judge Joel Tingey. As previously reported, Smith was arrested in July after admitting to a d..Continue reading→
Bishop Of Manchester: It Is Our ‘God-Given Duty’ To Help Refugees
The Bishop of Manchester, Dr David Walker, who is one of the hosts for a conference at the University of Salford on 19 November aimed at equipping individuals and churches to respond to the needs of asylum seekers. The bishops of Manchester and Stockport will host a conference next month aimed at equipping individuals, churches and communities to respond practically to the needs of refugees and asylum seekers. The conference, which will be opened by Dr David Walker, the Bishop of Manchester, w..Continue reading→
Sikh Woman Converts To Christianity After Praying To Jesus
Balbinder, who shares her conversion story on the Evangelical Alliance's new website, the Great Commission. A woman who had been Sikh for 50 years has told how she converted to Christianity after praying "in faith" for Jesus to help her with her problems. The woman, Balbinder, tells her story on a new website - the Great Commission - being launched today by the Evangelical Alliance (EA). The site shares conversion stories from across the UK and encourages Christians t..Continue reading→
Music
Leeland Announces Pre-Order For New Album
Today Bethel Music announced the pre-order of Leeland's first album as part of their artist collective. "We're excited to announce that Leeland's first album with Bethel Music is now available for pre-order on iTunes. 'Invisible' offers a refreshing perspective on a gospel that is alive and moving in us and through us," Bethel shared. Invisible will mark Leeland's first release since 2014's Christ Be All Around Me EP and will be available July 22. Click here to pre-order the album now and get 3 instant song downloads "Invisible," "Carry It All Away" and "Son Was Lifted Up." Invisible Track Listing 1. My Treasure 2. War 3. Spirit 4. Ever Love You Lord 5. For Your Glory 6. Perfect Love 7. Lock & Key 8. Invisible 9. Breath of God [...]Continue reading→
Project 86 Announces PledgeMusic Campaign for 10th Album
Project 86 has launched a special PledgeMusic campaign in support of their upcoming tenth studio album and their 20 year anniversary as a band. The project will be comprised of ten original songs and five covers. All of the songs will be available to backers on a one song per month basis, beginning with a cover of Beastie Boys' "Sabotage" as an immediate download for all backers. The PledgeMusic campaign is designed as both a preorder for music to come and a celebration of music past, with offers including vintage merch. Accompanying tour dates are coming soon, with Project 86 promising to play fan favorites from their early days alongside current tracks. Above all, the band sees the campaign as a way to celebrate the past two decades alongside their fans. "You have stuck by us for twenty years. We want to meet you, spend[...]Continue reading→
Word Entertainment Scores Two Trophies For Christian Retailing’s Best Awards
It was announced earlier this week that Word Entertainment was honored two times at the annual Christian Retailing's Best Awards. Big Daddy Weave's acclaimed album Beautiful Offerings (Fervent Records) won in the music category and When Calls the Heart Complete Season 2 (Word Films) won for the DVD Movie division. The awards, honoring the best new products of the year, were given on Monday, June 27 in Cincinnati during the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS). "At Word Entertainment, we are passionate and intentional about delivering the best in Christian entertainment to people everywhere," shares Rod Riley, President & CEO, Word Entertainment. "Big Daddy Weave's Beautiful Offerings and When Calls the Heart Complete Season 2 are two projects that we have seen impact thousands and thousands of lives with the good news of the Gospel. To be recognized with awards for each of these projects from Christian Retailing's[...]Continue reading→
Metalcore Group Toarn Signs With Luxor Records
Christian metalcore band Toarn has announced their signing with Luxor Records, making their upcoming EP Giant Killer their debut with the label. Toarn released a new song titled "In Flander's Fields" alongside the label news, giving fans an initial taste of Giant Killer prior to its July 15 release. Preorders for the EP are available through major retailers like Amazon, BestBuy and Barnes & Noble as well as through VictoryMerch.com. The Washington-based band has developed a grassroots following through the release of past independent projects Protoevangelium and Brood of Vipers. Toarn will be hitting the road with Hemarosa in support of the release, with tour dates listed here. You can listen to "Flander's Field" below.Continue reading→
Britney Spears Endorses Pastor/Author Max Lucado
Britney Spears has a new album coming out and is about to kick off a two-year residency in Las Vegas, so she’s out there working the publicity machine. During a recent Twitter chat, a fan asked Britney what her favorite book was, and the singer replied, “Anything by Max Lucado.” Lucado is a Texas-based preacher and author of a hundred (yes, a hundred) Christian-themed adults and kids’ books. Their titles include Grace for the Moment, Outlive Your Life: You Were Born to Make a Difference, and God..Continue reading→
Katy Perry’s Song “By the Grace of God” Is a Flashback to Her Christian Singer Days
Before Katy Perry was an animal-print-and-candy-loving pop star, she was Katy Hudson, aspiring Christian singer. Though her switch to the secular side of music helped make her a star, Katy (whose parents are pastors) hasn’t given up on her Christian background. Her new album Prism features the ballad “By the Grace of God,” which probably won’t ever be released as a single but does a bang-up job appealing to one of her core constituencies. But what does John Mayer think?Continue reading→