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
Psalm 116:1-2
“I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.”Continue reading→
Romans 8:23 (08-23-16)
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.— Romans 8:23 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Life can be very difficult at times. Anyone who has lived long knows this. At the same time, even our worst nightmares are staging periods for our great redemption. Our loneliest moments are the waiting room for our final adoption into the very presence ..Continue reading→
Psalm 94:18-19
“When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.”Continue reading→
Genesis 8:22 (08-22-16)
While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.— Genesis 8:22 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... We face one of two realities. One reality is this: tomorrow will come, the earth will turn, and the seasons will pass in their appointed order. The second reality, God will interrupt his appointed order; Jesus will come and we'll share in his glory. These realities are as sure as the sun's coming up i..Continue reading→
Church & Ministries
12-year-old boy accused of stealing church bus for 7-mile ride
Surveillance video at the church shows the bus that was stolen by a 12-year-old boy. A 12-year-old boy from the U.S. state of Illinois is facing charges of stealing a church bus and going for a seven-mile ride before he was stopped by the police. The theft occurred at the Valley Baptist Church in Oswego village. Surveillance video showed the boy riding his bike to where the buses were parked at around 5:30 p.m. After a few minutes, the video showed the bus heading towards the e..Continue reading→
Church plans to turn purchased home in Tennessee into worship centre
Infinity Fellowship bought this home and plans to turn it into a house of worship. A church is planning to convert a two-story home in Nashville, Tennessee into a worship facility and community centre despite opposition from several residents. The Infinity Fellowship purchased the 4,234-square-foot home from the Cassidy family for $280,500. It is located in one of Nashville's oldest and most affluent predominantly African-American neighbourhoods, The Te..Continue reading→
Vicar ‘likens homosexuality to child abuse’ in Facebook comments
St Mark's Church, Tunbridge Wells, whose vicar is Dr Peter Sanlon, who has been embroiled in a row over comments about homosexuality. The vicar who has threatened the Church of England with a split over homosexuality has been embroiled in a row over comments he made appearing to compare a church-led Gay Pride event with child abuse. Dr Peter Sanlon of St Mark's Church in Tunbridge Wells posted controversial remarks on Facebook saying that gay people ..Continue reading→
7 Easy Ways to Boost Giving at Your Church
Mark Cuban once said… “Tithes…Sales cure all.” Now, I understand having a stronger tithe base doesn’t cure all. But it sure does help alleviate several church tensions for pastors. Use these 7 ways to boost your church giving. 1. Buy a Giving Themed URL Most churches have a giving link on their website, but it takes some time to explain to congregants how they can find it. I tried something a few years ago and our online giving grew from 25% to 55% of total monthly giving. Buy a domain that i..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
Blackhawk Presbyterians for Fidelity Launched
“It is a significant movement recognizing the inertia of a denomination increasingly and irretrievably apostate under current management and the necessity of identifying, encouraging and equipping faithful sisters and brothers for worship, work and witness.” “Blackhawk Presbyterians for Fidelity” (BPF) was launched on November 11, 2016 in Rockford, Illinois during a gathering of representatives from part of the remnant in the Presbyterian Church (USA) praying and laboring to be faithful to over..Continue reading→
Pronoun Privilege
At some colleges and universities, it’s common for students to introduce themselves, whether in class or in student group meetings, by name, followed by a string of pronouns. “I’m Lizzie; she/her/hers,” for example. My fall classes started recently, and I had to face the pronoun question. It’s simple for me: My appearance matches my preferred pronoun, so I don’t worry about anyone misstating it. But some of my students are transgender or gender nonconforming, and they want to announce how other..Continue reading→
Iraqi Christians Reveal Untold Brutality of Living Under ISIS’ Rule
Although Daddo and Badriya resisted many of IS’ attempts to convert them, she told Reuters last month that she eventually told the terrorists what they wanted to hear. “My heart would race when they tried to get me to convert. They would try to get me to (say the Muslim declaration of faith). I told them I didn’t know how to say it, and I said it in reverse,” she said. “I would say what they wanted.” Iraqi Christians who survived living under Islamic State rule in occupied territories are now s..Continue reading→
Some Vossian Thoughts on the Visible-Invisible Church Distinction
“1. There are visible and invisible aspects to the church. 2. These aspects are not separate churches, but have a large amount of overlap. 3. The visible and invisible do not entirely overlap: there are many false sons within her pale, and some true believers outside her administration.” I’m reading the 5th volume of Vos’s Reformed Dogmatics right now, and he has a very interesting analogy for the relationship of the visible aspect to the invisible aspect of the church: The invisibility of the..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Obama Admin Appeals Nationwide Ban on Policy Allowing Male Students in Girls’ Restrooms
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has filed a notice of appeal a judge’s preliminary injunction banning the enforcement of the government’s recent restroom directives for public schools, particularly surrounding those with gender dysphoria. “Please take notice that Defendants, the United States of America; the United States Department of Education; the United States Department of Justice; the United States Department of Labor; the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; John ..Continue reading→
Pastor Bill Johnson Says Some Christians Believe God Is Good Only Because the Bible Says So, Accuses Them of ‘Lazy Theology’
Pixabay Pastor Bill Johnson of Bethel Church thinks some Christians believe God is good only because the Bible says so, but the way they interpret His goodness is a different thing altogether. Because these Christians practice "lazy theology," they end up feeling pain and disappointment whenever their prayers don't get answered, Johnson told The Christian Post. What's worse, God's character ends up getting challenged. These Christians unfortunately subscribe to the idea that "b..Continue reading→
Pastor Greg Laurie on What Christians Should Do While Waiting For Jesus’ Return
(Pexels) What should Christians do while waiting for the second coming of Jesus Christ? Pastor Greg Laurie from Harvest Christian Fellowship suggests that people should be wise with how they choose to spend their time. On his blog, Laurie shared the story told by Jesus about a man who went on a journey and entrusted his wealth to his servants. "This was not an uncommon practice in those days," wrote Laurie. "A wealthy man or king would have many servants in his household, from those who would ..Continue reading→
Joel Osteen Shares the Secret to Victory: Talk Yourself Into It
Reuters The key to achieving success is quite simple. Pastor Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church believes that people must first talk themselves into victory before achieving it. "Did you know that you can talk yourself into defeat or talk yourself into victory? You can also talk yourself into weakness or talk yourself into strength," he wrote on his blog. "When you speak to yourself the right way, courage comes, determination comes, vision comes." Whenever people look at a task ahead of them and ..Continue reading→
Music
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→
Unspoken To Release New Album ‘Follow Through’ August 26th
Unspoken will release Follow Through, their second full album for Centricity Music, on August 26th. The project features four producers at the helm with Seth Mosley (Newsboys, Citizen Way), Tedd T (for King & Country, Mutemath), Christopher Stevens (TobyMac, Michael W. Smith) and Mitch Dane (Jars of Clay, Bebo Norman). With the release of Follow Through, Unspoken has found a place of new freedom to push the boundaries of their trademark sound, mixing in horns and electronic elements in fresh ways without altering the core of their musical identity. Follow Through evidences a forward leap of artistic evolution from the last record, blending hip hop, soul, pop and folk influences to tell the story of the season of life the band members have found themselves in over the last couple of years. Band members Chad Mattson, Jon Lowry and Mike Gomez co-wrote every song on the[...]Continue reading→
Ivan Parker is ‘Dancing in the Rain’
Dancing in the Rain, the Difference Media debut from one of Southern Gospel's most beloved vocalists, Ivan Parker, is slated to bow July 29. Produced by Garry Jones (Brian Free, Canton Junction), the project marks Parker's 16th solo recording in a career spanning more than three decades. Featuring writing credits from such top names as Tony Wood, Sue C. Smith and Joel Hemphill, among others, highlights of Dancing in the Rain include the title cut; "Walk My Way" (feat. Canton Junction); "Let Me Take You To The Cross"; "That's What Love Does"; "There's Healing"; and the deeply personal "Mama's Rocking Chair" (feat. Sandy Parker). "I have seen so many people around the world who need to be encouraged and hear something that's going to give them hope," Parker says of the project. "Lives are shattered and homes are broken every day, which is why I love singing[...]Continue reading→
Jason Gray Debuts At No. 5 On Billboard Charts With New Album
Jason Gray has reached the highest album debut of his career with his latest project, Where The Light Gets In that is ranked No. 5 on Billboard's Top Christian Albums Chart. The record also marks the first time that Gray has worked with nine producers for an album that includes Jason Ingram, Ben Glover, Paul Mabury and Coby Wedgeworth. Where The Light Gets In delivers 12 new songs co-written by Gray, including the new single "Sparrows." The song is already No. 20 on Billboard's National Christian Audience Chart (NCA) and includes new adds from KFSH/Los Angeles, CA, WBSN/New Orleans, LA and KAFC/Anchorage, AK. "Wow! I was so grateful to learn that Where The Light Gets In debuted at No. 5 on Billboard this week, the highest debut of any of my records," says Gray. "I'm so thankful to everyone on my team at Centricity Music and Eaglemont[...]Continue reading→
Casting Crowns Reveals New Album Cover
Casting Crowns has revealed the cover for their brand new album, The Very Next Thing, available for pre-order tomorrow (7/1). The Grammy-winning group first released the cover in an exclusive email to fans today, saying "we could not be more excited! And because we just can't wait, we're revealing the new album cover below just for you our email list! You're seeing it first and we hope you love it." The Very Next Thing follows 2014's critically acclaimed Thrive and last year's hymns album Glorious Day Hymns of Faith. Check the band's Facebook page for more information about special bundles that include the new record, t-shirts, vinyl and more. Continue reading→
Skillet Releases Music Video For ‘Feel Invincible’
Today Skillet released a music video for "Feel Invincible," the lead single off their upcoming tenth studio album Unleashed, due out August 5th. Singer John Cooper says the song "represents the album in one facet really well [Unleashed] is full of crowd-chanting anthems. The album is very exciting to listen to. Driving beats and melodic choruses, whether it's hard rock or leaning toward pop." Cooper describes Unleashed as "quite diverse there are more extreme songs on both sides of the spectrum, meaning harder rock and even metal, but also pop and atmospheric tunes/sounds." "Feel Invincible" is just the beginning of a hot year for Skillet. The song already gained national attention when it was named the theme song for TBS' E-League, an eight-week live competitive video game tournament broadcast in over 80 countries. In the fall, the band[...]Continue reading→
Natalie Grant and Danny Gokey Join Forces for 2016 “Be One” Tour
Four-time GRAMMY® nominee and five-time Dove Award-winning Female Vocalist of the Year Natalie Grant is joining forces with two-time Dove nominee and K-LOVE's newly-named 2016 Male Artist of the Year Danny Gokey for the "Be One" Tour, slated for 13 cities this fall. Sponsored by ChildFund International, the "Be One" Tour also features special guest artist Tauren Wells and will kick off Oct. 13, in Stamford, Connecticut. Ticket information for the "Be One" Tour is available at BeOneTour.net...Continue reading→
For Today Announces Disbandment and Farewell Tour
Christian hardcore band For Today has announced in a facebook post that 2016 will be their final year. Along with the announcement, the band shared dates for an extensive farewell tour scheduled for the fall. The news follows their most recent release Wake by less than a year. "After over 11 years as a band, 6 full length albums and 1 EP, we have decided to make 2016 the last year of For Today," the heartfelt facebook post said. "When we started this band in 2005, we never imagined that our mus..Continue reading→