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 16:8
“I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”Continue reading→
Isaiah 8:19 (08-19-16)
And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?— Isaiah 8:19 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... We live in an age when people want to mix the contents of many mystical faiths into the boiling pot of their own pseudo-Christian religion. Most do not know that the basic claim of Scripture is simple and clear. Only God, the Almighty Yahweh, is tr..Continue reading→
1 John 5:12
“Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”Continue reading→
Romans 8:18 (08-18-16)
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.— Romans 8:18 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... "Life is hard. Anyone who tells you differently is trying to sell you something." This line from the movie "The Princess Bride" is poignantly accurate. But it is not eternally accurate! Better days are ahead, and they are better than anything we can dare imagine. As the old song says, "O that will be, glory ..Continue reading→
Church & Ministries
Scottish Catholic priest under fire for preaching in favour of independence
Pro-independence supporters take part in a march in Edinburgh, Scotland in this undated photo. A Catholic priest in Glasgow has been criticised by parishioners and had formal complaints lodged against him to the city's Archbishop for preaching in favour of Scottish independence. Canon Peter McBride, who took over at St Peter's and St Simon's Catholic churches in Partick in Glasgow's West End last year, has repeatedly issued homilies from the pulpit in favour of break..Continue reading→
Green Christianity: Thousands of UK churches convert to renewable energy
Thousands of UK churches have united in a groundswell of environmental activism, converting to renewable energies as their electricity source. More than 3,500 UK churches have switched – or have registered to switch – their electricity source from fossil fuels to renewable energies, amid a new wave of Christian support for environmental activism. Some 2,000 churches from 16 Catholic dioceses, the majority of Salvation Army facilities and a third of Quaker meeting houses have made the s..Continue reading→
Pastor to be deported to possible death in Kenya
A pastor may be sent to his death next week after Scottish immigration officials rejected his application for asylum. Pastor Pip Ashiembi, originally from Kenya and now leader of Foundation of Love Church in Glasgow, will be deported on Monday. He has lived in the UK since 2009 but was detained last Friday at Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre, according to Glasgow local paper the Evening Times. The pastor from Scotland will be deported back to Kenya on 5 September He applied fo..Continue reading→
Christians, Muslims unite against terrorism, weapons of mass destruction
Pope Francis talks with Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, Egyptian imam of Al-Azhar Mosque, at the Vatican on May 23, 2016. At a time when religion seems to be one of the causes of division in the world, it is always good to hear news about how people from different faiths are uniting for a common cause. American Catholic bishops joined hands with Shia Muslim religious leaders as they recently released a joint statement condemning terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. The joint declaration, ..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
Another Tale of Squirrel Nut’s Kins
One cold, gray winter afternoon the pastor was in his office studying the finer points of the offering of the red heifer when he heard a strange banging noise coming from somewhere inside the building. He arose from his studies and traced the noise into the sanctuary, where he looked up and was amazed to see the grates from the air conditioning ducts visibly shaking. Something was scampering wildly about overhead. Running downstairs and grabbing a flashlight, he came back up and shone the beam o..Continue reading→
Giving Thanks Is Better Together
In a secular society, Thanksgiving is widely perceived as an interfaith or even faith-optional holiday. But the Christian knows that gratitude is not merely contented mindfulness. True gratitude is directed at our God, the giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17). In expressions of thankfulness, we exalt him, proclaim his faithfulness, and confess that we have nothing apart from him. It’s especially fitting, then, that we should do this together. The Warmth of Shared Thankfulness Throu..Continue reading→
His Banner Over Me
If you do not know this kind of love, I would urge you to come to Christ and be reconciled to God. Come to the one who so loved the world that he laid down his life for his sheep. Come to him in repentance and faith. Learn at the foot of the cross what love truly is. You cannot truly love anyone else until you learn to submit yourself to the love of Christ. So come and learn. His yoke is easy; his burden is light. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. (Sol 2:4 ..Continue reading→
Two Things Pastors Must Do Before Leading
Hungry sheep are never happy sheep, so make sure their souls are full from your preaching or teaching. Soon after his restoration, Peter and his comrades would face the challenge of prioritizing their prayer and preaching ministry (Acts 6:4 ). Immediate ministry demands distracted them from their preparations which led to the spiritual and numerical stagnation of Christianity’s first church in Jerusalem. Sheep will let you lead them if you first love and feed them. This lesson is crucial ..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Mother Told She Had to Abort Baby Or Face Death; 14 Years Later, She Faces No Regret Over Her Decision
(Pexels) Kirk and Chass Barker were overjoyed when Chass became pregnant. But their joy quickly turned into despair when a doctor told them Chass must have an abortion; otherwise, she might risk death. Chass had lost more than 40 pounds during her first month of pregnancy, prompting them to consult a doctor, according to Life Site News. The doctor told them Chass must abort the baby or else she would likely die. "We trusted him. We took the doctor for his word," said Kirk. "We made an [aborti..Continue reading→
Catholic School Head Horrified By Suggestion For Teachers to Watch Porn With Kids in Classes
Pixabay The head of a Roman Catholic school in England has strongly rejected the suggestion of a broadcast journalist for educational institutions to make kids and their teachers watch pornographic materials in classes, calling the proposal as "problematic." In his blog post quoted by The Catholic Herald, Dr. James Whitehead, headmaster of Downside School, said that openly showing pornography to schoolchildren will violate the beliefs of many faith-based learning institutions in the United Kin..Continue reading→
California Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Support ISIS
ANAHEIM, Calif. — A California man was sentenced to 30 years in prison this week after being convicted of conspiring to provide material support to the barbaric Islamic group ISIS. Muhanad Elfatih Badawi, 25, of Anaheim, was convicted in June of the crime, as well as engaging in financial aid fraud. His friend, Nader Elhuzayel, 25, also of Anaheim, had been convicted as well. “Defendant Badawi was a radicalizer, recruiter and facilitator, and like co-defendant Elhuzauyel, defendant Badawi aspi..Continue reading→
Bush Judge Rules Mississippi Can’t Cut Planned Parenthood From Medicaid Program
Photo Credit: Charlotte CooperJACKSON, Miss. — A federal judge appointed to the bench by then-President George W. Bush has ruled that Mississippi officials cannot cut Planned Parenthood from the state’s Medicaid program because the move violates the “free-choice-of-provider” clause in federal law. “Essentially every court to consider similar laws has found that they violate § 1396a(a)(23) of Title 42 of the United States Code, the so-called ‘Free Choice-of-Provider Provision,'” U.S. Distri..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→