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→
Home
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
2 Chronicles 7:14 (07-14-16)
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."— 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... While this is a passage often emphasized when talking about the problems with nations and governments, let's remember that the truest application of this must find its home in us and in our churches. We can begin ..Continue reading→
John 15:10
“If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”Continue reading→
Matthew 7:13-14 (07-13-16)
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.— Matthew 7:13-14 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Over two decades ago, Juan Carlos Ortiz criticized European and American evangelists for offering a carrot stick gospel that focused on the pay off and not lordship of Jesus. Jesus, es..Continue reading→
Philippians 2:9-11
“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”Continue reading→
Church & Ministries
86-year-old nun who competes in Ironman endurance races says it’s her faith that motivates her to cross the finish line
Sister Madonna Buder says, 'To change the world that you are in, give to the world what you have and serve the world with what or who you are.' She may look familiar because of a recently released Nike ad on Unlimited Youth, which trains the spotlight on an elderly nun still living an active lifestyle. In real life, Sister Madonna Buder holds the record for being the oldest person to complete an Ironman challenge at the age of 82 way back in 2014. She completed th..Continue reading→
Bible commentaries pulped after New Testament scholar admits plagiarism
Several New Testament commentaries have been pulped after allegations of plagiarism were made. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. press officeThe allegations were initially made against O'Brien's 'The Letter to the Hebrews' Three volumes by Peter T O'Brien, a theologian, author and priest, have been recalled and destroyed by Eerdmans publishing. Editors found several instances where the text ran "afoul of commonly accepted standards with regard to the utilization and docum..Continue reading→
3 Ways to Make Your Sermons Clearer
Too many preachers are speaking in tongues. No, I don’t mean the kind of tongues Paul mentioned in 1 Corinthians 14 when he encouraged the early Christians to have an interpreter so that all could be edified. As far as I know, there isn’t a movement of pastors standing up in front of the congregation and giving ecstatic utterances. But I wonder if, in a different way, we might as well be speaking in tongues. I’m referring here to our religious jargon. Here’s a question we should ponder: Do we..Continue reading→
When Life Is Not Fair
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NLT) Recently while at a ballgame in the extreme Louisiana summer heat, our youngest grandson’s face was beet red while playing. Rex was obviously hot, tired and thirsty. We noticed him standing beside a little girl who had a large cold Icee. The look on Rex’s face said it all, “This is not fair. Why does she have one and..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Vote?
“And we two-kingdom types are all the more resolved about the virtues of secularizing (read de-Christianizing) politics when we read pastors like Thabiti Anyabwile dissect the results of Tuesday’s election.” Some of us two-kingdom Protestants have been arguing for a while that an approach to U.S. political life based more on duties of citizenship than on the responsibilities of holiness is what American Protestants need. It was altogether true during the days of the Religious Right, who simply ..Continue reading→
4 Problems Associated with White Evangelical Support of Donald Trump
“It may be we’ve reached the point that the only thing that would move evangelicals in more constructive directions would be outright persecution from the GOP itself. Short of that, it’s difficult to imagine evangelicals going elsewhere.” Donald Trump’s race to the White House defied every prediction and expectation. From his controversial speech announcing his candidacy, to the large crowds filling stadiums, through scandalous comments of one variety or another, down to last night’s election r..Continue reading→
The Great Reversal
“What should dictators in Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea expect? Will Trump feud with Republicans, make deals with Democrats, treat abortion as a bargaining chip, and halfheartedly defend religious freedom? Will he increase the national debt as much as Democrats have been doing?” When the New York Mets won the 1986 World Series, a best-selling book by Jeff Pearlman described their “season of brawling, boozing, bimbo chasing, and championship baseball with … the rowdiest team ever to put o..Continue reading→
The Almighty and Ever Present Power of God
Whatever of your hopes or fears come true, God will never be untrue to those who love him and have been called according to his purpose. He will always lead his people, always listen to the brokenhearted, and always love his children. God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform. If we can’t predict a national election, what makes us think we can predict God’s plans for the next four years? What we do know is that our God never takes chances, never loses his way, and will never let us d..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Faith Leaders Ask Obama, House Speaker to Renounce Report Equating Religious Freedom With Discrimination
WASHINGTON — A number of faith leaders, including those representing Mormonism, Islam and Christianity, have signed a letter asking Barack Obama, House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate President Pro Tempore Orrin Hatch to publicly renounce a recent report asserting that religious groups “use the pretext of religious doctrines to discriminate.” The report, “Peaceful Coexistence: Reconciling Nondiscrimination Principles With Civil Liberties,” was written by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and re..Continue reading→
Colorado Voters to Decide Whether or Not to Legalize Assisted Suicide
COLORADO SPRINGS, Co. — Voters in Colorado will decide this November whether or not to legalize assisted suicide in the state, as a ballot initiative has been approved for this year’s election season. Colorado currently outlaws aiding in one’s death, criminalizing the act as felony manslaughter. But after failed attempts in the legislature to legalize assisted suicide, a ballot initiative has been put forward for the people to vote on the matter. “Shall ther..Continue reading→
New York Abortionist Arrested for Manslaughter After Woman Dies From Botched Abortion
NEW YORK — An abortionist from the Queens area has been arrested and charged with second degree manslaughter after a woman died following a botched abortion. Robert Rho, 52, Liberty Women’s Health Care of Queens was arraigned on Tuesday over the alleged incident, which occurred this past July. According to reports, Jamie Lee Morales, 30, sought an abortion at Rho’s facility, arriving for the procedure with her sister on July 9. She was in her second trimester. But during the surgical abortion..Continue reading→
InterVarsity Backlash Spirals As Authors Condemn Gay Marriage Policy
The backlash against InterVarsity's policy to terminate workers who support gay marriage cranked up on Tuesday as influential authors and alumni of the Christian organisation slammed the decision. Students hold Bible study outside their classroom.(InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA) In a public letter, at least 40 authors from the ministry's publishing house wrote to chief executive Tom Lin and urged him to allow for different views. It comes after InterVarsity Christian Fellowshi..Continue reading→
Music
Casting Crowns Featured by Amazon’s Prime Day Promotion
On July 12, online retail mammoth Amazon will offer it's 2nd annual "Prime Day," full of savings and deals exclusive to their elite Prime Membership club. In addition to all the sales going on, there are several contests and promotions planned as well. One of these is a 12 Artist 12 Winners promotions, which includes CCM staple Casting Crowns. One lucky winner will win a trip for two to see Casting Crowns in Denver as well as a meet and greet with the band. For your chance to win, stream ..Continue reading→
Tenth Avenue North Announces New Album ‘Followers’
Tenth Avenue North (Reunion Records) revealed the new album name and cover via social media last night for their fifth studio album. The new project titled Followers will release this fall on October 14. The pre-order for the album is available today with the instant downloads of the songs "Afraid" and the current radio single "What You Want." Click here to pre-order the album digitally and here for pre-order packages. "This album is about following Jesus wherever He calls us," explains frontma..Continue reading→
Aaron Gillespie Debuts First Track from ‘Out of the Badlands’
Aaron Gillespie has debuted the first track from his upcoming album Out of the Badlands. The song is a cover of Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me." You can listen to the track on Alternative Press. According to an accompanying interview, Gillespie shared that he chose to cover the song because it was part of his personal healing process following a divorce earlier this year. He explained "Sometimes a song just resonates with you right where you are and with what you're go..Continue reading→
Pure Flix To Distribute ‘Hillsong Let Hope Rise’ In Theaters Nationwide Sept. 16
Pure Flix is distributing HILLSONG-LET HOPE RISE, the highly anticipated feature film that chronicles the spectacular and miraculous rise to prominence of the Australia-based band, Hillsong UNITED. Directed by Michael John Warren (Jay Z's FADE TO BLACK), the film explores Hillsong's journey from a tiny church in the Sydney suburbs to an influential international ministry whose songs are sung every Sunday by more than 50 million people across the globe. Their songs have been translated..Continue reading→
‘Vanished | Left Behind Next Generation’ Releases Nationwide Sept. 28 Only
The gripping apocalyptic adventure, "VANISHED Left Behind Next Generation," comes to cinemas nationwide on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 700 p.m. local time. Inspired by the New York Times best-selling book series by authors Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, this highly-anticipated event will be presented as a special one-night exclusive engagement by EchoLight Studios in partnership with Fathom Events. In addition to the feature, audiences will get to experience a Q&A with cast/filmmakers hosted by pro..Continue reading→
Thousand Foot Krutch Releases ‘Push’ To Radio July 12
Rock favorites Thousand Foot Krutch have charted eight Active Rock hit singles just since going independent in 2012, and are now set to launch their second single, "Push," from the album EXHALE, which released last month amidst wide acclaim on TFK Music and with marketing, sales and distribution through Fuel Music. The aggressive follow-up to the band's 2014 album, OXYGENINHALE, EXHALE has already sparked the video and current top 23 Active Rock (No. 15 in Canada) hit single, "Running With..Continue reading→
Citizens & Saints Announces The Release Of ‘A Mirror Dimly’
Citizens & Saints announces the release of their third studio project, A Mirror Dimly, on September 16th (Gospel Song Records). This project follows the groups successful and widely received Join the Triumph (2014) and CITIZENS (2013). The album is a result of a difficult time for the group as they dealt with the downfall of the church organization they were associated with over the years this project features the dichotomy of faith and doubt. Citizens & Saints wants to push the conversation and..Continue reading→
Ryan Stevenson’s ‘Eye of the Storm’ Hits #1 On Multiple Charts
"Eye of the Storm," the breakthrough single from GRAMMY®-nominated Gotee recording artist Ryan Stevenson, tops both the Billboard Christian AC Monitored and Mediabase Christian AC charts this week, along with the iTunes Christian & Gospel Songs chart. The single is receiving airplay on every Christian AC Monitored radio station in the country and also recently hit #1 for two consecutive weeks on Billboard's Christian Hot AC/CHR chart. Featuring GabeReal of DiverseCity and penned by Steven..Continue reading→
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→
World
Bangladesh: Hindu priest hacked to death while preparing morning prayers
A Hindu priest was hacked to death in Bangladesh on Friday, the latest in a spate of violent killings in the country. Dozens of people have been killed over the last three years by Islamist extremists in Bangladesh. Shaymanonda Das, 45, was killed in front of a temple in Jhinaidah district headquarter, 300km south west of the capital Dhaka. Police said they do not know the motive behind the killing, and no one has been arrested. "He [Das] was preparing mo..Continue reading→
Pope Francis wants ‘prayers and tears’ not a sermon at Auschwitz death camp
Pope Francis in St Peter's Square yesterday Pope Francis wants to mark the deaths of six million Jews and millions of other minorities with tears and prayers when he visits the Auschwitz Nazi death camp in Poland at the end of this month. He has dropped his original plan to preach a homily. The Pope will visit Auschwitz-Birkenau on July 29, when he will be in Poland for the World Youth Day celebrations. He had intended to speak at the international monument at Birkenau. St John P..Continue reading→
Egypt: Islamic State claims responsibility for Coptic priest murder
Egypt's North Sinai region is threatened by Islamic State insurgents. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for shooting dead a Coptic priest in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula yesterday. Rev Rafael Moussa, 46, was outside a car repair shop near his church in El Arish, the region's main town, when a masked man walked up and shot him. Witnesses said the man threatened them before fleeing. "Islamic State soldiers were able to successfully target the priest Moussa Azmi, known as..Continue reading→
Russia: Evangelicals pray, fast and lobby Putin as severe restrictions placed on evangelism
Russia has been accused of backing the Russian Orthodox Church at the expense of evangelicals. Russian evangelicals are praying, fasting and petitioning President Vladimir Putin after measures severely restricting their ability to evangelise and practise their faith were passed by the country's upper legislative house. The measures are included in a package of anti-terrorism laws put forward by Deputy Irina Yarovaya and have now been passed by both houses, the Duma and the Federati..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..