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
Matthew 7:12 (07-12-16)
"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets."— Matthew 7:12 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Some things don't need a lot of explaining, just a lot more implementing. My Prayer... Loving God, Almighty Father, forgive me of my selfishness. You have blessed me so richly through Jesus. Please move me by your Spirit to be as generous, loving, forgiving, and kind with others as I wan..Continue reading→
Matthew 4:4
“Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’””Continue reading→
Job 7:11 (07-11-16)
Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.— Job 7:11 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... We sometimes think of God as too fragile, too distant, or too brooding to speak with him honestly about our dilemmas. Job wasn't so shy. He is the great reminder that God prefers us to maintain our relationship with him, even if it is stormy. No matter where you are in your struggles, be honest with God — not..Continue reading→
Jeremiah 32:17
“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.”Continue reading→
Church & Ministries
James Daman: Celebrating Recovery from Sexual Sin
My name is James and I’m a grateful believer in Jesus Christ who struggles with shame and I celebrate recovery from sexual sin. The person I am today is not the same person that I was nine years ago when I walked through the doors of Celebrate Recovery. I was a broken man. I was living a lie, and I had no idea what God’s path was for me. I didn’t know what it meant to truly have a relationship with someone, especially Christ. I had a severe speech impediment as a child; it was so bad that I co..Continue reading→
The Spiritual Warfare of Boring Preaching
The devil is a preacher. From the third chapter of the Bible onward, he is opening up God’s word to people, seeking to interpret it, to apply it, to offer an invitation. So the old Serpent of Eden comes to the primeval woman not with a Black Mass and occult symbols, but with the Word she’d received from her God—with the snake’s peculiar spin on it. Throughout the Old Testament, he preaches peace—just like the angels of Bethlehem do—except he does so when there is no peace. He points God’s peopl..Continue reading→
Catholic diocese forks out $1.2m after Spotlight lawyer accuses leaders of abuse cover up
A Catholic diocese in Maine has paid $1.2 million to victims of sex abuse after six men brought a lawsuit against the Church. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland settled the case after the men accused senior figures of concealing sex abuse allegations against former priest. Rev James Vallely, who died in 1997 aged 75, was abused the men when they were children decades ago, according the lawyer Mitchell Garabedian. Some of the men were as young as eight years old when they were first abused,..Continue reading→
Jamaica seeks partnership with church leaders to develop policy on faith-based tourism
Moravian Unity Synod 2016/FacebookJamaican Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett meets church leaders to develop policies on faith based tourism. The Ministry of Tourism in Jamaica is looking to partner with church groups to boost faith-based tourism. According to a report by The Jamaica Observer, Minister Edmund Bartlett attended the 43rd Synod of Worldwide Moravian Church to meet with faith leaders and consult about the development of policies that will help promote faith-based tourism, which has..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
History Matters
It is easy to assess peoples struggles and conflicts only through the lens of today, but we only have a partial picture at best. While laws may have been changed for the better, how many generations does it take to change attitudes? How many generations does it take to overcome the economic policies that were made to separate and discriminate? We are not detached from events that have taken place before our time. Our attitudes are shaped by the culture in which we were raised, often unbeknownst ..Continue reading→
Where Was Your Church Before Luther?
We trust that the elect are always brought to true faith by the sovereign work of the Spirit through the divinely ordained means (namely, the preaching of the gospel). Even where the church’s theology, piety, and practice was profoundly corrupted there were still faithful ministers in local parishes calling their people to Christ and offering the righteousness of Christ, received through faith alone. We should doubt the story that the true church was exiled to Alps and preserved (like a valuable..Continue reading→
When God is Silent
David was sure he would praise God for his goodness in the future, because God had been good to him in the past. He who did not spare his only Son but gave him up for us all will give us all the grace we need to glorify him. God has not brought you this far only to abandon you. You will yet praise him in the future. Someone recently said to me, “I feel like God doesn’t love me. He doesn’t seem to hear my prayers.” Sometimes it seems like nobody’s home in heaven. Many believers can identify wit..Continue reading→
The Female Voices in Scripture
Bauckham shows us that in Ruth we have the female voice, an Israelite woman’s perspective on ancient Israelite society, until the last few verses. “Thus the book of Ruth, its conclusion tells us, is the kind of story that official, masculine history leaves out.” Bauckham goes on to highlight other gynocentric interruptions in Scripture, where the female voice dominates, not to compete with the man’s, but to complement it, exposing “the narrative as pitifully inadequate in its androcentric select..Continue reading→
Life & Society
21-Year-Old Who Lost Arms, Legs And Half Her Skin To Bacterial Meningitis Says Experience Has Brought Her Closer To God
Kaitlyn Dobrow, 21, shows off her make-up savvy on her social media page.(Instagram/Kaitlyn Dobrow) When Katilyn Dobrow contracted bacterial meningitis at the age of 19, she lost four of her limbs and half of her skin. The physical alterations experienced by her body would be enough to drive anyone to depression, but not Dobrow. In fact, she never quit on her dream of becoming a beauty blogger despite everything that has happened to her. Dobrow always had a passion for make-up. Even when she l..Continue reading→
10 Quotes From William Wilberforce That Will Inspire You To Fight For Justice
Theresa May will promise a "radical approach" and "tireless" work to eradicate slavery in a service at Westminster Abbey on Wednesday to commemorate the work of William Wilberforce. William Wilberforce campaigned for more than 20 years to see the abolition of the slave tradeWikipedia The Home Office estimates there are between 10,000 and 13,000 victims of human trafficking in the UK with the global figures around 45 million. The UK's anti-slavery commissioner Kevin Hyland said these cases..Continue reading→
103-Year-Old Woman Credits Faith in God for Her Good Long Life
Pixabay A 103-year-old Christian woman credits her faith in God as the secret to her long life. Sophia Simko, who is currently staying at the DuBois Nursing Home in Pennsylvania, said she has no secret diet to credit for her longevity unlike what some people may think, adding that she eats whatever goes on the table, as long as she likes it, according to the Courier Express. What keeps her going, she said, is her strong faith in the Lord. "I have the good Lord in my life," she said. Born in..Continue reading→
Evangelical And Episcopalian Christians Among Wealthiest In US Society
Reuters Some groups of practising Christians are among the wealthiest people in American society, according to new research. More than a third of Episcopal Church members live in households with incomes of more than $100,000, says Pew Research. Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church and the United Methodist Church also have high incomes. But so do people who identify as atheists and agnostics. According to Pew writer David Masci, this may call into qu..Continue reading→
Movies
The Story of God: Heaven, hell, hope and justice
Flickr, by Simon Rahn. CC Licensing. Season two of “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman” airs Mondays at 9 p.m. (8 p.m. Central) on the National Geographic Channel. Once again, I’m writing about it here each week from a Christian perspective as a preview. This post is about episode two, “Heaven and Hell.” Years back, I was out to dinner with a friend when we began talking religion. She was agnostic and I was in the middle of a pretty ugly bout of cage-stage Calvinism. She kept trying to change ..Continue reading→
Sony Animation reveals the cast for Nativity film The Star
The studio hasn’t released any pictures yet, to my knowledge, but today Sony Pictures Animation sent out a press release announcing the voice cast for its upcoming film The Star, which tells the story of the first Christmas from the animals’ point of view. Here is the key paragraph from today’s press release: The voice cast will be led by Steven Yeun (Bo the donkey), Kelly Clarkson (Leah the horse), Aidy Bryant (Ruth the sheep), Keegan-Michael Key (Dave the dove), Kristin Chenoweth (Mouse), Anth..Continue reading→
Wrestling with ‘Silence’
Raised in a Christian community, I constantly heard stories of martyrdom. The Bible is replete with such tales, whether it’s the three men thrown into a fiery furnace or early apostles stoned for threatening the status quo. Youth leaders would solemnly tell of saints who were burned at the stake, singing songs of praise even as the flames lapped at their feet. These were not stories of tragedy but of triumph. The focus was not on those who killed the missionaries, but on the faith that endured u..Continue reading→
Box office: Hidden Figures holds on to the top spot while six new films fail to find an audience
A drama about three African-American women who broke racial barriers in the early 1960s held on to the top spot at the box office on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, while half a dozen new wide releases failed to find an audience. Hidden Figures, which focuses on three black women who worked at NASA in its early days, topped the chart for a second straight week with an estimated $20.5 million between Friday and Sunday — a drop of only 10.3% since last week. That raises the film’s North Am..Continue reading→
New details about — and a new trailer for — The Shack
With seven weeks to go before the film comes out, new details about The Shack — and a new trailer for the film — have come online. First, Publishers Weekly has a profile of The Shack novelist William Paul Young, who notes that a significant change has been made to the story’s main character: Although Young called the film a “faithful adaptation” to his novel, the author noted a major difference between the main character in the book, Mack, and the character onscreen. “I framed the book within so..Continue reading→
The Story of God: Chosen
Photo by Ted, Flickr. CC Licensing. Season two of “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman” debuts Monday, Jan. 16, at 9 p.m. (8 p.m. Central) on the National Geographic Channel. Once again, I’ll be writing about it here each week from a Christian perspective as a preview. The first episode of the season deals with “The Chosen One.” Given its topic — chosen people in various religions — I initially assumed that this first episode would deal with the central figures of various faiths. Jesus, Mohamm..Continue reading→
Return to “The Story of God” on Jan. 16
(Photo credit: National Geographic Channels/Matthew Paul Turner) One of the highlights of last year was writing about National Geographic’s “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman.” Being part of Patheos’ “blogging carnival” was a great writing experience and a chance for me to re-examine my faith. I was deeply challenged by that discussion and, in the end, it made my faith stronger. National Geographic Channel will debut season two of “The Story of God” on Monday, Jan. 16 at 9 p.m. (8 p.m. Centra..Continue reading→
Box office: Hidden Figures nearly beats Rogue One
A movie about the space race nearly beat Star Wars at the box office this week. Hidden Figures, which tells the true story of three African-American women whose mathematical and scientific prowess was key to NASA’s success in the early 1960s, grossed an estimated $21.8 million between Thursday and Sunday nights. That was nearly tied with Rogue One, which earned $22 million this week — though Hidden Figures could pull ahead when the final figures come out tomorrow. Hidden Figures went into wide r..Continue reading→
From “Rogue One” to “Empire Strikes Back”: What I watched on my winter vacation
Don’t let the headline mislead you: this isn’t all about “Star Wars.” As I write this, I’m coming off a very long vacation. On Dec. 23, I left work for two weeks to enjoy the holidays and recuperate from a very busy fall. I go back to work and school tomorrow and, as providence would have it, it’s also shaping up to be a busy week for this blog. For now, I’m enjoying the last few hours of break. It wasn’t the greatest vacation — quite a few stressors made it a bit hectic — but for the first time..Continue reading→
Music
Kat&Jared EP by Kat&Jared
"Everyone goes through difficult seasons. When we're in those seasons we can either choose to magnify our problems or we can magnify who God is. These five songs are really just a collection of songs that celebrate the life that comes by choosing to enter into God's presence." Kat Hartmann Kat&Jared, Kat and Jared Hartmann, are worship leaders and songwriters whose passion is to help people discover the life that comes from friendship with God and spending time in His presence. Kat and Jared spent the first nine years of their marriage traveling the world with Flyleaf, a platinum selling[...]Continue reading→
Sing it Now: Songs of Faith & Hope by Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire has never been one to "rest on her laurels" (Associated Press) and continues to prove that her strong work ethic couples well with passion as she prepares to release SING IT NOW: SONGS OF FAITH HOPE on February 3, 2017 jointly through Nash Icon Records and Capitol Christian Music Group. For an entertainer with an illustrious career that has elicited 35 No. 1 singles, over 56 million albums sold worldwide, prestigious industry awards, lead acting roles and brand endeavors, new is a rarity yet an art form she has perfected. From the set of her forthcoming music[...]Continue reading→
Blue Eyed Devil by KRUM (fka Playdough)
Veteran emcee KRUM is dropping a completely free project on February 3, and the pre-order is now available. The album is called Blue Eyed Devil and will be the first full project by KRUM since he changed his name from Playdough. The album features production from Theory Hazit, Rob Viktum, Harry Krum, Freddie Bruno, and more. KRUM says to look out for music videos and promos in the next few weeks.[...]Continue reading→
Blessings (feat. Ty Dolla $ign) – Single by Lecrae
Lecrae is taking a shot at radio with his new single, "Blessings," that drops tomorrow (January 27). After more than a decade in the industry, the Atlanta MC has hustled his way through the independent scene often carrying the sometimes-dreaded title of "Christian rapper." But perhaps that label is what will make his version of "Blessings" stand out, as he explained to HipHopDX before his show at The Roxy on Wednesday (January 25). "I get to change the narrative a little bit, let people see some of the behind-the-scenes of what I mean when I say it and my perspective," Lecrae[...]Continue reading→
Nu Age Soul EP by Phil J.
Phil J. released his new completely self-written, produced, and mixed free EP project.[...]Continue reading→
Signs & Wonders by Watoto Children’s Choir
Watoto presents a brand new children's choir tour and album, Signs Wonders, that celebrates the joy of salvation. The choir, whose members are orphans and other vulnerable children, present new worship music from Watoto Church in Uganda.[...]Continue reading→
After All These Years by Brian & Jenn Johnson
More than 10 years since their last solo release, Bethel Music's Brian Jenn Johnson will debut their highly anticipated album After All These Years on January 27, capturing the wonder, conviction, and tenderness of heart behind the story of who they've become and who they've remained over the past season. Cowriting every song on the album together, After All These Years varies stylistically from previous projects, as each track is marked by a distinct and bright 80-piece symphony orchestra paired with timeless lyrics and instrumentation. Songwriting, leading worship and overseeing Bethel Church's Worship Department for over 15 years, the album[...]Continue reading→
FUTUREGEN by AMP
FUTUREGEN, AMP's Junior release, shines a spotlight on the Future Generation and the expansive potential they hold. A symphony that swings from modern electronica to grand orchestrals, the album brings into focus the next rising generation, rallying them on to run toward the prime joy of making Christ known and glorified. The track list, featuring AMP's signature sound and lyricism, is both electric and vertical, passionate and authentic, contagious and full of praise. It exhibits the musical and spiritual growth of each individual in the group, and in doing so, overflows into an active encouragement for all believers to vigorously[...]Continue reading→
Books
The Theology Professor and His Ailing Wife
Life brings occasions, both good and bad, that serve as natural chapter breaks in our own narrative. Dealing with the good ones is enjoyable, and there’s usually time to prepare for things like a wedding and the birth of a child. There’s no preparation for the bad ones, though. They happen, and you flee to wherever—whomever—you find refuge. For John Feinberg, longtime professor of biblical and systematic theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and his wife, Pat, that day came on Novemb..Continue reading→
Men who won’t work
Nearly a third of American men aren’t working. These include the unemployed, men who can’t find jobs. But there are two-and-half times more men who aren’t even trying to find a job. Because their lack of work is voluntary, they aren’t counted in the unemployment rate. But the number of men between 25 to 54 who are “economically inactive” is soaring. This has nothing to do with educational attainment, the business cycle, or the availability of jobs. Many men just don’t feel that traditional mascu..Continue reading→
Four Myths Christians Believe About Politics
Back in February, we at the Summit hosted a forum addressing the interaction between the gospel and politics. As the past few months have taught us, politics can be a messy, confusing, infuriating venture. Christians often don’t know what to do with politics—myself included. On one side, I feel like I may not be speaking up enough on key issues. On the other side, I feel like I may be speaking up too much and causing a stumbling block for the gospel. That’s the tension I wrestle with, and that m..Continue reading→
Turning 40 While Single and Childless
I was 28 years old the first time someone called me “barren.” At a book club hosted by one of my friends, I met a 22-year-old graduate student who had just moved to the city. After our group discussion, she and I ended up in the kitchen talking about food, life, and expectations. As I shared with her the story of my recent broken engagement, I confessed, “I thought I’d be married by now.” Later that week, she emailed to say she enjoyed our conversation and that she, too, thought she’d be “marr..Continue reading→
Ten Ways Jesus Ruined His Own Campaign
It’s campaign and election season for all of us, but I’m even deeper in campaign mode than usual. I’m in the throes of my husband’s run for the state house while also in my own “campaign”—publisher’s terminology—as my tenth book releases this week. And that book (Crossing the Waters: Following Jesus through the Storms, the Fish, the Doubt and the Seas) is itself the fruit of following Jesus’ three-year campaign in Galilee. To better understand those events, I hiked the Gospel Trail solo around t..Continue reading→
5 Books to Read Before Voting in a Presidential Election
Peter Wehner, former presidential aide, helps us wrestle with deeper issues than Candidate A versus Candidate B. Campaign season has a way of raising everyone’s blood pressure, inflaming partisan passions and cultural resentments. How can we step back from a ferocious news cycle and find enduring wisdom on how to approach the task of choosing a national leader? CT asked Peter Wehner, senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and a veteran of three Republican presidential administrati..Continue reading→
Free Stuff Fridays (Nabeel Qureshi Edition)
This week’s Free Stuff Fridays is sponsored by Zondervan. There will be 5 winners this week and each of them will receive a great package of material from Nabeel Qureshi. The winners will receive: No God but One: Allah or Jesus? “Former Muslim Nabeel Qureshi’s new, New York Times bestselling book No God but One examines the most important questions at the intersection of Islam and Christianity. Nabeel shares stories from his life and ministry, casts new light on current events, and explores pivotal incidents in the histories of both religions, providing a resource that is gripping and thought-provoking, respectful and challenging. Readers of Qureshi’s first book, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, will appreciate this careful and respectful comparison of Islam and Christianity. While Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus showed us the conversion of Nabeel’s heart, this new follow-up, No God but One, shows us the conversion of Nabeel’s mind. Both religions teach that there is No God but One, but thi..Continue reading→
Friendship Evangelism Is Not Dehumanizing
In her new book, Joyful Witness in the Muslim World: Sharing the Gospel in Everyday Encounters, Evelyne Reisacher—an associate professor of Islamic studies and intercultural relations at Fuller Theological Seminary—casts a vision for Christians entering relationships with Muslims based on shared joys. She does so by tracing how these relationships can blossom in six spheres: the internet, the arts, environmentalism, humanitarian service, urban contexts, and theological conversations. Relation..Continue reading→
The Life They Never Expected: Andrew and Rachel Wilson on Raising Special-Needs Kids
Parents, particularly those of children with special needs, are bombarded with how-to books and advice. But a book that addresses the parent’s heart is a rare find. Andrew and Rachel Wilson provide just that as they chronicle their emotional and spiritual story as their son, Zeke, and then daughter, Anna, are diagnosed with autism in The Life We Never Expected: Hopeful Reflections on the Challenges of Parenting Children with Special Needs [review] (Crossway, 2016). The book reflects..Continue reading→
American
Another “Lifestyle Choice” — Trans-Species
Nano, a 20-year-old Norwegian, says, “I was born in the wrong species.” Nano believes she is trapped in a human female body instead of a feline body. A woman who hisses at dogs, claims her night vision and sense of smell is better because she is really a cat. She even meows in “cat language.” The Daily Mail reports: Sadly, such “lifestyle choices” are nothing more than disordered affections, in some cases mental disorders, which enable people to reject truth and condone wrong and delusional beha..
The Myth of the ‘Moderate Muslim’
Below is a guest post from my friend and Liberty Alliance colleague, J. Matt Barber which was first published on his site: BarbWire.com. “When the sacred months are over slay the idolaters wherever you find them. Arrest them, besiege them, and lie in ambush everywhere for them.” – The Quran, Surah 9:5 When it comes to the global scourge of orthodox Islam, the Western world, which Islamists expressly seek to “destroy from within,” is an upside-down realm wherein objective facts, logic and reason ..
O Holy Night– Unique History, Watch Beautiful Performance
“O Holy Night,” one of the most beautiful Christmas carols worshipping the birth of Jesus Christ, was written by an atheist. Not just an atheist, but an avowed atheist and vocal anti-cleric. In 1843 a local parish church in Roquemaure, France, completed renovating its organ. To celebrate this joyous event that coincided with Christmas, the parish priest asked Placide Cappeau (1808-1877), a wine merchant, poet, and native of Roquemaure, to write a Christmas poem for the celebration. Cappeau agree..