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
Ezekiel 7:8 (07-08-16)
"Now will I shortly pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee: and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations."— Ezekiel 7:8 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Because God's people had repeatedly rebelled and chosen to turn an unhearing ear toward his will, God is about to let them face the consequences of their own sinfulness. He is ready to judge them using the harshest of standards because of their entre..Continue reading→
Matthew 7:7-8 (07-07-16)
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.— Matthew 7:7-8 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... God made us to seek after him and find him (Acts 17:27-28). Try to imagine the astounding reality of this truth: the God of the Universe is thrilled to see us when we come home to him! Is it any wonder that he longs for us to see..Continue reading→
Romans 7:6 (07-06-16)
But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.— Romans 7:6 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... We are free from Law! Does that mean anarchy and lawlessness? Absolutely not! No, because the grace that freed us also brought God's HOLY Spirit to live within. He can empower us to do what we could not do on our own. He can help us in our weakness to pray with confidence and ..Continue reading→
Jeremiah 7:5-7 (07-05-16)
For if ye thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.— Jeremiah 7:5-7 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... What is the true measure of our character? Certainly it is ..Continue reading→
Church & Ministries
When Pastors and Churches Pray, God Moves
If you’re a pastor, you should certainly be striving for greater excellence as a communicator, as a leader, and as an organizer. You need a vision. You need a strategy. You need a solid, biblical theology of ministry and the church. But you can have all of these and remain stuck in mediocrity without God’s power. The greatest work you’ll ever commit to as a pastor is the work of prayer. Praying churches, who experience the miraculous power of God, are led by praying pastors. This is why Jesus s..Continue reading→
5 Tips for the Introverted Pastor
It can be hard to be an introverted pastor. Our culture values the strengths of an extroverted personality more than those of an introvert. There is also the reality that we have a people heavy job, and an inclination to enjoy alone time. Neither of these obstacles, however, makes the introverted pastor less fit for ministry. Introverts have strengths that extroverts may lack, perhaps being able to happily hide out among our books all day to prepare a sermon. Besides our strengths, the weakness..Continue reading→
Taste and See: How meals in the Bible teach us about God
Pexels Meals in the Bible are one of the principle ways in which we understand the Kingdom of God. Food is used time and again throughout Scripture as a means of showing God's interactions with people. Think about one of the very first stories we hear in Genesis – the fall. The means used by the serpent to tempt Adam and Eve was a fruit: "When the Woman saw that the tree looked like good eating and realised what she would get out of it – she'd know everything! – she took and ate the..Continue reading→
Pope Francis visits Rome safe house for women forced into sex work
ReutersPope Francis Pope Francis, who has condemned human trafficking as a crime against humanity, on Friday made a surprise visit to a Rome safe house where a Catholic charity is protecting women freed from a life of forced prostitution. The Vatican, which did not disclose the exact location of the house, said the pope met 20 women from Romania, Albania, Nigeria, Tunisia, Ukraine and Italy. He encouraged them to "be strong" as they start new lives, a Vatican official said. The statement said..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
The Inside Story: What Really Happened with Roe v. Wade?
In the depths of the Supreme Court, four justices expanded the scope of the cases beyond the wildest dreams of those who worked to abolish legal restrictions on abortion. When considered together, as was intended by the justices, the rulings on Roe V. Wade and Doe v. Bolton were so broad they immediately vacated the abortion laws of all 50 states and have made any regulation of the abortion industry, however sensible, close to impossible. Since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, courts have stru..Continue reading→
A Confession of Liberal Intolerance
“Of course there are biases against evangelicals on campuses,” notes Jonathan L. Walton, the Plummer Professor of Christian Morals at Harvard. Walton, a black evangelical, adds that the condescension toward evangelicals echoes the patronizing attitude toward racial minorities: “The same arguments I hear people make about evangelicals sound so familiar to the ways people often describe folk of color, i.e. politically unsophisticated, lacking education, angry, bitter, emotional, poor.” We progres..Continue reading→
Feds Propose More International Adoption Restrictions
New proposed regulations will make it harder for American families to adopt children outside of the U.S., according to a group of U.S. adoption agencies protesting the rules. The State Department released proposed amendments to its intercountry adoption regulations in September and is accepting comments until Nov. 7. (WNS)–New proposed regulations will make it harder for American families to adopt children outside of the U.S., according to a group of U.S. adoption agencies protesting the rules...Continue reading→
Study: The More We Lie, The Easier It Gets
Researchers at the University College London (UCL) have discovered the brain actually changes the way it responds when someone continues to lie. For the vast majority of people, the brain area known as the amygdala begins a rapid-fire response when a person is dishonest, producing uncomfortable emotions and unpleasant physical reactions…. But the UCL researchers found when people lie repeatedly, the amygdala settles down and decreases its response, making it easier to lie again and initiating a ..Continue reading→
Life & Society
‘Duck Dynasty’ Star Phil Robertson Takes on Donald Trump’s Critics: ‘They Need to Lighten Up’
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump pauses before answering questions at the Retired American Warriors conference during a campaign stop in Herndon, Virginia, U.S., on Oct. 3, 2016.Reuters People are not through yet in criticising Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, prompting "Duck Dynasty" star Phil Robertson to come out again to defend the business magnate. Just recently, a group of 100 evangelical leaders signed a letter condemning Trump and urging people not to vote for ..Continue reading→
Joyce Meyer Dismisses Death Rumours: ‘It’s Some Kind of Silly Rumour Put Out to Waste People’s Time’
Joyce Meyer is seen assuring her supporters that she is alive and well in this screenshot of a video she uploaded on her Facebook page on Oct. 6, 2016.(Facebook/Joyce Meyer) A nasty rumour surfaced recently that charismatic Christian speaker and author Joyce Meyer had passed away. Her ministry was immediately bombarded with calls from sympathisers mourning her loss, prompting Meyer to come out and dismiss the rumour. Meyer, wearing a simple pink shirt, said in a Facebook video that she is aliv..Continue reading→
XXX Church on What is Off Limits in Marital Sex Life and What Jesus Considers as Infidelity
Pexels What constitutes as infidelity is subjective, and a lot of couples don't see eye to eye regarding it. XXX Church, an online ministry dedicated to helping people with porn and sex addictions, has weighed in on the matter. Melissa Ruff writes on the ministry's website that other people should never be a part of anyone's intimate relationship. "Jesus even went a step further and said that having lust for someone when you look at them is infidelity," she says. "Adding people,..Continue reading→
Louisiana Governor Sues Own Attorney General for Rejecting Contracts With Anti-Discrimination Clauses
BATON ROUGE, La. — The Democratic governor of Louisiana has filed a lawsuit against his own attorney general for rejecting state contracts that include anti-discrimination clauses in alignment with an order issued earlier this year by the governor. “He basically told me that if I wanted him to approve those contracts that I would have to sue him,” Gov. John Bel Edwards said during a press conference on Sept. 30. “So I’m obliging him on that.” As previously reported, in April, Edwards rescinded..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→