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Thoughts

It’s Not Only Athletes: What Platform Has God Given You?

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

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

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

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1 Corinthians 7:4-5 (07-04-16)

The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.— 1 Corinthians 7:4-5 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Paul told us that our bodies were not our own, but that we had been bought at a..Continue reading

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Jeremiah 7:3 (07-03-16)

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.— Jeremiah 7:3 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... We often take for granted what we have, where we live, the friends who bless our lives, and the family that gives us a place to belong and grow. All of these are gifts to us from God. We don't deserve them. We don't earn them. But, we can surely destroy them. God wants us to live obediently, not just..Continue reading

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Matthew 7:2 (07-02-16)

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.— Matthew 7:2 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Jesus is concerned that we not have a critical spirit toward others, especially about their motives as to why they did something. We can't assume to know another person's heart; only God can. When we are unfairly critical, overly harsh, or unduly judgmental, we need to remember that God will use that same sta..Continue reading

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Psalm 7:1 (07-01-16)

O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me...— Psalm 7:1 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Who or what is pursuing you? Is it a past mistake? Is it an old enemy? Is it your conscience? Is it a nagging sense of guilt? Is it someone who wants to do you physical harm? Is it a physical illness? In the middle of all the storms and struggles of life, where do you go to find peace and security? There is only One who can be a true and ..Continue reading

Church & Ministries

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Young pastors aim to plant more churches to draw ‘hip-hop’ people in Missouri

(The Gate Church)Kenny Petty (left) and Kyle Hubbard planted a church together and now pastor The Gate Church, a church built to minister to the hip-hop community of St. Louis, Missouri. Young pastors like Kenny "KP" Petty are working hard to plant more churches and trying to draw people who have grown up in hip-hop culture where "rap music, gangs, urban clothing, art, poetry, hardship and violence have molded our people." Petty was a gang member in high school and was shot twice. He went to j..Continue reading

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How Do We Preach About Loving God?

As Pastors we know that Jesus teaches us to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength (Matthew 22:37; Luke 10:27). But when we attempt to teach this love for God to others, we run into obstacles as ministry leaders. Why is this and what can we do? Pay Attention to the Experiences (Providences) of Those We Serve It can be hard to say, “I love you” to anyone. For some of us it just isn’t “manly” or proper to do so. Love is weakness. Love makes a mockery of etiquette. For others o..Continue reading

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Aleppo: Church provides hope to Christians and Muslims amid the carnage

ReutersA Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) fighter stands near women on a damaged street in Manbij, in Aleppo Governorate, Syria, August 7, 2016. A Jesuit priest in Aleppo has described how the Catholic Church is continuing to help those remaining in Syria's city despite an upsurge of intense fighting that in recent weeks has killed scores, displaced thousands and cut water and power to up to two million people on both sides of the front line. As rebel forces pushed forward to seize the city,..Continue reading

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Eritrea accused of staging false apology from imprisoned patriarch

DireTubeEritrean Patriarch Abune Antonios. Reports that the imprisoned Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church has been released from house arrest following an apology have been denied by supporters. His Holiness Abune Antonios was arrested in January 2006 and deprived of his office by his Church's synod in what the other Oriental Orthodox Churches regard as a violation of ecclesiastical law. He had resisted the Eritrean government's increasing encroachment into Church affa..Continue reading

Hot Topics

Three Essentials to Prevent “Flaming Out” on Our Family and Ministry

“Having friends outside of your ministry and your church also has the byproduct of helping you see your church and work for what it really is. It may help you to see and identify dysfunction that you’re otherwise too close to recognize.” It was a Saturday evening in November and the temperatures were starting to fall. His parents were out of town for some reason or another, his car had broken down and the snow was beginning to fall. It was 9:45pm when I got the phone call. “Can you come and he..Continue reading

Mentoring Others

“In 1 Thessalonians 2, Paul speaks of his being gentle among the Thessalonians, like a nursing mother caring for her children. Have you ever watched a godly woman caring for her young children? Such gentleness! Such patience! Such careful instruction!” My wife and I recently sat at our dining room table over “It’ll Kill Ya Pie,” discussing with a young urban pastor and his wife their marriage, their parenting, and their ministry. It was a delightful evening. Ann and I are certainly no Aquila an..Continue reading

Unconditional Election: The Calling and Commissioning of the Apostle Paul

“I would suggest that the biblical discussion of divine election or unconditional election cannot bypass Romans 9 or other Scriptural passages that indicate that God chooses those whom he will save based upon his own reasons which do not include anything special about the one chosen at the time God saves a sinner.” The Apostle Paul in Romans 9 addresses God’s sovereignty and uses the illustration of the potter and the clay. The potter, of course, creates out of his pile of clay whatever he or s..Continue reading

The Best-Seller Myth

It is ironic that it is within the publishing industry—an industry of words and meaning—that the word “best-seller” is most often used with an imprecise meaning. So, let’s move beyond folklore and talk about what it actually connotes when the status is attributed. If you are going to invest the time, transparency, and discipline to write a book you should want people to read it. This is especially true for books that point people to God. Christian books can be a means of making disciples, so it..Continue reading

Life & Society

Miracle Baby Born With Heart, Intestines Outside Body Thriving After Mom Gives Child Life

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — A Nevada baby who was born with his heart and intestines outside of his body is beating the odds as he celebrates a year after his mother gave him life. Last year, Desteny Amaya was informed that her son had a condition called Pentalogy of Cantrell after an abnormality was spotted during an ultrasound. Her doctor, Van Bohman, advised that the baby’s heart and intestines were forming outside of his body. “Almost universally it’s fatal. These kids never survive; in fact this is..Continue reading

District of Columbia Committee Advances Physician Assisted Suicide Bill

WASHINGTON — A committee for the District of Columbia has approved a bill that would legalize physician assisted suicide. The “Death With Dignity Act” was advanced on Wednesday in the Committee on Health and Human Services by a 3-2 vote. Introduced by Democrat Mary Cheh, the Act allows for terminally ill patients to submit a request in writing that they be provided with medication that will end their life. “A written request … shall be witnessed by at least two individuals who, in the presenc..Continue reading

Football Players Wowed by Their Coach’s Gifts — Personalised Bibles: ‘He Really Cares and Wants Good for Us’

Miami Hurricanes coach Mark Richt reacts to the fans and students after his former team, the Georgia Bulldogs, defeated the Kentucky Wildcats at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, in November 2015.Reuters Bibles as gifts? Yes, why not? That was the great idea that struck Miami Hurricanes coach Mark Richt and for which he could very well earned the title of Most Loved Coach of the Year, if ever there is one. This week, Richt started giving personalised Bibles to his players and the coaching s..Continue reading

Viral Video: Christian Mom Breaks Down After Hearing Profane Rap Song on Radio While Driving Daughter to School

Pixabay The video of a Christian mother who broke down on camera because of the profanity of a rap song being played on a local radio station has gone viral, with more than 800,000 people having watched the clip so far. The mother, identified by CNET.com as Krystle Partido from Woodward, Oklahoma, narrated in the video she posted on her Facebook page last month how she came across the rap song "Norf Norf" by Vince Staples while driving her 11-year-old daughter to school. Partido was calm at f..Continue reading

Music

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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

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​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

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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

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​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

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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

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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

World

American

Vice President Pence Says Obamacare Repeal Will be Pro-Life: “We Will Protect the Sanctity of Life”

After meeting with pro-life leaders, pro-life Vice President Mike Pence said that any legislation approved to repeal and replace Obamacare would be pro-life. Pence held a “listening session” with several pro-life leaders late Thursday and asked for suggestions or improvement on the legislation that a House committee has already approved. The meeting lasted over an hour. “The conversation focused on ensuring that the sanctity of life is respected and included in efforts to repeal and replace Ob..

Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer Falsely Claims Planned Parenthood Provides Mammograms

The lie that Planned Parenthood does mammograms continues. On Tuesday, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer defended the abortion giant’s taxpayer funding by claiming that it provides mammograms, maternity care and other important health services for women, according to the Daily Caller. #Trumpcare cuts @PPFA funds, hurting millions of women who turn there for mammograms, maternity care, cancer screenings & more. pic.twitter.com/8ZmgEPZikv — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 7, 2017 Pla..

Hawaii Senate Passes Bill Forcing Pregnancy Centers to Promote Abortions

Sailing through the Democrat-controlled senate on a 22-3 tally, a Hawaiian bill that would force the state’s five pro-life pregnancy centers to advertise taxpayer-funded abortions was sent along to the house Tuesday in Honolulu. Patterned along similar lines with a 2015 law in California that is likely headed to the U.S. Supreme Court as soon as this year, the Hawaiian senate bill (SB 501) was originally introduced with a parallel house bill, which was on hold as the senate bill went through. ..

Chinese Family Planning Offices Dragged Her Into a Car and Forced Her to Abort Her Six-Month-Old Baby

It was impossible not to shed tears as Yue Zhang shared the trauma of being forced to abort her baby – six months into the pregnancy – a child she wanted and loved. At an event held today at the Heritage Foundation, along with Reggie Littlejohn, president of Women’s Rights Without Frontiers, and pro-life Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), Yue Zhang courageously spoke about how the Chinese Family Planning Committee dragged her into a car, took her to the hospital, and forced her to abort her baby. ..

Australia

What the Son of God gave up for us

CHRISTIAN LIVING | Mark Leach – Rector of Darling Street Anglican, Rozelle, Sydney Tuesday 22 November 2016 Some of the most radical, inspiring and challenging verses I’ve ever read are 1 Cor 9:1-23 where Paul outlines his rights as an Apostle. A Roman citizen, a Hebrew of Hebrews, he comes from a background of privilege. In addition, he is an Apostle transformed by an encounter with Jesus and he is the guy who started the church in Corinth. But Paul says he gives up all his rights, his freed..

Teens skip schoolies to teach God’s word

BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS Friday 18 November 2015 A team of 14 young people aged 15-27, mostly schoolies, leave this weekend for a two-week mission trip to Cambodia for Bible Society Australia. The main focus will be visiting the literacy schools run by Bible Society Cambodia. “The schoolies are giving up their party time to go and help out in the literacy schools and give Bibles to the graduates. The team will also run children’s programmes in villages giving out a special booklet, Jesus is Born, th..

The blessed peacemakers of Israel

MISSION NEWS | Anne Lim Friday 11 November 2016 Children in Israel and the Palestinian Territories are going to sleep with a book of Bible stories about peace under their pillows, says Dina Katanacho, director of the Arab Israeli Bible Society based in Nazareth. The colourful picture book in Arabic – containing 15 biblical stories, 15 stories of contemporary children, questions and prayer – is shaping the attitudes of the next generation, Dina said. “The impact of this book was really big, be..

Australia notes:  Guy Fawkes Day

On Saturday night, here in Australia, fireworks started going off everywhere. It dawned on my daughter the lines “Remember, remember/the Fifth of November.” It was Guy Fawkes day! The old boy is burned in effigy and explosions are set off in commemoration of the Gunpowder Plot, in which a band of Catholic terrorists packed the basement of Parliament with gunpowder with the idea of blowing up the English government and killing King James. The plot was discovered when a conspirator wrote a letter ..

Law & Government

Unhinged ‘Street Preacher’ Lambasts Georgia Police Officer: ‘You Deserve a Sniper Bullet’

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — A shocking viral video that has been making its rounds on social media shows a self-identified street preacher lambasting a county police officer as he walks away, tongue-lashing him with the proclamation, “You deserve a sniper bullet in your head.” Jim Gilles of Indiana had been holding signs and calling out to passersby outside of Creflo Dollar’s World Changers Church International on the morning of Oct. 9, 2016 as members were arriving for services. Dollar has been a cont..

Planned Parenthood Asks Court to Stop Texas From Cutting Org From Medicaid Program

AUSTIN, Texas — The abortion and contraceptive giant Planned Parenthood filed for an emergency restraining order on Friday in an effort to stop officials in Texas from cutting the organization from the state Medicaid program. “Defendants’ unprecedented and indefensible actions show these terminations to be nothing more than a politically motivated witch hunt and the culmination of a concerted effort over more than a decade to come between the provider Plaintiffs and the thousands of low income ..

Trump Inauguration to Feature Prayer of Prosperity Preacher Paula White Who ‘Secured His Calling’

WASHINGTON — Prominent Catholic Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Franklin Graham, and prosperity preacher Paula White will be among the ecumenical selection of faith leaders who will present prayers and readings at Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony next month, the inaugural committee announced on Wednesday. “Since the first inaugural ceremony, our leaders have paid tribute to the blessings of liberty that have been bestowed upon our country and its people,” Committee Chairman Tom Barrack said in a st..

Conservative Attorney Jay Sekulow Supports Judge on Trump’s Supreme Court Shortlist Who Called Abortion ‘a Right’

WASHINGTON — Well-known attorney Jay Sekulow, who serves as chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, which takes up cases for conservative, pro-life and pro-family causes, expressed his support on national television this week for two of the picks on President-elect Donald Trump’s Supreme Court shortlist—Judges Diane Sykes and Bill Pryor—stating that they have a “proven track record.” However, others have voiced concern about the judges precisely because of their track record, ..

Entertainment

Elizabeth “Liz” Thoman, Media Literacy Pioneer, Memorial Planned

Sister Elizabeth “Liz” Thoman, CHM died on December 22, 2019. She was a media literacy education pioneer, advocate, and educator. Here is a link to her obituary: Sr. Elizabeth Thoman, Media Literacy Leader Dies Here is a link to my essay about her, written in gratitude for her life, work, and influence on my life: Sister Elizabeth Thoman Altered the Course of My Life To RSVP for the Memorial Service, click here (or copy and paste): [email protected] If you come, bring a memory to share! Or you ca..

“Silence” Exclusive Clip Ahead of Wide Release Jan. 13

If you live outside of a major entertainment hub like New York City or Los Angeles, chances are that this weekend might be your first opportunity to see the much-anticipated “Silence,” which is generating a lot of Oscar buzz. Based on an acclaimed novel by the same name, “Silence,” directed by Martin Scorsese, follows two Jesuit priests who endure persecution and violence when they travel to 17th-century Japan to spread Christianity and locate their mentor. Check out this exclusive clip from the..

You Picked What?! Watching God’s Best Movies of 2016

Comment countI love reading year-end lists. I’m not such a big fan of writing them. Hey, it’s not easy to sift through all the year’s movies and coming up with what I think are “the best.” What does that even mean, anyway? Are these the best movies, aesthetically speaking? The stuff that secular critics drool over and take home scads of awards? Or are these the movies that I enjoyed the most? The movies that made me smile while leaving the theater? And what about the movie’s message? This blog i..

Shining a Light on Strong Faith: New “Silence” Exclusive Clip Released

Paramount Pictures -- Clip from 'Silence'Directed by Martin Scorsese, SILENCE tells the story of two Christian missionaries, Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) and Garrpe (Adam Driver), who face the ultimate test of faith when they travel to Japan in search of their missing mentor at a time when Christianity was outlawed and their presence forbidden. The celebrated director’s 28-year journey to bring Shusaku Endo’s 1966 acclaimed novel to life will be in theaters in New York and Los Angeles o..

Health and Science

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Ken Ham Rebuts Lutheran Leader Who Says Noah’s Flood ‘Not History’: If It’s Not, Jesus Lied

WILLIAMSTOWN, Ky. — Apologist Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis recently rebutted a liberal ELCA Lutheran minister who asserted in a published column that the biblical account of the global flood is “not history,” noting that the man is also calling Jesus a liar, for He spoke of Noah and the Flood. Steve Hammer is leads Esperanza Lutheran Church in Phoenix, Arizona and writes an opinion column for the Ahwatukee Foothills News. In an article dated Aug. 21, which now brings up a 404 error code but ca..

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A Story Carved In Rock (RJS)

The evidence for an ancient earth – far, far older than the <10,000 year timeline defended in young earth creationism – is abundant and independent of any hypothesis concerning the mechanism of biological evolution. There are only two reasons to doubt the great age of the earth: (1) an ignorance of the data or (2) a prior commitment to a young earth (usually from a specific approach to Genesis). In my experience, adamant defense of a young earth has always been tie..

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‘The Darwinian View is False’: Ph.D. Biologist Dismantles Evolution in New Book

An accomplished molecular biologist with more than two decades of research experience has come out with a new book in which he describes crippling weaknesses in the theory of evolution and argues instead that life must have been invented by God. Dr. Douglas Axe is a credentialed scientist who earned a Ph.D. from California Institute of Technology and held a number of research positions at the University of Cambridge. The author of numerous scientific papers, Axe currently s..

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Scientists Cloning More Animals Using Dolly the Sheep, May Lead to Human Cloning

Apparently clones of the same dead sheep from which Dolly was manufactured are in good health and aging normally. From the LiveSciencestory: Four cloned sheep that are genetically identical to Dolly, the first cloned mammal, are still healthy even in old age, a new study found. The four sheep, which were derived from the same batch of cells as Dolly and could be considered her clone “sisters,” have just reached their 9th birthday, which is equivalent to age 70 in human years, researchers who ha..

US

The new culture war

The old culture war was about morality and was informed by religion. The new culture war, signaled by the election of Donald Trump, is about nationalism vs. multiculturalism and “the people” vs. the elites. Trump has little interest in the old culture wars, with the important exception of being pro-life. But the new culture war is just as emotional, with pretty much the same people on either side. So says Rich Lowry in a piece excerpted and linked after the jump. So where does that leave Christi..

Marching for Life is getting somewhere

Today is the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., where thousands of pro-lifers will commemorate the Roe v. Wade decision on January 22, 1973, by demonstrating against abortion and for the sanctity of life. We’ll see if this mass demonstration gets as much media coverage as the recent Women’s March, which specifically excluded pro-life women. I suspect not. But the pro-life cause is making progress. Abortion rates have dropped below the level they were before Roe v. Wade. (That ruling lega..

No, Trump isn’t censoring government agencies

The media is aghast that President Trump is requiring approval for website posts, clamping down on the use of social media, freezing grants, and forbidding federal agencies from issuing news releases. Censorship! Information control! Orwellian thought police! Well, it turns out, as even the New York Times now admits, this is routine practice during the transition from one administration to another. The same orders were handed down when the Obama administration replaced that of George W. Bush. As..

“The crowd is untruth”

In our discussion of yesterday’s post The Problem with Crowds, Stefan Stackhouse linked to an essay by Søren Kierkegaard, The Crowd is Untruth. That essay is shockingly profound,, with great resonance for today. The Danish Lutheran/proto-existentialist takes a theological, as well as ethical, view of crowds. He points out that the Bible says, “Love thy neighbor”; not “love the crowd.” He deals with “the daily press” and its creation of an abstract “public” that assumes an authority over what we ..

Church & Theology

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10 Lessons from a Hospital Stay—part 1

Just over two weeks ago, our lives were turned upside down when our three-year-old grandson, Chandler was taken to the hospital by ambulance with severe necrotizing pneumonia. We’re so thankful for the many who have prayed for Chandler in these past days, and we’re thankful for how the Lord has answered prayer in bringing healing. Although Chandler is now at home and resting well, he still has pneumonia and is taking strong antibiotics. We ask for continued prayers for his full recovery and tha..

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10 Lessons from a Hospital Stay, part 2

In my previous post, I shared five of the lessons the Lord has been teaching me through my three-year-old grandson Chandler’s illness illness and hospitalization with severe pneumonia. These are in no real order—just the raw truths the Lord has been teaching me during one of the most difficult times in our family’s life. (If you’ve just come across this and are seeing part 2 first, I hope you’ll take a moment to read part 1 which more thoroughly develops those first five lessons with Scripture ..

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What the Trinity Debate Can Teach Seminarians

I wrote the other day about why the Trinity debate matters for the pulpit and pew, hoping to help people outside or on the periphery of the debate understand why they should care about it. (By the way, I gave a bit of an intro and some recommended articles in that post, if you already have no clue what debate I’m talking about.) A group of people who participated more directly in the debate is Bible college and seminary students. From undergrads to PhD students, it seems ..

5 Commitments of Continuing Churches

We have the absolute promise that the church will continue. Jesus plainly declared, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18). Thus, we have the advantage of operating from the knowledge that we are on the winning side. Even so, you and I both know of churches that have not continued for Christ—churches who have left off aggressively reaching the world with the gospel and dwindled to nothing or have tried to “reinvent” the church and lost their distinction and effectiveness. So what is the diff..

Finance

Five Ways to Retire With Less Money

What if you are one of the many millions of people who have little chance of having a million dollar retirement portfolio by the time you reach 65? Should you abandon the idea of retirement completely and plan on working until you die? Hardly. The reality is that most people will enter retirement with something much less than $1 million. The ability to retire is often more dependent upon factors beyond your retirement portfolio. Here are some ways to enable you to eventually have some form of retirement, even if you will never amass a retirement fortune. Cut your living expensesA major reason why retirement portfolios need to be so large today is the high standards of living we’ve all become accustomed to. You can cut down on the amount of money that you’ll need in retirement by cutting back on your living expenses now. This will accomplish two positive goals. First, it will free up more money now so that you can invest it either in your retirement portfolio or in other income producin..

How to File the Federal Tax Extension Form

Filing a tax extension is simple. If you need extra time to work through your tax documents and just don’t think you’ll be able to finish your taxes by the April 18th tax deadline, you can file for an extension. Once you file the tax extension form, you’ll have until October 17th 2016 to file your taxes (an extra 6 months). This doesn’t mean that you get an extra 6 months to pay your taxes. That’s why it’s so important to estimate you taxes owed and pay them before April 18, 2016. Otherwise, you might end up with penalties and interest to pay the IRS. Oh and if you still need to file your taxes this year, you can file them for free (even state) here. How to File a Tax Extension Form1. Estimate Your Taxes OwedYou’ll need to have an idea of how much you owe in taxes because you’ll need to send in the payment before April 18th. Gather all your tax documents and create a rough estimate of what you’ll owe. 2. Download and Complete the Tax Extension FormThe IRS requires you to download and c..

Income Tax Calculator: 3 Federal Income Tax Estimators

With tax season around the corner, you might be itching to file your taxes right away. Some people like to file as early as possible, while others are still looking for the answer to their question: when are taxes are due? If you don’t have all your tax forms yet, but want to estimate what your federal income tax return looks like, you’re in luck. There are a few tools available for you to estimate what your return might look like. If you haven’t already received your W-2 or 1099s in the mail, use your last paycheck as a guide to see how much you made and what you paid in for federal and state taxes. Gather as much information as you can about charitable donations, business expenses, or interest paid so that you can get the best estimate when you put your figures into these income tax calculators. 3 Income Tax Calculators to Estimate Your Tax Refund…or Tax BillIRS.gov Tax Refund CalculatorThis no-frills income tax calculator will take into consideration most of the major tax issues tha..

Life Balance: How to Keep it Together

In this ever-changing world in which we live, all of us feel a little “un-balanced “ at times in our lives. What can we do to help us recognize what is causing that unbalanced feeling and how should we go about fixing it? Let’s first identify some of the areas in our lives that we must keep in balance. There are home responsibilities, work responsibilities, community responsibilities, religious responsibilities, educational responsibilities, and social responsibilities – to name just a few. HomeIn your home responsibilities you need to find a balance between all of the many things that you have to do there. For example, who are you at home? Are you a parent, spouse, teacher, cook, seamstress, gardener, doctor, vet, cheerleader, lover, and friend? All of these many responsibilities can wear you down and cause you to feel off-center. It is important that you “job share” these responsibilities. The more you can communicate and share as a family the more understanding and help you will hav..