Last spring I had the privilege of speaking at a conference for NFL players put on by Pro Athletes Outreach (PAO), a group which exists to unite a community of pro athletes and couples to grow as disciples of Jesus and positively impact their spheres of influence. They have a fantastic outreach to professional football and baseball athletes and their wives. I’ve seen firsthand the amazing difference they’re making. In the off-season I exchanged emails and texts with dozens of NFL players and cha..Continue reading→
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Thoughts
Motherhood Is a Marathon
I wanted to do great things for God. In the spring of my senior year of college, on the brink of embarking upon my own journey into adulthood, my future was undecided and that was simultaneously terrifying and thrilling. As a philosophy major, my path was narrower than I had realized, but I was sure it would take me on some grand and glorious adventure. I knew the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. “Glorify” sounds like such a grand term. It evokes images of battlefie..Continue reading→
1 Peter 5:7–8: How Not to Battle Anxiety
Anxieties attack our faith and torment our peace. The question with anxiety is not whether it will come, but rather, how can I fight it when it does? Watch NowContinue reading→
Is Love of Money Really the Root of All Evils?
Is the love of money the “root of all evils” or only the “root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10)? “All evils” is the formal English equivalent of the original Greek (pantōn tōn kakōn). It is remarkable that all older versions of the Bible translate 1 Timothy 6:10 in the more literal way: “The love of money is the root of all evils” (or all evil). This includes the Wycliffe Bible, Luther Bibel, Geneva Bible, King James Version, Douay-Rheims, Darby Bible, and Revised Standard Version. Bu..Continue reading→
Church & Ministries
‘Spotlight’ priest hangs himself in jail after fresh paedophilia allegations
ReutersBuzzi was cited among the paedophilia cases listed at the end of Spotlight, the Oscar-winning 2015 film based on the Boston Globe newspaper's investigation of sexual abuses by Catholic priests. A priest convicted of sex abuse has hanged himself in jail following further allegations of paedophilia. Father Bonifacio Buzzi, 57, was found dead in his prison cell in Minas Gerais, in the north of Brazil, the state government said in a statement. According to reports, he had hanged himse..Continue reading→
Kosovo: British former priest accused of abuse should not be extradited – court
A British former Catholic priest wanted on historic child sex abuse charges should not be extradited to the UK because the crimes were committed too long ago, a court in Kosovo ruled on Monday. Metropolitan PoliceA court in Kosovo has ruled that British former priest Laurence Soper should not be extradited back to the UK Laurence Soper was detained in the western town of Peja - where he had lived for abour five years under the name Andrew Charles Kingston - in May on an international arrest wa..Continue reading→
Meeting People’s Four Deepest Needs
Jesus told us that he came so that we would have “life to the fullest” (John 10:10). If that was Jesus’ goal while he was on earth, don’t you think that should be a goal of the church? Most people aren’t living life to the fullest. Sure, most people have full lives. They’re always going from one place to another, from one accomplishment to another, and often from one relationship to another. Many people’s schedules are full, but that’s a far cry from living life to the fullest. First and forem..Continue reading→
Could the decline in Christianity be coming to a halt?
The decline of Christianity in Britain could be coming to a halt, temporarily at least, new figures from this year's British Social Attitudes Survey (BSA) suggest. New figures show the number of Britons who describe themselves as 'Christian' has risen by one per cent The figures, not yet released but reported in yesterday's Sunday Telegraph, show that the overall proportion of Britons who describe themselves as Christian rose by one percentage point in the last year, from 4..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
Danger Follows Christian Refugees To Germany
The situation of Christian refugees in German shelters is “unbearable” according to an updated report released in October and co-authored by Open Doors Germany. The report documents 743 cases of discrimination, death threats, and physical assaults against Christians by Muslim refugees between February and May of this year and claims the findings are only “the tip of the iceberg.” (WNS)–The situation of Christian refugees in German shelters is “unbearable” according to an updated report released..Continue reading→
Why It Matters
There’s no question that Christians should be empathetic toward those struggling with same-sex attraction and have the humility to acknowledge that if we don’t have that struggle, we don’t know what it’s like. But there’s a point at which empathy becomes distorted and blinds us to Scriptural truths and to the reality that suffering is a part of all of our lives but is not a license to reinterpret biblical passages to ease our pain and justify our actions. We are kidding ourselves if we think we’..Continue reading→
Four Key Principles of Repentence
We need to confess before God but also before anyone we have offended. Of course we need to confess our sins before God, and when we do this we honor his rule over us and we acknowledge his omniscience—he already knows our sins and has been most deeply grieved by them. But when we have sinned publicly our confession and repentance need to be public. When we have sinned against an individual, our confession and repentance need to be before that individual. In this way we safeguard relationships a..Continue reading→
Wise Up! A Review
Proverbs is one of those books in the Bible we often use to teach our children the way of wisdom. Yet to be honest, I’ve struggled at times to know how to teach my children the book of Proverbs. I don’t want to teach them Proverbs as merely a long list of do’s and don’ts. I don’t want it to be a moralistic lesson. I want to teach them Proverbs in the context of the story of redemption, with Christ as center, wisdom incarnate. As parents, we desire that our children walk in the way of wisdom. We..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Catholic School Sued for $1 Million for Prohibiting Student From Bringing Homosexual Date to Dance
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Roman Catholic high school in Tennessee has been sued for $1 million after it prohibited a homosexual student from bringing a boy as his date to the school dance. According to reports, last September, all-male Christian Brothers High School (CBHS) student Lance Sanderson asked for permission to bring a male student from another school as his homecoming date. His request was denied, but he was told it was for “logistical reasons” as the student was from another school. CBHS d..Continue reading→
Athletic Association Sued for Banning Loudspeaker Prayer Before Game Between Christian Schools
TAMPA, Fla. — The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) has been leveled with a civil lawsuit after it banned a Christian school from presenting a prayer over the loudspeaker prior to a game between two Christian schools. Cambridge Christian School is seeking an injunction, as well as a declaratory judgment that the Association’s policy violates both the U.S. and Florida Constitutions. According to the lawsuit, Cambridge Christian School has a practice of praying over the loudspeake..Continue reading→
New Mission Launched To Share The Gospel With People Of Other Faiths
Christian agencies have joined forces in a new outreach to evangelise people of other faiths. The Evangelical Alliance is working with London City Mission and Global Connections to reach out with the Gospel to the five million people in the UK who are part of a non-Christian religion. The Reaching the world on your doorstep event takes place on 23 November at St Mellitus College, the evangelical theological college in West London. Evangelists will pray and share ideas about engaging more effec..Continue reading→
‘Let Women Make Their Own Decisions’: Tim Kaine Reiterates Abortion Support Despite Personal Beliefs
FARMVILLE, Va. — During the first vice presidential debate for the 2016 election, Tim Kaine, the running mate of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, reiterated his support for keeping abortion legal despite his own personal identity as a Roman Catholic. Kaine, as well as Trump running mate Mike Pence, were asked by moderator Elaine Quijano of CBS News to outline an instance when they had difficulty reconciling their faith with their politics. “Can you discuss in detail a time wh..Continue reading→
Music
Tidal Wave (Single) by Rapture Ruckus
Track Listing 01. Tidal Wave Continue reading→
Adventure by Matthew Parker
Track Listing 01. Adventure 02. Ghost 03. Unstoppable (feat. Micah Ariss) 04. I Ain't Got No Money (feat. Spencer Kane) 05. Down In Flames 06. Heaven Calling 07. Night Sky 08. Remember Me (feat. Tristan Peace) 09. System Victim (feat. Hillary Jane) 10. Spark (feat. Rapture Ruckus) 11. Gone 12. Dynasty (feat. Cash Hollistah) 13. Tidal Wave (feat. Micah Ariss) 14. Fly (feat. Twilight Meadow) 15. My Love Continue reading→
You Wouldn’t Believe What Privilege Costs by CIVILIAN
A follow-up to 2012s Should This Noose Unloosen, YWBWPC's ringing guitars and sonorous vocals sway with austere, precise drumming while thoughtful bass paints outside the lines. Unlike its predecessor, "all of these songs were written after having just fallen ass over tip for a gal" as Alexander so eloquently puts it. "I wrote with the same intention to, through art, add nuance to how we talk about government and poverty except this time my brain was drenched in dopamine and serotonin."[...]Continue reading→
Never Lose Sight by Chris Tomlin
Often called America's Worship Leader, Chris Tomlin returns with his new album, NEVER LOSE SIGHT, on October 21. As the songwriter behind the worship favorites "How Great Is Our God," "Our God," and "Whom Shall I Fear," Chris' songs lead people to the heart of Jesus and into a deeper worship of Him. Featuring "Good Good Father" and the new single "Jesus," this brand new album is filled with songs that draw us closer to Jesus and give voice to our praises, prayers, cries and hopes.[...]Continue reading→
Behold: A Christmas Collection by Lauren Daigle
Award-winning singer/songwriter LAUREN DAIGLE, will release her first-ever Christmas album titled BEHOLD, on October 21 via Centricity Music. Produced by Paul Mabury and Jason Ingram, the style of the holiday album pays homage to the sounds of Lauren's hometown of New Orleans. Featuring soft jazz renditions of Christmas favorites, BEHOLD includes such classics as "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," "Silent Night," "O Come All Ye Faithful," "What Child Is This," "O Holy Night," and more; in addition to an original composition titled "Light of the World", which was written by Paul Mabury and Jason Ingram. Pre-orders for the album[...]Continue reading→
Majesty In A Manger by Various Artists
The Integrity Music family of artists and writers have come together to start a new tradition celebrating Emmanuel, God With Us, in worship with Majesty In A Manger. It's a collection of original songs that focus on the coming of Jesus Christ from artists and writers like, Paul Baloche, All Sons Daughters, Darlene Zschech, Seth Nirva, Travis Ryan, Michael Farren and more. This is a worship album that was created with the intent that churches around the world can adopt these songs as we celebrate Jesus' birth. From the soulful sounds of newcomers Seth Nirva on "Fill The[...]Continue reading→
Marc Martel Announces ‘The Silent Night EP’
Marc Martel, former co-vocalist of Canadian Christian contemporary pop/rock band Downhere, is preparing to release a new Christmas EP. Entitled The Silent Night EP, the EP will feature Martel's signature vocals set to several classic Christmas carols. Martel has already been dropping a few songs as singles these past few Christmases, in the form of "O Holy Night" and "O Come O Come Emmanuel." Both of those will be featured on the EP alongside new arrangements of "In the Bleak Midwinter," "..Continue reading→
Switchfoot Releases Surprise Live Album
Switchfoot pulled off one of the best-kept surprises of Christian music in recent years and released a new live album on Friday, October 21. Fans had previously been given no indication that the band was planning such a release. Live in Chicago The Looking for America Tour marks Switchfoot's first major live album in 7 years, since 2009's The Best Yet Live in Nashville. Featuring cuts from their critically-acclaimed new album Where The Light Shines Through as well as several of the b..Continue reading→
David Dunn Debuts Music Video For New Single ‘I Wanna Go Back’
BEC Recordings' David Dunn has debuted the music video for his new single, "I Wanna Go Back," from his forthcoming early 2017 release Yellow Balloons. Click below to watch the music video. This single is currently the No. 2 most added song at AC radio for the second week in a row with 25 adds. Click here to get the single at digital outlets. RELATED BEC Recordings Announces New Artist Signing, David Dunn "'I Wanna Go Back' is a song of nostalgia, of longing for the time in my li..Continue reading→
American
Feel the Bern? Here’s the Next Step
Daniel Strauss: The revolution is back in business. Supporters of Bernie Sanders’ failed presidential bid are seizing on Democratic disarray at the national level to launch a wave of challenges to Democratic Party leaders in the states. The goal is to replace party officials in states where Sanders defeated Hillary Clinton during the acrimonious Democratic primary with more progressive leadership. But the challenges also represent a reckoning for state party leaders who, in many cases, tacitly s..
Trump rebukes alleged racism among supporters
Copyright (c) 2016 Baptist Press. Reprinted from Baptist Press (www.baptistpress.com), news service of the Southern Baptist Convention. The original story can be found at http://www.bpnews.net/47889/trump-rebukes-alleged-racism-among-supporters Trump rebukes alleged racism among supporters Screen capture from CBS NewsScreen capture from CBS NewsWASHINGTON (BP) -- In his first major interview since Election Day, President-elect Donald Trump said he is "saddened" by reported incidents of r..
Bill Hunke, former Alaska exec & historian, dies
Copyright (c) 2016 Baptist Press. Reprinted from Baptist Press (www.baptistpress.com), news service of the Southern Baptist Convention. The original story can be found at http://www.bpnews.net/47888/bill-hunke-former-alaska-exec-and-historian-dies Bill Hunke, former Alaska exec & historian, dies E.W. "Bill" Hunke Jr. E.W. "Bill" Hunke Jr. SUN LAKES, Ariz. (BP) -- E.W. "Bill" Hunke Jr., executive director of the Alaska Baptist Convention from 1966-71 and prolific chronicler of Southern Ba..
Cloyd Sullins, Alaska exec from 1995-2000, dies
Copyright (c) 2016 Baptist Press. Reprinted from Baptist Press (www.baptistpress.com), news service of the Southern Baptist Convention. The original story can be found at http://www.bpnews.net/47887/cloyd-sullins-alaska-exec-from-19952000-dies Cloyd Sullins, Alaska exec from 1995-2000, dies Cloyd Sullins Cloyd Sullins MOORE, Okla. (BP) -- Cloyd Sullins, who led the Alaska Baptist Convention from its 50th anniversary year in 1995 until his retirement in 2000, died Nov. 7 in Moore, Okla. ..