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
Franklin Graham says Easter a ‘fantastic opportunity’ for Christians to show their compassion to Louisiana flood victims
Rev. Franklin Graham is looking for more volunteers to help victims of the recent flooding in Louisiana. Reverend Franklin Graham is overwhelmed by the destruction caused by the recent flooding in Louisiana, but he is grateful that Easter is drawing near because it would encourage his Christian brothers and sisters to lend a helping hand to those in need. "The devastation is unreal. The news coverage has for the most part ended, but parts of Louisiana are standing under massive amounts o..Continue reading→
Country walkers to be offered sleepovers in rural churches
A remote country church England's remote and crumbling rural churches could be saved by being turned into hostels for country walkers to use for overnight stays. The plan is among those being considered by a Government investigation into the future of England's churches and cathedrals. The wide-ranging review, announced in the Budget, will be the first of its kind ever done. It is intended to see if there is any way of making England's thousands of buildings, many Gr..Continue reading→
Vicar’s wife jailed for stealing from vulnerable pensioner
A vicar's wife has been jailed for 10 months for stealing £6,400 from an elderly woman with learning difficulties. Ann Smale, 43, was working as a home carer for Shirley Spiess, 80, when she took £6,400 of her money from cash machines over 18 months. Scottish churches move to combat metal theft Church Roof Thefts on the IncreaseNew scrap metal law 'step in the right direction', says Church of England,000 church collection stolen on Christm..Continue reading→
Rick Warren seeks to help people get through the worst days of their lives through ‘The Miracle of Mercy’
Pastor Rick Warren says 'God's mercy has sustained me, and my wife Kay, and our entire family through the darkest days.' Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church is preparing for "the most life-changing [sermon] series" of his career, which is titled "The Miracle of Mercy." Warren said the series will hopefully help people get through the worst days of their lives by relying on the mercy of God. "God's mercy has sustained me, and my wife Kay, and our e..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
Kenneth Woodward Untangles Some Political Strands in American Religion (Review)
“Journalism’s emphasis on what is provably factual — vote totals, stock prices, batting averages — left most reporters and editors leery of the ineffable, inchoate qualities of religion. To the degree that mainstream American journalism gradually rose to the task in later decades, it did so by erroneously trying to comprehend religion through the prism of politics.” Nearly 40 years ago, I took my first full-time job as a newspaper reporter, covering four towns in central New Jersey for the loca..Continue reading→
How I Found Freedom From Gender Confusion (Part 1)
From time to time I’d take a stand: I’d throw away my entire stash of clothing, and vow to “go straight”. But my only real weapons in the fight were a vague instinct that cross-dressing must be “wrong”, and the associated feelings of guilt. They were too easily rationalized away. Why should I feel guilty? Who was I hurting? Why was it wrong? I think I always had the desire to cross-dress. Some of my very earliest memories are of a dress-up box that my brother and I played with. It was probably ..Continue reading→
The New Culture of Life
“There’ a little bit of truth to the old pro-choice saying that the movement is a bunch of old conservative white men,” activist Aimee Murphy told me. “But I really have seen a massive shift with the youth, to ensure that our solutions are women-centered and that we’re being consistent and nonpartisan, inclusive and opening and welcoming.” If you are a pro-life activist, you have several reasons to be discouraged at the moment. Antonin Scalia, the Supreme Court’s most vociferously anti-abortion..Continue reading→
The Patriarchy Movement: Five Areas of Grave Concern
“This posts does not seek to trash the patriarchy movement or those found in it. Neither does it disagree with the biblical truths concerning headship, gender roles and attitudes towards authority. Rather it seeks to identify a number of issues that do great harm to those within the movement specifically and Christ’s Church as a whole.” The church is an environment of extremes. The trouble with extremes is that they always contain a seed of truth, making them look and sound plausible to the car..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Pope Francis reminds people not to use God to promote their self-interests
ReutersPope Francis kisses a child as he arrives to leads the weekly audience at the Vatican. People don't always have the purest intentions whenever they think of God. Sometimes, people are guilty of shaping Jesus Christ into the person they want Him to be in order to promote their self-interests. This was what Pope Francis said on Wednesday during his general audience at the Vatican. "The admonition of Jesus is always present: Even today man constructs images of God that prevent him fro..Continue reading→
Bishops pledge unity with struggling families: ‘The Church shares a word of hope’
Pixabay / Stock Snap Families who are financially struggling and facing poverty and unemployment might feel like they are alone in their plight, but the Catholic Church has shared a message of unity with them. This was what Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami said during his Labor Day message, according to the Catholic News Agency. "These challenging times can pull us toward despair and all the many dangers that come with it," he said. "Into this reality, the Church shares a word of hope. She s..Continue reading→
Tennessee Man Arrested for Beating Girlfriend Who Refused Abortion
A Tennessee man is behind bars after he recently beat his girlfriend for refusing to obtain an abortion. According to reports, Juan Lee, 24, was sitting in the car with his pregnant girlfriend when he told her that she needed to do away with their baby. The woman responded that the matter was not up to him, and got out of the car. Lee is accused of then striking and choking his girlfriend, and pulling her back into the vehicle. He drove off, but pulled ov..Continue reading→
‘It’s What God Wanted Me to Do’: Kentucky Teen Gives Own Shoes to Homeless Man
A photo has gone viral of a Kentucky teenager who gave a homeless man his own shoes off his feet during an outreach on Labor Day. According to reports, LaRon Tunstill, 14, was participating in a mission to the homeless hosted by the group Purp (People Uplifting Real People), a non-profit organization that seeks to “help and uplift all people of the world, finding the purpose.” The group spent their Labor Day offering soup, corn bread and hamburgers t..Continue reading→
Music
Tidal Wave (Single) by Rapture Ruckus
Track Listing 01. Tidal Wave 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→
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→
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→