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
Obama writes to Abedini, praising him for his ‘unyielding faith and courage in the face of great adversity’
Pastor Saeed Abedini shares this copy of President Barack Obama's letter to him. U.S. President Barack Obama has written a letter to Pastor Saeed Abedini in response to the latter's letter thanking the President for helping him regain his freedom after spending more than three years in an Iranian prison. "Thank you for taking the time to write to me to express your gratitude. As President, I made a vow that our country would do everything in its power to win y..Continue reading→
Anne Graham Lotz explains what ‘evangelical feminism’ is all about
Anne Graham Lotz defines 'evangelical feminists' as women 'who know what they believe [and] who are strong in their convictions.' Billy Graham's daughter Anne Graham Lotz is proud to be an "evangelical feminist." For those curious, Lotz explains that an "evangelical feminist" is a woman "who is a strong, bold, free-spirited leader inside and outside of her home, unashamed of her faith in God, His Word, His Son, and His gospel." In an article for Ch..Continue reading→
What must women do when their husbands confess to porn addiction? XXX Church shows the way
It feels like a huge betrayal for a wife when her husband confesses to looking at porn. However, XXX Church—an online ministry dedicated to helping people with porn and sex addiction—believes that marriage can still be saved after this painful revelation. "Good, Christ-filled men are trying to do what is right when it comes to lust," Jeanette Gross writes in the group's website, adding that there is a huge difference between men who confess about their porn addictions to those who simply ..Continue reading→
Billy Graham tells Christians to be grateful for the jobs they have: ‘Work has dignity in the eyes of God’
Billy Graham says, 'Like a deadly virus, sin now corrupts everything we do, including our work.' Does God care about what livelihood and careers Christians get into? If you ask world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham, then the answer would be yes. "God cares about every part of our lives—including our jobs," he writes in an advice column for The Bradenton Herald. "After all, every workday our jobs probably consume at least a third of our time—so why wouldn'..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
Before You Sought Him (Bernard)
“‘I have sought,’ she says, ‘him whom my soul loves’ (Sg 3:1). This is what the kindness of Him who goes before you urges you to do, He who both sought you first and loved you first (1 Jn 4:10). You would not be seeking Him or loving Him unless you had first been sought and loved. You have been forestalled not only in one blessing (Gn 27:28) but in two, in love and in seeking. The love is the cause of the seeking, and the seeking is the fruit of the love; and it is its guarantee. You are loved, ..Continue reading→
Because I Can
There has been quite a bit of outrage over “Christian leaders” who have endorsed a man who boasted about sexually assaulting a woman, and we should be appalled. Our witness as Christians is a travesty when we enable those who demean God’s image-bearers, mock His standard of righteousness, and commit civil crimes. But our criticism for these “leaders” will rise up and condemn us if we do nothing when domestic and child sexual abuse occurs in our backyard… I first shared this story in the light o..Continue reading→
Cultural Apologetics Pt.3: A Holy People
In this time of cultural collapse and social unrest, this is an exciting time to be a Christian. Though the world rejects our message, there has doubtless never been a time when it needed it more. So for genuine human flourishing and for the glory of God our Creator and Redeemer, the world needs to hear the message of authentic, life-giving holiness. In modern times there has been a long-standing debate. The German philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach (1804 – 1872) deeply criticized Christianity as a m..Continue reading→
Seeking Clarity in this Confusing Election Season: Ten Thoughts
There is a tendency, on both sides, to treat “our side” differently than we treat “their side.” Would the same Christian leaders excusing Trump’s statements ever think to excuse the same from Clinton (Bill or Hillary)? Of course not. Would liberals be overlooking Bill Clinton’s treatment of women (and Hillary’s role in downplaying or silencing accusations) if a Republican candidate (or spouse) had the same trail of serious allegations? No way. So much of politics is “defend our guy at all costs”..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Oklahoma Woman, Adult Daughter Charged With Incest After Authorities Learn of ‘Marriage’
DUNCAN, Okla. — An Oklahoma woman and her adult daughter are behind bars after authorities discovered that they were involved in an incestuous relationship in “marrying” each other earlier this year. According to reports, the Department of Human Services (DHS) contacted the Duncan Police Department after visiting the home of Patricia Spann, 43, for a child welfare investigation. It found that Spann was living with three of her children, who had been previously taken from her custody and adopted..Continue reading→
Obama Nominates Nation’s First Muslim Federal Judge
WASHINGTON — Barack Obama has nominated a Muslim attorney to the federal court circuit, who if approved, would be the first Islamic judge in American history. Abid Qureshi serves in Washington, D.C. at the law firm Latham & Watkins LLP, where he specializes in cases involving the False Claims Act, health care fraud and securities violations. A graduate of Cornell University and Harvard Law School, Qureshi has been a member of the District of Columbia Bar Association’s Legal Ethics Committee for..Continue reading→
New Hampshire City Votes to Reinstall Ten Commandments Monument Toppled by Vandal
SOMERSWORTH, N.H. — The city council of one New Hampshire municipality has voted to reinstall a Ten Commandments monument next to city hall after it was toppled last month by an unknown vandal. The Somersworth City Council voted 7-2 on Tuesday to restore the display to its previous position, and add flagpoles and historic markers to help “neutralize” its presence. “The city manager and I have worked out a plan which would further neutralize the monument thus ensuring that it would meet all fut..Continue reading→
Son of radical imam reveals ISIS plot to murder Christians using chainsaws
A Belgian soldier patrols along a market in central Brussels, Belgium. ISIS reportedly has a dastardly plot to murder Christians. The radical terrorist group often kills Christians through bombings and public beheadings, but this time, they plan to eliminate the followers of Christ using chainsaws. The plan was bared by the teenage son of a radical imam, according to The Mirror. The teenager, who cannot be named, informed the police of the plot after he was arrested for walking down a s..Continue reading→
Movies
COMMON BRINGS GLORY TO THE GRAMMYS (AND THE OSCARS): An Interview
What 2015 Grammy moment moved you? Kanye West’s cut in on Beck’s acceptance speech for “Album of the Year” garnered most of the headlines. How sad to a stunt overshadow Annie Lennox’s rousing rendition of “I Put a Spell On You” with Hozier. Pharrell reimagined his sunny single, “Happy,” into an intriguing protest echoing the “Hands up/Don’t shoot” posture that accompanied events in Ferguson, Missouri. Prince slipped in the best one-liner of the night, “Albums still matter. Just like books and bl..Continue reading→
Diablo Cody Tweets About Rescuing Jinger Duggar
Her new movie, Paradise, is all about religion. In the movie, which was originally titled Lamb of God, a young religious woman (Julianne Hough) is in a terrible accident, which causes her to question G-d and run off to Las Vegas to see what sin feels like. Well, it looks like screenwriter/director Diablo Cody had some pretty specific pop-culture inspirations for the movie: The Duggars. Particularly Jinger. Diablo recently tweeted that if Jinger ever wants to run away from her family, she can com..Continue reading→
Music
As We Ascend Releases First Single Wash Away to iTunes
As We Ascend's first single "Wash Away" is now available on iTunes, six days before the completion of their PledgeMusic campaign to fund the full length album Farewell to Midnight. In addition to being available on iTunes, "Wash Away" is also going for adds at radio. The PledgeMusic campaign is currently at 95% of its goal. You can listen to "Wash Away" below. As We Ascend, formed by former members of We As Human, launched their PledgeMusic campaign with the unique invitation to fans to "..Continue reading→
Bizzle Petitions for Financial Support of New Project
The recent release of Bizzle's new project Crowns & Crosses has sparked a conversation about the realities of being an artist with his God Over Money fans. In a recent newsletter, Bizzle details the shocking differences between a fan purchasing a physical or digital copy of any GOM release versus streaming through the likes of Spotify or Apple Music. He begins with the staggering reality that it takes 1,500 streams to equal that of one album sale. For example, if 100,000 fans stream the en..Continue reading→
John Mark McMillan Launches Pre-order for ‘Mercury & Lightning’
John Mark McMillan has launched a pre-order for his upcoming album Mercury & Lightning through PledgeMusic. The album has been preceded by the release of "Wilderlove" and "No Country." The PledgeMusic pre-order gives fans the chance to purchase a wide range of merch packages, with each one providing access to exclusive behind-the-scenes information approaching the album's release. The pre-order was launched in part due to the overwhelmingly positive response to the single "Wilderlove," re..Continue reading→
Sho Baraka’s ‘The Narrative’ Debuts at No. 6 on iTunes Hip Hop Chart and No. 26 on iTunes Overall
Critically acclaimed hip hop artist Sho Baraka unleashed The Narrative last week, and it was well received by fans and critics alike as it peaked at No. 6 on iTunes Hip Hop Chart and No. 26 on iTunes Overall Albums Chart. Created with the intention to generate a discussion among each other about the social issues we face today and throughout history, Sho Baraka is doing just that as shown by the critics below "Sho Baraka gives us conscious hip hop that makes us think. It is not intended for eas..Continue reading→
MercyMe’s ‘Welcome To The New’ Receives RIAA Gold Certification
GRAMMY® Nominated MercyMe's Welcome To The New (2014) has been honored with RIAA Gold Certification, marking the sixth gold album for the band in addition to a double platinum album and a platinum video. Welcome To The New earned two GRAMMY® nods, multiple GMA Dove Award honors and an American Music Award nomination. In addition, the album boasts three No. 1 singles with "Greater," "Flawless" and "Dear Younger Me," and one Top 5 single with "Shake." MercyMe is planning to unveil a new recor..Continue reading→
Deraj Drops A New Single
Deraj blessed both the genre and Reflection Music Group (RMG) fans worldwide with a new banger for the car on "Know That's Me," featuring KYNG. Listeners can purchase not only the track, but also the instrumental backing and an acapella version of the track. The three versions of this project may be purchased here, or streamed on Spotify. Visuals for the project debuted under the direction of Joe Desantis. The video may be viewed below. RMG has been quite the productive label as of late..Continue reading→
Live in Chicago: The Looking for America Tour by Switchfoot
Track Listing 01. Holy Water 02. Meant To Live 03. Bull In A China Shop 04. Where The Light Shines Through 05. I Won't Let You Go 06. Love Alone Is Worth The Fight 07. Hello Hurricane 08. If The House Burns Down Tonight 09. Float 10. Live it Well Continue reading→
Courtney Orlando Releases New Single, Wait On You
Courtney Orlando released his latest single "Wait on You" on October 10. You can download the track for free on SoundCloud here. Orlando describes the new track as an open conversation between him and God. No future plans of a full length project have been released at this time. The artist formally known as J.R. dug his roots into the hip-hop genre over a decade ago with his debut release Metamorphosis in 2005. Fittingly, change has followed him in the area of style, depth and even branding a..Continue reading→
Christmastime by Jody McBrayer
Track Listing 01. Imagine This Christmas 02. Candlelight Carol 03. O Come All Ye Faithful 04. Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep/Silent Night (feat. Sarah Clayton-McBrayer) 05. What Child Is This? 06. Ave Maria/O Holy Night 07. Bring A Torch Janette Isabella 08. Last Christmas 09. Christmastime is Here 10. Have Yourself A Merry Little CContinue reading→
American
Heartbreaking Video Shows You What 58 Million Babies Killed in Abortion Looks Like
Pro-lifers are nothing if not creative. Over the decades, they have produced thousands upon thousands of “visual aids,” from the simplest black and white one-sheeter to full-blown movies—and everything in-between. The common denominator is—to adapt a cliché—to help the public get its collective head around both the humanity we share with the unborn child and the sheer magnitude of the loss of lives since January 22, 1973. Although I scribble for a living, I really do believe a picture–or in th..
Good Deed of the Month
Kim Norvell: JOHNSTON, Iowa — An anonymous donor has paid off lunch debts for 148 Johnston elementary school students whose accounts were in the red by $10 or more. The donation, totaling $13,250, was made Jan. 9. It benefited students in kindergarten through fifth grade in all five Johnston elementary schools, said Laura Sprague, director of communications. “This donation is quite critical for families who need some extra help,” she said. ” … When the belly is full, the kids can have a much bet..
World Vision Letter to President Trump
Dear President Trump and Vice President Pence, As evangelical Christians, we are guided by the Bible to be particularly concerned for the plight of refugees, individuals who have been forced to flee their countries because of the threat of persecution. Evangelical churches and ministries have long played a key role in welcoming, resettling, and assisting in the integration of refugees from various parts of the world. As such, we are troubled by the recent executive order temporarily halting refu..
Why Be Anglican: Prayers of the People
No question about it, but in many churches there is not a designated time for the people to pray. Some churches are just too big for that, and even too big for a pastoral prayer. Others are so focused on the sermon that there is not time left for what we Anglicans call the “prayers of the people.” In our liturgy, every Sunday, we have a time where we are led by a lay person in prayer. It’s called “intercession” or “intercessory prayers” when we pray for others, and when we do it in public it nee..
Entertainment
Watch the Trailer for ‘When The Game Stands Tall’
When the Game Stands Tall opens in theaters everywhere Friday.
Zach Bates Is Engaged!
Man, has it been a busy fall for relationships with kids from huge reality TV families! Jessa Duggar is the first Duggar daughter to enter courtship, which means she should be getting engaged fairly soon unless something major happens, and Erin Bates and Chad Paine are getting hitched in November. But Erin isn’t the only Bates kid settling down – her brother Zach Bates just proposed to his girlfriend Whitney. As is typical with the Bates clan, mom Kelly Bates announced the big news on the family..
US
Gift ideas: Reading Romans with Luther
Let’s start a series of posts on ideas for Christmas presents! Here is a good one: Reading Romans with Luther. It’s by R. J. Grunewald, a sometime commenter here at the Cranach blog. Luther’s greatest theological works are his commentaries on Scripture, such was his concern to adhere closely to the text of God’s Word. One of his greatest works is his commentary on Romans, the epistle in which St. Paul explores the Gospel of salvation through the work of Christ in its depths. Here is the Law & Go..
Problems with the EXXON CEO as Secretary of State
(3) The appearance of plutocracy. There are people on both the left and the right who say that our democracy is a sham because our country is really run by the big corporations. Trump’s packing his cabinet with billionaires, Wall Street tycoons, and corporation CEOs plays right into that.Trump hammered Hillary Clinton for giving speeches to Goldman-Sachs. But he has appointed three Goldman-Sachs executives to his administration. He owes his election to blue-collar workers the Democrats have igno..
Update on Ohio’s anti-abortion bills
The Ohio state legislature has passed two abortion bills that Gov. John Kasich has now acted on. He refused to sign the “heartbeat bill,” which would have banned abortion after the developing child’s heart begins to beat. That can be as early as six weeks, which is before many women even realize they are pregnant. Kasich said that bill would certainly have been struck down by the courts. That’s probably right, but that the child develops such a universal sign of life so early should surely tell ..
Hotels without Gideon Bibles
The Gideons do great work in distributing Bibles. For many decades, virtually every hotel room had a Gideon Bible on the nightstand or in a drawer. But today, less than half do. A survey has found that only 46% of American hotel rooms include religious material. Ten years ago, nearly three-quarters did. Of course, what the Christian Gideons did, representatives of other religions did. Hotels that have Bibles in the rooms often also have Books of Mormon. I suspect that the decline of hotel Bibles..