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
Scorcese’s ‘Silence’ Asks What It Really Costs to Follow Jesus
Martin Scorsese adapts Shusaku Endo’s acclaimed novel about faith, mission, and suffering. It’s been 28 years since Martin Scorsese ruffled the feathers of many Christians with the controversial Last Temptation of Christ, a film condemned by the Roman Catholic Church (of which Scorsese is a member) and a key moment in the history of the culture wars. A sincere if uneven exploration of the “fully man” side of Jesus, Last Temptation angered many believers because of its suggestion that Jesus expe..Continue reading→
Mary Magdalene director Garth Davis says Rooney Mara’s version of the character will not be a prostitute
Garth Davis is making the rounds to promote his first feature film Lion, which tells the true story of an Indian boy who was adopted by an Australian couple and then, as an adult, used Google Earth to find the village of his birth. Along the way, Davis has also revealed one or two tidbits about his next film Mary Magdalene, which recently finished shooting in Italy. In a video interview with Collider, for example, Davis confirmed that Mary Magdalene will not be a prostitute in his film, and he t..Continue reading→
Will the Force Be Strong with Rogue One?
It will depend on if the film taps in to the secret of any good Star Wars movie. “Star Wars at Christmas?” “Put it back in May where it belongs.” Some Star Wars fans had “a bad feeling about this” when The Force Awakens was scheduled for December 18, 2015. But complaints were forgotten when the movie opened to rave reviews. Me, I’ve associated Star Wars with Christmas since I opened my first Star Wars toys on Christmas morning in 1977, while the original was still in theaters. Dozens of those..Continue reading→
‘La La Land’ Dances Between Love and Calling
What Christians might take away from Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling’s latest hit. Editor’s note: This review contains spoilers for the movie La La Land. C. S. Lewis wrote, “Being in love is a good thing, but it is not the best thing.” Hollywood takes a different stance. On-screen love stories bring us dramatic clichés: happily-ever-afters, grand gestures that save the day, and sobbing protagonists railing against whatever tragic external obstacle drove them apart. Damien Chazelle, the writer/d..Continue reading→
Jesus gets a digital tummy-tuck
Yesterday I updated my post on movie depictions of the Crucifixion to take into account a couple of films that have come out since the last update, and along the way, I decided to replace one of the images from Risen. The original image came from the film’s trailer, but the new image — with completed visual effects — came straight from the movie itself. And I noticed that it wasn’t only the clouds in the background that had been changed (to reflect the darkness that came over Jerusalem, as per M..Continue reading→
Box office: Office Christmas Party nearly topples Moana
An R-rated comedy almost beat a Disney cartoon at the box office this week. Office Christmas Party, about a night of corporate frivolity that gets out of hand, earned an estimated $17.5 million between Thursday and Sunday nights. It’s the fifth film to co-star Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston, and it landed in the middle of their previous openings together — bigger than The Switch (2012, $8.4 million) and Horrible Bosses 2 (2014, $15.5 million), but smaller than Horrible Bosses (2011, $28.3 mi..Continue reading→
Why ‘The Secret of Kells’ is a Perfect Christmastime Movie
The film is a gorgeous reminder of the beauty of God that waits beyond our walls of fear. The world outside—it’s a dangerous place. Stick with Christian community. Where it’s safe. I have received that message—sometimes blatant, sometimes merely implied—within so many Christian communities from childhood through adulthood. I’ve been instructed to read only Christian texts, attend only Christian schools, support only Christian charities, seek out Christian doctors, root for Christian football p..Continue reading→
IS GENESIS HISTORY? Film Aims To Answer Questions Of Creation, Evolution, Global Flood
One segment of the documentary focuses on the “Great Unconformity” with a trip to the Grand Canyon. The Great Unconformity is a geological formation that appears globally where granite bedrock is separated from sediment layers on top by an erosional layer caused by flood flow. NEW YORK (Christian Examiner) – A new documentary on the historicity of the Book of Genesis is coming to theaters across the country Feb. 23, but for one night only. The film, IS GENESIS HISTORY?, is the product of Compa..Continue reading→
Arrival’s Terrifying Vision of a Global “Unfriending”
Although caused by aliens, the breakdown in communication in Arrival feels all too familiar. Reader, I confess: I clicked “unfriend” last month. Several times. Understand, I wasn’t ending friendships. I was respecting them—by refusing to let Facebook’s limitations do them further harm. It troubled me to see conversations we might have enjoyed in person go so horribly awry on social media. And anyway, our heated arguments attracted other angry voices, voices that overwhelmed our debate with sna..Continue reading→
Music
The Brilliance Unveil ‘All Is Not Lost’
All Is Not Lost, the sophomore release from The Brilliance is available now, and critics are calling it "the album you need to hear in 2017." RELATED The Brilliance To Unveil Hope-Filled 'All Is Not Lost' January 27 The duo, comprised of David Gungor and John Arndt, is seeking to share a timely message of understanding, with lyrics eliciting love and unity throughout the 11-track offering. "We're looking forward to sharing these new songs because we are in a season when, no m..Continue reading→
GAWVI Releases Official Video For ‘In The Water’
Having made serious waves in 2016 with his breakout solo EPs, entitled Lost In Hue and Holding Hue, GAWVI now returns with the official video for one of the standout tracks, "IN THE WATER." RELATED GAWVI Releases Official Video For 'Late Nights' "In The Water," as well as the rest of the Lost In Hue EP, debuted on the Electronic/Dance Billboard charts at #2 and hit the top spot on the iTunes Dance charts. Now with nearly 2 million Spotify streams for the EP, not to mention the countl..Continue reading→
Brian & Jenn Johnson’s ‘After All These Years’ Debuts At No. 1 On iTunes Christian Albums Chart
Available today, Dove Award winning Bethel Music's Brian & Jenn Johnson debut After All These Years, applauded as "beautiful offerings of worship" and "sure to be one of the top worship albums of the year." Hitting No. 1 on the iTunes Christian Albums chart, the 10-track album comes more than 10 years since their last solo release together, featuring an 80-piece orchestra with every song cowritten by the duo. RELATED Bethel Music's Brian & Jenn Johnson To Unveil 'After All These ..Continue reading→
Reba To Headline Second Show At Historic Ryman Auditorium On February 15
To fans it may seem Reba McEntire has done it all but on February 15 she will surprise them once more, adding a 230P matinee to the already sold-out 730P show at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium. A rarity for the venue, the dual performances also mark the multi-media entertainers first time to headline a concert there. Tickets go on sale tonight (1/26) at 600P CT through ryman.com and ticketmaster.com, available ONLINE ONLY. RELATED Reba McEntire Inspires With New Album On February 3 ..Continue reading→
Gabby Douglas Releases Christian Music Compilation Album
U.S. Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas has made no secret of her Christian faith, and earlier this month, she shared some of the songs that have personally inspired her with the release of a special compilation project, titled Conqueror. The album features spotlight tracks from a number of Christian artists representing a variety of styles, ranging from hip-hop to Gospel, hard rock to electronic. It's not uncommon to see athletes such as Douglas sporting headphones leading up to a competitio..Continue reading→
Lecrae Debuts New Single
Grammy-Award winning artist Lecrae released the powerfully uplifting "Blessings" today, which features Ty Dolla $ign ("Paranoid," songwriting contributor to Rihanna/Kanye West/Paul McCartney song "FourFiveSeconds," among others). The mesmerizing track is now available at all DSPs, with the lyric video for "Blessings" also available today--watch it here http//smarturl.it/BlessingsLyric. The captivating artist closed out 2016 with his acclaimed 'Destination' tour this past fall. He kicks..Continue reading→
Righteous Vendetta Announce New Album ‘Cursed’
Rock group Righteous Vendetta has announced the details on an upcoming album titled Cursed, due to release on March 17. Cursed will be the first release in nearly four years from the Wyoming-based band, who released their last project The Fire Inside in 2013. Righteous Vendetta has spent those years with relentless touring and crafting the new songs. Cursed will be releasing through Century Media Records. "After two years of writing and recording we are beyond excited to finally release this a..Continue reading→
Tauren Wells’ ‘Love Is Action’ Hits No. 1 For Eight Weeks; Debuts New Video And Single
With the first single from Provident Label Group's Tauren Wells, "Love Is Action," capturing the No. 1 spot at CHR radio for eight weeks in a row, Wells is now debuting his follow-up single, "Hills And Valleys." Releasing to both Christian AC and CHR radio, the song is available in three versions "Hills And Valleys," found on the Undefeated EP; a remix version ("The Hills Remix") and an acoustic piano-driven rendition ("The Valleys Version"). There are also two Spotify playlists curated by ..Continue reading→
MercyMe To Release New Album ‘Lifer’ On Mar. 31
On the heels of their RIAA Certified Gold and GRAMMY® acclaimed Welcome To The New (2014), MercyMe will release LIFER (FAIR TRADE SERVICES) on Mar. 31, 2017. RELATED MercyMe Announces New Album Through PledgeMusic Campaign The core of LIFER is the question of what it looks like to live as followers of Christ that are committed for life. With 2014's Welcome To The New, MercyMe spoke to the grace and celebrated new life that Christ offers us in entering into faith. With their newest record,..Continue reading→