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→
Home
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→
Daily Verses
1 Peter 1:15-16
“But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.””Continue reading→
Isaiah 2:22 (01-09-17)
Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?— Isaiah 2:22 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... "If only I had a friend." "If only my father hadn't left." "If only she was more supportive." "If only..." People can fail us, but we still pin so many of our hopes on them. They are fallible and mortal just like we are. So while we are involved in the lives of other people, let's also remember to keep our hopes connected to the Son of G..Continue reading→
Waiting Brings Blessings
No one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. Isaiah 64:4, NIVI hate to wait. I hate to wait for a traffic light to turn green, for the doctor to see me, for the telephone to ring, for investments to produce, for the copier to warm up, for seeds to grow, for the fax to go through, for answers to prayer . . . I just hate to wait. Period. Waiting is so hard, especially when I am waiting on the Lord. Sometimes He s..Continue reading→
Matthew 6:19-21
“[Treasures in Heaven] “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”Continue reading→
Lamentations 3:25 (01-08-17)
The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.— Lamentations 3:25 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Out of the ashes of Jerusalem's destruction and the disaster that befell God's people because of their repeated disobedience comes this reminder of truth. Those who wait patiently, who hope fervently, in the LORD will find what their soul most needs! My Prayer... Give me patience and faith, O God, for the times when life is hard an..Continue reading→
Hope
The Unspoken Source of Anxiety
My hangover was terrible, but I could survive that. The nausea was palpable, but I knew it would pass. The discipline was severe, but I deserved it. What I couldn't bear was the guilt. Our family tree is marked by a blight of alcoholism. My dad made it clear: alcohol abuse leads to trouble, and that trouble leads to misery. More than once I promised that I would never get drunk. Then why did I? Why did I, at the age of 16, get so ragingly inebriated that I could not drive? Why did I drive a..Continue reading→
An Answer for the Times When There Are No Answers
There are times when your entire world is turned upside down. Times when the pain is unbearable and the future seems unfathomable. When God did not answer your prayer and you wonder if he even heard your cries. Events that change your life forever. The things that make tomorrow an impossible dream. And one of the worst of these is the death of a child. It does not seem to matter if they die in the womb or as adults in an accident. Death strikes at any age. And parents have to bury children.Continue reading→
God Answers the Mess of Life
You stare into the darkness. The ceiling fan whirls above you. Your husband slumbers next to you. In a few hours, the alarm will sound and the demands of the day will shoot you like a clown out of a cannon into a three-ring circus of meetings, bosses, and baseball practices. And for the millionth time, you'll make breakfast, schedules, payroll and... But for the life of you, you can't make sense of this thing called life — its beginnings and endings, cradles and cancers, cemeteries and questions. The meaning of life! The poor choices of life? God answers the mess of life with one word: grace! Do we really understand it? A prophet of God in a wild time spoke for God and said:[Thus says the LORD God:] "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you!" (Ezekiel 36:26). Grace calls us to change and then gives us the power to pull it off! We are made new and live by a new power! For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, i..Continue reading→
Go and Do Likewise
The questioner had posed his inquiry to ridicule Jesus, but the response reframed the responsibilities to others then and now. The story is found in the gospel of Luke, the tenth chapter. And it, as is always the case when Jesus speaks, has numerous facets. It's called the story of the Good Samaritan, about the disenfranchised traveler, who when others didn't want to get involved, took care of a robbery victim who had been left for dead. The story begins in verse 29 and concludes with ..Continue reading→
Remember Your Worth
Paul used marriage imagery when he wrote to the Corinthians about the importance of knowing their value to Jesus as his bride:I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him (2 Corinthians 11:2). Remember what you are worth! The Bible says:You were bought... not with something that ruins like gold or silver, but with the precious blood of Christ... (1 Peter 1:18-19 NCV). Ever feel like you have nothing? Jus..Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
Galatians 5:16
“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”Continue reading→
Psalm 100:5 (01-15-17)
For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. — Psalm 100:5 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... I usually "speed read" through the 'begats' (you know, through the genealogies in the Bible). But, let's take time today to go back and read Matthew 1:1-17 and be reminded that God's love, mercy, and faithfulness not only continued through all of those generations, but also blessed and nurtured each of those generations. As ..Continue reading→
When Bad Things Happen
We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28, NIVWhy does God let bad things happen to good people? to innocent people? to children? to me? Sometimes His ways seem so hard to understand! In Romans 8:28, Paul wrote to reassure believers who lived in a city dominated by Nero, a madman with absolute power. He wrote encouragingly, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have..Continue reading→
John 8:31-32
“[Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are] To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.””Continue reading→
Prayers
Daily Prayer for January 13
Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, RSV Dear Father in heaven, give us childlike hearts so that we may understand everything in the right way. Grant us work that bears fruit in spite of our faults and weaknesses, because we want to work with the understanding given by love. Father in heaven, you know that we are faced day and night with many difficulties and setbacks. But you see us, and you will help us so..Continue reading→
None Righteous
PassageRomans 2:25-3:20 PrayerDear Father, holy God,Allow me to bear the marks of your covenant in my heart and my mind. May I be a spiritual descendant of Abraham. Let my praise be not from men but from you!Help me understand that all human beings are under the power of sin, as it is written, "None is righteous, no not one!"I ask forgiveness for all my sins by reason of your perfect expiation put forth in Christ Jesus. Clothe me with his righteousness, not my own. Having nothing to claim for ..Continue reading→
Daily Prayer for January 12
Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22, NIV Dear Father in heaven, you let us see and feel your great goodness toward us. Grant us the inner help to be victorious in the Savior, rejoicing to be by his side with faith and loyalty, and with the strength of soul that frees us from all burdens by laying them in your hands. Hear us as together we pray to you. All we ask and long for, all our concerns down to the very smallest, we la..Continue reading→
Christ, the All-sufficient Sacrifice
PassageRomans 2:12-24 PrayerDear Father, holy God,Write the requirements of your will upon my heart. May I live in such a way that my conscience will bear witness that I have striven to live for you, on that day when you judge the secrets of men's heart by Christ Jesus.Help me to be sincere and to have integrity. If I teach others, let me first teach myself. If I teach against stealing, don't let me take what is not mine.If I teach against adultery, don't let me lust. If I teach a..Continue reading→
Questions & Answers
Are There Early Eyewitness Accounts of the Life of Jesus? (Podcast)
In this blast from the past, J. Warner discusses the dating of the Gospels. Critics often claim that Jesus never really lived and that the Gospels were written centuries after his “supposed” life. These same critics claim that the Gospels are mythologies that appear late in history rather than eyewitness testimonies that first appeared within the lifetimes of eyewitnesses. Did the Gospels appear early enough to have been written by eyewitnesses? In this podcast, J. Warner examines the textual an..Continue reading→
What Is A Monk? What Is A Nun? A Christian Study
What is a monk and what is a nun? Why do they exist? Monks If you want to know what a monk is, Martin Luther might give us the best view of one as he later recalls from memory. Being a monk in his day was not easy at all and required enormous physical and mental sacrifice. They would pray eight times a day, get very little sleep, have to perform painful penances, and had to work to support their brethren. There was almost an endless amount of confession, prayers, sleep deprivation, and hard lab..Continue reading→
Rapid Response: “Evil Disproves the Existence of God”
In our Rapid Response series, we tackle common concerns about (and objections to) the Christian worldview by providing short, conversational responses. These posts are designed to model what our answers might look like in a one-on-one setting, while talking to a friend or family member. Imagine if someone said, “If God is both all-loving and all-powerful, why does He allow evil things to happen? Doesn’t the mere presence of evil disprove the existence of God?” How would you respond to such a cla..Continue reading→
Does The Bible List The Names Of Angels?
Does the Bible have a list of names for the angels? Who or What are Angels? The word “angel” simply means a “messenger of God” at the most basic level. Angels never have their own agenda. They always do the will of God and whatsoever God commands them, they don’t have to think twice; they just do it! They are holy angels who have remained loyal to God, unlike the 1/3rd that rebelled along with Lucifer, also called Satan or the Devil, and so some are good angels and some are evil. The vast major..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
Abortion Rate At Lowest Level Since Roe v. Wade
Pro-life leaders attribute the overall decline in abortions to an increase in pro-life legislation and changing hearts…. While surgical abortion numbers continue to fall, medically-induced abortions have continued to rise. In 2014, medication abortions accounted for 45 percent of abortions done at nine weeks gestation or earlier, up from 36 percent in 2011, according to the Guttmacher report. (WNS)–Abortion rates in the United States have dropped to the lowest level since the U.S. Supreme Court..Continue reading→
Praying for You, Right Now!
In my human condition, I need the prayers of my church and my family, as I deal with day-to-day stressors and challenges of life. My fellow parishioners, all of my friends, and all of my family members also need my prayers on their behalf. I’m glad to think happy thoughts for them as well, but as the New Year unfolds, I promise to pray for them “Right Now” as I see their stories unfold: prayers for them as they experience the traumas of the human condition, and prayers for them as they celebrate..Continue reading→
The Gender ‘Agenda’ – Will Bullying Work Both Ways?
Professionals have told me that they are scared to speak out or to even ask questions. Journalists are concerned their articles won’t be published, doctors that they will lose their jobs and teachers that they will be sidelined. Politicians fear the Twitter mobs and hate speech that inevitably follows if they dare to question or challenge. It’s a “gender agenda” that aims at a complete moral, social, psychological, sexual and spiritual revolution. And it is aimed at young children in a crass att..Continue reading→
The Case For Boredom
In the coming months I am making it my goal to be bored more often. I want to force my kids to be bored too. I’m not throwing away my phone. I’m not quitting Twitter or the blogosphere. I just want more space to endure (enjoy?) life’s dull moments. I don’t get bored as much as I should. Chances are neither do you. And the chances are exceedingly good that your children aren’t as bored as they should be. What’s so good about being bored? Nothing intrinsically, but boredom provides the space for..Continue reading→
Women
When Expectations Collide
Not long after my husband and I got married, we started having conflicts about what it meant to be home in time for dinner. After negotiating what seemed like a reasonable compromise, we developed a routine: he’d be late, I’d get angry, he’d apologize, and then we would have a déjà vu moment a few weeks later. This was just one of many areas of conflict. We disagreed on how much food to prepare when we had guests, how quickly bills shoul..Continue reading→
Dare to Be Happy
Editor’s Note: At CT, our ministry cause “Beautiful Orthodoxy” centers around the Word of God and the good, true, and beautiful gospel it conveys. We’re thrilled to announce the launch of “Beautiful Word,” a free, daily e-newsletter that will help you dive deeper into the life-changing Word of God through devotional readings from some of today’s leading voices. (Click here to have free Beautiful Word devotions delivered to your inbox Monday through Frida..Continue reading→
God, Are You There?
I am the reflection of my people, those émigrés who believed in the intrinsic rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. My mother’s family moved to the United States from Puerto Rico. An immigrant herself, my mother fell in love with an immigrant from Mexico, and the two stretched into creating a life in the concrete jungle of East Los Angeles. My father supported our family by working multiple jobs. Whether it was laying tile, cuttin..Continue reading→
Fighting in Marriage? That’s Normal.
Fighting in Marriage? That's Normal. Last year, when we celebrated our 40th anniversary, each of our sons asked to have a few minutes to speak. I envisioned a lovely tribute to our marriage. I should have known better. They were witnesses to our lives. They were there and saw it all. The good, the bad, the magic, and the tragic. Cameron, our oldest, stepped up to the microphone: “Twenty years under their roof proved to me that my parents are not normal—at ..Continue reading→
Persecution
Chinese House Church Harassed in Growing Crackdown
GUANGZHOU, Guangdong (China Aid) — Officials in China’s southern Guangdong province began harassing a house church recently as part of an ongoing crackdown on unofficial churches. On June 7, Pastor Zhang from Zhongfu Canaan Church informed a China Aid reporter that authorities summoned him to discuss the possibility of moving the church. During the conversation, they asked him about the identity of his church members and the funding of the church. The authorities also requested that the church—..Continue reading→
Christian Killed in Eastern Uganda Following Religious Discussion with Muslims
(Morning Star News) – A Christian in eastern Uganda who had received death threats from Muslims after a religious discussion was killed on June 4, sources said. The body of Yokannah Zirinkuma of Kasasira village, Kibuku District, was found in a pool of blood in nearby Kadama village, near the home of the primary suspect, an area source said. Zirinkuma was 50. Well known in the area for evangelistic preaching in a marketplace by which several Muslims came to faith in Christ, Zirinkuma two weeks..Continue reading→
Chinese Christians Hold Service in Church Ruins After Brutal Demolition
WENZHOU, Zhejiang (China Aid) — In the midst of negotiations to relocate a government-sanctioned church in China’s coastal Zhejiang, a team of officials destroyed the structure without warning on the evening of May 20 under the excuse of improving that area of the city. Zhuyang Church, an official Three-Self church in Wenzhou, was in talks with local authorities about a relocation when nearly 100 officers razed the building, leaving the church in ruins. Church members reported that the head of ..Continue reading→
Muslim Gang in Nigeria Stabs Non-Muslim for Eating on Ramadan
JOS, Nigeria (Morning Star News) – Young Muslim men stabbed a non-Muslim in Kaduna state on Tuesday (June 7) for failing to observe a day-time fast during the month-long Islamic celebration of Ramadan, according to local reports. Francis Emmanuel Olokpo, who appears to identify as a Christian though his church affiliation was not immediately clear, sustained multiple wounds in the attack. At St. Gerard Hospital in Kaduna city, he told Vanguard newspaper today that he was recovering well. “Nobo..Continue reading→
Movies
The Story of God: Heaven, hell, hope and justice
Flickr, by Simon Rahn. CC Licensing. Season two of “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman” airs Mondays at 9 p.m. (8 p.m. Central) on the National Geographic Channel. Once again, I’m writing about it here each week from a Christian perspective as a preview. This post is about episode two, “Heaven and Hell.” Years back, I was out to dinner with a friend when we began talking religion. She was agnostic and I was in the middle of a pretty ugly bout of cage-stage Calvinism. She kept trying to change ..Continue reading→
Sony Animation reveals the cast for Nativity film The Star
The studio hasn’t released any pictures yet, to my knowledge, but today Sony Pictures Animation sent out a press release announcing the voice cast for its upcoming film The Star, which tells the story of the first Christmas from the animals’ point of view. Here is the key paragraph from today’s press release: The voice cast will be led by Steven Yeun (Bo the donkey), Kelly Clarkson (Leah the horse), Aidy Bryant (Ruth the sheep), Keegan-Michael Key (Dave the dove), Kristin Chenoweth (Mouse), Anth..Continue reading→
Wrestling with ‘Silence’
Raised in a Christian community, I constantly heard stories of martyrdom. The Bible is replete with such tales, whether it’s the three men thrown into a fiery furnace or early apostles stoned for threatening the status quo. Youth leaders would solemnly tell of saints who were burned at the stake, singing songs of praise even as the flames lapped at their feet. These were not stories of tragedy but of triumph. The focus was not on those who killed the missionaries, but on the faith that endured u..Continue reading→
Box office: Hidden Figures holds on to the top spot while six new films fail to find an audience
A drama about three African-American women who broke racial barriers in the early 1960s held on to the top spot at the box office on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, while half a dozen new wide releases failed to find an audience. Hidden Figures, which focuses on three black women who worked at NASA in its early days, topped the chart for a second straight week with an estimated $20.5 million between Friday and Sunday — a drop of only 10.3% since last week. That raises the film’s North Am..Continue reading→
New details about — and a new trailer for — The Shack
With seven weeks to go before the film comes out, new details about The Shack — and a new trailer for the film — have come online. First, Publishers Weekly has a profile of The Shack novelist William Paul Young, who notes that a significant change has been made to the story’s main character: Although Young called the film a “faithful adaptation” to his novel, the author noted a major difference between the main character in the book, Mack, and the character onscreen. “I framed the book within so..Continue reading→
The Story of God: Chosen
Photo by Ted, Flickr. CC Licensing. Season two of “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman” debuts Monday, Jan. 16, at 9 p.m. (8 p.m. Central) on the National Geographic Channel. Once again, I’ll be writing about it here each week from a Christian perspective as a preview. The first episode of the season deals with “The Chosen One.” Given its topic — chosen people in various religions — I initially assumed that this first episode would deal with the central figures of various faiths. Jesus, Mohamm..Continue reading→
Return to “The Story of God” on Jan. 16
(Photo credit: National Geographic Channels/Matthew Paul Turner) One of the highlights of last year was writing about National Geographic’s “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman.” Being part of Patheos’ “blogging carnival” was a great writing experience and a chance for me to re-examine my faith. I was deeply challenged by that discussion and, in the end, it made my faith stronger. National Geographic Channel will debut season two of “The Story of God” on Monday, Jan. 16 at 9 p.m. (8 p.m. Centra..Continue reading→
Box office: Hidden Figures nearly beats Rogue One
A movie about the space race nearly beat Star Wars at the box office this week. Hidden Figures, which tells the true story of three African-American women whose mathematical and scientific prowess was key to NASA’s success in the early 1960s, grossed an estimated $21.8 million between Thursday and Sunday nights. That was nearly tied with Rogue One, which earned $22 million this week — though Hidden Figures could pull ahead when the final figures come out tomorrow. Hidden Figures went into wide r..Continue reading→
From “Rogue One” to “Empire Strikes Back”: What I watched on my winter vacation
Don’t let the headline mislead you: this isn’t all about “Star Wars.” As I write this, I’m coming off a very long vacation. On Dec. 23, I left work for two weeks to enjoy the holidays and recuperate from a very busy fall. I go back to work and school tomorrow and, as providence would have it, it’s also shaping up to be a busy week for this blog. For now, I’m enjoying the last few hours of break. It wasn’t the greatest vacation — quite a few stressors made it a bit hectic — but for the first time..Continue reading→
Music
Kat&Jared EP by Kat&Jared
"Everyone goes through difficult seasons. When we're in those seasons we can either choose to magnify our problems or we can magnify who God is. These five songs are really just a collection of songs that celebrate the life that comes by choosing to enter into God's presence." Kat Hartmann Kat&Jared, Kat and Jared Hartmann, are worship leaders and songwriters whose passion is to help people discover the life that comes from friendship with God and spending time in His presence. Kat and Jared spent the first nine years of their marriage traveling the world with Flyleaf, a platinum selling[...]Continue reading→
Sing it Now: Songs of Faith & Hope by Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire has never been one to "rest on her laurels" (Associated Press) and continues to prove that her strong work ethic couples well with passion as she prepares to release SING IT NOW: SONGS OF FAITH HOPE on February 3, 2017 jointly through Nash Icon Records and Capitol Christian Music Group. For an entertainer with an illustrious career that has elicited 35 No. 1 singles, over 56 million albums sold worldwide, prestigious industry awards, lead acting roles and brand endeavors, new is a rarity yet an art form she has perfected. From the set of her forthcoming music[...]Continue reading→
Blue Eyed Devil by KRUM (fka Playdough)
Veteran emcee KRUM is dropping a completely free project on February 3, and the pre-order is now available. The album is called Blue Eyed Devil and will be the first full project by KRUM since he changed his name from Playdough. The album features production from Theory Hazit, Rob Viktum, Harry Krum, Freddie Bruno, and more. KRUM says to look out for music videos and promos in the next few weeks.[...]Continue reading→
Nu Age Soul EP by Phil J.
Phil J. released his new completely self-written, produced, and mixed free EP project.[...]Continue reading→
Blessings (feat. Ty Dolla $ign) – Single by Lecrae
Lecrae is taking a shot at radio with his new single, "Blessings," that drops tomorrow (January 27). After more than a decade in the industry, the Atlanta MC has hustled his way through the independent scene often carrying the sometimes-dreaded title of "Christian rapper." But perhaps that label is what will make his version of "Blessings" stand out, as he explained to HipHopDX before his show at The Roxy on Wednesday (January 25). "I get to change the narrative a little bit, let people see some of the behind-the-scenes of what I mean when I say it and my perspective," Lecrae[...]Continue reading→
Signs & Wonders by Watoto Children’s Choir
Watoto presents a brand new children's choir tour and album, Signs Wonders, that celebrates the joy of salvation. The choir, whose members are orphans and other vulnerable children, present new worship music from Watoto Church in Uganda.[...]Continue reading→
After All These Years by Brian & Jenn Johnson
More than 10 years since their last solo release, Bethel Music's Brian Jenn Johnson will debut their highly anticipated album After All These Years on January 27, capturing the wonder, conviction, and tenderness of heart behind the story of who they've become and who they've remained over the past season. Cowriting every song on the album together, After All These Years varies stylistically from previous projects, as each track is marked by a distinct and bright 80-piece symphony orchestra paired with timeless lyrics and instrumentation. Songwriting, leading worship and overseeing Bethel Church's Worship Department for over 15 years, the album[...]Continue reading→
FUTUREGEN by AMP
FUTUREGEN, AMP's Junior release, shines a spotlight on the Future Generation and the expansive potential they hold. A symphony that swings from modern electronica to grand orchestrals, the album brings into focus the next rising generation, rallying them on to run toward the prime joy of making Christ known and glorified. The track list, featuring AMP's signature sound and lyricism, is both electric and vertical, passionate and authentic, contagious and full of praise. It exhibits the musical and spiritual growth of each individual in the group, and in doing so, overflows into an active encouragement for all believers to vigorously[...]Continue reading→
Books
The Theology Professor and His Ailing Wife
Life brings occasions, both good and bad, that serve as natural chapter breaks in our own narrative. Dealing with the good ones is enjoyable, and there’s usually time to prepare for things like a wedding and the birth of a child. There’s no preparation for the bad ones, though. They happen, and you flee to wherever—whomever—you find refuge. For John Feinberg, longtime professor of biblical and systematic theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and his wife, Pat, that day came on Novemb..Continue reading→
Men who won’t work
Nearly a third of American men aren’t working. These include the unemployed, men who can’t find jobs. But there are two-and-half times more men who aren’t even trying to find a job. Because their lack of work is voluntary, they aren’t counted in the unemployment rate. But the number of men between 25 to 54 who are “economically inactive” is soaring. This has nothing to do with educational attainment, the business cycle, or the availability of jobs. Many men just don’t feel that traditional mascu..Continue reading→
Four Myths Christians Believe About Politics
Back in February, we at the Summit hosted a forum addressing the interaction between the gospel and politics. As the past few months have taught us, politics can be a messy, confusing, infuriating venture. Christians often don’t know what to do with politics—myself included. On one side, I feel like I may not be speaking up enough on key issues. On the other side, I feel like I may be speaking up too much and causing a stumbling block for the gospel. That’s the tension I wrestle with, and that m..Continue reading→
Turning 40 While Single and Childless
I was 28 years old the first time someone called me “barren.” At a book club hosted by one of my friends, I met a 22-year-old graduate student who had just moved to the city. After our group discussion, she and I ended up in the kitchen talking about food, life, and expectations. As I shared with her the story of my recent broken engagement, I confessed, “I thought I’d be married by now.” Later that week, she emailed to say she enjoyed our conversation and that she, too, thought she’d be “marr..Continue reading→
Ten Ways Jesus Ruined His Own Campaign
It’s campaign and election season for all of us, but I’m even deeper in campaign mode than usual. I’m in the throes of my husband’s run for the state house while also in my own “campaign”—publisher’s terminology—as my tenth book releases this week. And that book (Crossing the Waters: Following Jesus through the Storms, the Fish, the Doubt and the Seas) is itself the fruit of following Jesus’ three-year campaign in Galilee. To better understand those events, I hiked the Gospel Trail solo around t..Continue reading→
5 Books to Read Before Voting in a Presidential Election
Peter Wehner, former presidential aide, helps us wrestle with deeper issues than Candidate A versus Candidate B. Campaign season has a way of raising everyone’s blood pressure, inflaming partisan passions and cultural resentments. How can we step back from a ferocious news cycle and find enduring wisdom on how to approach the task of choosing a national leader? CT asked Peter Wehner, senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and a veteran of three Republican presidential administrati..Continue reading→
Free Stuff Fridays (Nabeel Qureshi Edition)
This week’s Free Stuff Fridays is sponsored by Zondervan. There will be 5 winners this week and each of them will receive a great package of material from Nabeel Qureshi. The winners will receive: No God but One: Allah or Jesus? “Former Muslim Nabeel Qureshi’s new, New York Times bestselling book No God but One examines the most important questions at the intersection of Islam and Christianity. Nabeel shares stories from his life and ministry, casts new light on current events, and explores pivotal incidents in the histories of both religions, providing a resource that is gripping and thought-provoking, respectful and challenging. Readers of Qureshi’s first book, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, will appreciate this careful and respectful comparison of Islam and Christianity. While Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus showed us the conversion of Nabeel’s heart, this new follow-up, No God but One, shows us the conversion of Nabeel’s mind. Both religions teach that there is No God but One, but thi..Continue reading→
Friendship Evangelism Is Not Dehumanizing
In her new book, Joyful Witness in the Muslim World: Sharing the Gospel in Everyday Encounters, Evelyne Reisacher—an associate professor of Islamic studies and intercultural relations at Fuller Theological Seminary—casts a vision for Christians entering relationships with Muslims based on shared joys. She does so by tracing how these relationships can blossom in six spheres: the internet, the arts, environmentalism, humanitarian service, urban contexts, and theological conversations. Relation..Continue reading→
The Life They Never Expected: Andrew and Rachel Wilson on Raising Special-Needs Kids
Parents, particularly those of children with special needs, are bombarded with how-to books and advice. But a book that addresses the parent’s heart is a rare find. Andrew and Rachel Wilson provide just that as they chronicle their emotional and spiritual story as their son, Zeke, and then daughter, Anna, are diagnosed with autism in The Life We Never Expected: Hopeful Reflections on the Challenges of Parenting Children with Special Needs [review] (Crossway, 2016). The book reflects..Continue reading→
World
Presbyterian Church in America Apologizes for Old and New Racism
The denomination took a year to get its apology just right. The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) overwhelmingly voted last night to repent for its racist actions during the civil rights era, even though the denomination wasn’t founded until nine years after the 1964 Civil Rights Act. But “during the civil rights period, there were founding denominational leaders and churches who not only failed to pursue racial reconciliation but also actively worked against it,” read the one-page overture..Continue reading→
Across 198 Nations, Christians Face More Terrorism But Less Government Hostility
Pew finds that terrorism threatens to surpass the traditional persecutors of the global church. From some angles, it looks like the beginning of a hopeful trend among the steady stream of persecution headlines. Both government and societal harassment of religion dropped worldwide in 2014, according to a Pew Research Center study released today. This is the second year in a row that researchers found such a drop. Overall, religious restrictions were high in 34 percent of the 198 countries and ..Continue reading→
British Doctors Vote to Maintain Opposition to Assisted Suicide
(Christian Institute) — Doctors have decisively voted to maintain their opposition to assisted suicide at the British Medical Association’s (BMA) annual meeting. Delegates voted by 198 to 115 against a motion which called for the BMA to take a ‘neutral’ stance on the issue. The move means the doctors’ union retains its stance of opposing assisted suicide and supporting the current law which “allows compassionate and ethical care for the dying.”Continue reading→
Refugee Numbers Break Record of 60 Million
(Mission Network News) — The number of refugees has now officially broken the record of most internationally-displaced persons in recent history. According to a report from the U.N.’s refugee agency, the number of refugees topped 65.3 million at the end of the 2015. It’s the first time the UNHCR has seen that number breach 60 million. The report was released yesterday on World Refugee Day. These numbers reveal some staggering new statistics. Each minute, 24 more people are forced to flee thei..Continue reading→
American
Woman Complains About Body Image Issues After Late-Term Abortion of Girl With Spina Bifida
Missouri mom Jessica McCoy had a late-term abortion a few months ago after learning that her unborn daughter had spina bifida and a chromosomal abnormality. The mother of three born children has been sharing about her abortion publicly, both describing her grief at the loss of her daughter and justifying her decision to have her unborn daughter killed because of the girl’s disabilities. Several women’s publications picked up McCoy’s story this week after she posted photos on Instagram describi..
Texas Lawmakers Initially Approve Bill to Ban Abortions on Babies Just Because of Their Race or Gender
Today, the Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 415, the Dismemberment Abortion Ban, on second reading. The bill was preliminarily approved by the Senate on a bipartisan 22-9 vote. In addition to every Republican of the Senate supporting the measure, two Democrats – Senators Eddie Lucio Jr. (D-Brownsville) and Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) – voted for the life-saving measure. Senate Bill 415 and House Bill 844, the Dismemberment Abortion Ban, outlaw the barbaric and inhumane procedure that ends the li..
More Patients in Quebec Killed in Assisted Suicide as Hundreds Request Lethal Drugs
CBC news reported (March 14) that the number of euthanasia deaths in Québec significantly increased in the second half of 2016. According to the CBC news report: A total of 461 patients were granted doctor-assisted death during the first year of Quebec’s medical aid in dying law, according to data obtained by CBC’s French-language service, Radio-Canada. The number of requests increased significantly in the second half of 2016. From December 2015 to end of June 2016, 253 patients requested the ..
Woman Was About to Have an Abortion When Something Incredible Happened to Save Her Baby’s Life
Two volunteers at the 40 Days for Life vigil in Pensacola spoke to a deeply troubled young woman who had conceived a child as the result of a sexual assault. “She was hurting and felt that abortion was her only solution to the recent trauma she had experienced,” said Ernie, the local coordinator. Counselors offered encouragement, assistance, prayers and tears. But still, she believed abortion was her only option … and she went inside the abortion center. The volunteers kept praying – and trust..
Australia
Bringing them up in the Lord
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS Wednesday 21 December 2016 About 60 million children in China are “left behind” in their home villages, to be looked after by their grandparents or relatives because their parents are trying to find work in cities. This enormous group of neglected children – more than a quarter of the 215 million children in China – is in great need of hope, encouragement and care. These “left-behind” children are highly vulnerable to serious crimes such as sexual abuse and assault and suff..
Back where it all began
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS Saturday 20 December 2016 Next year is a special year. Bible Society Australia will be celebrating its bicentenary, but 2017 is not only about thanking God for all he’s done in the past through his word. Bible Society Australia is calling upon you, your church and your community groups to help us continue the legacy of equipping our people with the life-giving word of God. Get The Word Out (GTWO) is Bible Society Australia’s year-long focus on providing one nation on earth ..
Everything you helped us achieve in 2016
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS | Greg Clarke Monday 19 December 2016 Bible Society Australia isn’t about any one person. From the very start we’ve been a Society. Bible Society is the thousands of supporters and volunteers like you. And it’s through your generosity this year we’ve been able to: Train 30 literacy teachers in South Sudan under Professor Twong Yolong – so thousands of Collo people, traumatised by war, can read and write Translated the scriptures to the Tay, Nung and Muong people in Vietnam –..
Egyptian Christians killed in bomb attack on church
A bomb blast in St Peter’s church in Cairo on Sunday killed 25 people and wounded 49, mostly women and children. The bombing during morning mass was the deadliest attack on Egypt’s Christians since a 2011 bombing killed 21 people at a church in Alexandria. The Sunday bombing is the latest indication of how challenging it is for Christians living in Egypt, who account for about 10 per cent of Egypt’s 92 million people. The Bible Society of Egypt has requested prayers f..
Law & Government
Men With Scabies Arrested After Committing Homosexual Sex Act on Display Bed at Bed Bath & Beyond
(NorthJersey.com) – Two men were arrested and charged with engaging in lewd behavior on a display bed at Bed Bath & Beyond during regular business hours. Police officers responded to the Route 3 Riverfront shopping center at 5 p.m. Monday on a report from a witness that two men were engaged in a sex act, records show. Police arrested two 28-year-old men, one from Nutley and the other from North Carolina. Both were charged with lewdness, criminal mischief and possession of marijuana, according ..
Alabama Man Charged With Capital Murder for Killing Unborn Child in Beating Girlfriend
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — An Alabama man has been charged with capital murder for allegedly killing his unborn child while beating his girlfriend. According to reports, Reginald Sharp, 27, knocked his girlfriend to the ground in a domestic incident last July and then beat her with his fists and a belt. She was 26 weeks (six months) pregnant. The woman was transported to St. Vincent’s Hospital, where her baby was stillborn the next day. The county coroner listed the child’s death as “intrauterine feta..
Trump Mocks Schwarzenegger, Jokingly Asks for ‘Prayer’ for ‘Apprentice’ Ratings at National Prayer Breakfast
(ABC News) — President Trump jokingly requested prayer for Arnold Schwarzenegger as he addressed attendees at this morning’s National Prayer Breakfast. “They hired a big movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to take my place, and we know how that turned out,” Trump said at the top of his remarks. He continued, “The ratings went right down the tubes. It’s been a total disaster. And Mark [Burnett] will never, ever bet against Trump again, and I want to just pray for Arnold, if we can, for those rat..
Boy Scouts to Allow Girls Who Identify as Boys
(New York Times) — Reversing its stance of more than a century, the Boy Scouts of America said on Monday that the group would begin accepting members based on the gender listed on their application, paving the way for transgender boys to join the organization. “For more than 100 years, the Boy Scouts of America, along with schools, youth sports and other youth organizations, have ultimately deferred to the information on an individual’s birth certificate to determine eligibility for our single-..
Entertainment
Martin Scorsese talks Spirituality and Silence
Comment countSilence was one of the most provocative, moving bits of cinema I saw last year. It’s complex and murky and inspiring and troubling and beautiful–all of which, in a way, reflects how I interact with faith itself. Perhaps, when we attempt to understand and embrace the transcendent, it can be no other way. The movie is arguably one of Martin Scorsese’s most overtly religious works. But as many have noted, almost every movie that Scorsese has ever done is about, in some way, faith. Scor..
Why Silence Deserved Oscar’s Love
Comment countAndrew Garfield and Yōsuke Kubozuka in Silence, photo courtesy Paramount PicturesWhen Academy Award nominees earlier this week, plenty of Oscar’s snubs made headlines. No Amy Adams? No Sully? Where’s Hugh Grant? But the Academy reserved its biggest oversight for one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed directors: Martin Scorsese. Silence, the film that Scorsese spent 26 years planning and making, earned just a single nomination—for Rodrigo Prieto’s gorgeous cinematography. Nothing for Andr..
The Story of God: Is There Anybody Out There?
Comment countMorgan Freeman from National Geographic’s The Story of GodFor two seasons, National Geographic’s The Story of God With Morgan Freeman has taken us behind the curtain to see the world’s religions, both great and small, at work. This Monday in the second season finale, Freeman and his crew tackle the biggest question of all: Is there a reason for all this religion? In other words, is there a God? But proof of God, as Oxford Theoretical Physicist Ard Louis says on the show, is impossib..
The Story of God: Finding Heaven in Hell
Comment countMorgan Freeman from National Geographic’s The Story of God.What is heaven? What is hell? And how do they impact how we live right now? “Heaven and Hell,” the latest episode of The Story of God With Morgan Freeman (airing Jan. 23) grapples with those questions. They’re questions that have fascinated me, too. They always have, ever since I was a little boy. In the episode, Freeman and others take an interfaith trip through the Good Place and Bad Place. The show takes us to a cave in T..
Health and Science
Is Genesis History? New Film Affirms Truthfulness of Biblical Record
A soon-to-be-released documentary-style film, featuring footage from around the U.S. and interviews with over a dozen scholars and scientists, will provide visual evidence and scientific arguments for the Bible’s accounts of Creation and the Flood. On February 23, hundreds of movie theaters across the U.S. will participate in a one-night showing of the film “Is Genesis History?” The film, produced by Compass Cinema and structured as a documentary, features interviews with respected Christian sc..
Researchers Experiment Creation of Human-Pig ‘Chimera Embryos’ to Address Shortage of Donor Organs
LA JOLLA, Calif. — A team of biologists at the Salk Institute in California has reportedly created the first-ever human-pig chimeras in an effort to test the idea of growing organs in animals that can later be used in human transplants. “This biomedical advance has long been a dream and a quandary for scientists hoping to address a critical shortage of donor organs,” National Geographic writes. “Every ten minutes, a person is added to the national waiting list for organ transplants. And every d..
Why Our Body Destroys Itself
The science and spirituality behind the latest Nobel Prize in medicine. With every patient I treat, I hear myself echo the same sentiment: I know this hurts. I’m sorry. It will be over soon. In the emergency department, healing rarely comes without pain. It may be the wrenching of a joint back into place, the lancing of an abscess, or the administering of antibiotics through the business end of a large needle. But with the exception of the few who decide at the first flash of my scalpel that pe..
Perplexed Scientists Think C-Sections During Childbirth Are Affecting Human Evolution
Photo Credit: Lisa EspinosaWhy is obstructed labor such a common complication during human childbirth? A team of evolutionary scientists thinks recent human evolution and the modern practice of childbirth via C-section contribute to the problem. Obstructed labor happens when a baby is unable to smoothly pass from the mother’s womb through the birth canal. A major cause of both maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality, obstructed labor is especially common in poorer countries and results in ..
US
The Superbowl and vocation
The Superbowl is this weekend, time for the obligatory polls about whether or not God gets involved in the outcome of sporting events. One-quarter of Americans believe that he does. About a half believe that God rewards faithful athletes with health and success. Certainly, the easy answer is that of course God doesn’t care about a sporting event because He has much more important things to do. But if God attends to the fall of a sparrow, why wouldn’t He attend to the fall of a pigskin? The real ..
The anti-Trump “resistance”
French Resistance fighters, 1944 Democrats have gone into full resistance mode, with Democratic Senators boycotting confirmation hearings to prevent a vote on President Trump’s candidates. (Republicans suspended the rules and approved Treasury Secretary candidate Steven Mnuchin and HHS Secretary candidate Tom Price anyway. See this.) Meanwhile, a self-described “alternative left” has emerged that is pressuring Democratic elected officials not to co-operate with the Republicans. Notice how the us..
Trump’s Supreme Court nominee
President Donald Trump has nominated Colorado appeals court Judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by the late Antonin Scalia. Reportedly, Judge Gorsuch is from that same mold: eloquent, learned, articulate, and an “originalist” when it comes to interpreting the Constitution. He is the author of a book against euthanasia and supported Hobby Lobby in its suit against the Obamacare birth control mandate. An Anglican, he would be the only Protestant on the bench, joining the 5 Ca..
“Pregnant people”
The British Medical Association has issued guidelines saying that to avoid offending the transgendered, health workers should not refer to “pregnant women.” Rather, say, “pregnant people.” After all, a biological female–no, that wording is forbidden too; we must say “assigned female”–who identifies as a man can have a baby. And since we must go by self-identification, that means that men can be pregnant. The Transgender movement has at least destroyed feminism. Now that men can claim the identit..
Church & Theology
“Enlightenment” and True Freedom
“I think, therefore I am.” René Descartes penned this popular line in his 1637 treatise, Discourse on the Method, and it’s a good summary of the book itself. Heralding the importance of scientific discoveries and the necessity of doubting one’s own view of the world, Descartes’s work is often considered the first domino to fall in what is now called the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment, with its explosion of scientific discoveries and philosophical arguments, had one task:..
New Book — Rooted: Theology For Growing Christians
As you may know, my friend Jeff Medders and I wrote a short, accessible book on the most important doctrines of the Christian faith. It’s called Rooted: Theology for Growing Christians, and it released this weekend from Rainer Publishing. As two men who’ve served in church leadership in various ways, we kept running into laypeople who were accidental Universalists, Arians, mystics, and even worse. We’ve found that it’s often not their fault; rather, they spent most of thei..
Church Grammar: Theology as the Language of Christianity
If you’re anything like me, you’ve had your favorite dinnertime evangelists, the local Jehovah’s Witnesses, show up at your door. They’re kind. They smile. And they even tuck in their shirts. To top it all off, they speak Christianese pretty well. Or do they? Though they sound like Christians, they come bearing bad news–an anti-gospel that denies the divinity of Jesus and only offers the possibility of Heaven for a select few people. Their gospel sounds so close to the bib..
Jesus Hanging Out with Wild Animals
The Temptations of Christ, 12th century mosaic at St Mark’s Basilica, Venice. On a recent episode of Word Matters, Trevin Wax and I discussed Mark’s rendering of Jesus’s temptation in the wilderness, particularly the unique insertion of the phrase, “He was with the wild animals” (Mark 1:13, HCSB). After discussing the prominent views of this passage throughout church history, Trevin and I both landed at the same conclusion: Mark is recapitulating the temptation scene of Ge..