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 Now Continue 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 John 4:16 (02-09-17)
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. — 1 John 4:16 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... We can be sure that God loves us. He wants us to live in and be blessed by his love. That love is more than just the grace that reaches us when we are saved. God's love extends through us. His love is redemptive in our loving behaviors to others. His presence is seen in our loving attitudes and .. Continue reading→
1 John 4:15 (02-08-17)
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. — 1 John 4:15 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... "Jesus is the Son of God." Six simple words. They are much more than simple words, however; they are the doorway that opens our heart to God. So tonight, as you confess Jesus as God's Son, consciously and intentionally welcome God into your heart. The Father lives in the person who confesses the Son! My Prayer... Father, I want.. Continue reading→
1 John 4:13 (02-07-17)
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. — 1 John 4:13 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Our sign of authenticity showing we are truly God's children is the Holy Spirit who lives in us. The Spirit helps bring forth the character of God in our lives (Galatians 5:22). The Spirit helps us when we pray (Romans 8:26-27). The Spirit empowers us to overcome sin (Romans 8:13) and gives us strength to do things we would never imagine w.. Continue reading→
Psalm 97:10
“Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.” Continue reading→
1 John 4:12 (02-06-17)
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. — 1 John 4:12 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... What an incredible thought! God can be seen in my home. The Father of the universe lives in my church. The Almighty God's love is recognizable in my life. How so? When I love those around me, when they love me back, when we choose to be loving instead of petty, unforgiving, critical, and harsh, God's presence, powe.. Continue reading→
Hope
It’s Not Easy Being a Visitor
When I first went to live in Argentina, I took language classes daily. A couple of months after my arrival, one of my teachers got married and invited me to her wedding. One of my other teachers offered to let me ride with her to the ceremony. It was my first time to attend a wedding in Argentina. It was also my first Catholic wedding. I went with a bit of nervousness, hoping that I wouldn’t do anything to offend. As soon as we arrived, my companion headed for the font of holy water. I was unsur.. Continue reading→
We’re all saints and sinners
God has a plan for everyone. And sometimes that plan leads you places you wouldn’t expect. That was the case for both Mary Jo and John. Their journeys had nearly opposite starting points, but the endpoint is the same. Two stories of God leading His people back to Him. Continue reading→
Sharper than any double-edged sword
Perhaps you’ve heard someone say that “Christianity is a crutch.” Graham heard that statement often from his dad growing up. And though Steve was raised in the church, it would be in prison that he truly turned to Jesus Christ. Two remarkable journeys and how God is using these men today. Continue reading→
God is there in your brokenness
Many of you have heard her voice singing praises as a former member of the band Selah. Listen in as we hear Nicol Sponberg share her life story. Despite heartbreak and hardship, Nicol has found her security and hope in Jesus Christ. Continue reading→
Another Perspective
How are you viewing the previous year of your life? For many of us, 2016 was a pretty bumpy ride. I woke up on a recent morning with a dark cloud, literally and figuratively, hovering over me. I was reflecting on my unexpected heart attack that occurred, appropriately, on Valentine's day 2016. If that wasn't enough of a shock, I discovered that I have diabetes even though it doesn't even seem to run in my family. And I was in good shape and runner! All these shocking surprises mea.. Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
1 John 4:17 (02-10-17)
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. — 1 John 4:17 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... When we live lovingly like Jesus did, we can have the same confidence in the face of death and before God in judgment. Our confidence is not in our efforts, but in our Savior. His love has not only redeemed us, it has changed us. His love is not only a gift to us, but it is a gift through us. We can be confide.. Continue reading→
1 John 4:16 (02-09-17)
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. — 1 John 4:16 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... We can be sure that God loves us. He wants us to live in and be blessed by his love. That love is more than just the grace that reaches us when we are saved. God's love extends through us. His love is redemptive in our loving behaviors to others. His presence is seen in our loving attitudes and .. Continue reading→
1 John 4:15 (02-08-17)
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. — 1 John 4:15 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... "Jesus is the Son of God." Six simple words. They are much more than simple words, however; they are the doorway that opens our heart to God. So tonight, as you confess Jesus as God's Son, consciously and intentionally welcome God into your heart. The Father lives in the person who confesses the Son! My Prayer... Father, I want.. Continue reading→
1 John 4:13 (02-07-17)
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. — 1 John 4:13 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Our sign of authenticity showing we are truly God's children is the Holy Spirit who lives in us. The Spirit helps bring forth the character of God in our lives (Galatians 5:22). The Spirit helps us when we pray (Romans 8:26-27). The Spirit empowers us to overcome sin (Romans 8:13) and gives us strength to do things we would never imagine w.. Continue reading→
Prayers
Mutual Acceptance
PassageRomans 14:1-16 PrayerDear Father, foundation of all our lives,Make me compassionate and generous toward my brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us welcome each other, and not dispute over opinions. May I never pass judgment on a brother or sister, for you have welcomed them. They are your servants. It is before you that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for you are able to make them stand.Let us be fully convinced in our own minds about honoring certain days, or about eating cer.. Continue reading→
Staying Awake
PassageRomans 13:11-14 PrayerDear Father, victorious deliverer,May I be found in Christ, not trusting any righteousness of my own. Let me know him and the power of his resurrection. May I share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, so I might attain the resurrection of the dead.O God, let me obtain it! Let me be awake! Let me put on the armor of light! Let me put on the Lord Jesus and his righteousness, and be found in him! Let me trust, obey, even suffer, in order to have the victory!.. Continue reading→
The Last Days
PassageRomans 13:11-14 PrayerDear Father, object of my desires,Everything points to the fact that we live in the last days. Knowing what hour it is, let me wake up from my sleep! For salvation is nearer to me now than when I first believed. The night is far gone. The day is at hand.Help me cast off all the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let me conduct myself as becomes one of your people, not in reveling or drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling or.. Continue reading→
Spirit of Generosity
PassageRomans 13:9 PrayerDear Father, generous giver,Love sees needs and shares resources. How lacking I am in this regard. Please forgive me and make me better. Give a spirit of generosity not only to me, but also to my wife, my children, and my whole extended family - also to my spiritual family, your church. Help all of us to be giving people, because you are a giving God. Move us to serve a needy world.I praise you and thank you for all your mercies. You are so bountiful in your gifts. I lov.. Continue reading→
Questions & Answers
There’s No Good Reason to Deny the Early Dating of the Gospels
Not long ago, Daniel Wallace (no relationship to me, except that all us Wallace’s claim to descend from William) posted some great news about an early fragment of the Book of Romans that was recently discovered. This fragment dates to the early third century which puts it in rare company. It contains Romans 9:18–21 and small portions of Romans 10. Wallace made news a few years back when he mentioned an early fragment of the Gospel of Mark that has yet to be published. The fragment of Mark is sai.. Continue reading→
Are There Good Reasons to Believe in the Resurrection? (Podcast)
In this audio recorded at Brentwood Academy, J. Warner teaches students about “abductive reasoning” and applies this form of thinking to the case of the Resurrection of Jesus. J. Warner offers seven possible explanations for the evidence surrounding the Resurrection, and then briefly investigates four of these explanations to see if they are reasonable. This presentation is excerpted from J. Warner’s longer talk on the issue and the material in Cold-Case Christianity and ALIVE. You can also sub.. Continue reading→
Good Jurors Make Good Christian Case Makers
When picking a jury for a homicide trial, it’s important to try to pick folks who will fairly examine the evidence without a pre-existing emotional or volitional bias. Good jurors are able to set aside their partialities and presuppositions in order to evaluate the evidence fairly. There’s a strong parallel between the characteristics of a good juror and the characteristics of a Good Christian Case Maker (I’ve written much more about this in my book). Let me tell you what I look for in a juror, .. Continue reading→
The Book of Acts: Summary and Overview
The Book of Acts in the Bible, written around 62-63 A.D., may be best described as a history of the founding and growth of the early church. While there are some areas of great detail of the Acts of the Apostles, many times you must use cross references to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John as well as some other epistles in the New Testament to get the full picture of what was happening at this time in history. The book was written by Luke, the same writer of the Gospel of Luke and you .. Continue reading→
Hot Topics
Abortion’s Unintended Survivors
In her own words, Ohden brings a formidable testimony against abortion as she outlines the hurt and inner pain she dealt with as a teenager trying to cope with the knowledge she was so unwanted by her biological family, they attempted to end her life. She believes now that she developed post-traumatic stress reaction to the revelation of her beginnings as well as survivor’s guilt that she lived and so many others were destroyed by abortion. Her depression developed into anorexia, bulimia, alcoho.. Continue reading→
Worshiping the God of Justice
Sure, we usually do this selectively. Liberals and progressives, conservatives and traditionalists each have their own favorite sins that they like to denounce, while ignoring those that seem to painful to confront. In the meantime, adultery and complicity in oppression are far too prevalent among us, as we live our comfortable, non-confrontational lives. We are so used to slander and deceit – or even practicing it ourselves – that we stand by as it crashes like a wave through the highest places.. Continue reading→
What Came First? The Desire to Sin or the Opportunity?
The critical lesson is that if we crucify the desire, God will almost always shield us from the opportunity. And even if God may permit the devil to throw a spark of opportunity our way, there’s nothing in the heart that will easily catch fire. However, if we entertain and enjoy the desire to sin, God may permit the opportunity to sin to coincide. When a Christian falls into gross immorality, the question arises: What came first: the desire to sin or the opportunity? From what I’ve seen and he.. Continue reading→
Marriage: A Means to Holiness or to Happiness?
When God created Adam, he made an interesting observation: The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable* for him.” (Genesis 2:18.) Bringing Eve into the picture, then, was a response to the solitude of Adam, not his unholiness. Again, how could it be about making Adam holy before sin had entered the world (see Genesis 3). The answer, as shown above, is that marriage was not designed for holiness. It was designed for companionship. Marriage Isn’t for .. Continue reading→
Women
Leading Fragile Lives
Leading Fragile Lives I dare to say that our lives are more fragile than each of us probably realizes or truthfully admits. If we are honest with ourselves, we feel confidently secure that when we lay our head on our pillow at night, we will awaken to face another day. We do our best to control the variables in our lives with the hope that we can control our fitness level and health and even avoid obvious risky behaviors. But the truth of the matter is that we are all on borrowed time. If we ta.. Continue reading→
Making Married Sex Mutual
Pervasive ideologies distort our view of female sexuality. God’s Word shows us a better way. Continue reading→
God Doesn’t Need You to Try So Hard
A spiritual lesson for chronic achievers. Continue reading→
Life & Society
Pence Comes Out in Support of Trump Decision to Retain Obama Order on Homosexual, Transgender Protections
WASHINGTON — Vice President Mike Pence defended on Sunday President Donald Trump’s decision to retain an Obama-era order banning groups that contract with the federal government from “discriminating” against homosexuals and transgenders in their business or non-profit organization. “I think throughout the campaign, President Trump made it clear that discrimination would have no place in our administration,” Pence said during an interview on ABC’s “This Week,” according to a transcript of the di.. Continue reading→
Mississippi Town Rallies After Complaint Results in Removal of Christian Flag
RIENZI, Miss. — Over 100 residents from a small Mississippi town rallied on Saturday after a complaint from a prominent professing atheist organization that took issue with a Christian flag being displayed in a public park resulted in the removal of the banner. The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) sent a letter on Jan. 20 to Rienzi Mayor Walter Williams to assert that the flag, which had been flown in Veterans Memorial Park, was unconstitutional. It said that it had been .. Continue reading→
Tweets Taunt Trump for Allegedly Wanting Female WH Staffers to ‘Dress Like a Woman’ at Work
Social media is buzzing with posts from those upset over an unconfirmed report from an anonymous source who once worked with President Donald Trump, who allegedly told the media that Trump wants his female staffers to “dress like a woman” while they’re at work. The outlet Axios released the report on Thursday, which mentioned the president’s presentation preferences for both male and female White House staff. “If you’re going to be a public person for him, whether it’s a lawyer or representing.. Continue reading→
Report: ISIS Chops Off Hands of Two Children for Refusing to Execute Civilians
MOSUL, Iraq — Members of the barbaric Islamic group ISIS, which identifies itself as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, recently cut off the hands of two children for refusing to execute civilians. Alsumaria News reports that the incident occurred in the ISIS-occupied territory of Mosul, being tipped off by an anonymous source. “The Islamic State’s leaders issued orders to train a group of children on fighting in the group’s camps in Nables neighborhood, in the western side of Nineveh,” it o.. Continue reading→
Persecution
Teenager Charged with Blasphemy in Pakistan Waits in Jail
LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A 16-year-old Christian in Pakistan is languishing in jail under a baseless blasphemy charge after a judge declined to grant him bail this month, his attorney said. The judge in Punjab Province’s Kasur District on Feb. 7 denied bail to Nabeel Masih, who has been jailed since Sept. 18, 2016 after a Muslim friend accused him of “sharing” and “liking” on Facebook an allegedly blasphemous photo of the Kaaba, the holiest Islamic site in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Pol.. Continue reading→
Man Charged in Turkey Nightclub Massacre Says His Intent Was to Target Christians
Photo Credit: Burak Su(World Watch Monitor) — The man charged with killing 39 people on New Year’s Eve at Istanbul’s exclusive Reina nightclub attack, Abdulkadir Masharipov, has testified before a Turkish court, saying, “My purpose was to kill Christians.” The Uzbek national was arraigned in court 11 Feb., nearly a month after he was captured by Istanbul police 16 Jan. He told the judge interrogating him at the hearing that he was a member of the so-called Islamic State, which had claimed respo.. Continue reading→
Christian in India Dies After Tribal Villagers Immerse Him, Wife in Cold Pond, Son Says
NEW DELHI (Morning Star News) – A Christian in Jharkhand state, India last month succumbed to illnesses incurred when villagers immersed him and his wife in frigid water because they refused to deny Christ, relatives said. Upset that his family had left their indigenous religion, tribal residents of Kubuaa village, Palamu District immersed Bartu Urawn and his wife up to their necks in a cold pond one night this winter, when temperatures can dip below freezing, from 5 p.m. to 10 a.m. the next mo.. Continue reading→
Christians in Nigeria’s Yobe State Face Pressure to Convert to Islam
(Open Doors USA) — The long drawn-out Boko Haram insurgency in Northern Nigeria has created an ongoing humanitarian disaster. In the northern state of Yobe, one of the three worst affected states, Christians who have finally returned to their destroyed and severely damaged communities are facing added pressure for their faith. Reports reached Open Doors that while the government has spent millions on rebuilding other communities and restoring amenities, Kukar Gadu, Yobe’s only Christian communi.. Continue reading→
Movies
My favorite films of 2016
Conventional wisdom holds that 2016 was, to use the technical term, a dumpster fire. I’m not going to argue against that; it was a year in which American culture finally curdled and icons were taken from us at an alarming rate. But bad times make for great art, and 2016 was another wonderful year of cinema. Unlike other years, in which the majority of great releases were clustered around the fall months, my list for favorite films of 2016 includes films that were released throughout the calendar.. Continue reading→
Happy Christmas Eve
Photo via Vlickr, Jori Samonen. CC Licensing. Ever since I was a child, Christmas Eve has meant more to me than Christmas Day. As a child, it was because Christmas Eve was when we would load up the car, go to my grandparents and open gifts with my cousins. It was that night — and the lead into Christmas morning — that embodied the holiday for me the most. Treats on the counter. One grandfather excitedly playing Santa. The other calmly reading Luke’s account of the Christmas story. A fire roaring.. Continue reading→
The Best Films of 2016: Empathy in Action
What animated the most enduring films of 2016? While our nation suffered from our inability to empathize with the Other, thankfully the finest filmmakers reminded us how compelling compassion remains. Empathy turned a ‘small’ film like Moonlight into an immediate masterpiece. Not a shot, gesture, or line is wasted in Barry Jenkins’ gorgeous triptych. The evolution of Chiron across the mean streets of Miami communicated with such clarity why Black Lives Matter. The West Texas plains of Toby and .. Continue reading→
Short film submissions wanted $10,000 for films on fatherhood
Short film submissions wanted $10,000 for films on fatherhood December 21st, 2016 The Fatherhood CoMission and the Christian Worldview Film Festival have partnered to hold the second annual HONOR YOUR FATHER short film contest. The two groups urge filmmakers to use inspiration, humor, or drama in short film to promote a Biblical perspective of fatherhood, sharable on social media and appropriate to play in churches leading up to Father’s Day. Filmmakers of all ages and backgrounds are .. Continue reading→
My favorite (non-movie) pop culture of 2016!
Photo by Dafne Cholet, Flickr. CC Licensing. 2016 is coming to a close. And while there are a lot of reasons to be happy that we’re saying goodbye to this year, let’s not forget that this wasn’t a terrible year in every area. True, we might be skipping toward the apocalypse. But at least there were some fun diversions along the way. My post for the best movies of 2016 will be coming later. I hope to have it up before the new year, but the fall has been so busy that I’m behind on movies. There ar.. Continue reading→
Pureflix joining forces with ClearPlay to deliver clean(er) content to families
Pureflix joining forces with ClearPlay to deliver clean(er) content to families December 20th, 2016 PureFlix, a leader in the faith and family streaming video space, is partnering with ClearPlay Inc. of Salt Lake City, Utah. To provide consumers original content, movies, TV shows and more completely free from any offensive language. ClearPlay’s innovative playback filtering technology is designed to work with the PureFlix.com existing library of more than 5,000 titles. It also opens the do.. Continue reading→
“It’s My Favorite” Talks Christmas!
Photo by Antonio Castagna, Flickr. CC Licensing So, Christmas is coming and I know there’s been a bit of a lull the past few months in blogging as I’ve finished my first semester of grad school. It’s been a busy, challenging few months, but as of about 24 hours ago, I’m done with class. Starting Friday, I’ll be off work for two days. In addition to enjoying the holidays with my family, I’m also looking forward to catching up on some movies and tending to this neglected site. In the coming days a.. Continue reading→
Sony Animation’s The Star — a Nativity film coming out next year — warms up its online marketing campaign
Is it too early to think about next year’s Christmas movies? The folks at Sony apparently hope it isn’t. Today their “faith-based” division, Affirm Films, sent out an e-mail letting people know that the upcoming animated film The Star — about a donkey, a sheep, and some other animals who participate in the first Christmas — now has a website. The film also has a few social-media accounts, but so far — apart from the brand-new banner above — there are no photos, no casting news and no details abo.. Continue reading→
Watch: Jack Huston and Timur Bekmambetov sing Morgan Freeman’s praises in a clip from a Ben-Hur bonus feature
Ben-Hur was one of the year’s biggest flops, and director Timur Bekmambetov thinks he knows why: he recently told a Russian news agency that the film failed at the box office because audiences prefer stories of revenge to stories about forgiveness. That could be one of the reasons the film didn’t do so well, but I can think of a few others, too: the late-August release date, the lousy reviews, the perception that it was a niche “faith-based” film, and the utter lack of movie stars, to name just .. Continue reading→
Music
All Is Not Lost by The Brilliance
In a world faced with suffering, division and hate, liturgical band The Brilliance is declaring that even still All Is Not Lost, the title of their inspiring sophomore album, set to release January 27, 2017. The New York-based duo, comprised of David Gungor and John Arndt. writes songs for both the church and those feeling spiritually homeless. Their goal is to create music that gives voice to the pain and pleasure of the human experience, providing a sonic invitation that welcomes all people to live fully. Colored through with intricate string arrangements, All Is Not Lost contains tracks[...] Continue reading→
Red Sea Road by Ellie Holcomb
This record celebrates the Hope we have in Jesus, and the powerful personal ways Ellie has seen Him make Red Sea Roads through some of the most heartbreaking times of her life. "The past two years for our community have been heavy, full of suffering and loss," shares Ellie Holcomb. "Red Sea Road is a record full of songs about how I've seen God show up in the middle of all the pain. I know now more than I did two years ago that He is faithful, no matter what we are facing, I've seen Him continue to draw[...] Continue reading→
Vertical Church Band Announces The Vertical Nights Tour Featuring Pastor James MacDonald
Essential Worship's Vertical Church Band and Premier Productions have partnered and are proud to announce the upcoming dates for their Vertical Nights Tour. Kicking off March 8 in South Bend, Indiana, the tour is scheduled to hit 14 markets across the U.S. Tickets are on sale now by visiting here. RELATED Vertical Church Band Releases 'Frontiers' At each tour stop, concertgoers will get to enjoy a message from Pastor James MacDonald of Harvest Bible Chapel, along with music from.. Continue reading→
Aaron Shust Releases Performance Video For ‘You Redeem’
This week Aaron Shust released the performance video, featuring former Sanctus Real lead singer and co-writer Matt Hammitt, for his new single "You Redeem." The song is the first single from the live worship album Love Made A Way, releasing March 10th. RELATED Aaron Shust's 'Ever Be' Top 5 on Billboard's NCA Chart "When God performs miracles, when he heals what cannot be cured, it can be overwhelming to know that He is mindful of us. I can clearly recall every moment I'.. Continue reading→
Meredith Andrews’ Husband Helps Save A Life
Last week Meredith Andrews and her husband, songwriter and producer Jacob Sooter, got to have a part in something truly incredible helping save someone's life. RELATED Meredith Andrews Releases Video Series With Kay Warren Meredith posted a photo from the Nashville Airport last Friday evening telling the amazing story of how a simple tire iron played a vital role in saving a life. "On our way to the airport we came up on a car stopped at an intersection. Most cars were driving around, but.. Continue reading→
Joel Vaughn Releases New EP
Joel Vaughn releases his second EP, Surrender, today. Leading up to the album's release, Joel pre-released his album on iTunes and via his IndieGoGo profile which awarded fans the opportunity to getting their names in the album's credits, a chance to write a song with him and an exclusive acoustic show. RELATED Joel Vaughn Launches Indiegogo to Fund Full Length Album "What if we could let go of our fear and truly trust God even when it's hard to? What could He accomplish through.. Continue reading→
Hollyn Set To Release First Full-Length Album ‘One-Way Conversations’
Gotee Records' HOLLYN announced this week that she will be releasing her debut LP album, One-Way Conversations, next month on February 10. This album is the follow-up to her acclaimed self-titled EP that produced the No. 1 single "Alone (feat. TRU)" and the Top 5 single "Nothin' On You." The upcoming release already touts a No. 1 radio single with the track "Love with Your Life." The pre-order for One-Way Conversations is live now, click here to preorder digitally as well as preorder t.. Continue reading→
We Love Christian Music Awards To Hold First-Ever Event Feb. 2
The WE LOVE CHRISTIAN MUSIC AWARDS have had a fifth year for the record books, and its unprecedented momentum continues with the announcement of its first-ever live awards event, to be held Thursday, Feb. 2 at the JUCE TV studios in the Nashville area. RELATED Voting Now Open In 5th Annual We Love Christian Music Awards Made possible by the awards' partnership between industry leading Christian music website NewReleaseToday (http//www.newreleasetoday.com) and Trinity Broadcasting Network&.. Continue reading→
Atlantic Announces ‘The Shack Music From And Inspired By The Original Motion Picture’
Atlantic Records has announced its release of "THE SHACK MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY THE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE," due everywhere on Friday, February 24th to coincide with the nationwide release of the film from Lionsgate's Summit Entertainment label on March 3. RELATED 'The Shack' Set To Hit Theaters March 2017 "THE SHACK MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY THE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE" is available now for pre-order here and accompanied by two instant grat downloads "Keep Your Eyes On M.. Continue reading→
American
Planned Parenthood Abortion Doc is 7 Months Pregnant, But Kills Babies Up to 24 Weeks in Abortions
This article is a follow-up to “Planned Parenthood Kills 323,999 Babies in Abortions, Provides Only 17,419 Moms Prenatal Care.” Another video features Dr. Sierra Washington, identified as a “pregnant provider” in her seventh month, who says that “I love taking care of patients. I mean that’s why I’m a doctor.” At Planned Parenthood’s Pacific Southwest affiliate (PPPSW) “taking care of patients” includes abortion, contraceptives, and hysterectomies, but not birthing or prenatal care. With clini..
Oregon Assisted Suicide Deaths Hit Record High in 2016 as Abuses Continue
The 2016 Oregon annual assisted suicide report is similar to prior years. The report implies that the deaths were voluntary (self-administered), but the information in the report does not address that subject. According to the 2016 Oregon assisted suicide report. There were 133 reported assisted suicide deaths in 2016. There were 204 lethal prescriptions obtained in 2016. There were 8 deaths from “other illnesses” which included illnesses such as diabetes, hepatitis and alcoholic liver disease..
Planned Parenthood Celebrates Jocelyn Elders, Who Claimed Pro-Lifers Have a “Love Affair With the Fetus”
Planned Parenthood celebrated former U.S. Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders last week to mark both Black History Month and “Condom Week.” Elders, a controversial figure under President Bill Clinton, was forced to resign after she made several comments about sex education and pro-lifers that sparked outrage. On Thursday, Planned Parenthood wrote on Twitter, “We salute Joycelyn Elders: 1st black US Surgeon General and all-around badass sex education advocate. #tbt #BlackHistoryMonth #CondomWeek” W..
Norway Will Spend $10 Million for Abortions After Trump Defunds International Planned Parenthood
Norwegian government leaders promised to give $10 million to a new global abortion fund this week after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order prohibiting U.S. taxpayer funding to groups that promote or perform abortions overseas. Reuters reports Norway Prime Minister Erna Solberg said her country will dedicate 85 million crowns ($10 million) to support abortions world-wide. “At a time when this agenda has come under pressure, a joint effort is particularly important,” she said ..
Australia
Now outback kids can learn about Jesus, too
Remote schools across western NSW are being approached about the possibility of introducing Special Religious Education (SRE) classes by distance education. Generate Ministries – an employer of SRE teachers in NSW – is teaming up with Bush Church Aid to offer scripture lessons in schools where they are currently not offered. Currently only 60-70 per cent of NSW school students have access to SRE lessons, which “leaves open a massive deficit of..
Have Aussie dollars ended up in terrorists’ hands?
A manager of the World Vision office in Gaza has been charged with using millions of dollars of charity funds to support Hamas fighters in the region. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade released a statement that says, “World Vision has received Australian funds for programs in the Palestinian Territories.” Mohammad El Halabi was arrested on 15 June, as he returned home from routine meetings. After being kept in Israeli state detenti..
Olympian Eloise Wellings received Christ, never looked back
At 33 years old, Eloise Wellings is about to compete in her second Olympics in Rio as a middle-distance runner. But she has had a long road to the Games, including three thwarted attempts to represent Australia at the Olympic Games. Wellings was just 16 years old when she first qualified for the Sydney Olympics, but her Olympic dream was cut short when she suffered a stress fracture to her hip just three weeks after qualifying. “I was dev..
A day in the life of a hospital chaplain
We spend a day on the wards with Rev Stuart Adamson, one of ten accredited chaplains of different faiths and denominations at Prince of Wales and Randwick Hospitals Campus in Sydney. He is one of three Anglican chaplains and has a twin role as a chaplain and a trainer of chaplains at Anglicare. I’m usually up before my alarm. But I am on after hours on-call at the moment and when the alarm goes off at 6.45am I feel pinned to the bed. The call-out la..
Law & Government
Judge Refuses to Halt California’s Assisted Suicide Law
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — A Superior Court judge in California has refused to halt the state’s assisted suicide law amid a legal challenge from several local doctors and a Christian organization that represents physicians nationwide. As previously reported, last October, Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law the End of Life Option Act, which allowed terminally ill residents to seek help to end their lives. “I have carefully read the thoughtful opposition materials presented by a number of doct..
Arkansas Commission to Review Proposals to Place Ten Commandments, Homage to Satan at Capitol
Photo Credit: Stuart SeegerLITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A state commission in Arkansas has scheduled a date to review separate proposals to place a Ten Commandments monument and an homage to Satan on the grounds of the state capitol building. Arkansas Secretary of State Mark Martin has marked Sept. 13 as the beginning of discussions with the Capitol Arts and Grounds Commission on whether or not to allow the placement of the monuments. As previously reported, last year, Sen. Jason Rapert, R-Bigelow, had..
School District Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Declare Dept. of Education Lacks Right to Dictate Restroom Rules
WASHINGTON — A school district in Virginia filed an official petition for appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, requesting that it declare that the U.S. Department of Education lacks authority to dictate that public schools must allow those who identify as transgender to use the restroom with the opposite sex. “The term ‘gender identity’ is nowhere in Title IX,” the writ of certiorari reads. “If ‘sex’ signifies, not biology, but rather one’s ‘internal’ sense of maleness or femaleness, t..
France’s top court to rule on legality of burkini ban
A burkini is a swimsuit that only leaves the face, hands and feet exposed. The row over France's controversial ban on women wearing burkinis has escalated with the country's top court to rule on whether the law contravenes human rights. The Council of State, a body that acts as both legal adviser to the government and as the supreme administrative court, will examine the issue on Thursday after photos emerged of a Muslim woman removing a long-sleeved top while surrounded by ar..
Entertainment
‘Hacksaw Ridge,’ for all its heroism and love, remains a paradox
I had a dream about Mel Gibson recently. His face was very close to mine and his beard was gone. He looked very serious. I congratulated him on his new film “Hacksaw Ridge,” his first in 10 years. But he held up a print out of one of my reviews from his 2004 blockbuster “The Passion of the Christ.” “But you didn’t review this one very well,” he said. I started to explain my issue wi..
Did The Walking Dead Go Too Far? A Watching God Podcast
Comment countMore than 20 million people watched last Sunday’s Season Seven premiere of The Walking Dead. No surprise there, given that AMC’s zombie show has been a ratings winner ever since its inception. The episode was brutal, with new Big Bad Negan killing two popular characters with his barbed-wire-wrapped baseball bat Lucille. No surprise there either, according to longtime fans. The Walking Dead has always been incredibly bloody. But for me, the episode was incredibly hard to watch. It fe..
‘Years of Living Dangerously’ Season 2 premiere Oct 30 NatGeo
Season 2 opens with David Letterman and Cecily Strong raining the bell on climate change On Sunday night, October 30, “Years of Living Dangerously” begins its second season and it’s message is loaded with doom, frustration and tinged with hope if only Big Corporations + government will get out of the way. David Letterman (and his beard) are in India, a country with almost 400 million people, the population of the USA, who live without electricity. All efforts to upgrade the decrepit grid or are ..
Before the Flood – Di Caprio & NatGeo unite on climate change
The Pope and Leonardo DiCaprio (Photo: L’Osservatore Romano) You may recall when Oscar-winning actor Leonardo di Caprio, an ardent environmentalist, met with Pope Francis in January. The Pope gave Leonardo bound copies of his two encyclicals and Leonardo presented him with a book of the art of the 15th century Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch. It includes the triptych of “The Garden of Delights” with the Garden of Eden on one side, the end of the world, or Last Judgment on the other, and bodies in..
Health and Science
Scientists Who Set Out to Create Simple Genome Astonished by Sheer Complexity of Life
Describing their findings as “humbling,” researchers who set out to create a “minimal genome” have concluded that the basic elements of life are enormously complex and remain full of unsolved mysteries. In an article titled “Design and synthesis of a minimal bacterial genome,” a team of more than 20 scientists share the results of years of research on cellular genomes. The scientists, in an attempt to better understand the basic requirement for life, took a bacterial genome and stripped it down..
US
Discovering a different way of doing youth ministry
Most youth ministries are shallow at best, and youth worship is even worse. An evangelical worship leader lamenting those conclusions happened upon some YouTube videos from the Lutheran youth ministry Higher Things. Read the whole post, linked after the jump, which includes videos of both the worship services he is decrying and the worship services from Higher Things conferences. Also read the comments, which record other amazed and appreciative reactions to Higher Things and their approach to y..
Nationalism joins Islam as reasons for Christian persecution
Open Door, an organization that monitors Christian persecution, has released its annual report for 2016, which it calls “the worst year yet” for violence against Christians. The biggest part of the persecution is still committed in the name of Islam. No longer just a matter of the Middle East, Islamic persecution has risen dramatically in Africa. As nationalism re-emerges worldwide, ethnic nationalism has become an excuse to persecute Christians. This is happening especially in Asia, including I..
Fear of the working class
The editor of a liberal website has written about a plumber he had called to fix his drain. The plumber acted professionally and did the job. But he spoke with a Southern accent! He didn’t seem upset about the election! He might even have voted for Trump! The editor described his fear at having a possible Trump voter in his home. All this fear talk about Trump has me confused. I can see a generalized fear about the future of the country, but this is far more visceral. Gay people say how afraid t..
Obama commutes Pvt. Manning’s sentence for leaking military secrets
In one of his last official acts, President Obama used his Constitutional power to grant pardons to commute the sentence of Pvt. Bradley Manning, who leaked thousands of military and diplomatic secrets during the Iraq War. Manning, who has served 7 years of a 35 year sentence at the military prison in Leavenworth, Kansas, now goes by the name of “Chelsea” and has been seeking government-funded gender-reassignment surgery. Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks who is holed up in the Ecuadoran emba..
Church & Theology
4 Ways Courageous Leaders Model Sustained Urgency
You can’t miss the urgency and passion with which Jesus carried out His ministry. Throughout His ministry, He spoke of musts, such as, “I must work the works of Him that sent me” (John 9:4). As spiritual leaders, we know there is urgency to our labor, but we don’t always maintain it. The truth is, urgency is not the default mode; complacency is. Strangely enough, it is our very successes in ministry that tend to feed complacency. It works like this: Success builds pride, and pride kills urgenc..
10 Diagnostic Questions to Assess Balance and Sustainability, part 1
We often speak of balance as if it is something you write out on paper and then have attained for life. The truth is, maintaining life balance takes constant adjustment. Like a sailor who is constantly analyzing the wind and adjusting his sails to reach an intended destination, balance for a spiritual leader requires sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and a willingness to make changes. Over the years, I’ve learned that, at times, the pace at which I do the work of God can hinder His work in me. But..
10 Diagnostic Questions to Assess Balance and Sustainability, part 2
In the previous post, we discussed the need to intentionally evaluate our balance and to make adjustments for sustainability along the way. (If you have not yet read that post, I’d encourage you to read it before reading this post.) Who do I fear? How is my tempo? How is my courage? How is my spiritual discipline? In this post, we continue with six more assessment questions. 5. Am I coming apart? We need to adjust the rhythm of our lives. We can’t constantly march to “Onward Christian Soldiers..
Answering Tough Texts of the Bible
As I’ve mentioned a few times (here and here), Trevin Wax and I host a podcast called Word Matters, which seeks to help Christians understand some of the most confusing passages of the Bible. We often discuss questions amongst ourselves, but we also like to ask guests to join us. If you’d like to check out, here’s a list of guests and topics so far: Michael Bird on Romans 7 and “the wretched man”Scot McKnight on Matthew 5 (oath-taking) and Matthew 7 (“I never knew you”)Rus..