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
Isaiah 43:16, 18-19
“This is what the LORD says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”Continue reading→
Nehemiah 12:30 (12-30-16)
And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.— Nehemiah 12:30 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... God has placed each of us in a circle of influence. Before we try to "clean up" those around us, let's first offer ourselves to God to be consecrated and to be made pure by his grace. Then, let's live in a way that shows the impact of that holiness in our lives. Jesus told us to remove the plank from our own eye befor..Continue reading→
Just Think on Jesus!
[He] loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood. Revelation 1:5b, NIVJesus is the most important Man, not just in our nation, not just on planet earth, but in the entire universe! And He isn’t important just for four years or eight years, but forever and ever and ever! Furthermore, the most important Man in the universe thinks I am so important, He gave His own life for me! How can I feel depressed by the smallness of my life when the most important Man in the universe died for me, rul..Continue reading→
John 16:33
““I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.””Continue reading→
Matthew 12:29 (12-29-16)
Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.— Matthew 12:29 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Jesus is quoting a general truism that was popular in his day, but was using the "strong man" saying to refer to Satan. Satan is the strong man that had us bound by sin and death and Jesus broke into house and stole us back because he could bind the strong man. He did this by becoming h..Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
Amos 5:14-15
“Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.”Continue reading→
Lamentations 3:22-23 (01-07-17)
It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed , because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.— Lamentations 3:22-23 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... What sustained you through the night? What will get you through today? What will enable you to achieve, even thrive, in the days that lie ahead? The LORD's mercies. These incredible resources never really run out! Each new day brings a fresh supply of them. God is faithful to..Continue reading→
Life-Giving Power
Your word has given me life. Psalm 119:50, NKJVSometimes when we are depressed, we feel lifeless. It’s hard to get out of bed in the morning. We seem to have no energy to do even the most routine functions. If you are depressed by the greatness of your problems, read God’s Word! That’s where you find help. That’s where you find joy. Let the rushing waters of the living Word drown out all other sounds and voices. There is life-giving power in the Word of God! At the most difficult times in my li..Continue reading→
Ephesians 5:1-2
“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”Continue reading→
Prayers
Daily Prayer for January 1
This, then, is how you should pray:“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9–10, NIV Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored. May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as in heaven. May this continue to be our prayer in the new year, and may we find fellowship with one another in what is eternal and holy. Bless us on our way. Bless us on our earthly pilgrimage so that we may remain free from all..Continue reading→
Partners in Christ
PassagePhilemon 17-25 PrayerFather of mercy,Holy God and Father, have mercy and show kindness to those who are in bondage - those who are in prison, those who are enslaved to other people, and those who are enslaved to self and to sin.Teach us to show genuine hospitality to each other, never keeping score or grumbling, understanding that you, Father, are freely entertaining us in your house, the earth, and feeding us at your table with its bounty. Fill our hearts with love for our brethren and o..Continue reading→
Daily Prayer for December 31
In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end. Psalm 102:25–27, NIV Lord our God, thank you for letting your light shine every day of every year. Thank you that we may always lift our eyes to you, whose right hand will bring true order to everything, even..Continue reading→
Filling the Earth with God’s Goodness
PassagePhilemon 1-16 PrayerDear Father, bestower of freedom,Thank you for the love and the faith which you have put in your people. Please help them share this with each other and with the world. Let this promote the knowledge of all the good that is ours in Christ Jesus. Put such joy in our hearts and such gladness on our faces that people will want to know what makes us happy.Help each of us to render such help and comfort, expressing our love, that the hearts of all your holy people will be r..Continue reading→
Questions & Answers
5 Prayers For Protection Against Satanic Attacks
Here are five prayers you can use when you feel like Satan or his demons are attacking you. Prayer for Guilt Attacks Oh Father, I know that You forgive all of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1st John 1:9), but sometimes I believe the enemy or one of his demons can send waves of guilt at me. Help me to trust You in the midst of this guilt that is trying to rob my joy. I know that I have trusted in Christ and now there is no more condemnation (Rom 8:1), but the enemy sometimes..Continue reading→
Accessibility As An Apologetic Aim
OK, now that I’ve embarrassed myself by writing a title for this post that brutalizes the letter “A” with reckless abandon, let me tell you that I believe this sentence to be true. Accessibility is always my personal goal as a Christian Case Maker, and I’ve tried my best to write books that are, first and foremost, accessible. I hope the accessibility of y books is more than simply be a consequence of my own intellectual simplicity; I make a conscious effort to write books that are engaging, str..Continue reading→
How Do Christians View Human Cloning?
How should Christians feel about human cloning? What is Cloning? In short, cloning is the process of producing similar genetic populations of identical individuals. Scientists argue that this is a process that takes place in nature, so why not in human beings? By creating copies of DNA fragments, scientists have said that they are only doing what naturally occurs in nature’s organisms, and that this “reproduction” has allowed life forms to spread throughout the earth, but they are mistaken. The..Continue reading→
Rapid Responses to Difficult Questions – Part 1 (Cold Case Christianity Broadcast #76)
In this episode of the Cold-Case Christianity Broadcast, J. Warner Wallace provides a short, conversational response to two questions (or objections) related to Christianity. J. Warner responds to the question, “Who created God?” and the claim, “I can’t believe in God because I have too many unanswered questions.” Here is the audio podcast (the Cold-Case Christianity Weekly Podcast is located on iTunes or our RSS Feed):Continue reading→
Church & Ministries
Hillsong’s Brian Houston on Why It’s Important for Christians to Praise God Not Just on Sundays
A lot of Christians dutifully go to church every Sunday and worship God to their hearts' content. But Hillsong senior pastor Brian Houston believes praising God should not be limited to just Sunday, but every day of the week as well.Continue reading→
How the Church Can Experience Revival Today
Most Christians I know want the church to experience revival. We just don’t all agree on what revival looks like. Back in the olden days (the mid-1990’s) I preached a few times at a small church (averaging 12 each Sunday) in eastern Arkansas. They had a rotation system that determined who would take the visiting speaker home for lunch, and one day my lot fell to two elderly ladies who made awesome roast beef! As I sat in their living room visiting after lunch, they brought out some photo album..Continue reading→
Who Is The Christian Philosopher-Priest Appointed To Head Opus Dei?
Pope Francis last night confirmed the election of a new leader of the mysterious lay Catholic organisation Opus Dei, Monsignor Fernando Ocariz Braña.Continue reading→
Beware the Temptation of Power
I had been in ministry long enough to hear the stories. It’s a familiar narrative these days: pastors disqualified from ministry due to moral failure. For years I had listened to devastating tales of infidelity and broken families in the lives of fellow pastors. My immediate reaction, in all honesty, was typically swift judgment. I mentally distanced myself from such pastors, believing I was cut from a different sort of spiritual cloth than such sinners. How on earth could this happen? How could..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
Of Good Works
So, one danger is to trust in our strength rather than the power of the Holy Spirit to do good works. The second danger is the opposite: becoming complacent in our pursuit of good works by waiting for a special impetus or ‘stirring up’ by the Holy Spirit. But, the Lord has already told us in His Word what He requires of us (Micah 6:8). Indeed, we are to diligently add to our faith such things as moral excellence, knowledge of God’s Word, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness,..Continue reading→
Compassion Has ‘Very Little Hope’ for India, Sets Deadline to Shut Down Sponsorships
One week after sharing the good news of four nations no longer needing child sponsors due to the passion of millennials, the ministry shared the bad news of another nation that will probably not need child sponsors due to government interference. A little more than a year after the Indian government told Compassion that it could no longer receive funding from outside the subcontinent, the humanitarian organization will likely be closing its last operations there. “We want to be honest with you,..Continue reading→
One of the Marks: Christian Discipline
Now, not every church disciplines unrepentant sinners. Some churches are ignorant of Christ’s command, others are afraid to discipline because it might mean people leave. Still others think God will sort it all out so the church shouldn’t worry about it. However, no matter how difficult it is, no matter if it means people leave, the call of Christ is clear: unrepentant sinners must be reubked and disciplined (Mt. 18:17). One of the three marks of a true Christian church is discipline. That is,..Continue reading→
enGendered
Andreades compares male headship to the authority of the Father. As he teaches equality and asymmetry, he points to the authority and submission within the Trinity, never making any distinction ontologically. He speaks of “Christ lean[ing] into the asymmetry between God the First and Himself” while quoting the references of him doing the Father’s will (184). Andreades even goes so far as to say that “Christ, in relationship to God the First, models the wife for us. He submitted to the will of th..Continue reading→
Women
Timehop Helps Me See God’s Providence
How a social media app reminds me of God’s faithfulness in my life. It’s six a.m. and my smartphone is dotted with notifications. Like eager tour guides lined up in an airport arrivals hall, social media would like to usher me down memory lane. Facebook reminds me of “memories,” Google photos invites me to “rediscover this day,” and Timehop has a bundle of snapshots collated from Twitter, Instagram, Foursquare, Facebook, and my camera roll from this day one year ago or more. On Thursdays, frien..Continue reading→
How Grandparenting Redeemed Our Family
This Father’s Day, I celebrate my parents’ choice to move close to my kids. “We’re playing huckle-buckle-beanstalk!” My six-year-old beamed at me, bouncing on the balls of her feet. My younger daughter skipped around the living room. In the kitchen, my mother pulled a small, plastic princess doll out of the sugar canister and dusted off the toy. “I found her!” she called out, laughing. I stood in the doorway smiling, even though I’d never heard of the game before. My mother walked over to greet..Continue reading→
My Marriage to an Undocumented Immigrant
I lived with the threat of my husband’s deportation. Here’s what I learned about immigration. We were on our third date when Billy told me—hinted, really—that he was an undocumented immigrant from Central America. I remember thinking, "Well, that's not ideal." Truth was, I had no idea what that admission really meant. I was a Kentucky girl who'd recently relocated to Los Angeles. I vaguely knew that immigration was “an issue," but I didn't pretend to have a working knowledge of t..Continue reading→
How to Keep Your Friends When Life Happens
Busy moms, long-distance besties, workaholics: There’s hope for you. Who are my friends? With countless social media connections and the demands of family and kids—as well as career, church, and other commitments vying for time—we often find it hard to identify and maintain solid friendships. In addition, younger adults move around more and stay single for longer than past generations did, making friendships both a greater necessity as well as a greater challenge. I recently spoke with Wheato..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Men Who Accused Bishop Eddie Long of Sexual Misconduct Speak About His Death
Four men forever changed the life of the late Bishop Eddie Long after they came forward more than five years ago and accused the well-loved Christian figure of sexual coercion.Continue reading→
Iowa Rep. Introduces Federal Bill to Ban Abortion When Heartbeat Detected
WASHINGTON — A Republican congressman from Iowa has introduced a federal bill that would ban abortions when a heartbeat is detected, with the exception of the life of the mother. Rep. Steve King submitted the Heartbeat Protection Act of 2017 on Thursday, a move that would criminalize abortions committed on children with beating hearts. “Any physician who knowingly performs an abortion and thereby kills a human fetus without determining, according to standard medical practice, whether the fetus..Continue reading→
South Carolina Troopers to Cease Giving Christian Book to Grieving Families Following Complaint
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Troopers in South Carolina will no longer give a Christian book to residents grieving the loss of a loved one following receipt of a complaint on behalf of an atheist woman who was gifted a copy of the publication. “We regret that any family member would have misunderstood our intentions or was offended by our effort to offer compassion during such a difficult time,” Sherri Iacobelli, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Safety, told reporters. “Since this concern ..Continue reading→
Nation’s First Female Somali-American Muslim Lawmaker Takes Oath on Koran
ST. PAUL, Minn. — A Somali-American woman who identifies as a Muslim recently took her oath of office on the Koran instead of the Bible. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat, was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in November, beating her Republican opponent, Abdimalik Askar, by 61 percent. Her election marked the first female Somali-American selected to serve as a legislator. “We will never stop fighting for a democracy that works for all of us—for a prosperous and equitable Minnesota that w..Continue reading→
Movies
Silence: Scorsese’s Spiritual Masterpiece
Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Departed, The Wolf of Wall Street, Silence. One of these is not like the others. How could the same director who repeatedly reveled in the high cost of unchecked male rage also deliver the meditative and masterful Silence? Feudal Japan seems so far removed from the Mean Streets of New York City. Catholic priests dispensed wisdom and sacraments in both milieus, but the pace, tone, and body count is so different in the two films. While most Scorsese pictur..Continue reading→
Does the chariot race sequence in Ben-Hur need dialogue?
There are many problems with Timur Bekmambetov’s remake of Ben-Hur, but one of the more emblematic ones, I think, is the way he insists on adding dialogue to the chariot race. Bekmambetov can’t rely on the thrill of movement alone: instead, he has to pump the soundtrack full of exposition and dull action-movie banter. How does his film compare to the earlier ones, in this regard? In the 1925 silent film, you can often see characters’ mouths moving as their chariots fly down the track, but only o..Continue reading→
Blog Goals 2017
Flickr. Photo by Hey Paul Studios. CC Licensing. I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year. I’m sure that, for many, it was nice to say “so long” to 2016, and I hope that the new year is treating you kind. Our holidays were great, filled with time with family and friends and some chances to recharge our batteries. I’m still on vacation from work for another week, and I’m hoping to use this time to really gear up for the coming 12 months so I can attack 2017 afresh next week. I thought it might be..Continue reading→
Watch: Ten clips from The Purple Rose of Cairo
“Heaven, I’m in Heaven…” I just discovered that ten clips from my official second-favorite film of all time, The Purple Rose of Cairo, were posted to Fandango’s Movieclips YouTube channel about two weeks ago. The clips contain about 28 minutes of footage altogether, or just over a third of the film’s 82-minute running time. I wouldn’t recommend watching them without seeing the entire film first, but they do contain some of the film’s funniest and most poignant moments. Check them out below (thou..Continue reading→
Box office: Rogue One is now the #2 movie of 2016 in North America (but only the #9 movie worldwide — so far)
Rogue One ruled the box office for a third straight week as 2016 came to an end. The Star Wars prequel earned an estimated $49.5 million in North American theatres between Friday and Sunday. That raises the film’s domestic total to $424.9 million and makes it the second-highest grossing film of the year in North America — behind Finding Dory — and the 14th-highest grossing film of all time domestically. Overseas, it’s a slightly different story. Rogue One has earned $350 million to date internat..Continue reading→
2017 Film Journal
As per my 2016 Journal, videos and DVDs are in italics. Films I saw for the first time have an asterisk (*) next to them. Not counting extras and promo items. Jan Jan 1 — The Other Half [2016] * Jan 3 — Unless [2016] *Continue reading→
Watch: New clips and a featurette for Scorsese’s Silence
Nearly three decades in the making, Martin Scorsese’s adaptation of Silence is finally playing in a few American theatres, and it will expand to the rest of the continent over the next two weeks. To pique the interest of prospective moviegoers, Paramount has released a new featurette on Scorsese’s “passion” for the project, as well as a few clips. Here is the featurette: At least three clips from this incredibly challenging film have surfaced online too. In this one, Fathers Rodrigues (Andrew G..Continue reading→
The top ten posts at FilmChat in 2016
Happy New Year! Last year, for the first time, I compiled two lists of my most-viewed blog posts from the year that had just ended: one list covered the top ten posts from this blog’s entire archive, while the other covered the top ten posts that had been written in 2015. Now it’s time for the 2016 lists. And here they are: – The 10 most-viewed posts in 2016, regardless of when they were written: 1. History and tradition in movie depictions of the cross (April 2013) This one’s a perennial, and t..Continue reading→
Same Kind of Different as Me release date postponed again
Just a quick update regarding the release of an upcoming “faith-based” film. Deadline is reporting that Same Kind of Different as Me, based on the memoir by Ron Hall, Denver Moore and Lynn Vincent, has been dropped by Paramount Pictures, which was going to release the film in February. The film will now be released by Pure Flix Entertainment, the studio behind God’s Not Dead, on October 20, 2017. This is the second time the film — which stars Greg Kinnear, Renee Zellweger, Djimon Hounsou and Jon..Continue reading→
Music
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→
WOW Gospel 2017 by Various Artists – “WOW” Series
WOW Gospel 2017 is the premiere annual collection of top selling artists from Traditional to Contemporary Gospel! This power packed compilation returns with the best Gospel praise anthems, ballads and radio hits of the year. The WOW Gospel 2017 double disc CD set and companion DVD features 31 tracks from legendary ground-breaking gospel talents like Donnie McClurkin, Kirk Franklin, Todd Dulaney, Tasha Cobbs, Erica Campbell/Big Shizz many more! Previously garnering gold and platinum certifications along with a core faithful fan base, this WOW Gospel installment may be the best yet! The companion DVD will feature live and concept videos from[...]Continue reading→
Chain Breaker by Zach Williams
Husband, father, singer, songwriter, worship leader, campus director at his home church in Arkansas, and now, most recently added to Zach Williams' list of titles is recording artist. Zach Williams' first full-length album, Chain Breaker, comes from a place of humility and honesty as these songs are a direct reflection of God's redemption in Williams' life as he heals from a past life of addiction, darkness, and hopelessness. Says Williams, "Jesus came and died on the cross so there would be a way for the chains of those struggles and addictions to be broken. If you have pain, He's a[...]Continue reading→
Nobody Famous by Jered Sanders
"We've got a lot to talk about, ya'll," states Jered with this release. 'Nobody Famous' marks Sanders third release along the side of the 'Black Friday' EP which dropped this past November. In a year's time, Jered is primed to impact CHH like few other CHH artists have achieved.[...]Continue reading→
Tears – Single by Matt Hammitt
GRAMMY® nominated Matt Hammitt debuts latest single "Tears," as a part of the second solo project of his career. Going for adds on Feb. 3, the song will impact AC and Hot AC/CHR radio and has already hit No. 1 on Play MPE's Top 20 Christian downloads and streams. Hammitt is the first signed writer to Songs for FCM, the Full Circle Music publishing company helmed by GRAMMY® winning producer Seth Mosley. In the Spring of 2017, Hammitt will release his full-length studio album featuring the single.[...]Continue reading→
For KING & COUNTRY Releases ‘Priceless’ Movie For Digital Download
Good news for all the for KING & COUNTRY fans if you weren't able to catch Priceless in theaters last fall, it is now available for Digital HD Download from Amazon and iTunes. When you purchase a digital copy of the movie, you'll also receive special features such as a live performance by for KING & COUNTRY, The Making of Priceless, The Heart Behind the Film, Deleted Scenes, and Trailers. If you prefer DVD or Blu-Ray, the film will be available on Valentine's Day and you can pre-o..Continue reading→
iShine Presents The B413 ‘NO FILTER LIVE’ TOUR 2017
Together with iShine, Provident Label Group, Essential Artist Services and Tween Gospel Alliance, they announce the B413 "No Filter Live" Tour. This unique tour, which will hit three key markets in spring 2017 Bowling Green, KY (April 22), Austin, TX (May 5) and Ft. Smith (May 6) is a two-hour event specifically designed for tweens and their parents to best prepare the tween demographic for life beyond entering their teen years, to deeply enrich the child's faith and help equip parents to s..Continue reading→
Books
My vocation trilogy
I have written three books on vocation. I just realized that this constitutes a trilogy. They aren’t The Lord of the Rings, but they are connected and build into a whole. (1) God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life. This sets forth the doctrine of vocation. (2) Family Vocation: Your Christian Callings in Marriage, Parenthood, and Childhood. Written with my daughter Mary Moerbe, this book explores in depth the various vocations within the family, showing too how the teachings about Go..Continue reading→
“Family Vocation” giveaway
GoodReads is giving away five copies of Family Vocation: God’s Calling in Marriage, Parenting, and Childhood. I wrote that book with my daughter Mary Moerbe. It goes beyond God at Work, not just in exploring the family vocations in depth–important in itself, if we want to revitalize Christian marriage and parenting–but also in including material on vocation in general that I learned after publishing that earlier book. All you do is click “Enter Giveaway” on the widget after the jump. Five entran..Continue reading→
Last Chance
Pre-order Pricing Ends Monday for Marry Wisely, Marry Well Marry Wisely, Marry Well teaches Christian young people how to start building a future marriage house even before beginning a relationship. It helps them learn to make a wise choice of a spouse, and how to start preparing for a future relationship that is truly built on Christ. 40% Pre-order Discount Ends MondayContinue reading→
10 books to add to your reading pile this Winter
In its longest shortlist ever, the Australian Christian Book of the Year Shortlist has been announced today. From pondering how God fell off Australia’s radar to exploring the church’s involvement in the holocaust to the devastating impact of nuclear tests on an Aboriginal community and the Christian woman who fought against them, the shortlist is one of the most diverse ever. Run by SparkLit, an organisation seeking to empower Christian writers, publish..Continue reading→
Top Ten Books 5
Jesus Roiling His World Ministry in the 1980s included a two year teaching opportunity on the faculty of Moody Bible Institute and being called as pastor to Bella Vista Church, Rockford, MI, where I served 24 years. You can imagine the many books that I read to keep my mind and heart vibrant. Yet, reflecting on the decade of the 80s, two books were profoundly influential on my view of Jesus and pastoral ministry. In the line-up today is book #5 of ten that shaped my life: Donald B. ..Continue reading→
The Sermon on the Mount in Korea
A wonderful new translation of the (=my) Story of God Bible Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount is now available through Ecclesia Books in Korea. Always a red letter today to see these translations, and others in the series are to follow...Continue reading→
My 5 Favorite Books of 2015
It seems like everyone makes a best books list around this time, so adding my list probably isn’t going to shatter anybody’s world. In any event, there are a few reasons why I’ve compiled this list. First, I love reading and I love to share what I’m reading. Second, I’m also always encouraged by others’ thoughts and their lists often help me pick out a few last books for my Christmas wish list. Third, I get a lot of books from publishers, and while I don’t feel compelled t..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..