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→
Christian Quotes
Fenelon: taking courage
Thursday, October 27, 2016 Meditation: Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. —James 4:9-10 (ESV) Quotation: Never let us be discouraged with ourselves; it is not when we are conscious of our faults that we are the most wicked: on the contrary, we are less so. We see by a brighter light. And let us remember, for our consolation, that we never perceive our sins till we begin to cur..Continue reading→
Brunner: is man’s place in nature?
Wednesday, October 26, 2016 Feast of Alfred the Great, King of the West Saxons, Scholar, 899 Commemoration of Cedd, Founding Abbot of Lastingham, Bishop of the East Saxons, 664 Meditation: Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are f..Continue reading→
Mascall: the definitive miracle
Tuesday, October 25, 2016 Commemoration of Crispin & Crispinian, Martyrs at Rome, c.285 Meditation: Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. —John 3:18 (NIV) Quotation: If we are prepared to admit, even as a possibility, that Jesus was divine, or even that without being divine he was unique, then we must, as a matter of logic, discard any attempt to discredit the Gospel a..Continue reading→
Coleridge: Eternal transformation
Monday, October 24, 2016 Meditation: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. —Romans 8:1-2 (ESV) Quotation: God’s child in Christ adopted—Christ my all— What that earth boasts were not lost cheaply, rather Than forfeit that blest name, by which I call The Holy One, the Almighty God, my Father?— Father! in Christ we live, and Christ in Thee— Eternal Thou and ..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→
Music
Tidal Wave (Single) by Rapture Ruckus
Track Listing 01. Tidal Wave Continue reading→
Behold: A Christmas Collection by Lauren Daigle
Award-winning singer/songwriter LAUREN DAIGLE, will release her first-ever Christmas album titled BEHOLD, on October 21 via Centricity Music. Produced by Paul Mabury and Jason Ingram, the style of the holiday album pays homage to the sounds of Lauren's hometown of New Orleans. Featuring soft jazz renditions of Christmas favorites, BEHOLD includes such classics as "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," "Silent Night," "O Come All Ye Faithful," "What Child Is This," "O Holy Night," and more; in addition to an original composition titled "Light of the World", which was written by Paul Mabury and Jason Ingram. Pre-orders for the album[...]Continue reading→
Majesty In A Manger by Various Artists
The Integrity Music family of artists and writers have come together to start a new tradition celebrating Emmanuel, God With Us, in worship with Majesty In A Manger. It's a collection of original songs that focus on the coming of Jesus Christ from artists and writers like, Paul Baloche, All Sons Daughters, Darlene Zschech, Seth Nirva, Travis Ryan, Michael Farren and more. This is a worship album that was created with the intent that churches around the world can adopt these songs as we celebrate Jesus' birth. From the soulful sounds of newcomers Seth Nirva on "Fill The[...]Continue reading→
Adventure by Matthew Parker
Track Listing 01. Adventure 02. Ghost 03. Unstoppable (feat. Micah Ariss) 04. I Ain't Got No Money (feat. Spencer Kane) 05. Down In Flames 06. Heaven Calling 07. Night Sky 08. Remember Me (feat. Tristan Peace) 09. System Victim (feat. Hillary Jane) 10. Spark (feat. Rapture Ruckus) 11. Gone 12. Dynasty (feat. Cash Hollistah) 13. Tidal Wave (feat. Micah Ariss) 14. Fly (feat. Twilight Meadow) 15. My Love Continue reading→
You Wouldn’t Believe What Privilege Costs by CIVILIAN
A follow-up to 2012s Should This Noose Unloosen, YWBWPC's ringing guitars and sonorous vocals sway with austere, precise drumming while thoughtful bass paints outside the lines. Unlike its predecessor, "all of these songs were written after having just fallen ass over tip for a gal" as Alexander so eloquently puts it. "I wrote with the same intention to, through art, add nuance to how we talk about government and poverty except this time my brain was drenched in dopamine and serotonin."[...]Continue reading→
Never Lose Sight by Chris Tomlin
Often called America's Worship Leader, Chris Tomlin returns with his new album, NEVER LOSE SIGHT, on October 21. As the songwriter behind the worship favorites "How Great Is Our God," "Our God," and "Whom Shall I Fear," Chris' songs lead people to the heart of Jesus and into a deeper worship of Him. Featuring "Good Good Father" and the new single "Jesus," this brand new album is filled with songs that draw us closer to Jesus and give voice to our praises, prayers, cries and hopes.[...]Continue reading→
Marc Martel Announces ‘The Silent Night EP’
Marc Martel, former co-vocalist of Canadian Christian contemporary pop/rock band Downhere, is preparing to release a new Christmas EP. Entitled The Silent Night EP, the EP will feature Martel's signature vocals set to several classic Christmas carols. Martel has already been dropping a few songs as singles these past few Christmases, in the form of "O Holy Night" and "O Come O Come Emmanuel." Both of those will be featured on the EP alongside new arrangements of "In the Bleak Midwinter," "..Continue reading→
Switchfoot Releases Surprise Live Album
Switchfoot pulled off one of the best-kept surprises of Christian music in recent years and released a new live album on Friday, October 21. Fans had previously been given no indication that the band was planning such a release. Live in Chicago The Looking for America Tour marks Switchfoot's first major live album in 7 years, since 2009's The Best Yet Live in Nashville. Featuring cuts from their critically-acclaimed new album Where The Light Shines Through as well as several of the b..Continue reading→
David Dunn Debuts Music Video For New Single ‘I Wanna Go Back’
BEC Recordings' David Dunn has debuted the music video for his new single, "I Wanna Go Back," from his forthcoming early 2017 release Yellow Balloons. Click below to watch the music video. This single is currently the No. 2 most added song at AC radio for the second week in a row with 25 adds. Click here to get the single at digital outlets. RELATED BEC Recordings Announces New Artist Signing, David Dunn "'I Wanna Go Back' is a song of nostalgia, of longing for the time in my li..Continue reading→
World
Bible Left Untouched And Unmoved After Powerful Tornado Rips Through Christian University In Mississippi
Powerful tornadoes ripped through southern Mississippi late last month, bringing death and destruction to many places.Continue reading→
In France, People Who Speak Against Abortion Will Now Be Treated As Criminals
People who try to discourage women from having abortions are now virtually considered criminals in France.Continue reading→
Christian Astrophysicist Sees Little Chance Of Alien Life In New Earth-Size Planets Discovered By NASA
Seven new Earths? As in seven new habitable worlds?Continue reading→
Christian Family Of ISIS Suicide Bomber Believe He Was ‘Brainwashed’
British citizen Jamal al-Harith stunned his Christian family when he blew himself up in a suicide bombing mission carried out in behalf of the Islamic State (ISIS) earlier this month against Iraqi forces near Mosul.Continue reading→
American
Vice President Pence Says Obamacare Repeal Will be Pro-Life: “We Will Protect the Sanctity of Life”
After meeting with pro-life leaders, pro-life Vice President Mike Pence said that any legislation approved to repeal and replace Obamacare would be pro-life. Pence held a “listening session” with several pro-life leaders late Thursday and asked for suggestions or improvement on the legislation that a House committee has already approved. The meeting lasted over an hour. “The conversation focused on ensuring that the sanctity of life is respected and included in efforts to repeal and replace Ob..
Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer Falsely Claims Planned Parenthood Provides Mammograms
The lie that Planned Parenthood does mammograms continues. On Tuesday, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer defended the abortion giant’s taxpayer funding by claiming that it provides mammograms, maternity care and other important health services for women, according to the Daily Caller. #Trumpcare cuts @PPFA funds, hurting millions of women who turn there for mammograms, maternity care, cancer screenings & more. pic.twitter.com/8ZmgEPZikv — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 7, 2017 Pla..
Hawaii Senate Passes Bill Forcing Pregnancy Centers to Promote Abortions
Sailing through the Democrat-controlled senate on a 22-3 tally, a Hawaiian bill that would force the state’s five pro-life pregnancy centers to advertise taxpayer-funded abortions was sent along to the house Tuesday in Honolulu. Patterned along similar lines with a 2015 law in California that is likely headed to the U.S. Supreme Court as soon as this year, the Hawaiian senate bill (SB 501) was originally introduced with a parallel house bill, which was on hold as the senate bill went through. ..
Chinese Family Planning Offices Dragged Her Into a Car and Forced Her to Abort Her Six-Month-Old Baby
It was impossible not to shed tears as Yue Zhang shared the trauma of being forced to abort her baby – six months into the pregnancy – a child she wanted and loved. At an event held today at the Heritage Foundation, along with Reggie Littlejohn, president of Women’s Rights Without Frontiers, and pro-life Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), Yue Zhang courageously spoke about how the Chinese Family Planning Committee dragged her into a car, took her to the hospital, and forced her to abort her baby. ..
Australia
What the Son of God gave up for us
CHRISTIAN LIVING | Mark Leach – Rector of Darling Street Anglican, Rozelle, Sydney Tuesday 22 November 2016 Some of the most radical, inspiring and challenging verses I’ve ever read are 1 Cor 9:1-23 where Paul outlines his rights as an Apostle. A Roman citizen, a Hebrew of Hebrews, he comes from a background of privilege. In addition, he is an Apostle transformed by an encounter with Jesus and he is the guy who started the church in Corinth. But Paul says he gives up all his rights, his freed..
Teens skip schoolies to teach God’s word
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS Friday 18 November 2015 A team of 14 young people aged 15-27, mostly schoolies, leave this weekend for a two-week mission trip to Cambodia for Bible Society Australia. The main focus will be visiting the literacy schools run by Bible Society Cambodia. “The schoolies are giving up their party time to go and help out in the literacy schools and give Bibles to the graduates. The team will also run children’s programmes in villages giving out a special booklet, Jesus is Born, th..
The blessed peacemakers of Israel
MISSION NEWS | Anne Lim Friday 11 November 2016 Children in Israel and the Palestinian Territories are going to sleep with a book of Bible stories about peace under their pillows, says Dina Katanacho, director of the Arab Israeli Bible Society based in Nazareth. The colourful picture book in Arabic – containing 15 biblical stories, 15 stories of contemporary children, questions and prayer – is shaping the attitudes of the next generation, Dina said. “The impact of this book was really big, be..
Australia notes: Guy Fawkes Day
On Saturday night, here in Australia, fireworks started going off everywhere. It dawned on my daughter the lines “Remember, remember/the Fifth of November.” It was Guy Fawkes day! The old boy is burned in effigy and explosions are set off in commemoration of the Gunpowder Plot, in which a band of Catholic terrorists packed the basement of Parliament with gunpowder with the idea of blowing up the English government and killing King James. The plot was discovered when a conspirator wrote a letter ..
Law & Government
Unhinged ‘Street Preacher’ Lambasts Georgia Police Officer: ‘You Deserve a Sniper Bullet’
COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — A shocking viral video that has been making its rounds on social media shows a self-identified street preacher lambasting a county police officer as he walks away, tongue-lashing him with the proclamation, “You deserve a sniper bullet in your head.” Jim Gilles of Indiana had been holding signs and calling out to passersby outside of Creflo Dollar’s World Changers Church International on the morning of Oct. 9, 2016 as members were arriving for services. Dollar has been a cont..
Planned Parenthood Asks Court to Stop Texas From Cutting Org From Medicaid Program
AUSTIN, Texas — The abortion and contraceptive giant Planned Parenthood filed for an emergency restraining order on Friday in an effort to stop officials in Texas from cutting the organization from the state Medicaid program. “Defendants’ unprecedented and indefensible actions show these terminations to be nothing more than a politically motivated witch hunt and the culmination of a concerted effort over more than a decade to come between the provider Plaintiffs and the thousands of low income ..
Trump Inauguration to Feature Prayer of Prosperity Preacher Paula White Who ‘Secured His Calling’
WASHINGTON — Prominent Catholic Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Franklin Graham, and prosperity preacher Paula White will be among the ecumenical selection of faith leaders who will present prayers and readings at Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony next month, the inaugural committee announced on Wednesday. “Since the first inaugural ceremony, our leaders have paid tribute to the blessings of liberty that have been bestowed upon our country and its people,” Committee Chairman Tom Barrack said in a st..
Conservative Attorney Jay Sekulow Supports Judge on Trump’s Supreme Court Shortlist Who Called Abortion ‘a Right’
WASHINGTON — Well-known attorney Jay Sekulow, who serves as chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, which takes up cases for conservative, pro-life and pro-family causes, expressed his support on national television this week for two of the picks on President-elect Donald Trump’s Supreme Court shortlist—Judges Diane Sykes and Bill Pryor—stating that they have a “proven track record.” However, others have voiced concern about the judges precisely because of their track record, ..
Entertainment
Elizabeth “Liz” Thoman, Media Literacy Pioneer, Memorial Planned
Sister Elizabeth “Liz” Thoman, CHM died on December 22, 2019. She was a media literacy education pioneer, advocate, and educator. Here is a link to her obituary: Sr. Elizabeth Thoman, Media Literacy Leader Dies Here is a link to my essay about her, written in gratitude for her life, work, and influence on my life: Sister Elizabeth Thoman Altered the Course of My Life To RSVP for the Memorial Service, click here (or copy and paste): [email protected] If you come, bring a memory to share! Or you ca..
“Silence” Exclusive Clip Ahead of Wide Release Jan. 13
If you live outside of a major entertainment hub like New York City or Los Angeles, chances are that this weekend might be your first opportunity to see the much-anticipated “Silence,” which is generating a lot of Oscar buzz. Based on an acclaimed novel by the same name, “Silence,” directed by Martin Scorsese, follows two Jesuit priests who endure persecution and violence when they travel to 17th-century Japan to spread Christianity and locate their mentor. Check out this exclusive clip from the..
You Picked What?! Watching God’s Best Movies of 2016
Comment countI love reading year-end lists. I’m not such a big fan of writing them. Hey, it’s not easy to sift through all the year’s movies and coming up with what I think are “the best.” What does that even mean, anyway? Are these the best movies, aesthetically speaking? The stuff that secular critics drool over and take home scads of awards? Or are these the movies that I enjoyed the most? The movies that made me smile while leaving the theater? And what about the movie’s message? This blog i..
Shining a Light on Strong Faith: New “Silence” Exclusive Clip Released
Paramount Pictures -- Clip from 'Silence'Directed by Martin Scorsese, SILENCE tells the story of two Christian missionaries, Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) and Garrpe (Adam Driver), who face the ultimate test of faith when they travel to Japan in search of their missing mentor at a time when Christianity was outlawed and their presence forbidden. The celebrated director’s 28-year journey to bring Shusaku Endo’s 1966 acclaimed novel to life will be in theaters in New York and Los Angeles o..
Health and Science
Ken Ham Rebuts Lutheran Leader Who Says Noah’s Flood ‘Not History’: If It’s Not, Jesus Lied
WILLIAMSTOWN, Ky. — Apologist Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis recently rebutted a liberal ELCA Lutheran minister who asserted in a published column that the biblical account of the global flood is “not history,” noting that the man is also calling Jesus a liar, for He spoke of Noah and the Flood. Steve Hammer is leads Esperanza Lutheran Church in Phoenix, Arizona and writes an opinion column for the Ahwatukee Foothills News. In an article dated Aug. 21, which now brings up a 404 error code but ca..
A Story Carved In Rock (RJS)
The evidence for an ancient earth – far, far older than the <10,000 year timeline defended in young earth creationism – is abundant and independent of any hypothesis concerning the mechanism of biological evolution. There are only two reasons to doubt the great age of the earth: (1) an ignorance of the data or (2) a prior commitment to a young earth (usually from a specific approach to Genesis). In my experience, adamant defense of a young earth has always been tie..
‘The Darwinian View is False’: Ph.D. Biologist Dismantles Evolution in New Book
An accomplished molecular biologist with more than two decades of research experience has come out with a new book in which he describes crippling weaknesses in the theory of evolution and argues instead that life must have been invented by God. Dr. Douglas Axe is a credentialed scientist who earned a Ph.D. from California Institute of Technology and held a number of research positions at the University of Cambridge. The author of numerous scientific papers, Axe currently s..
Scientists Cloning More Animals Using Dolly the Sheep, May Lead to Human Cloning
Apparently clones of the same dead sheep from which Dolly was manufactured are in good health and aging normally. From the LiveSciencestory: Four cloned sheep that are genetically identical to Dolly, the first cloned mammal, are still healthy even in old age, a new study found. The four sheep, which were derived from the same batch of cells as Dolly and could be considered her clone “sisters,” have just reached their 9th birthday, which is equivalent to age 70 in human years, researchers who ha..
US
The new culture war
The old culture war was about morality and was informed by religion. The new culture war, signaled by the election of Donald Trump, is about nationalism vs. multiculturalism and “the people” vs. the elites. Trump has little interest in the old culture wars, with the important exception of being pro-life. But the new culture war is just as emotional, with pretty much the same people on either side. So says Rich Lowry in a piece excerpted and linked after the jump. So where does that leave Christi..
Marching for Life is getting somewhere
Today is the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., where thousands of pro-lifers will commemorate the Roe v. Wade decision on January 22, 1973, by demonstrating against abortion and for the sanctity of life. We’ll see if this mass demonstration gets as much media coverage as the recent Women’s March, which specifically excluded pro-life women. I suspect not. But the pro-life cause is making progress. Abortion rates have dropped below the level they were before Roe v. Wade. (That ruling lega..
No, Trump isn’t censoring government agencies
The media is aghast that President Trump is requiring approval for website posts, clamping down on the use of social media, freezing grants, and forbidding federal agencies from issuing news releases. Censorship! Information control! Orwellian thought police! Well, it turns out, as even the New York Times now admits, this is routine practice during the transition from one administration to another. The same orders were handed down when the Obama administration replaced that of George W. Bush. As..
“The crowd is untruth”
In our discussion of yesterday’s post The Problem with Crowds, Stefan Stackhouse linked to an essay by Søren Kierkegaard, The Crowd is Untruth. That essay is shockingly profound,, with great resonance for today. The Danish Lutheran/proto-existentialist takes a theological, as well as ethical, view of crowds. He points out that the Bible says, “Love thy neighbor”; not “love the crowd.” He deals with “the daily press” and its creation of an abstract “public” that assumes an authority over what we ..
Church & Theology
10 Lessons from a Hospital Stay—part 1
Just over two weeks ago, our lives were turned upside down when our three-year-old grandson, Chandler was taken to the hospital by ambulance with severe necrotizing pneumonia. We’re so thankful for the many who have prayed for Chandler in these past days, and we’re thankful for how the Lord has answered prayer in bringing healing. Although Chandler is now at home and resting well, he still has pneumonia and is taking strong antibiotics. We ask for continued prayers for his full recovery and tha..
10 Lessons from a Hospital Stay, part 2
In my previous post, I shared five of the lessons the Lord has been teaching me through my three-year-old grandson Chandler’s illness illness and hospitalization with severe pneumonia. These are in no real order—just the raw truths the Lord has been teaching me during one of the most difficult times in our family’s life. (If you’ve just come across this and are seeing part 2 first, I hope you’ll take a moment to read part 1 which more thoroughly develops those first five lessons with Scripture ..
What the Trinity Debate Can Teach Seminarians
I wrote the other day about why the Trinity debate matters for the pulpit and pew, hoping to help people outside or on the periphery of the debate understand why they should care about it. (By the way, I gave a bit of an intro and some recommended articles in that post, if you already have no clue what debate I’m talking about.) A group of people who participated more directly in the debate is Bible college and seminary students. From undergrads to PhD students, it seems ..
5 Commitments of Continuing Churches
We have the absolute promise that the church will continue. Jesus plainly declared, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18). Thus, we have the advantage of operating from the knowledge that we are on the winning side. Even so, you and I both know of churches that have not continued for Christ—churches who have left off aggressively reaching the world with the gospel and dwindled to nothing or have tried to “reinvent” the church and lost their distinction and effectiveness. So what is the diff..
Finance
Five Ways to Retire With Less Money
What if you are one of the many millions of people who have little chance of having a million dollar retirement portfolio by the time you reach 65? Should you abandon the idea of retirement completely and plan on working until you die? Hardly. The reality is that most people will enter retirement with something much less than $1 million. The ability to retire is often more dependent upon factors beyond your retirement portfolio. Here are some ways to enable you to eventually have some form of retirement, even if you will never amass a retirement fortune. Cut your living expensesA major reason why retirement portfolios need to be so large today is the high standards of living we’ve all become accustomed to. You can cut down on the amount of money that you’ll need in retirement by cutting back on your living expenses now. This will accomplish two positive goals. First, it will free up more money now so that you can invest it either in your retirement portfolio or in other income producin..
How to File the Federal Tax Extension Form
Filing a tax extension is simple. If you need extra time to work through your tax documents and just don’t think you’ll be able to finish your taxes by the April 18th tax deadline, you can file for an extension. Once you file the tax extension form, you’ll have until October 17th 2016 to file your taxes (an extra 6 months). This doesn’t mean that you get an extra 6 months to pay your taxes. That’s why it’s so important to estimate you taxes owed and pay them before April 18, 2016. Otherwise, you might end up with penalties and interest to pay the IRS. Oh and if you still need to file your taxes this year, you can file them for free (even state) here. How to File a Tax Extension Form1. Estimate Your Taxes OwedYou’ll need to have an idea of how much you owe in taxes because you’ll need to send in the payment before April 18th. Gather all your tax documents and create a rough estimate of what you’ll owe. 2. Download and Complete the Tax Extension FormThe IRS requires you to download and c..
Income Tax Calculator: 3 Federal Income Tax Estimators
With tax season around the corner, you might be itching to file your taxes right away. Some people like to file as early as possible, while others are still looking for the answer to their question: when are taxes are due? If you don’t have all your tax forms yet, but want to estimate what your federal income tax return looks like, you’re in luck. There are a few tools available for you to estimate what your return might look like. If you haven’t already received your W-2 or 1099s in the mail, use your last paycheck as a guide to see how much you made and what you paid in for federal and state taxes. Gather as much information as you can about charitable donations, business expenses, or interest paid so that you can get the best estimate when you put your figures into these income tax calculators. 3 Income Tax Calculators to Estimate Your Tax Refund…or Tax BillIRS.gov Tax Refund CalculatorThis no-frills income tax calculator will take into consideration most of the major tax issues tha..
Life Balance: How to Keep it Together
In this ever-changing world in which we live, all of us feel a little “un-balanced “ at times in our lives. What can we do to help us recognize what is causing that unbalanced feeling and how should we go about fixing it? Let’s first identify some of the areas in our lives that we must keep in balance. There are home responsibilities, work responsibilities, community responsibilities, religious responsibilities, educational responsibilities, and social responsibilities – to name just a few. HomeIn your home responsibilities you need to find a balance between all of the many things that you have to do there. For example, who are you at home? Are you a parent, spouse, teacher, cook, seamstress, gardener, doctor, vet, cheerleader, lover, and friend? All of these many responsibilities can wear you down and cause you to feel off-center. It is important that you “job share” these responsibilities. The more you can communicate and share as a family the more understanding and help you will hav..