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→
Hot Topics
The Blessing of Humility (Book Review)
Bridges insists “A life of humility is not an option for a believer to choose or reject. It is a command of God.” To teach the beauty and value of humility as well as to start on down the path toward humility he turns to the Beatitudes saying, “these expressions of Christian character are a description of humility in action.” I wonder if The Blessing of Humility is Jerry Bridges’ final book. It was published posthumously, but soon enough after his death that it’s very possible there was still a..Continue reading→
Are We Living in the Last Days?
“When I look at two titans of theology like Martin Luther and Jonathan Edwards and I see them making predictions and voicing their expectations of the near return of Jesus and being wrong, that gives me pause.” We have to be careful not to be guilty of what Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for—what I call the Red Sky Syndrome. If you recall, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees because they had an ability to predict the weather. They could look at the sky, and if it was red at night, they would say, “Sailor’..Continue reading→
“God Made Me for China” — Eric Liddell Beyond Olympic Glory
“Americans of my generation remember Eric Liddell largely because of Chariots of Fire, the 1981 British film written by Colin Welland, produced by David Puttnam, and directed by Hugh Hudson.” Olympic glory abounds in Rio as the 31st modern Olympiad is well underway. This time, the event is living up to its hype, especially for Americans, who are likely drawn to the pomp and ceremony as much as the athletic competition. The medal ceremonies represent both climax and catharsis, with athletes awa..Continue reading→
The Trinity: Praying to the Father through the Son by the Spirit
“In the Covenant of Redemption, the Son voluntarily agreed to become incarnate and undergo the miseries of this life and the excruciating death of the cross and the victorious resurrection from the grave for us. And when he ascended, he entered into the loving heavenly Father’s presence with our (now glorified) human nature where he represent us and has ongoing sympathy, indeed empathy, for us.” The Christian doctrine of the Triune Godhead is often thought more in terms of an intellectual puzzl..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Parties at War: Boris Johnson pulls out of leadership race
Boris Johnson will not stand to be Conservative party leader. After a morning of shock revelations, the former London major and champion of the campaign to leave the European Union, said was not the right person to lead the UK. The move came after his Vote Leave colleague Michael Gove and home secretary Theresa May both announced they will run for leader. Gove, the justice secretary, announced his surprise bid with a dig at Johnson who he said could not "provide the leadership or build the team for the task ahead". He had been expected to support Johnson's campaign after the pair were leading lights in bringing the UK out of the EU. The shock announcement came as both Labour and Conservative parties headed for a summer in turmoil as a leadership race begins within both. The justice secretary Michael Gove will run against Theresa May, Stephen Crabb, Liam Fox and Andrea Leadsom. Home secretary Theresa May announced her leadership bid earlier o..Continue reading→
Anti-Christian bias, the BBC and the problem of religious literacy
Is the BBC institutionally hostile to Christianity, only interested in knocking our faith and promoting other religions? It seems unlikely, on the face of it, but that's the charge leveled against it by a Christian group that's just presented a 12,000-signature petition to director-general Lord Hall. Voice for Justice calls on him to "protect the UK's Christian heritage and reject current proposals to reduce and downgrade Christian programming in favour of increased coverage for Muslim, Hindu and Sikh faiths". It accuses the BBC's head of religion and ethics, Aaqil Ahmed – a Muslim – of regularly commissioning documentaries "displaying clearly pro-Islamic bias, while calling into question fundamental tenets and teachings of Christianity". Britain, it says, is a Christian country and so Christianity should be treated with respect and given more airtime than minority groups; and, "In particular, Islam should not be singled out for special interest and presen..Continue reading→
Women who attend religious services five time less likely to commit suicide, study says
Researchers also found that Catholic women were less likely to commit suicide than Protestant women. Women who regularly attend religious services are five times less likely to commit suicide in comparison to those who never attend services, researchers have found. A study published Wednesday by JAMA Psychiatry found that among more than 89,000 women, "attendance at religious services once per week or more was associated with an approximately 5-fold lower rate of suicide compared with never attending services". Researchers concluded that "frequent religious service attendance was associated with a significantly lower rate of suicide." The women, most of whom were white Christians, were studied over a period of 15 years between 1996 and 2010. During that time, 36 committed suicide, which is among the 10 leading causes of death in the US. "Our results do not imply that health care providers should prescribe attendance at religious services. However, for patie..Continue reading→
‘Satanic Islam’ pastor James McConnell forgives BBC presenter for ‘hijack’ interview
Pastor James McConnell says he forgives the BBC interviewer who pressed him on his attitude to Islam. The controversial Belfast pastor cleared of broadcasting hate speech after a sermon in which he branded Islam 'satanic' has said he forgives the BBC interviewer whose interviews with him brought him widespread negative publicity. Pastor James McConnell was tried after a sermon in which he said: "Islam is heathen, Islam is satanic, Islam is a doctrine spawned in hell" was broadcast online. He was charged with contravening the law against causing a grossly offensive message to be sent by means of a public electronic communications network. BBC presenter Stephen Nolan won an award for an interview with McConnell in 2014. One of the judges, Kevin Marsh, said: "Nolan was well informed and well prepared and tested the pastor's arguments robustly and persistently. The overall effect was an engaging interview in which not just the pastor'..Continue reading→
Movies
COMMON BRINGS GLORY TO THE GRAMMYS (AND THE OSCARS): An Interview
What 2015 Grammy moment moved you? Kanye West’s cut in on Beck’s acceptance speech for “Album of the Year” garnered most of the headlines. How sad to a stunt overshadow Annie Lennox’s rousing rendition of “I Put a Spell On You” with Hozier. Pharrell reimagined his sunny single, “Happy,” into an intriguing protest echoing the “Hands up/Don’t shoot” posture that accompanied events in Ferguson, Missouri. Prince slipped in the best one-liner of the night, “Albums still matter. Just like books and bl..Continue reading→
Diablo Cody Tweets About Rescuing Jinger Duggar
Her new movie, Paradise, is all about religion. In the movie, which was originally titled Lamb of God, a young religious woman (Julianne Hough) is in a terrible accident, which causes her to question G-d and run off to Las Vegas to see what sin feels like. Well, it looks like screenwriter/director Diablo Cody had some pretty specific pop-culture inspirations for the movie: The Duggars. Particularly Jinger. Diablo recently tweeted that if Jinger ever wants to run away from her family, she can com..Continue reading→
Music
As We Ascend Releases First Single Wash Away to iTunes
As We Ascend's first single "Wash Away" is now available on iTunes, six days before the completion of their PledgeMusic campaign to fund the full length album Farewell to Midnight. In addition to being available on iTunes, "Wash Away" is also going for adds at radio. The PledgeMusic campaign is currently at 95% of its goal. You can listen to "Wash Away" below. As We Ascend, formed by former members of We As Human, launched their PledgeMusic campaign with the unique invitation to fans to "..Continue reading→
Bizzle Petitions for Financial Support of New Project
The recent release of Bizzle's new project Crowns & Crosses has sparked a conversation about the realities of being an artist with his God Over Money fans. In a recent newsletter, Bizzle details the shocking differences between a fan purchasing a physical or digital copy of any GOM release versus streaming through the likes of Spotify or Apple Music. He begins with the staggering reality that it takes 1,500 streams to equal that of one album sale. For example, if 100,000 fans stream the en..Continue reading→
John Mark McMillan Launches Pre-order for ‘Mercury & Lightning’
John Mark McMillan has launched a pre-order for his upcoming album Mercury & Lightning through PledgeMusic. The album has been preceded by the release of "Wilderlove" and "No Country." The PledgeMusic pre-order gives fans the chance to purchase a wide range of merch packages, with each one providing access to exclusive behind-the-scenes information approaching the album's release. The pre-order was launched in part due to the overwhelmingly positive response to the single "Wilderlove," re..Continue reading→
Sho Baraka’s ‘The Narrative’ Debuts at No. 6 on iTunes Hip Hop Chart and No. 26 on iTunes Overall
Critically acclaimed hip hop artist Sho Baraka unleashed The Narrative last week, and it was well received by fans and critics alike as it peaked at No. 6 on iTunes Hip Hop Chart and No. 26 on iTunes Overall Albums Chart. Created with the intention to generate a discussion among each other about the social issues we face today and throughout history, Sho Baraka is doing just that as shown by the critics below "Sho Baraka gives us conscious hip hop that makes us think. It is not intended for eas..Continue reading→
MercyMe’s ‘Welcome To The New’ Receives RIAA Gold Certification
GRAMMY® Nominated MercyMe's Welcome To The New (2014) has been honored with RIAA Gold Certification, marking the sixth gold album for the band in addition to a double platinum album and a platinum video. Welcome To The New earned two GRAMMY® nods, multiple GMA Dove Award honors and an American Music Award nomination. In addition, the album boasts three No. 1 singles with "Greater," "Flawless" and "Dear Younger Me," and one Top 5 single with "Shake." MercyMe is planning to unveil a new recor..Continue reading→
Deraj Drops A New Single
Deraj blessed both the genre and Reflection Music Group (RMG) fans worldwide with a new banger for the car on "Know That's Me," featuring KYNG. Listeners can purchase not only the track, but also the instrumental backing and an acapella version of the track. The three versions of this project may be purchased here, or streamed on Spotify. Visuals for the project debuted under the direction of Joe Desantis. The video may be viewed below. RMG has been quite the productive label as of late..Continue reading→
Live in Chicago: The Looking for America Tour by Switchfoot
Track Listing 01. Holy Water 02. Meant To Live 03. Bull In A China Shop 04. Where The Light Shines Through 05. I Won't Let You Go 06. Love Alone Is Worth The Fight 07. Hello Hurricane 08. If The House Burns Down Tonight 09. Float 10. Live it Well Continue reading→
Courtney Orlando Releases New Single, Wait On You
Courtney Orlando released his latest single "Wait on You" on October 10. You can download the track for free on SoundCloud here. Orlando describes the new track as an open conversation between him and God. No future plans of a full length project have been released at this time. The artist formally known as J.R. dug his roots into the hip-hop genre over a decade ago with his debut release Metamorphosis in 2005. Fittingly, change has followed him in the area of style, depth and even branding a..Continue reading→
The Narrative by Sho Baraka
Track Listing 01. Foreward, 1619 02. Soul, 1971 03. Kanye, 2009 (feat. Jackie Hill Perry) 04. Love, 1959 05. Here, 2016 (feat. Lecrae) 06. 30 & Up, 1986 (feat. Courtney Orlando) 07. Profhet, 1968 (feat. James Portier) 08. Maybe Both, 1865 (feat. James Portier) Purchase 09. Excellent, 2017 Purchase 10. Road to Humble, 1979 Purchase 11. Myhood, U.S.A., 1937 (feat. Vanessa Hill) 12. Words, 2006 13. Fathers, 2004 Purchase 14. Piano Break, 33 A.D. Continue reading→
American
“Children’s Hospital” Kills Unborn Children in Abortions
From a marketing perspective, the name “Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Hospital” suggests a place where women and children can go seeking healthcare and health-affirming treatments in times of illness. However, a recent ABC News report divulges that abortions are occurring at this “children’s hospital.” There is nothing about abortion that suggests healthcare for either a mother or her child. “Certainly, not all women experience emotional problems following induced abortion. However…an alarm..
Roe v. Wade Attorney Sarah Weddington’s Shocking Answer When Asked, “Whatever Happened to Roe?”
February 18, 2017, Norma McCorvey passed away. Her long, hard journey on this harsh Earth behind her, she finally rests in the peace of our Lord. At last. Norma was one of the most broken people I have ever met, but her impact on the lives around her cannot be measured. Norma carried a crushing, unbearable weight around for most of her life. She felt the burden of the 58 million lost lives since the Roe v. Wade decision because Norma was Roe. I hate to type that because she was so much #moreth..
Boy Born With 2% of His Brain Stuns Doctors Years After His Mom Refused Abortion
A British boy who was born with just 2 percent of his brain continues to stun the world with his progress. Noah Wall’s life is being hailed as a medical miracle. Aletia reports Noah’s brain regrew to 80 percent of a normal brain by the time he was 3 years old; and today, he is attending school and learning to read and write. Here’s more: The family continues to keep Noah’s brain stimulated to aid his neurological growth. Dr. Claire Nicholson of Newcastle’s Great North Children’s Hospital in E..
Norma McCorvey, Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade, Passes Away: She Never Had an Abortion and Became Pro-Life
Norma McCorvey, who was the Jane Roe of the infamous Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court case legalizing virtually unlimited abortions, passed away today. McCorvey never had an abortion and eventually became pro-life and dedicated her life to overturning the horrible Supreme Court decision that bared her pseudonym. McCorvey died today at an assisted-living facility in Katy, Texas. She was 69. McCorvey never wanted an abortion — she was seeking a divorce from her husband — but young, pro-abortion femini..
Australia
A shipping container filled with thousands of children’s books is on its way to Kenya
Imagine the excitement and wonder of children at a school in Kenya when they first see the shelves of colourful books sent to them as a ready-made library by a church in Australia. Inside a 6-metre shipping container they will find an Aladdin’s cave of treasures: on the left are non-fiction books offering windows into their world, while on the right are fiction books of all kinds to feed their imaginations. It is this vision of Kenyan children discoveri..
Make your faith count on census day
Atheists and Christians are united in calls for Australians to be honest about their religious affiliation as the fill in the census on Tuesday 9 August. The Atheist Foundation of Australia (AFA) is urging people who no longer practise or hold religious beliefs to vote “no religion” on census night. In an opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney Anglican minister and regular Eternity contributor Michael Jensen writes, “I am all for the censu..
“Not silly, just forgiven,” students told at first 2016 Bible Society Masterclass
“People can view our beliefs as silly,” said Simon Smart from Centre for Public Christianity (CPX) to 300 high school students attending Bible Society’s first 2016 Masterclass in Queensland last week. Simon Smart from CPX at Masterclass in QLD. “Much more so in the world that you’re growing up in than the one I grew up in. This is because we are mixing more and more with people whose worldview is different than our own.” Smart was making ..
Christians on trial in Nepal in first religious freedom case since new Constitution
Eight Nepali Christians are on trial this month, arrested for distributing a pamphlet about Jesus in a school. It is Nepal’s first religious freedom case since the country’s new Constitution was implemented in September last year. While Nepal recognises the right to be Christian, converting someone to a different religion is prohibited. A new clause in the Constitution, Article 31(3) took that further, stating “any act to convert another person f..
Law & Government
Texas attorney general affirms constitutionality of courtroom prayer
Judge Wayne Mack gestures before his interview with 'Fox & Friends' on Aug. 22, 2016. In a legal opinion, Texas' attorney general said an opening prayer before a court proceeding and a voluntary chaplaincy programme are constitutional and do not violate the Establishment Clause. Attorney General Ken Paxton issued the legal opinion based on requests by Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and executive director Seana Willing of the State Commission on Judicial Conduc..
U.S. court upholds religious freedom case against transgender employee
The R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes in Michigan won the case under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). A federal court in the U.S. state of Michigan ruled last week in favour of a funeral home sued by the state for dismissing a transgender employee who wanted to wear women's clothes at work. In his ruling, Judge Sean Cox of the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Michigan said there was no discrimination when R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Ho..
Federal Judge Upholds Funeral Home’s Firing of Male Director Who Desired to Dress as Woman
DETROIT, Mich. — A federal judge has upheld a Michigan funeral home’s decision to fire a male funeral director for his desire to dress as a woman on the job. As previously reported, Anthony Stephens, who now goes by the name Aimee Stephens, was hired as the funeral director and embalmer for RG & GR Harris Funeral Homes in 2007. In 2013, Stephens informed his employer that he had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria and would therefore desire to wear a woman’s suit for work. Owner Thomas Rost, ..
Judge Refuses to Lift Injunction on Law Protecting Clerks Who Decline to Issue ‘Gay Marriage’ Licenses
JACKSON, Miss. — A federal judge appointed to the bench by Barack Obama is refusing to lift his injunction against Mississippi’s Freedom of Conscience Act, requiring clerks within the state to issue “gay marriage” licenses despite their religious convictions. “Issuing a marriage license to a gay couple is not like being forced into armed combat or to assist with an abortion,” Judge Carlton Reeves wrote on Friday. “To the extent the preliminary injunction will help alleviate the damage wrought o..
Entertainment
Must-See Wrongful Conviction Films and TV Shows from Innocence Project
Over at the Innocence Project they have posted an amazing list of films and television shows (and links to trailers) about wrongful convictions. Let’s hear it: Hurray for Hollywood – for the stories they tell that can make a difference in the world. This is just the first few; I’ve added the link to take you to the IP page. BY INNOCENCE STAFF Do you want to know more about wrongful conviction, but you’re not sure where to look? No worries. You don’t need to sit in court or be a lawyer to learn m..
What Makes The Innocents So Frightening … and So Perfect for Halloween
Comment countIt amazes me how many children show up in horror movies they’re not allowed to see. Kids are everywhere in fright flicks. Either they’re innocent waifs running from horrific, kid-killing entities (The Shining, The Conjuring, etc.) or they’re the horrific entities themselves, bent on ridding the world of a few adults (Children of the Corn, The Ring, etc.). Sometimes, like in The Exorcist, they manage to be both. Regan from The Exorcist, courtesy Warner Bros.But most of the time, we ..
For stories that ‘transcend daily life’: CIMA presents 23rd annual entertainment awards
Auxiliary Bishop Robert Barron (from left), Archbishop José H. Gomez and Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP, are pictured during the 23rd annual CIMA Awards, where Bishop Barron received the CIMA Communicator Award. (photo/Victor Aléman) These days, when many perceive heaven and Hollywood to be polar opposite, mutually exclusive destinations, it’s easy to forget that film and faith have the capacity to intersect in vital, remarkable ways. Catholics in Media Associates (CIMA) was founded in 1992 to serve a..
Watch: An Exclusive “Denial” Featurette
Patheos is pleased to share an exclusive featurette for Denial that highlights the importance of interfaith dialogue in a world that seems to be increasingly divided. Denial is based on Deborah E. Lipstadt’s book History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier. The movie portray’s Lipstadt’s (Rachel Weisz) legal battle against David Irving (Timothy Spall), who accused her of libel when she declared him a Holocaust denier. In her defense, her legal team actually had to prove the histor..
US
Who will pray at Trump’s inauguration
The six religious leaders who will offer prayers at Donald Trump’s inauguration have been announced. They include three Pentecostals: Paula White, Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, and Samuel Rodriguez. White and Jackson, a black megachurch pastor, are prominent preachers of the “prosperity Gospel.’ (See our earlier post on White.) Rodriguez is a Hispanic Assemblies of God minister also preaches a perhaps less extreme version of the prosperity gospel. The others are Franklin Graham, whose father Billy no..
Trump vows trade deal with UK
UK Prime Minister Theresa May In an interview with the London Times [subscription required], Donald Trump promised a quick trade deal with the UK, thus helping its Brexit transition. (British prime minister Theresa May and other Brexit supporters were delighted at the news.) He also gave other indications of what his new foreign policy would be like: He said he supported NATO, though he considered it “obsolete,” saying only five NATO members are paying their dues. He also said he might suspend s..
Obama gets tough on immigration
With about a week left in office, President Obama has finally cracked down on immigration: against Cubans. Escapees from our Communist neighbor have long been given automatic legal immigrant status once they arrive on our shores. But no more. Now they will be returned for punishment. The Obama administration says that now, in light of our “normalized relations” with Cuba, Cuban refugees will be treated like any other immigrants. Except other immigrants are allowed to enter illegally with impunit..
Letter from a Birmingham Jail
To observe Martin Luther King Day, read his classic “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” It was written to fellow pastors who were concerned that a man of the cloth would engage in protests that would get him arrested. The letter is interesting in itself for the case that it makes for civil disobedience, under certain very restrictive conditions. Some of what he says will resonate with pro-lifers and religious freedom advocates. The letter also shows how it was possible back then in 1963 to continua..
Church & Theology
When the Battlefield Terrain Is Different Than You Planned
Do you ever have a day go differently than you planned? Or a year? Or an entire season of your life? I’m a planner, and although I know in theory that God may change my plans and, in fact, has every right to intervene, I don’t always see His hand in the unplanned delays, changes, or upsets in the moment they occur. I recently came across the paragraph below, written by an Irish Baptist pastor in 1840. It was a great encouragement to me: Nothing can be more consoling to the man of God, than th..
Is Your Motivation Style Demotivating?
I’m excited to announce a relaunch of the Spiritual Leadership Podcast—beginning with this episode! While past episodes were primarily audio leadership lessons that had been recorded in other venues, such as Spiritual Leadership or Striving Together Conferences, the new podcast will include episodes video recorded specifically for this podcast. Each monthly episode will focus on practical ministry leadership, with this first one being about biblical motivation. Future episodes will dedicate ti..
Why I’m Reordering My Social Media Life
Follow @BrandonSmith85 When I joined Facebook over a decade ago, I assumed it would be a fun little social network like MySpace. I’d check it once a day at most, but probably no more than 4-5 times per week. After all, I barely knew anyone who was using it. It was largely the same handful of people that would comment back and forth with me on our “walls.” There was really no opportunity to catch up on news or any type of day-to-day commentary. In 2009, I joined Twitter because Facebook was getti..
4 Ways Grace Works in Our Hearts
The grace of God is an incredible gift. It not only brings salvation (Titus 2:11), but it is the ongoing provision for our Christian walk. It’s a peculiar thing about grace, however: it seems practically every Christian has their “angle” on the best way to use God’s grace—what grace is really all about. Perhaps part of the reason for that is that grace is indeed multi-faceted. It doesn’t only bring salvation, only give Christian liberty, or only produce holiness. God uses His grace at every le..