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 Secret to Preparing for Suffering
“Though suffering is a sure reality in this world, we need not anxiously fear it. Instead we must prepare for it by establishing and exhorting our faith now, through the living and abiding Word of God.” “It feels like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.” I sat on the edge of our bed with tears in my eyes, attempting to describe to my husband the silent, simmering fear that had been plaguing me. I was in perpetual dread of getting re-injured and of the new pains that so easily come to those..Continue reading→
The Most Important Book I’ve Read This Year
“Countless reviews have appeared online, most of them glowingly positive, so I don’t want to rehash any of that here. But because I think his book is so helpful, I do want to draw attention to the three main points Haidt makes about the way we make moral decisions, and the three controlling metaphors he uses, before reflecting a bit on why they are so significant in our current cultural situation.” Back in January, prompted by a challenge from Tim Challies, I set myself the target of reading on..Continue reading→
America’s Lost Girls?
Affirmation of self-worth for America’s young girls is now measured by how many strangers over the Internet compliment or “Like” their latest Instagram photo. Unconditional love isn’t even a concept. These girls are used to earning love, or warped approval rather. Earn it by proving your worth with straight-As in school. Prove your worth to an employer by sacrificing a spouse and kids. Sacrifice your integrity by embellishing your life on social media for the sake of others’ approval. Sobering ..Continue reading→
Missions: Ecclesiology With a Passport
It’s a dicey line that Stott and Keller have drawn for the church to walk. In essence, they are saying, “We’re going to keep the gospel the main thing and focus the church on social reform; in fact, in a sense, social action is the gospel too.” In theory, it’s a noble blend of word and deed. Naturally, however, the further one pushes into the realm of social action, the closer one gets to the place where social involvement ceases to be distinctly Christian, and at some point, social involvement ..Continue reading→
Life & Society
The ‘new norm’: Most Americans now consider living together before marriage a ‘good idea’
The wave of liberalism continues its relentless surge in America with majority of American adults now saying that it's a good idea for couples to live together before deciding to get married. According to a recent study by the Barna Group, two-thirds of adults (65 percent) think cohabitation before marriage is good, compared to one-third (35 percent) who disagree. However, religious groups are the least likely to consider cohabitation a good idea. In its report, the Barna Group says cohabitation has become "the new norm" in America. This is the result of "shifting gender roles and expectations, the delay of marriage, and a secularizing culture," the polling firm says. But although acceptance of live-in relationship is now widespread in America, there are still "large pockets of resistance ... among religious communities and those who adhere to more traditional values and premarital expectations," it says. The Barna Group notes that most Christian teac..Continue reading→
Ted Cruz accuses Obama administration of ‘willful blindness’ to threat of radical Islam
Ted Cruz accused President Obama's administration of a "wilful blindness" to the threat of radical Islam at a Senate hearing on Wednesday. The former Republican presidential hopeful said the Obama administration had under-emphasized the "threat of radical Islam". He pointed to the initial redaction of references to the leader of Islamic State in partial transcripts released by the FBI and US State Department of the 911 call made by Orlando shooter Omar Mateen. They later reversed their decision and released the unredacted version after a wave of criticism. Obama has refused to use the term "radical Islam" in reference to terror attacks. Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gave a national security speech a day after the Orlando massacre, insisting it was "time to tell the truth about radical Islam". In his own remarks, Obama said America stood united in the face of "an act of terror and an act of hate" and would not give in to fear.Continue reading→
Huge spike in anti-Muslim hate crime across UK
The figures revealed that women were most likely to be subject to abuse. Britain is failing its Muslim citizens, a monitoring group said on Wednesday, as it revealed an "explosion of anti-Muslim hate both online and on our streets". Tell Mama released its annual report today, which showed a 326 per cent increase in public incidents of anti-Muslim hate in 2015, including physical and verbal attacks. The group reported 437 of these incidents last year, up from 146, and said perpetrators were "putting their hatred into action". In total, 1,128 incidents were reported to Tell Mama in 2015, more than 800 of which were found to be anti-Muslim. The figures revealed that women were most likely to be subject to abuse – 61 per cent of incidents had a female victim. More than half (55 per cent) of victims were "visibly Muslim," the report said, increasing to 75 per cent of cases involving women. Blaming Muslims: why Christians must take the lead in fighting Is..Continue reading→
Word of Life: Church beating survivor ‘confesses to inappropriate touching of children’
The young man who survived a mass church beating that resulted in the death his brother has confessed to having "inappropriately" touched his half-sister's children, CNN reports. Christopher Leonard appears in court to give a sworn testimony during a felony hearing for his half-sister, Sarah Ferguson in New Hartford, New York October 21, 2015. Christopher Leonard, now 19, testified on Tuesday in the trial of Sarah Ferguson, who is among eight members of the Word of Life church in New Hartford, upstate New York, to be charged in connection with the death of Lucas Leonard. Christopher Leonard told the court that Ferguson found out about the touching during a so-called "counselling session" at the church in October last year. It was during this 10-hour session, allegedly initiated because Lucas Leonard wanted to leave the church, that the two teenagers were severely beaten. Christopher Leonard survived the attack but was hospitalised for blunt-force injuries. A videoed te..Continue reading→
Movies
Prophet Joseph — episodes twenty-three and twenty-four
Synopsis. Apopis is about to be executed. An officer tells the crowd that Apopis will die a slow death — hung from a pole with a wound in his feet so that he bleeds to death and the birds devour what’s left — and that he will be deprived of the afterlife because his body will never be mummified. Apopis replies by declaring his belief in God and his hatred for the Egyptian gods. Malek, who has been in Egypt ever since he sold Joseph to Potiphar a dozen years ago, is in the crowd, watching. Back i..Continue reading→
Watch: A swarm attacks in Star Trek Beyond, and rebel spies battle the Empire in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Today we have clips from two — not one, but two! — upcoming sci-fi franchise films. First, we have the moment in Star Trek Beyond (opening next week) when Captain Kirk realizes that the Enterprise is about to be attacked for the last time ever: And second, we have some behind-the-scenes footage from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (opening December 16) that was unveiled at a convention in London today: Note how the Star Wars franchise seems to be getting its own Rocket Raccoon: Incidentally, it ..Continue reading→
Watch: Meet Rey — er, Jaylah — in a new Star Trek Beyond featurette; plus the first “reviews” are in on Twitter
She’s tough. She fights with a staff. And she’s good at fixing spaceships. If it weren’t for all the striped alien makeup on her, you might confuse her for Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Rey. But instead, her name is Jaylah, and she is one of the main new characters introduced in Star Trek Beyond, which opens next Thursday. Paramount has released a new featurette dedicated to her, and it features soundbites from actress Sofia Boutella, director Justin Lin, actor/co-writer Simon Pegg and producer ..Continue reading→
Chiwetel Ejiofor to play the apostle Peter in Mary Magdalene
With Rooney Mara playing Mary Magdalene and Joaquin Phoenix playing Jesus, there has been some concern that Garth Davis’s Mary Magdalene movie might give us yet another “whitewashed” version of the New Testament. But this latest bit of news could put that to rest: Deadline reports that Chiwetel Ejiofor, who was Oscar-nominated for his starring role in 12 Years a Slave, is in talks to play the apostle Peter. Ejiofor would not be the first actor of African descent to play Peter; just last year, th..Continue reading→
Watch: Scotty meets Jaylah in a clip from Star Trek Beyond, plus a few new TV spots and London premiere footage
Star Trek Beyond has now had two premieres — one in Australia and one in the UK — and there still aren’t any reviews online. We do, however, have a new clip, in which Scotty meets the brand new character Jaylah (played by Kingsman: The Secret Service’s Sofia Boutella) after escaping the destruction of the Enterprise. Here is the clip: Paramount has also posted this video from the London premiere: And we have three new TV spots as well: Check out earlier trailers and other videos here: The fir..Continue reading→
Watch: For King & Country’s music video for Ben-Hur
If you watched last Sunday’s Ben-Hur simulcast, you’ve already seen the music video for ‘Ceasefire’, the song that was used in the most recent trailer for that film. Today that video, which features the Christian pop band For King & Country as well as some new footage from the film, went public via the Entertainment Weekly website. Here is the video: There’s an interesting, and tricky, balancing act going on here. First, as Mark Burnett said during the simulcast, which was hosted by Rick Warren..Continue reading→
Is this the biggest year for animated movies ever?
Here’s a fun trivia bit: animated movies have been #1 at the box office for the past four weeks (three weeks for Finding Dory and one week for The Secret Life of Pets), and the last time animation ruled the box office for such a long stretch was three years ago, when Monsters University and Despicable Me 2 were #1 for two weeks each. Box-office observers are now wondering whether The Secret Life of Pets — coming off the biggest opening of any animated non-sequel ever — can beat the Ghostbusters ..Continue reading→
Interview: Christy Beam (Miracles from Heaven, 2016)
There have been a few films lately based on the stories of people who say they caught a glimpse of Heaven during a near-death experience. Miracles from Heaven — which comes out on DVD today — adds an interesting wrinkle to the genre: in this case, a girl who has been suffering from a rare digestive order for years falls into a hollow tree and has her vision there, and once she is rescued, it turns out she is healed. The story is told partly from the point of view of the girl’s mother, Christy Be..Continue reading→
Win a copy of Miracles from Heaven on Blu-Ray!
Another month, another Blu-Ray giveaway! Last month I marked the debut of my new Facebook page by giving away a copy of Risen, and this month I’m giving away a copy of Miracles from Heaven on Blu-Ray (and Digital), courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The disc includes an audio commentary by director Patricia Riggen and screenwriter Randy Brown, featurettes on the making of the film as well as the real-life family that inspired it, and some powerful deleted scenes. Click here for detail..Continue reading→
Music
Seventh Day Slumber Reveals Cover For Upcoming Album ‘Found’
Seventh Day Slumber debuted the cover and title for their upcoming album Found this week. RELATED Third Annual City Rockfest Lineup Announced On Facebook, lead singer Joseph Rojas described the album as "a cross between Shattered Life and Picking Up The Pieces with some Take Everything Mixed in." He also confirmed that the album will feature the same blend of worship and rock that the band is known for, and that fans can expect to hear some of the new music soon. Set to release in April of 2..Continue reading→
Third Annual City Rockfest Lineup Announced
The official lineup has been announced for Seventh Day Slumber's annual City Rockfest tour, with the full list of artists including Disciple, Seventh Day Slumber, Project 86, Decyfer Down, Spoken, Random Hero and Scarlet White. Some of those bands will rotate out over the course of the tour, with the lineup for the first leg featuring Disciple, Project 86, Seventh Day Slumber, Random Hero and Scarlet White, and the second leg featuring Disciple, Seventh Day Slumber, Decyfer Down, Spoken and..Continue reading→
EXCLUSIVE Watch the Lyric Video for Jamie Grace’s New Song!
A week after announcing to fans new music is coming, chart-topping artist Jamie Grace has released her first new single in three years, titled "Party Like A Princess," as well as the lyric video that goes with it. The new song is now available for preorder on iTunes (click here), and officially releases Friday, Nov. 25. Known for her bold stance on relationships--and waiting on God to bring the right guy into a girl's life--the song is a fun, upbeat summary of her views on relationships..Continue reading→
Ray of Light by Sommer Floyd
A joyful amalgamation of sparkling Pop/Rock, New Country and Contemporary worship, Sommer's inaugural release will draw instant comparisons to artists like Kari Jobe, Mia Fieldes, Laura Story and The Band Perry's Kimberly Perry. Fan favorites include the celebratory "Children of God," the fun and encouraging Pop-Country anthem, "Drop and Run," and the gently meandering confessional ballad, "I Need You." Sommer allows her natural effervescence to shine through on the exuberant "Ray of Light," and reveals her vulnerable heart in the lovely and poignant "Stronger," a song she wrote for a friend battling leukemia. Her peace-evoking Contemporary Worship hymn, "How You[...]Continue reading→
Purple Dinosaur (single) by nobigdyl.
The first commercial single released by nobigdyl. focused on the idea of love.[...]Continue reading→
Danny Gokey Releases New Song, Announces New Album
Today Danny Gokey released a new song,"If You Ain't In It," from his upcoming album. He also announced the new album's title, Rise, with a release date of January 13th. RELATED Danny Gokey Releases Series of Christmas Videos "I'm so excited to officially announce my new album 'Rise' will be coming out January 13th," Danny shared this morning on social media. When you pre-order Rise you'll get the title track and "If You Ain't In It" as instant download. Dann..Continue reading→
Jordan Feliz Releases Music Video For ‘Best Of Me’
This week Jordan Feliz released his new music video for "Best Of Me." "So excited to share the new music video for Best Of Me with you all!! Hope you have as much fun watching the video as it was to shoot," the Dove Awards New Artist of the Year shared via Facebook. RELATED Jordan Feliz Garners Second No. 1 Single With 'Never Too Far Gone' The music video comes on the close of an exciting fall for Feliz, who won one of his incredible three nominations at last month's Dove Awards..Continue reading→
The Brilliance To Unveil Hope-Filled ‘All Is Not Lost’ January 27
In a world faced with suffering, division and hate, liturgical band The Brilliance is declaring that even still All Is Not Lost, the title of their inspiring sophomore album, set to release January 27, 2017. The New York-based duo, comprised of David Gungor and John Arndt. writes songs for both the church and those feeling spiritually homeless. Their goal is to create music that gives voice to the pain and pleasure of the human experience, providing a sonic invitation that welcomes all people to..Continue reading→
American
Defending Ruth Tucker Again
From Arise, used with permission.By Maureen Farrell GarciaOn January 26, 2017Some Christians see logic as the only trustworthy and effective way to communicate and receive knowledge. Unfortunately, there is not enough space in one post to systematically present the origins of this idea. In general, though the topic is a complex one, we can trace this concept from Ancient Greece, which gained momentum during the Enlightenment, through present Western thought. Some critics of Ruth A. Tucker’s book..
Abortion Advocate Protesting March for Life Put Down Her Sign and Got a Pro-Life Sign. Here’s Why
Abortion activists show up every year at the March for Life in Washington, D.C. to counter the hundreds of thousands of pro-lifers who march for unborn babies’ right to life. This year, the pro-life message appears to have touched at least one of those protesters. A Michigan woman called in to Teresa Tomeo’s Catholic Connection radio show recently to share the change that her family witnessed in a young pro-abortion protester during the march last week. The caller, Maryanne, told Tomeo and he..
German Parliament Honors Nazi Euthanasia Victims
On January 27, 2017, the Germany’s Bundestag [Parliament] commemorated the 72nd anniversary of the liberation of the inmates of Auschwitz concentration camp. This year the focus was placed on the 300,000 disabled victims of the notorious Aktion T-4 euthanasia program. Under Aktion T-4, beginning in 1939, people were gassed or given a lethal injection and cremated in six killing facilities in Germany and Austria. This helped the Nazi regime to refine its system for processing millions, rather th..
Abortion Activists Traveling Across Pro-Life Ireland to Hand Out Dangerous Abortion Drugs
In yet another stunt designed to trivialise the abortion debate in Ireland and endanger the lives of women facing unplanned pregnancy, pro-choice activists have announced their plans to travel round the country again, handing out abortion pills. Sadly, this is nothing new for ROSA, the group behind the stunt. In October 2015, they drove an “abortion pill bus” on another tour to promote the repeal of the Eighth Amendment, Ireland’s last remaining constitutional protection for unborn children. A..
Entertainment
GRAMMY® Acclaimed Crowder To Release “American Prodigal” Sept. 23
“Run Devil Run,” First Single, Hits Today Sept. 23 will mark American Prodigal, the anticipated sophomore solo project from Crowder. American Prodigal will build on Crowder’s double-GRAMMY® nominated Neon Steeple (2014), which debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, sparking both a No. 1 hit and top 5 single at radio, a Grand Ole Opry debut, a Dove Award along with multiple nods, numerous K-LOVE Fan Award Nominations and tours throughout the U.S. and abroad. Premiering a fiery new music video for..
Modern Hymn Writers, Keith & Kristyn Getty, Debut Music Video For New Single
NASHVILLE, TN (June 17, 2016) – Keith and Kristyn Getty, the world-renowned modern hymn writers whose songs are sung by an estimated 100 million people each year in churches and concert halls on every major continent, debuted the music video for “Living Waters,” the first single off their new studio album “Facing a Task Unfinished,” released today. The project marks the 5th studio album from the couple and their first major release of new songs since their widely-embraced Hymns for the Christian..
The Conjuring 2 Finds Light in the Darkness
To understand the underlying message of The Conjuring 2, you just have to look at its calendar. The trials of the Hodgson family take place during London’s drippy, dark December. The days are growing shorter, the nights colder. And the things that go bump in the night at the Hodgson’s north London home are becoming ever more bold. Christmas spirit? More like Christmas spirits. Given the ghoulies that 11-year-old Janet Hodgson (Madison Wolfe) is dealing with, the girl would tell you ..
‘We Have a Calling:’ Conjuring 2 Writers Talk About Where Faith and Fright Meet
Some Christians believe that believers shouldn’t even watch horror films, much less write them. Too scary, they say. Too gross. The occult themes in many can even be dangerous. Screenwriters Chad and Carey Hayes, twin brothers who penned The Conjuring and, now, The Conjuring 2 (in theaters June 10) have heard it all—sometimes from their own family and friends. But they have a different take. They see a dark world out there—not the world they create through their work, but the world ..
US
Statistics on churchgoing at Christmas
Over half of Americans will go to church on Christmas day. Of those who don’t, 57% said they would be open to an invitation to go. [Note the opportunity.] A LifeWay Research study of churchgoing at Christmas also found that 89% of churches will hold services even though Christmas falls on a Sunday. [But over one in ten won’t. See our discussion.] Lutherans are the most likely to hold Christmas services on Sunday (94%), while Pentecostals are least likely (72%). [Why is that, do you think?] Also,..
“That’s Christmas”
Chicago Tribune columnist Rex Huppke writes about how when he was a kid Christmas was hugely exciting, but that it has gotten even better now that he is older. He writes about that, focusing on “a series of moments before, during and after Dec. 25 that make you stop and think: ‘That — that right there — is Christmas.'” Read what he is referring to after the jump. What are the moments that make YOU reflect, “that’s Christmas”? From Rex Huppke, Christmas gets better as you age – Chicago Tribu..
Blog news
Merry Christmas, everybody! I thought I’d pass on some news about the Cranach blog and tell you about what’s coming up next week. Patheos has been bought by the even bigger religious site BeliefNet. Patheos will have its own identity, the editors will be the same, and it will, as they say, remain its own brand. But BeliefNet has resources that will make possible some technical improvements, new features, and, eventually, a new look. I’m not sure what they have in mind, but be on the lookout for ..
The tragedies behind “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”
Let me just let Jim Priest, writing in the Daily Oklahoman, tell it: As Christmas carols were sung and Christmas bells rung, Henry thought back on two tremendous tragedies. His loving wife, Frances, had been fatally burned in an accident in their own home. His son, Charles, had been severely wounded in the war. When Frances was caught up in a fire, Henry attempted to smother the flames by throwing his arms around her. He only succeeded in severely burning himself on his face, arms and hands. He ..
Church & Theology
Theology, Church History, and Guarding the Good Deposit
Follow @BrandonSmith85 Photo courtesy: Neuestock When I began working with the Christian Standard Bible, my first priority was to dig into the history of the translation. I wanted to know who was involved, how it was developed, how it was marketed over the years, and how many Bibles were out in the wild. In order to understand fully the good and the bad about the project ahead of me, I had to take a thorough inventory of where it came from. I could’ve done my job without this investigation—but n..
Salvation by “Faith” Alone or “Allegiance” Alone?
Follow @BrandonSmith85 If you spend any time talking to me about the Trinity, you’ll know that I’m quick to recommend Matthew Bates’s book, The Birth of the Trinity. This book received wide acclaim from various tribes, and it’s on many people’s lists of go-to works on the Trinity and the early church. His new book, however, is getting a little more heat. I was provided a review copy of the book, and it’s certainly worth dealing with—whether one ends up agreeing with Bates’s proposal or not. In S..