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
What The Pro-Choice And Pro-Life Miss About Simone Biles
No amounts of tweets or praise can change the fact, however, that the young woman Americans have fallen in love with on their television screens would not be here if her mother had chosen abortion. That’s the thought abortion supporters never want to ponder … What if? Because if we allow the human life to continue to grow inside the womb, that life will develop and become someone we cannot so easily dismiss. What if we didn’t chose abortion? Who would that baby have become? As Simone Biles was ..Continue reading→
Statism and Parachurchism
Even the briefest perusal of recent activities by the most prevalent evangelical and Reformed(ish) para-church organizations of our day seems to support this claim. No longer content with a straightforward task of providing resources (books, media, conferences) which (arguably) improve theological literacy and piety, we see, for instance, para-church organizations attempting to define the Church’s doctrine, or even write her liturgy, by drafting (and, of course, heavily marketing) theological st..Continue reading→
When God “Rightly” Hurts Us
Remember God’s sovereignty. He really is the omnipotent, omniscient, everywhere present King. God really is in control of everything. He foreordains all that comes to pass. Do not listen to your fleshly heart. Do not entertain the lies of Satan. Forget the theologians who presented an impotent God who is powerless to interfere. God is sovereign. The Scripture is full of times when God watched and allowed his children to be hurt. Pharaoh and the Egyptians hurt the Israelites. Satan buffeted Job,..Continue reading→
Are Clergy Underpaid? New Study Reveals Rising Wages, Shorter Hours and a Diminishing Wage Gap
“There are vast differences in the situations of individual clergy, from those serving small rural or urban churches who often work for low wages without benefits to the high-end salaries of some prominent megachurch pastors. Catholic priests are by far on the low end of the scale, earning about half as much as other clergy.” The wages of battling sin are getting better for men and women of the cloth. Non-Catholic clergy have experienced significant increases in income even as their work weeks..Continue reading→
Life & Society
7 Steps to Help You Pursue a New Life Direction
So you want to step out in a new life direction. But you’re afraid. That’s normal. Fear often keeps us from moving forward. What if I showed you the steps needed to move forward with clarity, confidence, and abundant faith to live an authentic life adventure? First let me acknowledge that I did not follow all of the steps I am about to share with you—not intentionally anyway. Some I had to learn the hard way. When I stepped away from a secure paycheck as the principal of a Christian school, I h..Continue reading→
5 Suggestions For Finding Your New Life Direction
Do you know where you are headed next in life? Do you know where you should be headed next? If you’re like a lot of us, you may have accidentally fallen into a life direction instead of intentionally choosing your best path. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, it shouldn’t be that way. God created each one of us with unique strengths, passions, and skills sets. He gave us each unique relationship connections that open doors of opportunity unavailable to others. And He expects us to use..Continue reading→
Drafting Women: Long-term Cultural Consequences
Lost in the latest egalitarian nonsense about drafting women to serve in the military are two concerns I have about the long-term impact on us as a culture. Aside from the scientific arguments about weakening our fighting force, valid though they are, and the complete collapse of principles by so many on what used to be the ideological right, two glaring concerns remain with drafting women to serve in the military: Our society needs mothers who are not trained killers. Men..Continue reading→
Colorado Court Upholds Re-education Camp for Christian Baker
We are rapidly approaching a tipping point in America. The cultural wildfire is burning. The day is coming, sooner than most think, when we will each have to choose whether to obey God or man, dictatorial bureaucrats or the Constitution, tyrannical judges or our own consciences. The sooner we grasp this truth the better: simply because a court makes a ruling does not make it right. Because a law exists is not sufficient reason to obey it. When Pharaoh ordered all newborn boys to be slaughtered,..Continue reading→
Music
Tanks by Satellites & Sirens
"We live in a world that recently feels so filled with hate. I know it has always been there but it seems like racism, war, bullying, and just a lack of care for others has become the focus of so many news stories and Facebook posts that it's in front of us more than ever. TANKS came from the idea that we as Christians are called to love even in the midst of all that this world could throw at us and if we chose to combat these things with love and make our heart beat louder than the cry[...]Continue reading→
Long Live the Rebels by Disciple
Two-time Dove Award winning Disciple is a staple in the Christian hard rock scene. Known for it's unique blend of faith with intense yet accessible music, the band has forged a deeply connected fan base along the way. Now, after a massively successful Kickstarter campaign, the band is poised to release its 13th studio album, Long Live The Rebels, on October 14 in partnership with Tooth Nail Records BEC Recordings.[...]Continue reading→
Reflection by Derek Minor (PRo)
Minor is slated to release his sixth album, Reflection, on October 14 on his Reflection Music Group in partnership with Entertainment One. The album includes the lead single "You Know It," "Until I'm Gone" featuring BJ The Chicago Kid, "Love Go High" featuring Chrisette Michele, "I'm Good" featuring Janice Gaines, among other tracks. "The overall message of this record is you really are made for greatness," Minor explains. "You're not the sum of your mistakes. We are all imperfect. You were made to be greater than your probably realize."[...]Continue reading→
Wonder by Jean Watson
Internationally acclaimed recording artist Jean Watson is busy prepping the release of her eighth and most ambitious full-length CD to date, WONDER, due to be released October 14, 2016 on Suite 28 Records/Shadowlands Music through Naxos of America, Inc., the nation's leading independent classical music distributor. "The music on WONDER is the most authentically 'me' music I have ever recorded," Watson says. "I believe the music is quite accessible to both the faith-based and general markets, and the opportunity to partner with Naxos to get the music into the hands of music lovers is huge. I really want to launch[...]Continue reading→
Michael Sweet’s ‘One Sided War’ Attacks The Billboard 200 Landing At #77
Stryper frontman Michael Sweet continues to grow musically. His latest release One Sided War, released via Rat Pak Records, made a massive impact on the charts this week. The latest solo album from Sweet landed at #77 on the Billboard 200 with over 8300 units sold and was also #1 on the Hard Rock Albums and Top Christian Albums charts. One Sided War was also the #4 on Top Rock Albums, #6 on Independent Albums and #21 on Top Current Albums charts. The album was also #1 on the Amazon Hard Rock cha..Continue reading→
Jamison Strain Releases ‘Beautiful Beginning’
Singer-songwriter Jamison Strain hasn't had much down time since the July release of his latest album, Beautiful Beginning. He's toured relentlessly, including a September tour with Building 429 and Finding Favour, and the upcoming Wonder Tour 2016 alongside OBB and Love Collide. Sponsored by ChildFund International and Adelphoi Music Group, the Christmas tour will hit cities nationwide through mid-December. Growing up as a pastor's kid, Jamison grew up with a desire for people t..Continue reading→
TODDZERO Gets Brutally Honest With New Album
Los Angeles-based Indie Rock artist TODDZERO has performed on some of music's biggest stages, including SXSW and the MTV Movie Awards Pre-Show, and his critically acclaimed songs have been heard on hit TV shows like the Freeform/ABC Family series The Fosters. But when TODDZERO started to write songs for his latest album, My Precious Limp, he faced an unusual dilemma. It would by easy, and comfortable, to write another collection of songs about the usual themes. Or, he could take the opportu..Continue reading→
Trae Edwards Premieres ‘Love Got Us Through’ Music Video
While the news has been filled with terror attacks, mass shootings and unspeakable tragedies, inspirational Country Music artist Trae Edwards is speaking out with his new single, "Love Got Us Through." The music video premieres at 1000 a.m. EDT today exclusively at The Boot. Trae hopes that the song provides comfort to those that are grieving, and hope for all that better days are ahead. Response to the song has been overwhelming, leading to national media coverage, including appearances on FOX..Continue reading→
Journey’s Jonathan Cain Offers Exclusive Facebook Live Listening Party October 18
Jonathan Cain, longtime keyboardist and rhythm guitarist in Journey, co-writer of the No. 1 catalog rock song in iTunes' history, "Don't Stop Believin'," as well as writer of "Faithfully" and co-writer of "Who's Crying Now," "Open Arms" and many more international hit songs, will host an exclusive Facebook Live listening party Tuesday, Oct. 18, beginning at 700 pm CDT for everyone who preorders his solo album, What God Wants to Hear.Continue reading→
American
Illinois Committee Passes Bill to Overturn Law Saying Unborn Child is a Human Being
An Illinois House committee passed legislation this week that would remove provisions from a 1975 Illinois Abortion Law granting the right to life to unborn children from the time of conception, the Chicago Tribune reported. The bill basically would declare these children unworthy of the right to life even in the event of Roe v. Wade being overturned. “I think we have the responsibility to recognize that even an unborn child is a human being,” State Rep. Sheri Jesiel told the newspaper. “We ha..
Shocking Video Shows How Abortions Kill More Black People Than Every Other Cause Combined
Right to Life of Michigan created a special video project for Black History Month in February that exposes the devastating impact of abortion on the black community. The 1-minute video uses statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and the Guttmacher Institute to show how abortions killed more African Americans than all other causes combined. “More abortions than every other cause of death combined,” the Michigan pro-life group said in an email. “These statistics about Black abortions bo..
Senate Defeats Democrat Filibuster of Pro-Life Rep. Tom Price as HHS Secretary
Senate Republicans today turned back a Democrat filibuster of pro-life HHS Secretary nominee Tom Price, a member of the U.S. House. The 51-48 vote to invoke cloture sets up a vote for later this week on Price’s nomination itself and the pro-life congressman is expected to be confirmed for the important position. Previously, despite a boycott by Democrats on the panel of the vote, a Senate committee voted to confirm pro-life Congressman Tom Price as Secretary of the Department of Health and Huma..
Senate Confirms Pro-Life Jeff Sessions as Attorney General, First Pro-Life AG in Eight Years
The Senate voted today to confirm pro-life Attorney General nominee Jeff Sessions. The Senate approved the nomination 52-47 on a virtual party-line vote with Republicans and West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin voting to confirm and every other Democrat voting no. The vote came after Democrats, notably pro-abortion Massachusetts Democrat Elizabeth Warren, falsely attempted to paint Sessions as racist. That was even after Sessions received an award from the NAACP a few years ago. Senator James Lankfo..
Australia
“I will fight for religious freedom,” says Tim Wilson, incoming MP and former Human Rights Commissioner
The incoming Liberal MP for Goldstein and former Human Rights Commissioner, Tim Wilson has accepted that freedom of speech and freedom of religion are “brothers”, agreeing with Ridley College theology lecturer Rev Dr Mike Bird that they are both “imperative to an open and free democracy”. The pair were speaking at an event hosted by Mentone Baptist Church in Victoria on Tuesday night, considering the state of religious freedom in Australia. Both speaker..
Pokemon GO is sending gamers to a most unexpected place
If you’re one of the millions using the new Pokemon GO app, chances are you’ll end up at church. No, really. Churches around the world have become training places for Pokemon as part of the new Nintendo and Niantic Lab game launched this week. The new app is looking like it’ll have more daily users than Twitter pretty soon and already people are coming to church to battle their creatures. If you’ve seen people walking along the streets glued to their ph..
Brian Houston chats with John Dickson about why we teach the Bible
At Hillsong Conference’s daily segment called ‘Let’s Talk Church’, senior Pastor Brian Houston taught about what he called the “five-fold ministry gifts”: pastor, evangelist, teacher, prophet and apostle. Walking around a section of Sydney’s Qudos Arena, Houston came across Sydney Anglican minister, author and head of Centre For Public Christianity, John Dickson. Crossing the denominational divide, Houston selected Dickson as his examp..
She became a Christian at Hillsong Conference
My coming to Jesus happened almost entirely by surprise. It was a small lifetime ago, in the year 2000, when I was just 16 years old. I remember it well: my jeans were flared, I had a strange affinity for cargo pants an addiction to wearing ribbons in my hair, and I confess to an embarrassing crush on Nick from the Backstreet Boys. It was also the year I became a Christian at Hillsong conference, back in the days when it was held at the ol..
Entertainment
“Ben Hur” a path of redemption
Jack Huston and Toby Kebbell in “Ben-Hur” (Paramount Pictures/ Philippe Antonello) Today the fourth cinematic adaptation of Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ is a reimagining for the 21st century opens in theaters. The first, in 1907, was a silent short film and made without permission from Wallace’s family. The heirs took the filmmakers to court over copyright infringement and it ended with the Supreme Court setting a legal precedent for film and theatrical adaptations of l..
Same Kind of Different As Me: Watch the New Trailer!
The fabulous Renee Zellweger is back, and she’s paired up with the equally stellar Greg Kinnear in what looks to be a fantastic (and tear-jerker!) movie, Same Kind of Different As Me. Based on the book of the same title that was a New York Times best-seller, it’s the story of an international art dealer Ron Hall (Greg Kinnear) who must befriend a dangerous homeless man (Djimon Hounsou) in order to save his struggling marriage to his wife (Renée Zellweger), a woman whose dreams will lead all thr..
The Little Prince is a Little Magical
We’re in the shaggiest stretch of the dog days of summer, and the theaters are full of tent poles. Suicide Squad has bounded into theaters, ready to make all the money. (I’ll be posting something about that movie come Monday.) Jason Bourne and Star Trek Beyond will mop up the leavings. If you’re still trying to catch up on your summertime blockbusters, Finding Dory, The Legend of Tarzan and Ghostbusters are still on plenty of screens. But if you’re looking for ..
Watch: ‘for King & Country’ Music Video for Ben-Hur
Watch the inspiring for KING & COUNTRY “Ceasefire” music video. BEN-HUR is in theaters August 19th — visit the Patheos Movie Club for more conversation and resources! BEN-HUR is the epic story of Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston), a prince falsely accused of treason by his adopted brother Messala (Toby Kebbell), an officer in the Roman army. Stripped of his title, separated from his family and the woman he loves (Nazanin Boniadi), Judah is forced into slavery. After years at sea, Judah returns to his..
US
Top 5 heresies of 2016
499 years after the Reformation, 1691 years after the Council of Nicaea, theological disputes and charges of heresy are still going strong. Emily McFarlan Miller of the Religious News Service looks back on the Top 5 Heresies of 2016. Could you list some more? Are some brewing that will come to a head in 2017? [Read More...] The post Top 5 heresies of 2016 appeared first on Cranach.
Dave Barry’s 2016 Year in Review
One of my New Year’s Eve rituals is to read Dave Barry’s annual Year in Review. The month-by-month breakdown helps me remember and sort of relive the year that is ending. But it’s filtered through off-the-wall hilarity and on-target satire of all sides. If you didn’t read it over the weekend, it’s not too late. I’ll get you started after the jump. From Dave Barry’s 2016 Year in Review | Miami Herald: Yes, we’ve seen some weird years. But we’ve never seen one as weird as 2016. This was the Al Yan..
Happy New Year!
Thank you to all of my readers for being part of this blog last year. Many blessings for 2017! Here is what you can do: Use the comments for this post to give your New Year’s resolutions. Then you can come back next year and check them to see how you did. Well, I can see that you might not want to do that. Happy New Year anyway! Image from Pixabay, Creative Commons, Public Domain
The Name of Jesus
“And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb” (Luke 2:21). So tomorrow, the 8th day after Christmas, which falls on New Year’s Day, the church year commemorates the Circumcision and Name of Jesus. With the baby’s circumcision, He took upon Himself the burden of the Law, which He fulfilled on our behalf. And with His naming, His identity and purpose are made clear. “Jesus” means “Yahweh saves.” God sav..
Church & Theology
Immanuel: When God the Son Became Like Us
Follow @BrandonSmith85 Perhaps the most beautiful hymn in Scripture is not found in the Psalms, but in Paul’s letter to the Philippians: Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death — even to death on a cro..
6 Ways to Help your Children Love Being in Ministry (even during the holidays)
The Christmas/New Year’s season is incredibly busy if you are a pastor or ministry leader. Not only are there special church programs and services, but December is also a full month for outreach, weddings, school events…and all while you are wrapping your mind around planning and casting vision for a new year. It can be easy to put your family in the back seat—or at least on autopilot—as you prepare, preach, and work to focus forward. Some people even go so far as to suggest that ministry and ..
When God’s Gifts Aren’t Wrapped How You Hoped
Life has a way of handing us unexpected and unwanted packages. A pink slip from your employer. A bad report from the doctor. An eviction notice from the bank. A harsh email from a strained relationship. Too often, the package delivered with your name on it isn’t a present you want. The first Christmas was wrapped in an unusual set of circumstances: Joseph and Mary having to make a difficult journey in the last trimester of her pregnancy…and then to have to give birth in a stable. But the ..
7 Practices to Build into Your Annual Calendar
If planning counts as productivity, the week between Christmas and New Year’s is my most productive! This is my week for setting goals and planning out the “big rocks” in my calendar for the coming year. I have found that if I am to wisely steward the multiple roles God has entrusted to me—including husband, dad, grandfather, pastor, college president, friend, and more—it helps if I set aside blocks of time for what is central to meeting these roles. In other words, I can’t just hope it will a..