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
Military’s Highest Court Denies Marine’s Religious Liberty Claim
In the majority opinion, the judges noted that because Sterling did not indicate until during her trial that the signs had any religious significance to her, the words on the signs could have been interpreted as being “combative in tone.” They concluded the order to remove the signs was valid and did not place a “substantial burden” on her exercise of religion. But in a dissenting opinion, Judge Kevin A. Ohlson argued that, in its decision, the CAAF went far beyond what was necessary to decide S..Continue reading→
This Republican Mayor Has An Incredibly Simple Idea To Help The Homeless. And It Seems To Be Working
In partnership with a local nonprofit that serves the homeless population, a van is dispatched around the city to pick up panhandlers who are interested in working. The job pays $9 an hour, which is above minimum wage, and provides a lunch. At the end of the shift, the participants are offered overnight shelter as needed. Republican Mayor Richard Berry was driving around Albuquerque last year when he saw a man on a street corner holding a sign that read: “Want a Job. Anything Helps.” Throughou..Continue reading→
How Much Should a Christian Olympian Give Up for Gold?
Three-time gold medalist Josh Davis and Rio correspondent Tim Ellsworth on picking between evangelism and family, the athlete’s faith community, and what the Games have in common with missions trips. Did you see the Americans’ sweep the hurdles last night? Do you go to bed at night still thinking about Katie Ledecky breaking her own world records? Do you have dozens of hours of unwatched pool play handball games on your DVR? We have a podcast for you. Two-time Olympian Josh Davis—who swam wit..Continue reading→
Whose Hate? Which Victims?
“So what do victim impact statements and the concept of hate crime have in common? They both point to an evaluation of the moral significance of criminal acts, and of victimhood, that prioritizes the psychological and the subjective.” One of the great problems in today’s world is that hate is rather limited in scope. For society to flourish, we really need more hate—or at least a broader understanding of what hate is. Confused? Well, bear with me a moment while I explain. Last week The Spectat..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Do You Live Like Your Story Matters?
Because of our natural human fixation on “the seen,” we tend to think only of the impact of our story in this brief season of our existence: the here and now. Although that impact is not unimportant, as immortal beings we should be far more concerned with how our story will sound when it is told there and then, in that next season of existence that will extend through all eternity. Unfortunately, for many Christians, the goal is simply to get across the finish line after surviving this earthly ..Continue reading→
Preschooler Made to Care about LGBT Agenda in Colorado
According to The Denver Post, a 4-year-old Aurora, Colorado girl was “kicked out” of a preschool last month when her parents raised questions about books read in her class, including ones that told stories about same-sex couples and worms unsure about their gender. The girl returned home from school one day concerned that her daddy might not like girls anymore–and her mommy is a girl. Montview Community Preschool & Kindergarten in Denver — run as a private, parent cooperative — used the stories ..Continue reading→
Disney Demands Georgia Let Go of Religious Freedom
We should have seen this coming. After all it was a Disney / Pixar film that captured the mantra of the secular Progressives: “We scare because we care.” Just as we describe in You Will Be Made to Care, Disney has joined the NFL and other compassionate bullies to try to shut down even stripped-down religious freedom protection in Georgia under the auspices of opposing discrimination. They are threatening to take their Marvel movie-making magic somewhere else if Georgia passes HB 757 to protect r..Continue reading→
Republican Convention Rules: It Takes a Majority
It takes a majority. It takes a majority of delegates to win the Republican nomination for President. It is not complicated. It is not new. These rules have been basically the same since the founding of the Party. A majority of the delegates to the convention must vote for a candidate if he or she is to become the Party’s nominee. Yet Trump and his fans are demanding the rules be changed to accommodate him. They are demanding that the Establishment (whatever that is anymore) rip up the rules and..Continue reading→
Movies
THE YOUNG MESSIAH in a World on Fire
Who has time to answer a child’s questions amidst racial strife, religious conflict, and a refugee crisis? There is so much uncertainty and anger surrounding our search for a new leader, threats can lead to violence at any moment. And if we fail to see the parallels being the tumultuous ancient world that Jesus entered and our context today, then we’ve missed the poignant, life affirming point of the captivating new movie, The Young Messiah. Opening in movie theaters this weekend, The Young Mess..Continue reading→
RISEN Dares to Dabble in Mystery
The Greatest Story Ever Told is also one of the most oft told cinematic tales. So how can filmmakers bring a fresh take to Jesus’ death and resurrection? Directors often succumb to the digital temptation of bigger, louder, faster in an effort to instill faith in their audiences. Unfortunately, relying on spectacle only builds fascination with the special effects. Risen restores my faith in the Gospel film by doing the hard work of finding a new angle. It places us within the dramatic moment when..Continue reading→
Does the Arc In Hollywood Bend Towards Justice?
Editors’ Note: This article is part of the Patheos Public Square. This month we’re asking: Has Hollywood Become Our National Conscience? Read other perspectives here. While some decry the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as an exclusive club deserving an #OscarsSoWhite label, others see it pushing a liberal agenda through every ribbon displayed at the annual Academy Awards. Given the conservative nature of the economic decision-making in Hollywood, the truth resides somewhere in betwe..Continue reading→
Faith-based drama ‘The Reconciler’ being released
Justice Pictures and IMD Films are releasing the Dove Foundation approved film, “The Reconciler,” which includes the first appearance of Canadian professional wrestler and actor Roddy Piper in a film since his passing on July 30, 2015. “The Reconciler” also stars Sherry Morris of “The Book of Ruth.” The film is now available in all Walmart stores through an exclusive agreement with Black Wolf Media Group and Origin Releasin..Continue reading→
SPOTLIGHT: No More Silent Nights
Spotlight is a throwback to the golden age of seventies cinema. It is a whip smart tribute to investigative journalism, rooted in character and grounded in a world where the most special effect is human emotion. Spotlight follows the tireless efforts of a team of reporters from The Boston Globe to uncover the sexual abuse perpetrated by far too many Roman Catholic priests. The most disturbing revelations in this true story involve the systematic cover up by Cardinal Bernard Law and the Boston Ar..Continue reading→
ROOM: Expanding Our Empathy
Heartache is an interesting condition. It is usually associated with romance, when break ups lead to heartbreak. So what should we call a situation where you find yourself rooting so hard for someone else’s happiness, that their trials and tribulations make your heart ache? Room is both harrowing and heroic. It places a heavy burden upon its characters and thanks to superb acting, writing and directing, transfers that weight to the audience. Emma Donoghue adapted her award-winning novel to what ..Continue reading→
Faith-based historical football drama “Woodlawn” coming to theaters nationwide
A faith-based period drama with a modern-day purpose and explosive sports action is headed to theaters nationwide October 16, 2015. WOODLAWN, is said to be an exhilarating high school football story about revival and reconciliation, offering hope for overcoming the racial crises facing America today. The movie, an Erwin Brothers film produced by Kevin Downes, tells the true-life story of Ton..Continue reading→
“One Generation Away” film tour visits the frontlines of religious liberty issues
“One Generation Away” is a fast-paced film that travels the United States (and Europe) in search of a deeper understanding of the religious freedom clauses in the Constitution’s First Amendment. From Hobby Lobby to the Mt. Soledad Cross in San Diego to wedding service providers in the Northwest, “One Generation Away” asks hard questions about the status of religious liberty in America toda..Continue reading→
Inside Out (2015)
Take a deep dive into your own head. Do an archaeological dig. Work your way all the way to the center. What do you find? Core memories. Foundational impressions. The moments that made you. Me? Mine are almost all related to creativity: – Reading books — fairy tales and fantasy, mostly. – Writing and illustrating my own fantasy stories with crayons, and then learning how to type out the words with my index finger on a typewriter. – Drawing pictures on church bulletins during church while my mom softly shushed me. – Opening presents on Christmas morning at my grandparents’ house, and discovering that my grandfather has built me my very own puppet stage. – Hanging out with my dad while he read theology books and graded high school students’ papers all evening. – Playing basketball in the backyard all by myself, inventing new variations on the game, and pretending to be every player on opposing teams as I acted out whole games. – Watching Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on the bi..Continue reading→
Music
The Chapel Band Releases ‘The Gathering’
Pop worship team, Chapel Band is proud to release their new album, The Gathering. After recently signing with DREAM Worship, the group quickly went into the studio to finish amazingly powerful pop live album. The songs of this revival were penned by the young worshipers of Chapel Band who had poured into this movement and were beginning to see all they had prayed and longed for. The songs on the album have become anthems over the nation in their hometown in Ireland. Check out their new song, "A..Continue reading→
Pop Artist Julianna Zobrist’s Husband Ben Named World Series MVP
Last night in game 7 of the World Series with the score tied in the top of the 10th inning, it was pop artist Julianna Zobrist's husband Ben who saved the day with a go-ahead double that sent in two runs and led the Chicago Cubs to a 8-6 victory over the Indians and their first World Series win since 1908. Zobrist was named MPV of the World Series (the first player in Chicago Cubs history to have that honor since the award wasn't established until 1955) for his "curse-breaking" hit.Continue reading→
The City Harmonic To Part Ways Summer 2017
This morning The City Harmonic made the announcement that they would be parting ways come summer 2017. The difficult announcement was partnered with the promise of a final tour next year and a unique worship album recorded during that time. The City Harmonic will be hosting a Facebook Live Event on Saturday, Nov. 5, beginning at 700 pm EDT. Fans friends of the band who would love to talk more about the announcements by the band in the letter below are invited to participate during this live even..Continue reading→
Newsboys Shine Spotlight On Heroes
GRAMMY®-nominated, Platinum®-selling Newsboys brought their blockbuster "Love Riot Tour" to a capacity audience at Nashville's Curb Event Center Friday night, with the band's hometown concert also serving as a benefit for the Guardian for Heroes Foundation. Established by late U.S. Navy SEAL and "American Sniper" Chris Kyle, the organization assists combat veterans transitioning to post-military life. During the evening, Guardi..Continue reading→
Ron Block And Jeff Taylor Visit World-Famous WSM Radio
Multi GRAMMY®-winner Ron Block and GRAMMY®-nominee Jeff Taylor stopped by Nashville's world-famous 650 AM WSM Radio earlier this week to share selections from their collaborative debut, Trouble Go Down, which bows today. The virtuosos joined legendary host Bill Cody and producer Charlie Mattos on the "Coffee, Country and Cody" morning show, heard around the globe on WSM Radio and online, as well as broadcast to television audiences via The Heartland Network. Continue reading→
Integrity Music Releases ‘Majesty In A Manger’
Committed to resourcing churches with songs of substance for every service need, Integrity Music announces the global release of Majesty In A Manger, a new worship album for the Christmas season. Produced by Dove Award winner Michael Farren (AllAboutWorship) and Daniel Kinner (Mandisa/Royal Tailor), the album features 11 tracks including new songs and an instrumental. "The Advent season brings some challenges to most wor..Continue reading→
The Creepier EP…er by Relient K
Track Listing 01. The Halloween Blues 02. The Cup 03. Halloween in Owatonna Continue reading→
I’m Not Ashamed – Single by Jeremy Camp
Track Listing 01. I'm Not AshamedContinue reading→
Trust You All The Way by About A Mile
Since launching 2014's biggest-selling Christian album debut from a new artist, Dove Award-nominated About A Mile is taking all the experiences over the last couple years and pouring them into its sophomore album, Trust You All The Way, to be released from Radiate Music Oct. 28. More than the successes of playing Christian music's biggest stage (Winter Jam) and a bevy of supporters that have fully-funded its PledgeMusic campaign, band members and brothers Adam, Luke and Levi Klutinoty have resolved to trust God with every aspect of their lives and ministry. Pouring that conviction into their upcoming album, which was produced[...]Continue reading→
American
New Mexico Assisted Suicide Bill Moves Toward Death on Demand
Assisted suicide pushers are–to put it kindly–disingenuous. For example, they often offer smooth assurances about “safeguards” to protect against abuse. Yet, new legalization schemes often dilute the traditional already-as-thick-as-water limitations in place where lethally prescribing is now legal. For example, most laws require doctors to diagnose and prescribe lethally. But a bill in New Mexico would open those who can help kill to nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants. Generally ..
ACLU Opposes Bill to Ban Sex-Selection Abortions
The American Civil Liberties Union slammed an Arkansas bill that would prohibit sex-selection abortions this week, claiming the measure is unconstitutional. The Gurdon Times reports a House committee passed the bill, state House Bill 1434, on Thursday. The bill moves to the full state House for consideration. Sponsored by state Rep. Charlie Collins, the bill would make it illegal for abortion practitioners to knowingly abort an unborn child if the woman is doing so based solely on the child’s ..
Girl Born “Inside Out” Has Life-Saving Surgery Minutes After Birth. Her Organs Were Outside Her Body
A North Carolina baby is thriving at home just months after she was born with several of her organs outside of her body. Baby Elliotte Sargent of Wilmington, North Carolina had two life-saving surgeries within the first eight days of her birth to fix part of her body that was “inside out,” the Daily Mail reports. Doctors said the little girl is doing well at home, and probably will not need any more surgeries. Elliotte was born in September weighing 6 pounds, 2 ounces; but doctors detected her..
Illinois Pregnancy Resource Centers Sue Governor for Forcing Them to Promote Abortions
Eighteen Illinois women’s health organizations are suing Governor Bruce Rauner over Illinois’ new law forcing pro-life doctors and pregnancy resource centers to discuss abortion benefits and refer pregnant women for abortions despite their conscience-based opposition to abortion. The controversial SB 1564, which amended the Health Care Right of Conscience Act effective January 1, 2017, has left Illinois’ over 90 not-for-profit pregnancy resource centers with little choice but to file suit seekin..
Australia
If Sonia Kruger and Pauline Hanson can talk about Muslims, so can Christians
Brad Chilcott, founder of Welcome to Australia, today accused TV host Sonia Kruger and Senator-elect Pauline Hanson of creating an atmosphere that could make Australia less safe rather than safer from terrorism. Kruger said yesterday that “as a mother” she was fearful for the safety of her family if Muslim migration was not stopped. Later, founder of the One Nation political party Pauline Hanson dominated discussion on the ABC’s Q&A programme, fielding..
New Russian anti-evangelism laws will not stop Christians evangelising
Russian president Vladimir Putin has approved a new suite of anti-terrorism laws that appear to severely restrict evangelism and missionary activity which will come into effect this week. Under the new laws to be enacted on July 20 it will be illegal to share the Christian faith in homes or anywhere except recognised church buildings. Surveillance of Internet activity will be ramped up, with Russian Christians no longer allowed to send email invitations..
A basket made of Bibles wins art prize
“The bread basket of Emmaus” winner of the Mandorla Art Award 2016 A basket, made from the pages of three Bibles has won a major art award. Artist Megan Robert won the $25,000 first prize in the Mandorla Art Award for a work which literally meant taking apart the Bible in order to tell the story of Jesus. “The judges were impressed that her artwork expressed the presence/absence/presence mystery of the resurrection through the story of the journey to Emmaus (Luke 24: 13-3..
He sold everything and moved his family to Thailand to battle child sex slavery
Tony Kirwan loves what he does. The founder and international president of Destiny Rescue loves it so much that, even when he goes on holidays with his family, he visits brothels at night, posing as a customer. So why does a good Christian man feel drawn to what he calls these “dark, ugly places”? As a father of three daughters, the northern Thailand-based activist is passionate about rescuing girls from the sex trade. “About 12 months ago I went with my wife and fa..
Entertainment
How Logical Spock Gives Us a Surprising Example of Spirituality
The starship Enterprise may reportedly have plied the galaxy in the 23rd century, but it officially left the dock 50 years ago as a featured (albeit non-sentient) character on NBC’s Star Trek. Star Trek’s first episode was aired Sept. 8, 1966. In “The Man Trap,” Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy encounter a strange creature with a yen for salt … and the ability to appear in any human guise it might choose. And while it and the 78 episodes that followed weren’t watched by many pe..
Why Colin Kaepernick’s National Anthem Kneel Down Matters
When Colin Kaepernick first refused to rise during the National Anthem before a fairly meaningless pre-season game, it felt to me like the act of a petulant, spoiled athlete who has forgotten the many advantages that he’s been showered with in this country. But my first thoughts are not always my best thoughts. And now that he’s made good on his promise and protested the National Anthem a second time—last night during a preseason game in San Diego—my reaction is a bit different. Par..
When Gene Wilder Played God (in a Chocolate Factory)
Gene Wilder, who died Aug. 29 at the age of 83, was not a particularly religious man. “I’m going to tell you what my religion is,” he told Abigail Pogrebin in 2005 as part of her book Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish (according to an excerpt printed in Tablet Magazine). “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Period. Terminato. Finito. I have no other religion. I feel very Jewish and I feel very grateful to be Jewish. But I don’t believe in God or a..
What Six Members of Suicide Squad Have to Say About Faith
Say what you want about the fledgling cinematic universe of DC, it beats the spandex pants off Marvel in its willingness to tackle the subject of faith. We saw it with Man of Steel and its explicit comparisons of Superman to Christ. We saw it again in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice—complete with an impending resurrection. And believe it or not, we saw a bit of it in the wildly popular, critically panned Suicide Squad. For a bunch of no-account do-badders, many of the Squad’s mem..
US
Grappling with Bach’s theology
Alex Ross, music critic for The New Yorker has written a fascinating piece on Bach’s theology. He says that while much research of the past tried to look at Bach in purely secular terms, today’s scholarship is attempting to unpack the musical impact of his Lutheranism. Ross reviews several recent books on the subject, including one that tries to read into Bach’s music elements of anti-semitism, as if that is what Lutheranism is all about. (Despite Luther’s senile ravings at the end of his life, ..
Simulated relationships
Why do we often take celebrity deaths so hard? According to Rev. Travis Berg, citing various experts, it’s because we form “simulated relationships.” Our impulse to form friendships is displaced onto people we don’t really know, except from the characters they play or their personalities projected by the media. In our high-tech, low-interaction culture, those kinds of “para-social relationships” are all some people have! In contrast, God wants us to love actual people and to be part of actual co..
The Cubs didn’t really win the World Series
The Chicago Cubs didn’t really win the World Series over the Cleveland Indians. Actually, both teams scored 27 points. So the series was really a tie. That’s the same kind of reasoning that insists Donald Trump didn’t really win the election because Hillary Clinton won the popular vote. So says Mollie Hemingway in a column about how liberals can learn from conservatives in accepting disappointing outcomes. From Mollie Hemingway, 10 Things The Right Can Teach The Left About Accepting The Reality ..
The “current year” argument
Some people invoke the current year as a sufficient argument. As in, “I can’t believe that it’s 2017 and we are still debating abortion.” Or, “It’s 2017! How can you believe the Bible?” Nicholas Pell points out that merely giving the date does not prove anything. It does express the progressive worldview, that things are getting better and better, so that an idea from the present is assumed to be better than an idea from the past. Pell observes that many people are conservatives, who tend to bel..
Church & Theology
5 Practical Ways to Celebrate Thanksgiving
I love Thanksgiving for many reasons, but perhaps the greatest is that it helps us schedule a day to do what we should be doing every day of the year—give thanks. Thanksgiving, of course, is more than a holiday—it should be a verb. So how, practically speaking, can we make this a day when we actually give thanks? Here are five suggestions: Trust the sovereignty of God. I don’t know that I ever thought of trusting God as being a way to express thankfulness to Him until the year our son, Larry, ..
9 Recent Posts and Podcasts on the Trinity
Follow @BrandonSmith85 After the Trinity hubbub this summer and the Trinity being the topic of the most recent annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, a full storehouse of resources and articles has been produced. In particular, there’s been a lot of helpful clarification on the relationship between the Father and Son. Below is a list of my favorites written over the past six months or so, in no particular order. Also, it should not be assumed that I agree with every jot and tittl..
7 Ways to Actually Decompress on Your Day Off
Have you ever gotten to the end of a “day off” and felt just as exhausted as you did at the beginning? Have you ever looked back over the day and wished for a do over? God so kindly designed our lives to function best with one day out of seven as a day of rest. Although “the Sabbath” is not a New Testament requirement, time for rest is something God created us with a need for. Many people, especially “Type A” leaders, struggle to take this time of rest to actually decompress mentally and emoti..
7 Ways You Can Keep Christ in Christmas
You’ve heard it (and maybe shared it): “Keep Christ in Christmas.” It’s a great thought…but do you do it? December can be such a busy month. Even busy with ministry. But sometimes in all the busyness of the season, we’re as guilty as the innkeeper of not making room for Jesus, even if our reasons are well intentioned. How can you, throughout the month of December, not only keep your head above water but actually make this month a season of worship? Here are seven suggestions: Attend every ch..