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→
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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
Doxological Calvinism
Doxologies punctuate the Bible because they punctuate the life of faith. This at least was Paul’s understanding of the life of Abraham: “he was strong in faith, giving glory to God” (Rom. 4:20). Let me invite you to take a simple word-association test. The usual procedure for such a test is that the administrator says a word and the subject responds with the first word that comes to mind. Thus, the word horse might immediately prompt the word cart from some people, but race (as in horse race) f..Continue reading→
The Kingdom Comes Not Through Maneuvers But By Repentance
Today’s Essenes are the gnosis-exalting hip churches and the law-exalting fundy churches, each preaching legalism of a different sort and rendering different sorts of people untouchable. They advocate withdrawal from either “church people” or “the world,” as if true kingdom enlightenment exists in an ecclesiological utopia hermetically sealed off and protected by either their cultural savvy or their cultural avoidance. Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered..Continue reading→
NT Commentaries Withdrawn Over Plagiarism Allegations
The author, Peter T. O’Brien, was presented with the findings and provided the following response: “In the New Testament commentaries that I have written, although I have never deliberately misused the work of others, nevertheless I now see that my work processes at times have been faulty and have generated clear-cut, but unintentional, plagiarism. For this I apologize without reservation.” At the beginning of July 2016, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. received allegations against one of its New..Continue reading→
5 Lessons My Parents Taught Me About Sexuality
“These days, as I get older and consider marriage and my future, it’s the God-designed preciousness of sex that I think about more often. Sex, I’ve learned from my parents, is something to be esteemed without being glorified. While portrayed as a cheap commodity in culture today, God created it as a valuable gift.” “Sexuality”is an electric buzzword in our culture, igniting opinions like wildfire. With clashing commentary from secular society, Christians in recent years have increasingly recogn..Continue reading→
Life & Society
[Audio] How Pastors Can Preach about Religious Freedom
My friend Dr. McKay Caston (who happens to also be my pastor) preached a sermon recently that demonstrates how pastors can and should preach about religious freedom. It is fine example of speaking the truth in love and preparing a congregation for the rising tide of persecution in America. McKay has agreed to let me post the audio here and share his sermon notes below. You can follow his blog here. I encourage you to share them with pastors and church leaders and prayerfully encourage them to en..Continue reading→
Movies
Watch: The first five clips from the new Ben-Hur
The first five clips from the new version of Ben-Hur are now available via WingClips, a website that provides movie clips that pastors can use to illustrate their sermons etc. As you might expect, these clips focus on the religious themes of the film, rather than the action-packed spectacle that the trailers have tended to emphasize. Four of these clips were posted to the ShareBenHur.com website a couple weeks ago but were not embeddable on any other sites at the time. I wrote some notes about t..Continue reading→
Ben-Hur news round-up: Lew Wallace’s novel has been “modernized” by his great-great-granddaughter, and more
Another week, another round-up of Ben-Hur-related news items. First, Publishers Weekly profiles Carol Wallace, whose great-great-grandfather Lew Wallace wrote the original 1880 novel. Carol Wallace has written a new version of the book as a tie-in for the film, though it’s not clear whether she has written a novelization of the movie’s script or simply made her own revisions to her ancestor’s story (e.g. Ben-Hur’s mother is not named in the original novel, but she is called Naomi in the new film..Continue reading→
The joy of disconnecting
This past week, our world tiptoed closer to dystopia. A fear-mongering bully officially became the Republican presidential nominee. His wife gave a speech many believe was plagiarized. Racial tension continued to divide Americans and violence spilled out in cities across the world. I was blissfully unaware of all this. I was riding roller coasters with my wife and eating ice cream with my son. It was time for a much-needed vacation this week, so we dro..Continue reading→
Box office: Star Trek, Ice Age come down with sequel fatigue
Sequel fatigue hit two venerable franchises at the box office this weekend. Star Trek Beyond got off to a decent start with an estimated $59.6 million between Thursday and Sunday nights, but it had the smallest opening of any Star Trek film since the series was rebooted seven years ago. (The last two films, which turned the series into a big-budget action franchise, both opened to $70 million-plus.) A dip in domestic grosses doesn’t necessarily spell trouble for the film as a whole, though. The ..Continue reading→
Mark Burnett and Roma Downey explain why they chose ‘Ceasefire’ from For King & Country as ‘Ben-Hur’ soundtrack
"Ben-Hur" producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey have a very special reason why they chose the song "Ceasefire" from For King & Country as the soundtrack of the big-budget movie adaptation of Lew Wallace's 1880 novel "Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ." "'Ben-Hur' is a big-action adventure movie and it is a thrilling ride, but it holds deep within it a powerful message about forgiveness and reconciliation," Downey tells News OK. "In the last few weeks with all the violen..Continue reading→
Prophet Joseph — episodes twenty-five and twenty-six
Synopsis. Inarus goes to the prison to set Joseph free and take him back to Pharaoh, but Joseph refuses to leave until his name is cleared; he says he does not want to be “forgiven” for a crime he never committed, instead he wants it known that he never committed the crime in the first place. At Joseph’s suggestion, Amenhotep summons Zuleikha and the women who visited her palace and cut their hands when they saw Joseph several years ago. Zuleikha confesses that she has been in love with Joseph f..Continue reading→
Tahar Rahim in talks to play Judas in Mary Magdalene
Deadline reports that Tahar Rahim, a French actor of Algerian descent best known for his starring role in Jacques Audiard’s A Prophet (pictured above), is in talks to play Judas Iscariot in Garth Davis’s upcoming Mary Magdalene movie. Rahim would join a cast that already includes Joaquin Phoenix as Jesus, Chiwetel Ejiofor as the apostle Peter, and Rooney Mara as the Magdalene herself. This would not be the first time Rahim has appeared in a film set in ancient Roman times. He previously played t..Continue reading→
Watch: The second (spoiler-ish!) music video for Ben-Hur
If there’s one thing all versions of Ben-Hur have had in common, it’s the chariot race, which Judah Ben-Hur wins while his old nemesis Messala gets trampled by some horses. But what happens after the chariot race has varied from film to film. The 1925 film basically ignores Messala after the race, though he seems to survive it. (In the original novel, Messala is crippled by the horses but not killed.) In the 1959 film, Messala dies within minutes of the race and uses his final breaths to drive a..Continue reading→
Flashback: More than 20 years of Star Trek reviews!
Note: This is a revised and updated version of a blog post I wrote in May 2013. I grew up with the Star Trek series. When I was six years old and living with my family in Poland in the mid-1970s, three of my favorite and most-read books were the David C. Cook Picture Bible, C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, and Stephen E. Whitfield’s The Making of Star Trek, which covers the first two seasons of the original TV show. (I wondered sometimes what Mister Spock, with his emphasis on logic, woul..Continue reading→
Music
Derek Minor Debuts New Video
Derek Minor releases the video for "Look at Me Now" with a digital premiere on BET.com. "Look at Me Now" is the latest video from his hit album, Reflection, which debuted at #5 on Billboard's Top Rap Albums chart. His current hit single "Change the World (feat. Hollyn), also continues to impact radio, rising up the Christian Hot AC/CHR chart to #18. In the new Will Thomas-directed video for "Look at Me Now," Minor recalls his days as a teenager, aspiring rapper and producer. "I remember be..Continue reading→
Joel Vaughn Launches Indiegogo to Fund Full Length Album
DREAM Records artist Joel Vaughn is following up his two stand-out EPs with a full length album early next year, and he's calling on listeners to make it happen. Joel's ten track album is due to release January of 2017. He has set a goal of $15,000 for his Indiegogo fundraiser, breaking down on the campaign page what portions of that will go to production, mixing, mastering and production of CDs. "The past six months I have been writing songs that are inspired by my life experiences a..Continue reading→
KJ-52 Releases First Independent Project on Pledge Music
Sixteen years strong, KJ-52's career laid the groundwork for artists across the CHH industry. More importantly, Jonah Sorrentino assisted fans worldwide with the crossover from mainstream (secular) to faith-based hip-hop. Along with the likes of The Cross Movement, Mars Ill, The Grits, Gospel Gangstaz, T-Bone, and Tunnel Rats, KJ-52 is respected as one of the pioneers and icons of the industry. Embarking on his 11th studio release, subject matter and production seems to be on the rise inste..Continue reading→
‘Exposition’ Set to Release on 11/25
SKRIP, born Adriel Cruz, will celebrate his 30th birthday in February. With Exposition, he bears the heart of a mature, seasoned lyricist equipped with crisp, skillful wordplay primed to impress fans of all ages. SKRIP has made the most of his multiple spiritual gifting, as he's the founder and pastor of World Renegade Church based out of Chicago. He wrote, produced, and recorded this entire record individually. On the production end, fellow rappers can purchase beats he's crafted afte..Continue reading→
Beacon Light Releases Video For ‘Lit’
Brandon Clahassey, AKA Beacon Light, has released his new music video for "Lit." RELATED Beacon Light Releases "Color Blind" Music Video About Racism The song is the title track from Beacon Light's most recent album that dropped in September and follows closely behind the video for "Haters," which premiered on NewReleaseToday.com in August. "What do you think? Is my new video LIT?" Beacon posted last Friday when the video went live. Buy the song (and album) on iTunes by clicking here and..Continue reading→
Love Be the Loudest by Ginny Owens
After more than a million albums sold, a trio of Dove Awards and career-defining No. 1 hit singles like "If You Want Me To" and "Free," Owens could have settled on her substantial laurels and coasted through this next season as a sought-after recording artist and songwriter. But she knew God was calling her to be bold, so she set out to design an album that would reflect current music trends while inspiring listeners to put feet to their faith. "Most people think my greatest life challenge is blindness; I've been blind since age three. But that simply isn't true," says[...]Continue reading→
Hits Deep Live CD/DVD by TobyMac
This November, you will get an up close and personal viewing of the highly acclaimed HITS DEEP TOUR, the nearly sold out arena tour that TobyMac embarked on this past spring. The HITS DEEP LIVE CD/DVD combo captures Toby's signature blend of rock, pop, hip-hop in this high-energy setting. Featuring some of his biggest hits from This Is Not A Test including "Move (Keep Walkin')" and "Feel It," this live experience is a great addition to any TobyMac fan's collection.[...]Continue reading→
Where I Belong by Lisa Mitts
This album is my 5th project and I love the direction God led me in the songwriting, arrangements and production/engineering of this CD. The songs have been inspired out of the deeper revelation of abiding in the love of Messiah without the self-induced pressure of having to strive or earn God's love. We all begin our walk with the LORD out of a pure raw desperation knowing that there is nothing we can ever do to earn this love it is not based in works, rather the opposite. But somehow we get sucked back into the lie that says[...]Continue reading→
American
Heartbreaking Video Shows You What 58 Million Babies Killed in Abortion Looks Like
Pro-lifers are nothing if not creative. Over the decades, they have produced thousands upon thousands of “visual aids,” from the simplest black and white one-sheeter to full-blown movies—and everything in-between. The common denominator is—to adapt a cliché—to help the public get its collective head around both the humanity we share with the unborn child and the sheer magnitude of the loss of lives since January 22, 1973. Although I scribble for a living, I really do believe a picture–or in th..
Good Deed of the Month
Kim Norvell: JOHNSTON, Iowa — An anonymous donor has paid off lunch debts for 148 Johnston elementary school students whose accounts were in the red by $10 or more. The donation, totaling $13,250, was made Jan. 9. It benefited students in kindergarten through fifth grade in all five Johnston elementary schools, said Laura Sprague, director of communications. “This donation is quite critical for families who need some extra help,” she said. ” … When the belly is full, the kids can have a much bet..
World Vision Letter to President Trump
Dear President Trump and Vice President Pence, As evangelical Christians, we are guided by the Bible to be particularly concerned for the plight of refugees, individuals who have been forced to flee their countries because of the threat of persecution. Evangelical churches and ministries have long played a key role in welcoming, resettling, and assisting in the integration of refugees from various parts of the world. As such, we are troubled by the recent executive order temporarily halting refu..
Why Be Anglican: Prayers of the People
No question about it, but in many churches there is not a designated time for the people to pray. Some churches are just too big for that, and even too big for a pastoral prayer. Others are so focused on the sermon that there is not time left for what we Anglicans call the “prayers of the people.” In our liturgy, every Sunday, we have a time where we are led by a lay person in prayer. It’s called “intercession” or “intercessory prayers” when we pray for others, and when we do it in public it nee..
Entertainment
Watch the Trailer for ‘When The Game Stands Tall’
When the Game Stands Tall opens in theaters everywhere Friday.
Zach Bates Is Engaged!
Man, has it been a busy fall for relationships with kids from huge reality TV families! Jessa Duggar is the first Duggar daughter to enter courtship, which means she should be getting engaged fairly soon unless something major happens, and Erin Bates and Chad Paine are getting hitched in November. But Erin isn’t the only Bates kid settling down – her brother Zach Bates just proposed to his girlfriend Whitney. As is typical with the Bates clan, mom Kelly Bates announced the big news on the family..
US
Gift ideas: Reading Romans with Luther
Let’s start a series of posts on ideas for Christmas presents! Here is a good one: Reading Romans with Luther. It’s by R. J. Grunewald, a sometime commenter here at the Cranach blog. Luther’s greatest theological works are his commentaries on Scripture, such was his concern to adhere closely to the text of God’s Word. One of his greatest works is his commentary on Romans, the epistle in which St. Paul explores the Gospel of salvation through the work of Christ in its depths. Here is the Law & Go..
Problems with the EXXON CEO as Secretary of State
(3) The appearance of plutocracy. There are people on both the left and the right who say that our democracy is a sham because our country is really run by the big corporations. Trump’s packing his cabinet with billionaires, Wall Street tycoons, and corporation CEOs plays right into that.Trump hammered Hillary Clinton for giving speeches to Goldman-Sachs. But he has appointed three Goldman-Sachs executives to his administration. He owes his election to blue-collar workers the Democrats have igno..
Update on Ohio’s anti-abortion bills
The Ohio state legislature has passed two abortion bills that Gov. John Kasich has now acted on. He refused to sign the “heartbeat bill,” which would have banned abortion after the developing child’s heart begins to beat. That can be as early as six weeks, which is before many women even realize they are pregnant. Kasich said that bill would certainly have been struck down by the courts. That’s probably right, but that the child develops such a universal sign of life so early should surely tell ..
Hotels without Gideon Bibles
The Gideons do great work in distributing Bibles. For many decades, virtually every hotel room had a Gideon Bible on the nightstand or in a drawer. But today, less than half do. A survey has found that only 46% of American hotel rooms include religious material. Ten years ago, nearly three-quarters did. Of course, what the Christian Gideons did, representatives of other religions did. Hotels that have Bibles in the rooms often also have Books of Mormon. I suspect that the decline of hotel Bibles..