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: New footage from Star Trek Beyond as it premieres at Comic-Con, plus a new featurette on Captain Kirk
Star Trek Beyond opens in regular theatres tonight, but some lucky fans got to see the film last night at the San Diego Comic-Con, where it was shown on an outdoor IMAX screen with live orchestral accompaniment. The studio has posted a number of clips from that event — clips that include bits of new footage that we haven’t seen before — as well as a new featurette on Captain Kirk. Check ’em all out below the jump. Here is the featurette on Captain Kirk: And below are the videos from Comic-Con, ..Continue reading→
Four things from the Young Messiah DVD commentary
At last, I have acquired a copy of the American Blu-Ray of The Young Messiah! While it doesn’t have all that many bonus features, it does have a few of them, which is more than I can say for the Canadian disc, which has none. (The American Blu-Ray also comes with a DVD copy of the film, which the Canadian Blu-Ray does not.) The bonus features include a 10-minute featurette on the making of the film and about seven minutes of deleted scenes, none of which add all that much to the story. But the d..Continue reading→
Watch: Spock and McCoy disagree on their next course of action in a new Star Trek Beyond clip
Star Trek Beyond comes to theatres tomorrow night, and the stream of promotional videos shows no signs of letting up. The latest clip from the film expands on a moment that we’ve seen in the trailers, in which Spock and McCoy are surrounded by some drones after they are stranded on a mysterious planet. Check it out below the jump. Here is the clip (and by the way, did the original Spock ever address Doctor McCoy by his first name “Leonard”, the way he occasionally called Kirk “Jim”?): The studi..Continue reading→
Grace and beauty in “Babette’s Feast”
Hey everyone, Chris here. I’m currently on vacation with my family. But awhile back, I was introduced to a new film writer whose insights I’m greatly enjoying. His name is John Irwin and he blogs about film at beezfilms.blogspot.com. Looking at his list of favorite films, I found that we shared a few in common, and I asked him if he’d like to write about one of our shared favorites, one I’ve wanted to write about for awhile but just haven’t had the time. So today, enjoy this guest post from John..Continue reading→
Ben-Hur news round-up: Is the new film a “Trojan horse”?
Another week, another round-up of Ben-Hur news items, plus a few new TV spots. First, Christian Today has a few quotes from Roma Downey, who calls the film “the most riveting opportunity of our [i.e. hers and Mark Burnett’s] careers”: “It’s a feast, a beautiful re-imagining of this epic story. I think that the movie in many ways is a Trojan horse, because it’s an action/adventure movie and it delivers on that, and viewers won’t be disappointed with that. It’s epic. But…it’s a story of redemption..Continue reading→
Is there a big spoiler in the new Star Trek Beyond TV spot?
So a bunch of Star Trek Beyond reviews went online last Friday, and I read a few of them to get a sense of what the movie would be about. Some of them hinted at a major revelation that comes up late in the film, but they declined to say what it was. Now, however, Paramount has released a TV spot that might just give it away. It’s possible, of course, that the spot in question doesn’t show the precise spoiler that the reviews avoided describing, but it does hint at something very significant abou..Continue reading→
Hail, Caesar! and the road-to-Damascus experience in film
Is Hail, Caesar! the first movie from a major Hollywood studio to depict Saint Paul’s road-to-Damascus experience on the big screen? I think it might be. Last year, I looked at a dozen different filmed versions of the road-to-Damascus story and posted images from all twelve of them, but they were all either produced for television or made by independent church-based filmmakers. I couldn’t — and still can’t — think of a single major mainstream film that has ever portrayed it. Apart, that is, from..Continue reading→
Box office: Ghostbusters gets off to a good but not great start, while animated films continue to set new records
After months of controversy, an all-female reboot of a popular comedy franchise had a good but not great start at the box office this weekend, while a couple of animated films continued to set new records for the animation medium. Ghostbusters — a reboot of the 1980s spooky-comedy series that has been hugely controversial online because it has four women in the lead roles instead of four men — grossed an estimated $46 million between Thursday and Sunday nights. That’s a personal best for directo..Continue reading→
Review: “Ghostbusters”
“Ghostbusters” is what happens when originality clashes with lucrative intellectual property. Truthfully, Paul Feig’s remake of Ivan Reitman’s beloved 1984 comedy is about as good as you could hope for. In its best moments, the cast makes you forget about the original and accept this new version as its own funny, weird thing. But those moments are too often undercut by awkward references to the first film, as if it’s haunted by the specter of Peter Venkman. Feig veers from the trend of doing a b..Continue reading→
Music
Ripcord by king Stevian
king Stevian releases his first single Ripcord to start 2017 off. For his upcoming Album he gives praise to the Father in heaven in Jesus name.[...]Continue reading→
Newsboys Honor Veterans By Partnering With Guardian For Heroes Foundation At Recent Show
Late last month, the Newsboys packed out an arena in Nashville with their 'Love Riot' Tour. The concert served as a benefit for the Guardian for Heroes Foundation, established by late U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. The Foundation helps combat veterans transition into life after the military. RELATED Newsboys Shine Spotlight On Heroes During the show that night, Chris Kyle's brother Jeff spoke about the mission of the organization. BeastMode for the Brave endurance athlete George Ch..Continue reading→
For KING & COUNTRY Unveils New Christmas Song
Today for KING & COUNTRY unveiled their new Christmas single, "Glorious," as part of the Into The Silent Night (Extended) EP. The EP also includes "Little Drummer Boy," "Angels We Have Heard On High," "Into The Silent Night" and two recordings of their previous Christmas hit "Baby Boy." RELATED for KING & COUNTRY Announces Details Of Fall Tour "Christmas is coming, but #GLORIOUS is here! I just saw it's 0.69 on iTunes, for now. We've been working on this since Feb! And how about a ha..Continue reading→
Shawn McDonald Launches PledgeMusic Campaign For New Album
Shawn McDonald has launched a PledgeMusic campaign and pre-order for his new album. "I create with all of me and I love what I do. To thank you guys for allowing me to continue to write and do what I love, I wanted to invite you to be a part of my new album like never before. We've crafted what we hope are some really cool ways for you to engage, support and be a part of the making of a new record. For me this is a journey, it's just faith and I choose to put my journey into song and ..Continue reading→
Casting Crowns Announces Spring Leg Of ‘The Very Next Thing’ Tour
Multi-platinum selling and GRAMMY® winning group Casting Crowns will hit the road again this spring for the second leg of "The Very Next Thing" Tour, featuring K-LOVE Radio's Male Artist of the Year Danny Gokey and special guests Unspoken. Presented by Compassion International and Museum of the Bible, the 40-city arena tour kicks off Feb. 16, in Baltimore and will make stops in markets like Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Chicago, New York, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Orlando, Tampa, Grand Rapids, Minnea..Continue reading→
Ellie Holcomb To Release Sophomore Album ‘Red Sea Road’ January 27
The 2014 GMA Dove Award winning New Artist of the Year Ellie Holcomb will release her sophomore album, Red Sea Road, on January 27, 2017. This record celebrates the Hope we have in Jesus, and the powerful & personal ways Ellie has seen Him make Red Sea Roads through some of the most heartbreaking times of her life. RELATED Ellie Holcomb Expecting Second Child "The past two years for our community have been heavy, full of suffering and loss," shares Ellie Holcomb. "Red Sea Road is a record full..Continue reading→
Spencer Kane Video Nominated For MTV’s Cover Of The Month
Solo pop singer turned Anthem Lights member Spencer Kane is up for MTV's Cover Of The Month for his video of Shawn Mendes' "Mercy." "I need your help! MTV asked me to submit my MERCY video to their COVER CONTEST and I did. PLZ click this and clap 10 trillion times, and I may be able to win," he posted to social media this morning. RELATED Spencer Kane Fills Open Spot in Anthem Lights Kane shared his "Mercy" cover to Spotify, iTunes and YouTube last week, where it already has over 8,0..Continue reading→
Anthem Lights’ New Album Gets Fully Funded On Last Night Of Kickstarter Campaign
Pop group Anthem Lights has spent the last month raising money for their new album Painted Skies. With just over a day to go in their Kickstarter campaign they were less than fifty percent funded, but much to their amazement, the project was fully funded (112% to be exact) on the last night of the campaign. RELATED Spencer Kane Fills Open Spot in Anthem Lights "Do you believe in miracles?? If anyone has been waiting to pledge, NOW is the time. It doesn't look good guys, but we are incredi..Continue reading→
Trip Lee Announces New Mixtape
Rejoice hip-hop fans Trip Lee is back. The longtime Reach Records veteran officially announced his anticipated mixtape The Waiting Room after teasing it for the past month on social media. This announcement comes on the heels of the debut single "Too Cold" last week. The official pre-order for The Waiting Room is live through Reach Records, and on the album's official page they provide some background on the album "Throughout the 10 songs that make up The Waiting Room, Trip wrestles with j..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..