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→
Music
Canton Junction Releases ‘A Canton Christmas’
A Canton Christmas, the highly anticipated full-length holiday debut from Dove Award-winning quartet Canton Junction, bows October 21. Produced by Garry Jones (Ivan Parker, Brian Free & Assurance), the Difference Media/Capitol Christian Distribution release features 10 arrangements of classic carols and timeless favorites. Drawing from Canton Junction's range of influences--including Southern Gospel, country and Texas swi..Continue reading→
Matthew Parker Releases New Album ‘Adventure’
Electronic Pop artist, Matthew Parker releases his second studio project, Adventure. His first single, "Adventure" recently debuted on the Billboard Christian Hot AC CHR chart at No. 27 and is currently No. 4 on the Hot CHR chart and No. 12 on the Australian Christian Chart. The project was produced by Parker and features various guest vocalists ranging from Spencer Kane to Rapture Ruckus. "I'm incredibly excited about my new..Continue reading→
Ginny Owens Releases ‘Love Be The Loudest’ Nov. 18
Award-winning singer-songwriter Ginny Owens releases her ninth studio album, Love Be The Loudest, Nov. 18 on her indie label, Chick Power Music, with The Fuel Music distribution. Prior to the release, two brand new Apple Music and Spotify SuperSingle tracks from the album, the reimagined version of Owens' No. 1 hit song "If You Want Me To" and "The Loudest Voice," will be available beginning today (Oct. 21). The full pre-order of the album is to begin Nov. 4. After more than a million albu..Continue reading→
NRT EXCLUSIVE Love & The Outcome’s Jodi Premiers Cooking Video
NRT has an exclusive video premiere of Love & The Outcome's Jodi's first cooking video. "In The Kitchen With Jodi" shows Jodi teaching how to make Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Cookies with just a few simple ingredients. Using her 'prized possession' red KitchenAid Mixer from her grandma, she mixes dark chocolate, almond flour, honey, coconut oil, vanilla, sea salt and baking powder to create these delicious looking cookies. Continue reading→
Chrildren of God Acoustic Sessions by Phil Wickham
Track Listing 01. Better Than Life (Acoustic) 02. The Secret Place (Acoustic) 03. Divine / Sailing / Time / Hymn (Acoustic) 04. Your Love Awakens Me (Acoustic) 05. My All In All (Acoustic) 06. Starmaker (High Above the Earth) [Acoustic] 07. At the Foot of the Cross (Acoustic) 08. Spirit of God (Acoustic) 09. As It Is in Heaven (Acoustic) 10. Here With Me (Acoustic) 11. Children of God (Acoustic) 12. Doxology / Amen (Acoustic) 13. Wide Awake (Acoustic) 14. Body Mind & Soul (Acoustic) 15. Stand in Awe (Acoustic) Continue reading→
Newsong Heralds The Holidays With Christmas Recording and Tour
The Best Christmas Ever!, the third full-length holiday release from GRAMMY®-nominated NewSong, is set to bow October 21 from HHM Records/Word Distribution. Featuring 10 favorites from the group's best-selling projects The Christmas Shoes (2001) and The Christmas Hope (2006), The Best Christmas Ever! also showcases five newly recorded songs the title-cut and lead single (co-witten by NewSong's Eddie Carswell and Matthew West), a duet with Love & The Outcome's Jodi King; "This Chri..Continue reading→
HeeSun Lee Releases Third Project ‘Beauty For Ashes’
HeeSun Lee dropped Beauty For Ashes on October 14, her first release since 2014. You can purchase the new album here. This time around was personal for HeeSun Lee, with the meaning behind the tracks reopening the doors to females to stand strong within the hiphop genre. She stated, "Everyone has changes that they go through in life that can either make them or break them. I'm showing the world, through my lyrics, that the changes that went on in my life have made me into a stronger, more i..Continue reading→
Dee-1 and Sallie Mae Partnership Spawns Tour and Giveaway
The Knowledge for College Tour began on October 10th in Cincinnati Ohio, sponsored by Sallie Mae. With each school tour stop, Dee-1 is blessing one student in attendance with a $5,000 scholarship check towards their collegiate studies. This tour has also opened other doors and opportunities. Per the Washington Post publication, Dee-1 has collaborated with the consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to help train and educate students to manage student loan repayment effectively. He has tra..Continue reading→
let there be light. by Hillsong Worship
let there be light is Hillsong's Worship 25th live album. The theme of the album is centred on Genesis 1:3, featuring some of its internationally recognised worship pastors including Reuben Morgan, Joel Houston, Ben Fielding, Dave Ware and Annie Garratt. Track Listing 01. Behold (Then Sings My Soul) 02. Love So Great 03. Look To The Son 04. Crowns 05. What A Beautiful Name 06. Your Word 07. Let There Be Light 08. In Control 09. Grace To Grace 10. Elohim 11. I Will Boast In Christ 12. As It Is (In Heaven) Continue reading→
American
Ministry from the Second Chair (by Ben Pickett)
Ben Pickett is the Discipleship Minister at the Highland Church of Christ in Abilene Texas. I entered full-time ministry later in life after a career in business and discovered quickly the importance of training and education. Fact is, I’m still learning. I’m finding that with each new ministry context I learn more about myself, my calling, and my relationship with God. My role in ministry is called “Discipleship Ministry,” but it could just as easily be called a “2nd Chair” role. Because I’m in..
Pepsi Funds Planned Parenthood, Now Its CEO is Trashing Trump’s Election: “Our Employees Were Crying”
A week after Donald Trump’s election, the comments by Pepsi’s CEO have been tough for a lot of voters to swallow. Like Grubhub founder Matt Maloney, who’s on the hot seat after an employee email showing Trump supporters the door, Indri Noovi must not have been thinking about her bottom line when the soft drink mogul bashed the new president-elect. Well, she’s certainly thinking about it now that #BoycottPepsi is picking up steam. At a New York Times event last Tuesday, Noovi’s emotions were obv..
Catholic Bishop on Trump: “I’m Grateful We Will Have a President Who Has Promised Pro-Life Judges”
An Arkansas Catholic bishop penned an encouraging letter to his diocese on Friday in response to the presidential election. In the letter, Bishop Anthony Basil Taylor of the Diocese of Little Rock expressed hope that President-elect Donald Trump will work to protect unborn babies through his high office, KARK 4 News reports. Taylor wrote: I am grateful that we will soon have a president who has promised to name Supreme Court justices who are opposed to abortion. Let us support President-elect..
House Republican Leader: We Will “Move Forward” With Legislation to Defund Planned Parenthood
When Congress gets back to work today, their schedule is more stuffed than a Thanksgiving turkey. After six weeks on the campaign trail, the House and Senate left plenty to do in the holiday frenzy — including keeping the government funded past December 9, when the latest spending resolution runs out. For a jubilant GOP, the strategy for passing a new spending bill has almost certainly changed since last Tuesday. With President-elect Donald Trump set to usher in the first GOP Congress under a n..