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
Phil Wickham Unveils ‘Children Of God Acoustic Sessions’
With his spring release of Children Of God called "Phil Wickham at his best" (Worship Leader) and "a welcome truth for all of us" (CCM) by critics, Phil Wickham is releasing Children Of God Acoustic Sessions today. In response to a high demand from fans, Wickham has created a stripped down version of Children Of God, including three additional bonus tracks "Foot Of The Cross," "Here With Me" and "Divine/Sailing/Time/Hymn" that showcase the power of his voice and the heart of the songs. Continue reading→
Disciple Releases ‘Long Live The Rebels’
After a massively successful Kickstarter campaign, DISCIPLE is releasing its13th studio album LONG LIVE THE REBELS today, October 14. In a partnership with Tooth & Nail BEC Recordings, LONG LIVE THE REBELS is already being lauded as the band's strongest album to date. Early reviews are all in agreement "Designed to be cranked to 11 and passionately sung along to, Long Live The Rebels is jam-packed with searing guitar licks, thou..Continue reading→
DeDe Wedekind Wins Album of the Year For Dream Of You At IMEA Awards
On Saturday, October 8th, singer-songwriter DeDe Wedekind took home her 3rd consecutive IMEA Award for "Adult Contemporary Album of the Year," this time for her latest album Dream Of You (Feb. 2016). The IMEA Awards (International Music and Entertainment Association) were held at the Tucker Theatre at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN, just outside of Nashville. In recent weeks, Wedekind has been receiving a tremendous amount of attention for her patriotic new single releas..Continue reading→
Stryper Kicks Off 30th Anniversary ‘To Hell with the Devil’ Tour
Multi-platinum rock band Stryper kicked off their 30th Anniversary To Hell with the Devil Tour in late September, with record crowds in attendance for the first eight shows. With 28 cities to go before the band takes an indefinite hiatus from the road, tickets and VIP Meet & Greet packages are selling out fast. "We're only eight shows in and it's incredible," said frontman Michael Sweet. "The fan response has been ..Continue reading→
Hip-Hop Veterans D.O.C. Return As Nimisilla Park
Twenty-six years ago after GRAMMY and Dove Award nominees D.O.C. (Disciples of Christ) first burst onto the Contemporary Christian Music scene, the hip-hop veterans are back with a new album and a new name. Rebranded as Nimisilla Park, D.O.C.'s founding members Alton Hood and Michael Brown have created a new sound that is bold, unapologetic and melodically infectious. Produced by David Oswald Cox (Nicole C. Mullen, Stacie Orrico, Pettidee), their new EP Welcome to Nimisilla Park (Coal Mine ..Continue reading→
Jordan Feliz Wins His First Dove Award for New Artist of the Year
It was an exciting night at the 47th annual Dove Awards for Jordan Feliz, as he was honored with the trophy for New Artist of the Year. The moment was made even more special when the audience erupted with applause and a standing ovation when his name was announced. It was also touching when Lauren Daigle, last year's New Artist of the Year winner, gave the award to her labelmate. Music fans will be able to view the entire Dove Awards program when it airs on the Trinity Broadcasting Network ..Continue reading→
Jonathan David & Melissa Helser Receive First Dove Award As ‘Beautiful Surrender’ Tops Retail Charts
Worship leaders, songwriters and husband/wife Jonathan David and Melissa Helser internationally released their eighth recording and first new album in four years, Beautiful Surrender, Sept. 30 from Bethel Music and through Provident Distribution. In its first week at retail, the acclaimed project went to No. 1 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart, held the No. 1 position on the iTunes® Christian & Gospel Albums chart all week and launched all the way to No. 2 for a time on the iTunes over..Continue reading→
Satellites & Sirens Releases ‘TANKS’ To Media Praise
Satellites & Sirens has released their sophomore release on DREAM Records, TANKS. Two years after the group's debut on DREAM, One Noise which included their smash hit, "Jump Start My Heart", the band comes back with a veracity of love, hope and joy in their new album. This 12 song album has a musical plethora of sounds and features one track with DREAM Records artist, Joel Vaughn. The theme of the album is "Love Is The New Fight".Continue reading→
Tenth Avenue North Releases ‘Followers’ Today
Tenth Avenue North releases their fifth studio project, Followers, today. This project has already produced the No. 1 song at CHR radio with the debut single "What You Want." Leading up to this album release, the group has posted multiple lyric videos, each accompanied by a video journal from lead singer Mike Donehey sharing the meaning behind the songs. Click here to check out the video journals. Media have already been tout..Continue reading→
American
Another “Lifestyle Choice” — Trans-Species
Nano, a 20-year-old Norwegian, says, “I was born in the wrong species.” Nano believes she is trapped in a human female body instead of a feline body. A woman who hisses at dogs, claims her night vision and sense of smell is better because she is really a cat. She even meows in “cat language.” The Daily Mail reports: Sadly, such “lifestyle choices” are nothing more than disordered affections, in some cases mental disorders, which enable people to reject truth and condone wrong and delusional beha..
The Myth of the ‘Moderate Muslim’
Below is a guest post from my friend and Liberty Alliance colleague, J. Matt Barber which was first published on his site: BarbWire.com. “When the sacred months are over slay the idolaters wherever you find them. Arrest them, besiege them, and lie in ambush everywhere for them.” – The Quran, Surah 9:5 When it comes to the global scourge of orthodox Islam, the Western world, which Islamists expressly seek to “destroy from within,” is an upside-down realm wherein objective facts, logic and reason ..
O Holy Night– Unique History, Watch Beautiful Performance
“O Holy Night,” one of the most beautiful Christmas carols worshipping the birth of Jesus Christ, was written by an atheist. Not just an atheist, but an avowed atheist and vocal anti-cleric. In 1843 a local parish church in Roquemaure, France, completed renovating its organ. To celebrate this joyous event that coincided with Christmas, the parish priest asked Placide Cappeau (1808-1877), a wine merchant, poet, and native of Roquemaure, to write a Christmas poem for the celebration. Cappeau agree..