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
The Federal Vision and the Magical Efficacy of Sacraments
It is a fatal flaw of the proponents of the Federal Vision that they hold to a view that replaces the work of the Holy Spirit with the magical working of the sacraments, a relic of paganism. It is beside the point that they define efficacy in such a vague way,… that it can be increased or decreased whenever necessary. By teaching that the sacraments, particularly baptism, have the power to convey new life, justification, forgiveness of sins and other graces temporarily, they have chosen a pagan ..Continue reading→
White Christian America Is Dying
I begin the book with an obituary for White Christian America, and I conclude the book with a eulogy. This construction is consistent with the book’s stark title. My argument in the book is that we have already experienced the passing of White Christian America. While this claim is grounded in demographic changes, it is also supported by the fading power of major institutions, such as the National Council of Churches or the Christian Coalition of America. There are no indicators that the country..Continue reading→
Confessions Of A Former Charismatic
This is what I found: there were many conversations among the church leaders, or with “discerning members,” who were concerned that there was a diminishing of the prophetic on Sunday or in prayer gatherings. The absence of such words was a sign of sickness. Rather than being glad at the faithful ministry of the Word in preaching, we were concerned with the absence of the prophetic. Though denied on paper, in practice, such words were given more weight than preaching — but not as much weight as S..Continue reading→
He Holds Out His Hands
There is Good News; God has also blessed you with his Gospel. You are hearing it right now. Despite the fact that you have spurned his counsel, rebelled against him, and have earned his eternal wrath, he has not stopped loving you. He promised his Son. He sent his Son. And now through the Word of God he stretches out his hands to you. A substitutionary law-keeper and a substitutionary righteousness are available for you. He is the Savior of all who give up and beg for pardon and rescue. Paul’s ..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
How Can You Do a Better Job Counseling Women Considering Abortion? Here’s Some Tips
Every other Tuesday we publish a new episode of the Equipped for Life Podcast, available to everyone who purchases our course, “Equipped for Life: A Fresh Approach to Conversations about Abortion.” Generally these podcast episodes won’t be available to the general public, but we plan on occasionally making exceptions, and we’ve decided to make our 11th episode the first one we make available to everybody. This is the first part in a two-part series on practical sidewalk counseling tips, from th..
Florida Supreme Court Blocks 24-Hour Waiting Period Before Babies Can be Aborted
In a 4-2 decision, the Florida Supreme Court blocked legislation passed and signed by pro-life Gov. Rick Scott in 2015 mandating women wait 24 hours between first visiting an abortion clinic and having an abortion, CBS Miami reported. “In this case, the state failed to present any evidence that the mandatory delay law serves any compelling state interest, much less through the least restrictive means, and, therefore, the trial court correctly concluded that there is a substantial likelihood tha..
Australia Will Spend $7.3 Million for Abortions After Trump Defunds International Planned Parenthood
Australia will chip in millions of dollars to support Planned Parenthood’s abortion work world-wide, government leaders announced this week. DevEx reports Australia is the latest country to join a global pro-abortion effort in response to President Donald Trump reinstating the Mexico City Policy, which prohibits U.S. taxpayer funding to groups that promote or perform abortions overseas. At least eight other countries are creating a new global abortion fund together to to make up for the money ..
Media Mourn Deaths of Hundreds of Whales, Ignore Deaths of Thousands of Aborted Babies
This week the media have been leading the nation in national mourning for the deaths of hundreds of Pilot Whales that perished on the beach at Farewell Spit. This tragic news has featured on the front pages of our daily newspapers and as the lead item on the 6 pm TV One news. The media have recounted how crowds of volunteers have provided touching compassion and dedicated care to save these precious lives. We have been deeply moved by the sight of several volunteers singing to the distressed wh..
Australia
“What hope can you offer us when we’re sitting in here?”
“Why should we listen to you? What hope can you offer us when we’re sitting in here?” That’s the question Anglican youth minister Bruce Chapman is often confronted with when he visits inmates at Don Dale youth detention centre in the Northern Territory. Shocking footage of abuse in a Northern Territory youth detention centre was aired on ABC’s Four Corners programme on Monday night. The detention centre has come under national scrutiny this we..
There are brothers in Christ on the inside in South Africa
“When you look at these people, they look so normal and so ordinary. But they are the people who’ve caused others a tremendous amount of pain and grief. They are someone else’s nightmare,” Pastor Willy Dengler tells me as we drive towards the Johannesburg Correction Centre, the city prison in South Africa known as “Sun City”. It’s my first prison visit and I’m nervous. But for Pastor Willy, he’s lost count of how many times he has been ..
Maids and taxi drivers: the new face of the missionary movement
Maids and taxi drivers are the new face of the missionary movement says global missions expert and Bible translator, Eddie Arthur. “We are used to thinking about mission as people going from Britain or Australia to Africa or from America to China,” Arthur tells Eternity. “…We are starting to hear stories coming through of Saudi families where the mothers and children are becoming believers through the influence of Filipino maids working in their..
Turnbull’s team arm wrestles over plebiscite
A senior Coalition source has told Eternity that Coalition backbenchers are fighting to ensure that the plebiscite on same-sex marriage is put back to 2017. A same-sex marriage plebiscite would have to be “very rushed” to make it through both Houses of Parliament for a poll this year. The next sitting of parliament is only seven weeks long. The Government wants to deal with terrorism and some economic legislation as their first priority. A Senate enquiry and the draf..
Law & Government
Abortionists File Suit Against Alabama Law Banning Dismemberment Abortions
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Two abortionists have filed suit against an Alabama law that bans dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortions, and prohibits abortion facilities from operating within 2,000 feet of an elementary or middle school. As previously reported, S.B. 363 was signed into law in May by Gov. Robert Bentley, outlawing what is commonly known as “dismemberment abortions” in the state. “[I]t shall be unlawful for any individual to purposely perform or attempt to perform a dismemberment abortion..
Judge Strikes Down Religious Freedom Law Protecting Right to Decline Part in Same-Sex Ceremonies
JACKSON, Miss. (Reuters) — A federal judge has blocked a Mississippi law intended to allow people who object on religious grounds to decline services for homosexual ceremonies. U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves, in a ruling late on Thursday, said that the wide-ranging law adopted this spring unconstitutionally allowed “arbitrary discrimination” against the homosexuals, unmarried people and others who do not share such views. “The state has put its thumb on the scale to favor some religious be..
Chaplain Pushes Back By Distributing Bibles at Base After Scripture Removed From Missing Man Table
DAYTON, Ohio — Following the removal of a Bible from a missing man table at an Ohio Air Force base due to the demands of a notorious church-state separation group, a military chaplain at the site is pushing back by distributing thousands of copies of the word of God to stationed airmen. As previously reported, in April, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) wrote to officials at the Wright-Patterson Air Force base after the organization allegedly received more than 30 complaints abou..
U.S. Military Repeals Ban on Transgender Service Members
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The Pentagon on Thursday ended its ban on openly transgender people serving in the U.S. military, formally providing an allowance to an estimated thousands of U.S. troops who once could have been kicked out of the armed forces. The repeal, which ends one of the last barriers to serving in the military, comes after a 2011 decision to end the U.S. military’s ban on openly gay and lesbian people serving, despite concerns that such a move could be too great a burden in wartim..
Entertainment
‘Killing Reagan’ lacks surprises, if you remember March 30, 1981
Cynthia Nixon (as Nancy Reagan) and Tim Matheson (as Ronald Reagan) in “Killing Reagan” (National Geographic Channels/Hopper Stone, SMPSP) It was October in Nashville during the run up to the 1980 U.S. presidential election between Republican candidate Ronald Reagan and Democratic incumbent Jimmy Carter. There is a stir in the crowd when a Secret Service agent spots a young man named John Hinckley Jr. (Kyle More) with a red backpack. He escapes but his suspicious behavior at the airport leads po..
Can a Christian Movie Win an Oscar?
The Birth of a Nation hits theaters today, but it’s been in the news for nearly a year. It made a show-stopping entrance at the Sundance Film Festival this January, earning raucous standing ovations and a titanic $17.5 million deal from Fox Searchlight. The film, dramatizing an 1831 slave rebellion led by Nat Turner, was immediately dubbed an Academy Award Best Picture front-runner—the perfect tonic to 2016’s still brewing #OscarsSoWhite controversy. But then the film was hit with a..
Turner Classic Movies highlights trailblazing women in film for second year
In case you haven’t noticed, classic films are “hot” right now, and not only with viewers who may have seen them in theaters 50 or 60 years ago. Turner Classic Movies is a broadcast and satellite channel that was launched on April 14, 1994, at 6 p.m., the 100th anniversary, to the minute, of the first public film showing in New York City (notwithstanding what the Lumière brothers might have to say about that). The first film broadcast on TCM was the 1939 ..
‘Birth of a Nation’ offers lots to talk about
“Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep for ever.” –Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson wrote these words in Paris in 1785, in his only full-length book, Notes on the State of Virginia. These same words are on the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C., and they open Nate Parker’s first film as a director and writer, “The Birth of a N..
US
Trump’s news conference & confirmation hearings
Donald Trump held his first news conference since winning the election. He said that he now believes the Russians were probably responsible for the Democratic National Committee e-mail hacks, but he blasted the report that Russia has compromising information on him, singling out CNN for its reporting and Buzzfeed for publishing the unverified document. Also, confirmation hearings for Trump’s cabinet are underway. His attorney-general nominee, Jeff Sessions, said that abortion and same-sex marria..
Interfaith service surprise
The Anglican cathedral in Glasgow, in its interfaith zeal, invited a Muslim to read from the Qu’ran in the divine service for Epiphany. The purpose was to show that Muslims too honor Jesus. The reader did read the accounts of Jesus’s birth in the Muslim holy book, but then went on to read the passage that specifically denies that Jesus is God’s son. A controversy has broken out, but the point should be clear: All religions do NOT teach the same things. And to pretend otherwise, as interfaith ser..
More misunderstanding of vocation
Frederich Buechner is a novelist and writer that I really appreciate, but his definition of vocation is causing confusion. He said that your vocation is “the place where your deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.” Great words with some good applications, but to say this describes vocation contributes to the notion that vocation is something special, tied to self-fulfillment, and something better than ordinary “jobs.” So now Jo Swinney, thinking of that definition, says, writing for Christia..
Actors vs. Trump
Meryl Streep took the occasion of her lifetime achievement award at the Golden Globes to give a blistering speech against president-elect Donald Trump. See Mollie Hemingway’s critique of her speech. Now actors have the same right as all other citizens to criticize their public officials. This, along with other recent “public service” spots featuring actors and their political causes, does raise another issue: acting outside of one’s vocation. Actors have the vocation of effectively speaking line..
Church & Theology
6 Places to Find Soulwinning Prospects
We know that Jesus came “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). But sometimes we forget that He actively sought those who were lost. For Jesus, gospel outreach was no passing interest or occasional hobby. He looked for lost people and personally brought them the message of salvation through Himself. And He calls us to do the same: “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled” (Luke 14:23). We know that everywhere around us there..
5 Things to Remember When God Changes Your Schedule
Every Sunday afternoon, I take time to review the previous week and plan the week ahead. It is a discipline that has been a tremendous help to me over the years in being proactive with my responsibilities. Sometimes, however, a well-planned week gets rearranged by an emergency or an all-consuming need. I’m in the midst of such a moment as our community mourns the loss of LAPD Sergeant Steve Owen who was killed in the line of duty. Our church has the privilege to serve his family and the law enf..
3 New Testament Essentials for Nurturing Growth in New Christians
One of the great joys of an intense season of outreach, such as our church just conducted for Open House Sunday, is following up on new Christians. There is nothing more rewarding than to come alongside a new Christian and help ground him in God’s Word, encourage his faith, and guide him in new patterns of Christian living. And there is nothing more needed for that young Christian either. Spiritual maturity, like physical maturity, doesn’t take place overnight. Neither does it take place the m..
Growth Points 72: Restoring and Maintaining Passion in Ministry
Anyone in ministry can testify that there are intense seasons that deplete you physically, spiritually, or emotionally. It is during these times that we have to learn specifically what it takes to maintain the passion that we’ll need to continue serving the Lord the next day, the next week, and for the next season of ministry. I don’t want to serve God’s people from an empty tank. Of course, even the world knows the importance of rest and doing what you can to maintain your health. But beyond t..