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
When Fundamentalists Do It, It’s not Sexy
…the historiographical truism about evangelical Protestantism was that they were not separatists. Fundamentalists were. And so, evangelicals were good (broad minded) and fundamentalists were bad (intolerant). The dividing line was particularly the question of whether conservative Protestants could cooperate with the mainline (read liberal) Protestant denominations. ‘It’ in this case is separatism. Back in grad school days the historiographical truism about evangelical Protestantism was that the..Continue reading→
The Curse of Constantine and the Lie of the Lesser of Two Evils
As the church has sought to gain and keep political power, it has often compromised by giving into the lie that we must always choose the lesser of two evils. The church has been forced into situations of moral compromise by a worldly political power Jesus never called it to have. From the very beginning, the church had to decide how much it would compromise in order to gain and keep the favor of the emperor. They had to decide how far they would bend God’s word to win political favor. “Those w..Continue reading→
The Da Vinci Code After Ten Years: Reflections on Heresy & Christology
In fact, Stephen Nichols used The Da Vinci Code as the launch pad of his 2007 book, For Us and for Our Salvation: The Doctrine of Christ in the Early Church. “If we learn anything from The Da Vinci Code phenomenon, it must be the lesson of the importance of getting the person of Christ right,” Nichols wrote in his introduction. “The early church labored over this question, and they did so in the face of intense challenge. The contemporary church needs to do no less.” Ten years ago, back in Augu..Continue reading→
Pluck Out…Your Candidate?
Let us never kid ourselves into thinking that obsessive political investment on social media or in private conversations with believers or unbelievers will further the kingdom of God one inch. The kingdom of God is furthered by the proclamation of the Word and by the work of the Spirit in opening the hearts of people to receive the message of Christ crucified. The kingdom of God is advanced by the work of evangelism and discipleship–by using the means of grace that God has given to his people an..Continue reading→
Movies
Prophet Joseph — episodes twenty-seven and twenty-eight
Synopsis. Amenhotep holds a public ceremony to promote Joseph to one of the highest positions in the land, and Joseph tells the people his plans for getting through the upcoming seven years of famine. The priests of Amon try to sow seeds of doubt in the crowd, but every time they raise a question about Joseph’s plans, Joseph happens to say something that answers their question. Later, Joseph organizes a team of assistants that includes his former prisonmates, his fellow ex-slave Nemisabu, and Ma..Continue reading→
Is Ben-Hur in box-office trouble?
With tickets on sale and the release date only three weeks away, it is now possible to get a sense of how big an audience the new Ben-Hur might have. And the news at this point isn’t very encouraging, as The Hollywood Reporter says the big-budget Bible epic is currently on track to gross only $14-15 million in its first weekend. That would actually be one of the better openings for a “faith-based” movie, roughly tying Miracles from Heaven for fourth place behind the opening weekends of Heaven Is..Continue reading→
“The Atheist Delusion”—atheism destroyed with one scientific question
“The Atheist Delusion”—atheism destroyed with one scientific question July 29th, 2016 Filmmaker Ray Comfort, whose movies have been seen by millions, claims to destroy atheism with one scientific question, which he reveals in a new movie called “The Atheist Delusion.“ Comfort, co-host of the award-winning television program “The Way of the Master,“ said regarding atheists“ assertions that there is no God, “Having to point out the existence of the Creator is like having to point out the ..Continue reading→
Review: “Jason Bourne”
The most disappointing thing about “Jason Bourne” is the feeling that we’ve seen it all before. In the early 2000s, the “Bourne” trilogy reinvigorated action cinema. After years of glossy, over-the-top action thrillers, Matt Damon and directors Doug Liman and Paul Greengrass melded post-9/11 unease with brutal, camera-shaking action to create one of that decade’s most memorable franchises. Based loosely on Robert Ludlum’s best-sellers, the films were vital, exciting and relevant, delivering esca..Continue reading→
Review: “Gleason”
Early in “Gleason,” former football player Steve Gleason, who is beginning to experience the first effects of ALS, visits a faith healer. Steve’s father, clinging tightly to his fundamentalist teachings, believes that the preacher can cure his son. The speaker asks those who want to be healed to put their hands behind their heads and sing “It’s the end of my pain as I know it,” to the tune of REM’s “It’s the End of the World as We Know It.” He then asks them to come up and demonstrate their fait..Continue reading→
Watch: The first trailer for Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge
The first trailer for Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge is here, and it has all the epic battle footage that you’d expect from the director of Braveheart as well as some clear nods to the religious faith of the film’s main character. The film tells the true story of Desmond Doss, a Seventh-Day Adventist who refused to carry a rifle into battle but did risk his life to save his fellow soldiers, even though some of them had bullied him for his pacifism. Here is the trailer, which confirms my belief that ..Continue reading→
Watch: Uhura faces off against Krall in two new Star Trek Beyond clips, plus a bunch of new TV spots
Star Trek Beyond has been in theatres for almost a week now, and the studio knows it’s facing stiff competition from Jason Bourne this coming weekend and Suicide Squad the weekend after that. So, to entice anyone who hasn’t already seen the film at least once, the studio has released two new clips. Check ’em out below the jump. First, this clip shows Uhura saving Kirk from Krall on the Enterprise: And second, this clip shows Krall asking Uhura why she did that: The studio has also released a l..Continue reading→
‘Bringing Up Bates’ Celebrates 50 Episodes
UP's "Bringing Up Bates" series will mark 50 episodes tomorrow night. In this new episode, "Birthdays and Boyfriends," the Bates are back in Florida and are ready to party! It's the Bates girls' turn this time to celebrate as Allie Jane and Carlin share a big birthday. The family prepares for the birthday bash, but quickly realize it's a lot harder to plan a party for both a 1-year-old and an 18-year-old than they originally thought. Then, Kelly Jo and Gil take advantage of ..Continue reading→
Last Days in the Desert comes to DVD and iTunes next week
Last Days in the Desert, which stars Ewan McGregor as both Jesus and the Devil, is coming to home video next week. If you want to see it in high definition — and if you want to see the complete uncensored version that played at Sundance last year — then it looks like you’ll have to get the iTunes edition, which has both the PG-13 version of the film (which has been playing in theatres for the past two months) and a ‘Full Length Director’s Cut’, all for $14.99. Meanwhile, you can pre-order the DV..Continue reading→
Music
Ginny Owens Releases ‘Love Be The Loudest’ Amidst Acclaim
Award-winning singer-songwriter Ginny Owens released her ninth studio album, Love Be The Loudest, amidst acclaim Friday, Nov. 18 on her indie label, Chick Power Music, with The Fuel Music distribution. Collaborating with Mike Weaver (Big Daddy Weave), Ellie Holcomb, Meredith Andrews, All Sons & Daughters and more for the new album, the 5-star, fan acclaimed new music shares a timely message for today's culture and is available now wherever great Christian music is sold. REALTED Ginny Owens..Continue reading→
Dawn Is Breaking by Jeremy Cato
Dawn is Breaking is a collaborative effort with Daywind Records. Featuring songs written by Joseph Habedank, Kenna West, Joel Black and many more. Dawn is Breaking is appropriately named as this is the dawn of a new journey in Jeremy's ministry through this album. The music has been called "Music for the Church".[...]Continue reading→
Surf Gvng Releases Cranberry Sauce
Just in time for Thanksgiving, the dynamic duo of Certi5d Geek and Wolf Atoned, better known as Surf Gvng, have served up their own musical version of "Cranberry Sauce." RELATED Invasion Music Awards To Celebrate The Best Of Christian Hip Hop "Cranberry Sauce" is Surf Gvng's latest offering featuring Victor Cornelius. The track represents a sneak peek of the forthcoming collaborative EP with Victor Cornelius, produced entirely by The FRTH. The track can be accessed on SoundCloud and Spot..Continue reading→
Surf Gvng Releases ‘Cranberry Sauce’
Just in time for Thanksgiving, the dynamic duo of Certi5d Geek and Wolf Atoned better known as Surf Gvng have served up their own musical version of "Cranberry Sauce." "Cranberry Sauce" is Surf Gvng's latest offering featuring Victor Cornelius. The track represents a sneak peek of the first record off the forthcoming collaboration EP with Victor Cornelius produced entirely by The FRTH. The track can be accessed on S..Continue reading→
KJ-52 Releases First Independent Project through PledgeMusic
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 only continue to be o..Continue reading→
eleventyseven Announces New Podcast and Album
Following a countdown and teasers over the past week, eleventyseven has announced plans for a new album and a new podcast. RELATED Eleventyseven is Alive The band launched eleventyisalive.com at the beginning of the week with a mysterious countdown to Friday, November 25, quickly building fan anticipation. This morning brought the official news that they would be creating a podcast titled eleventylife as well as planning to release a new album. The announcement was made through a video created..Continue reading→
American
Woman Complains About Body Image Issues After Late-Term Abortion of Girl With Spina Bifida
Missouri mom Jessica McCoy had a late-term abortion a few months ago after learning that her unborn daughter had spina bifida and a chromosomal abnormality. The mother of three born children has been sharing about her abortion publicly, both describing her grief at the loss of her daughter and justifying her decision to have her unborn daughter killed because of the girl’s disabilities. Several women’s publications picked up McCoy’s story this week after she posted photos on Instagram describi..
Texas Lawmakers Initially Approve Bill to Ban Abortions on Babies Just Because of Their Race or Gender
Today, the Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 415, the Dismemberment Abortion Ban, on second reading. The bill was preliminarily approved by the Senate on a bipartisan 22-9 vote. In addition to every Republican of the Senate supporting the measure, two Democrats – Senators Eddie Lucio Jr. (D-Brownsville) and Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) – voted for the life-saving measure. Senate Bill 415 and House Bill 844, the Dismemberment Abortion Ban, outlaw the barbaric and inhumane procedure that ends the li..
More Patients in Quebec Killed in Assisted Suicide as Hundreds Request Lethal Drugs
CBC news reported (March 14) that the number of euthanasia deaths in Québec significantly increased in the second half of 2016. According to the CBC news report: A total of 461 patients were granted doctor-assisted death during the first year of Quebec’s medical aid in dying law, according to data obtained by CBC’s French-language service, Radio-Canada. The number of requests increased significantly in the second half of 2016. From December 2015 to end of June 2016, 253 patients requested the ..
Woman Was About to Have an Abortion When Something Incredible Happened to Save Her Baby’s Life
Two volunteers at the 40 Days for Life vigil in Pensacola spoke to a deeply troubled young woman who had conceived a child as the result of a sexual assault. “She was hurting and felt that abortion was her only solution to the recent trauma she had experienced,” said Ernie, the local coordinator. Counselors offered encouragement, assistance, prayers and tears. But still, she believed abortion was her only option … and she went inside the abortion center. The volunteers kept praying – and trust..
Australia
Bringing them up in the Lord
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS Wednesday 21 December 2016 About 60 million children in China are “left behind” in their home villages, to be looked after by their grandparents or relatives because their parents are trying to find work in cities. This enormous group of neglected children – more than a quarter of the 215 million children in China – is in great need of hope, encouragement and care. These “left-behind” children are highly vulnerable to serious crimes such as sexual abuse and assault and suff..
Back where it all began
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS Saturday 20 December 2016 Next year is a special year. Bible Society Australia will be celebrating its bicentenary, but 2017 is not only about thanking God for all he’s done in the past through his word. Bible Society Australia is calling upon you, your church and your community groups to help us continue the legacy of equipping our people with the life-giving word of God. Get The Word Out (GTWO) is Bible Society Australia’s year-long focus on providing one nation on earth ..
Everything you helped us achieve in 2016
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS | Greg Clarke Monday 19 December 2016 Bible Society Australia isn’t about any one person. From the very start we’ve been a Society. Bible Society is the thousands of supporters and volunteers like you. And it’s through your generosity this year we’ve been able to: Train 30 literacy teachers in South Sudan under Professor Twong Yolong – so thousands of Collo people, traumatised by war, can read and write Translated the scriptures to the Tay, Nung and Muong people in Vietnam –..
Egyptian Christians killed in bomb attack on church
A bomb blast in St Peter’s church in Cairo on Sunday killed 25 people and wounded 49, mostly women and children. The bombing during morning mass was the deadliest attack on Egypt’s Christians since a 2011 bombing killed 21 people at a church in Alexandria. The Sunday bombing is the latest indication of how challenging it is for Christians living in Egypt, who account for about 10 per cent of Egypt’s 92 million people. The Bible Society of Egypt has requested prayers f..
Law & Government
Men With Scabies Arrested After Committing Homosexual Sex Act on Display Bed at Bed Bath & Beyond
(NorthJersey.com) – Two men were arrested and charged with engaging in lewd behavior on a display bed at Bed Bath & Beyond during regular business hours. Police officers responded to the Route 3 Riverfront shopping center at 5 p.m. Monday on a report from a witness that two men were engaged in a sex act, records show. Police arrested two 28-year-old men, one from Nutley and the other from North Carolina. Both were charged with lewdness, criminal mischief and possession of marijuana, according ..
Alabama Man Charged With Capital Murder for Killing Unborn Child in Beating Girlfriend
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — An Alabama man has been charged with capital murder for allegedly killing his unborn child while beating his girlfriend. According to reports, Reginald Sharp, 27, knocked his girlfriend to the ground in a domestic incident last July and then beat her with his fists and a belt. She was 26 weeks (six months) pregnant. The woman was transported to St. Vincent’s Hospital, where her baby was stillborn the next day. The county coroner listed the child’s death as “intrauterine feta..
Trump Mocks Schwarzenegger, Jokingly Asks for ‘Prayer’ for ‘Apprentice’ Ratings at National Prayer Breakfast
(ABC News) — President Trump jokingly requested prayer for Arnold Schwarzenegger as he addressed attendees at this morning’s National Prayer Breakfast. “They hired a big movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to take my place, and we know how that turned out,” Trump said at the top of his remarks. He continued, “The ratings went right down the tubes. It’s been a total disaster. And Mark [Burnett] will never, ever bet against Trump again, and I want to just pray for Arnold, if we can, for those rat..
Boy Scouts to Allow Girls Who Identify as Boys
(New York Times) — Reversing its stance of more than a century, the Boy Scouts of America said on Monday that the group would begin accepting members based on the gender listed on their application, paving the way for transgender boys to join the organization. “For more than 100 years, the Boy Scouts of America, along with schools, youth sports and other youth organizations, have ultimately deferred to the information on an individual’s birth certificate to determine eligibility for our single-..
Entertainment
Martin Scorsese talks Spirituality and Silence
Comment countSilence was one of the most provocative, moving bits of cinema I saw last year. It’s complex and murky and inspiring and troubling and beautiful–all of which, in a way, reflects how I interact with faith itself. Perhaps, when we attempt to understand and embrace the transcendent, it can be no other way. The movie is arguably one of Martin Scorsese’s most overtly religious works. But as many have noted, almost every movie that Scorsese has ever done is about, in some way, faith. Scor..
Why Silence Deserved Oscar’s Love
Comment countAndrew Garfield and Yōsuke Kubozuka in Silence, photo courtesy Paramount PicturesWhen Academy Award nominees earlier this week, plenty of Oscar’s snubs made headlines. No Amy Adams? No Sully? Where’s Hugh Grant? But the Academy reserved its biggest oversight for one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed directors: Martin Scorsese. Silence, the film that Scorsese spent 26 years planning and making, earned just a single nomination—for Rodrigo Prieto’s gorgeous cinematography. Nothing for Andr..
The Story of God: Is There Anybody Out There?
Comment countMorgan Freeman from National Geographic’s The Story of GodFor two seasons, National Geographic’s The Story of God With Morgan Freeman has taken us behind the curtain to see the world’s religions, both great and small, at work. This Monday in the second season finale, Freeman and his crew tackle the biggest question of all: Is there a reason for all this religion? In other words, is there a God? But proof of God, as Oxford Theoretical Physicist Ard Louis says on the show, is impossib..
The Story of God: Finding Heaven in Hell
Comment countMorgan Freeman from National Geographic’s The Story of God.What is heaven? What is hell? And how do they impact how we live right now? “Heaven and Hell,” the latest episode of The Story of God With Morgan Freeman (airing Jan. 23) grapples with those questions. They’re questions that have fascinated me, too. They always have, ever since I was a little boy. In the episode, Freeman and others take an interfaith trip through the Good Place and Bad Place. The show takes us to a cave in T..
Health and Science
Is Genesis History? New Film Affirms Truthfulness of Biblical Record
A soon-to-be-released documentary-style film, featuring footage from around the U.S. and interviews with over a dozen scholars and scientists, will provide visual evidence and scientific arguments for the Bible’s accounts of Creation and the Flood. On February 23, hundreds of movie theaters across the U.S. will participate in a one-night showing of the film “Is Genesis History?” The film, produced by Compass Cinema and structured as a documentary, features interviews with respected Christian sc..
Researchers Experiment Creation of Human-Pig ‘Chimera Embryos’ to Address Shortage of Donor Organs
LA JOLLA, Calif. — A team of biologists at the Salk Institute in California has reportedly created the first-ever human-pig chimeras in an effort to test the idea of growing organs in animals that can later be used in human transplants. “This biomedical advance has long been a dream and a quandary for scientists hoping to address a critical shortage of donor organs,” National Geographic writes. “Every ten minutes, a person is added to the national waiting list for organ transplants. And every d..
Why Our Body Destroys Itself
The science and spirituality behind the latest Nobel Prize in medicine. With every patient I treat, I hear myself echo the same sentiment: I know this hurts. I’m sorry. It will be over soon. In the emergency department, healing rarely comes without pain. It may be the wrenching of a joint back into place, the lancing of an abscess, or the administering of antibiotics through the business end of a large needle. But with the exception of the few who decide at the first flash of my scalpel that pe..
Perplexed Scientists Think C-Sections During Childbirth Are Affecting Human Evolution
Photo Credit: Lisa EspinosaWhy is obstructed labor such a common complication during human childbirth? A team of evolutionary scientists thinks recent human evolution and the modern practice of childbirth via C-section contribute to the problem. Obstructed labor happens when a baby is unable to smoothly pass from the mother’s womb through the birth canal. A major cause of both maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality, obstructed labor is especially common in poorer countries and results in ..
US
The Superbowl and vocation
The Superbowl is this weekend, time for the obligatory polls about whether or not God gets involved in the outcome of sporting events. One-quarter of Americans believe that he does. About a half believe that God rewards faithful athletes with health and success. Certainly, the easy answer is that of course God doesn’t care about a sporting event because He has much more important things to do. But if God attends to the fall of a sparrow, why wouldn’t He attend to the fall of a pigskin? The real ..
The anti-Trump “resistance”
French Resistance fighters, 1944 Democrats have gone into full resistance mode, with Democratic Senators boycotting confirmation hearings to prevent a vote on President Trump’s candidates. (Republicans suspended the rules and approved Treasury Secretary candidate Steven Mnuchin and HHS Secretary candidate Tom Price anyway. See this.) Meanwhile, a self-described “alternative left” has emerged that is pressuring Democratic elected officials not to co-operate with the Republicans. Notice how the us..
Trump’s Supreme Court nominee
President Donald Trump has nominated Colorado appeals court Judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by the late Antonin Scalia. Reportedly, Judge Gorsuch is from that same mold: eloquent, learned, articulate, and an “originalist” when it comes to interpreting the Constitution. He is the author of a book against euthanasia and supported Hobby Lobby in its suit against the Obamacare birth control mandate. An Anglican, he would be the only Protestant on the bench, joining the 5 Ca..
“Pregnant people”
The British Medical Association has issued guidelines saying that to avoid offending the transgendered, health workers should not refer to “pregnant women.” Rather, say, “pregnant people.” After all, a biological female–no, that wording is forbidden too; we must say “assigned female”–who identifies as a man can have a baby. And since we must go by self-identification, that means that men can be pregnant. The Transgender movement has at least destroyed feminism. Now that men can claim the identit..
Church & Theology
“Enlightenment” and True Freedom
“I think, therefore I am.” René Descartes penned this popular line in his 1637 treatise, Discourse on the Method, and it’s a good summary of the book itself. Heralding the importance of scientific discoveries and the necessity of doubting one’s own view of the world, Descartes’s work is often considered the first domino to fall in what is now called the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment, with its explosion of scientific discoveries and philosophical arguments, had one task:..
New Book — Rooted: Theology For Growing Christians
As you may know, my friend Jeff Medders and I wrote a short, accessible book on the most important doctrines of the Christian faith. It’s called Rooted: Theology for Growing Christians, and it released this weekend from Rainer Publishing. As two men who’ve served in church leadership in various ways, we kept running into laypeople who were accidental Universalists, Arians, mystics, and even worse. We’ve found that it’s often not their fault; rather, they spent most of thei..
Church Grammar: Theology as the Language of Christianity
If you’re anything like me, you’ve had your favorite dinnertime evangelists, the local Jehovah’s Witnesses, show up at your door. They’re kind. They smile. And they even tuck in their shirts. To top it all off, they speak Christianese pretty well. Or do they? Though they sound like Christians, they come bearing bad news–an anti-gospel that denies the divinity of Jesus and only offers the possibility of Heaven for a select few people. Their gospel sounds so close to the bib..
Jesus Hanging Out with Wild Animals
The Temptations of Christ, 12th century mosaic at St Mark’s Basilica, Venice. On a recent episode of Word Matters, Trevin Wax and I discussed Mark’s rendering of Jesus’s temptation in the wilderness, particularly the unique insertion of the phrase, “He was with the wild animals” (Mark 1:13, HCSB). After discussing the prominent views of this passage throughout church history, Trevin and I both landed at the same conclusion: Mark is recapitulating the temptation scene of Ge..