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
School and your marriage
It is time for school. There are multiple lists to check: clothing, textbooks, supplies, transportation, after-school activities and more. You know the drill. However, there is one important matter that you don’t want to overlook – your marriage. The challenges of school are hard on a marriage. Time, relationship,and communication can be consumed by the demands of school. The relationship between mom and dad can easily shift into one where scheduling and time pressure become the main focus. Is..Continue reading→
Is the Christian Faith Rational?
“When I say that Christianity is rational, I do not mean that the truth of Christianity in all of its majesty can be deduced from a few logical principles by a speculative philosopher. There is much information about the nature of God that we can find only because God himself chooses to reveal it to us.” I’ve had the question asked of me, “Is it true that you are a Christian rationalist?” I said, “By no means! That’s a contradiction in terms. A rationalist is somebody who embraces a philosophy ..Continue reading→
Henry VIII, the Reformation, and the First Authorized Bible
“Henry VIII is one of the oddest characters in the story of the Reformation. A man of conservative instincts when Luther’s reformation began, he nevertheless overthrew papal influence in England and built a church of his own.” Spend much time in Protestant circles and you will eventually hear of the Authorized Bible or the King James Bible. People who should know better have invented all manor of theories about the purity of the KJV, it’s reliance on the Textus Receptus, and the corruption of m..Continue reading→
Emotions Are A Language
“If someone close to us expresses strong emotions, we should do something. We might ignore the temper tantrum of a child, but if friends or spouses have shared that something is especially hard or good, we are moved by what they feel and want to know more. Otherwise, it might be the last time someone is willing to be open with you.” Think of emotions as a language. They say something—something very important—and part of our job is to figure out what they are saying. Sometimes the interpretati..Continue reading→
Movies
Review: Sisters
Universal Pictures Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in ‘Sisters’ This is a great movie for fans of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler who are OK with laughing until they cry at dirty jokes that have no right being that funny. Anybody who’s just one, the other, or neither, should probably steer clear and go see Star Wars. For those of you left in that small camp, you’ve hit a gold mine. Sisters is hilarious in all the worst ways, one of those movies..Continue reading→
Interview: When God Calls You to Leave the Art World
When God Calls You to Leave the Art WorldLilias Trotter could have been a famous painter. Instead, she chose to travel with two other single women to preach the gospel in Algeria. Why? In a recent New York magazine cover story, journalist Rebecca Traister notes that many more US women are embracing “that it’s okay for them not to be married.” She calls the decline of marriage “the most radical of feminist ideas.” But in fact, many women..Continue reading→
Commentary: What Do We Make of ’90 Minutes in Heaven’?
What Do We Make of '90 Minutes in Heaven'?Near-death experiences make for popular books and movies. But what should Christians do with them? Don Piper’s story, now made visible in the movie 90 Minutes in Heaven (out this weekend), records his experience of “d..Continue reading→
Watch: McCoy gives Spock a word of advice about “Earth girls” in the first clip from Star Trek Beyond
The other day, while trying to figure out the relevance of Rihanna’s lyrics to the Star Trek film she had written them for, I speculated that Spock and Uhura might break up in this movie. And, well, what do you know: our first clip from the film seems to depict just that, though without all the layers of angst that Rihanna’s song provides. Here is the clip: It’s interesting to see McCoy step in as Uhura walks away. When the first JJ Abrams film came out several years ago, it was noted that Uhura..Continue reading→
Behold the poster for Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge
After a ten-year hiatus, Mel Gibson is back in the director’s chair — and, fittingly for the Oscar-winning director of Braveheart and The Passion of the Christ, his next film is a war movie with a potentially strong faith element. Hacksaw Ridge tells the true story of Desmond Doss, a Seventh-Day Adventist who refused to carry a gun and served instead as a medic during World War II. He became the first conscientious objector to win the Congressional Medal of Honor after he saved 75 men during the..Continue reading→
VOICELESS film launches “100 Theaters in 50 Days” Campaign in response to Supreme Court ruling
The Supreme Court’s recent reversal of a Texas law requiring abortionists to have admitting privileges and abortion facilities to meet basic health standards is a signal to the pro-life movement to push for social change in other ways, says Jason Jones, co-executive producer of the new pro-life film VOICELESS. Jones, founder of Movie to Movement, a non-profit organization that ..Continue reading→
A virtual-reality Jesus movie is coming this Christmas from the makers of Left Behind and The Passion of the Christ
The Jesus-movie genre is branching into a couple of high-tech formats this year. Ben-Hur, for example, will be the first 3D Jesus movie ever when it comes to theatres August 19. And now Variety reports that a virtual-reality movie is in the works, too: Jesus Christ is coming to VR screens: Autumn Productions and virtual-reality production firm VRWERX have slated the release of “Jesus VR – The Story of Christ” for Christmas 2016. The 90-minute film will be available on all major mobile and premiu..Continue reading→
Watch: New footage in three new ads for Star Trek Beyond
Yesterday we saw the final trailer for Star Trek Beyond. Today we get the first TV spots — and they give us even more new footage from the film, which opens July 22. Here is the main new spot, which focuses on the movie’s three main characters: There are two other spots as well that mostly recycle images from the trailers: Check out earlier trailers and other videos here: The first trailer (December 14, 2015)The second trailer, the CBS All Access teaser and the ‘Fan Event’ video (May 20, 2016)..Continue reading→
John Rhys-Davies is the apostle Peter, and Stephen Baldwin is the emperor Nero, in Peter: The Redemption
Last year, I noted that two Bible movies were being filmed in northern Ontario. One of those films — Joseph & Mary, starring Kevin Sorbo as the titular carpenter and Lara Jean Chorostecki as his bride — comes to DVD next week. And today I got a press release for the other film: Peter: The Redemption, which stars John Rhys-Davies as the apostle Peter and Stephen Baldwin as the emperor Nero. Here is the press release for the film, which comes to DVD August 2: (Los Angeles, CA) – Embark on an inspi..Continue reading→
Music
Switchfoot Announces Cold Turkey Party Live From The Hollywood Palladium on November 25th
Multi-platinum selling, Grammy-winning band SWITCHFOOT is thrilled to announce that they have teamed up with Live Nation for their first ever "Cold Turkey Party." The band will be celebrating the day after Thanksgiving with a live stream of their show from The Palladium in Los Angeles, CA for fans across the country via Live Nation TV's Facebook page, Live Nation's YouTube Channel, and LiveNation.com starting at 930pm PST/1230am EST. SWITCHFOOT kicked off the "Looking For America Tou..Continue reading→
‘Country Faith Volume 2’ To Release November 18
The latest in the hit Country Faith music series, Country Faith Volume 2, will release on November 18 to Christian retail through Word Entertainment and to mainstream retail and digital outlets through Curb Records. Based on the popular book Country Faith penned by award-winning author/journalist Deborah Evans Price, the new music project will feature faith-based country songs by Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Brooks and Dunn, Wynonna, Wade Hayes, LeAnn Rimes and other bestselling Cou..Continue reading→
Smith Global Media And Power Of 3 Entertainment Release ‘Believe’
From Smith Global Media and Power of 3 Entertainment comes the story of family, loyalty and love in the compelling drama "BELIEVE." The film, written, directed and produced by Billy Dickson, opens in select theatres nationwide Dec. 2, 2016 and is the debut theatrical release under the joint venture. "I am delighted to team with Billy Dickson, Ryan O'Quinn, and the passionate team behind 'BELIEVE,'" stated Harry Smith, owner of Smith Global Media. "We are extremely excited to brin..Continue reading→
Secret Place Live in South Africa by Vashawn Mitchell
Vashawn Mitchell returns with a personal invitation for all to go on a musical journey to his Secret Place. Over the course of his 18 year career, punctuated with much critical and commercial acclaim, Mitchell has solidified himself as a creative musical force in Contemporary Praise Worship. He's responsible for fan favorites like "My Worship Is For Real" (Believe In Your Dreams), "Turning Around For Me" (Created 4 This), "God My God" (Unstoppable), "Don't Last" (Promises) and the mega-hit "Nobody Greater" (Triumphant). Additionally, Vashawn's continued contributions to gospel music go well beyond his own recording career as a singer/songwriter[...]Continue reading→
About A Mile Offers Everyone Two Free Songs From New Album ‘Trust You All The Way’
About A Mile's full-length sophomore album, Trust You All The Way, released globally amidst acclaim Oct. 28 from Radiate Music. Today the band announces they are giving away two of the lead singles from the album, both the current single and title track and the pop flavored Top 25 Billboard Christian Hot AC/CHR National Airplay Chart hit single "Born To Live." The songs can be downloaded now for a limited time to anyone who enters their name and email address at https//aboutamile.squarespac..Continue reading→
New nobigdyl Single on the Horizon Begins Busy Season for Indie Tribe
Indie Tribe founder and front runner nobigdyl will release his eleventh single "Purple Dinosaur" on November 11. His silky smooth flow and creative wordplay prepare to flex once again as fans are intrigued by the album art depicting the infamous purple dinosaur Barney. The Indie Tribe is definitely on the move as fans prep for Holy Weapon Vol. 2 from label mate Jarry Manna to release before 2017. Mogli the Iceberg is next. Nobigdyl has stated that "the wave has begun," starting with "Purple Din..Continue reading→
Skillet’s Feel Invincible Hits No. 1 On Mainstream Rock
For the second time in their career, Skillet has found themselves at the top of a Mainstream Rock radio chart. "Feel Invincible," the lead single off the band's latest album Unleashed, has been slowly climbing on the Mainstream Rock charts and has finally topped out at No. 1, seated above singles from legendary rock acts such as Green Day, Metallica and Disturbed. Skillet last achieved this feat over 5 years ago as well when "Awake and Alive" topped Active Rock charts on the heels of the m..Continue reading→
Different – EP by Micah Tyler
Track Listing 01. Never Been a Moment 02. Different 03. Even Then 04. Directions 05. Last 06. Story I Tell Continue reading→
American
Abortion Pill Injures More Women as More Incomplete Abortions Leave Parts of Baby Inside Them
The State of Ohio is among the best in the U.S. when it comes to abortion reporting requirements, seeking as much information as possible from abortion providers about abortion methods, gestational ages, and maternal demographics. Now, one statistic reported to the Medical Board of Ohio has shed new light on the danger of abortions using the drug Mifeprex, also known as Mifepristone or RU486. Ohio requires abortionists who dispense the drug, often referred to as the Abortion Pill, to fill out a..
Why Do Unborn Babies Matter? Just Because They Are
A few of us were having a conversation yesterday and something a member of the class I lead said reminded me of a quote I had just read and to which all pro-lifers would probably say a hardy “amen.” The great apologist G. K. Chesterton once wrote, “All men matter. You matter. I matter. It’s the hardest thing in theology to believe.” Rob Renfroe took Chesterton’s observation and concluded, “And that God—the God who is big enough to speak all of that [just the part of the universe we know about] ..
Utah House Passes Bill Telling Women How the Abortion Pill Can be Reversed to Save Their Baby
The Utah House passed a bill Friday that would require women seeking abortions to be informed that the abortion pill possibly can be reversed and their baby’s life saved. The Salt Lake Tribune reports Utah House Bill 141 passed with strong support in a 56-13 vote, despite some very angry comments from opponents. If passed, Utah would become the third state to require that women be informed of the new medical procedure, which has saved more than 200 babies’ lives after their mothers took the fi..
God Wrote My Life Story Around Surviving an Abortion, How Did He Write Your Story?
I don’t believe God originally wrote abortion into my life, as God is the Creator of life. But when it was introduced by man, or in my case, a woman, He rewrote the story of my life around it, to create the story of a life that is more intricate, more redemptive, more grace-filled, than anything anyone else could have planned or written. “How do you know that you are not part of a book? That someone’s not reading your story right now?”—Jodi Picoult. Everyone has a story. Everyone. But every st..
Australia
Bible Society registered in Azerbaijan
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS | World Watch Monitor Wednesday 5 October 2016 The recent registration of a Bible Society in Azerbaijan, after a 20-year fight, has brought fresh optimism to the country’s minority Christians, but there remains some confusion about the types of books it will be allowed to print, with even Bibles potentially falling foul of the country’s strict regulations. Terje Hartberg from United Bible Societies called it “a great development, which will start a new chapter in Bible mini..
Bible Society registered in Azerbaijan, but may not be allowed to print Bibles
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS | World Watch Monitor Wednesday 5 October 2016 The recent registration of a Bible Society in Azerbaijan, after a 20-year fight, has brought fresh optimism to the country’s minority Christians, but there remains some confusion about the types of books it will be allowed to print, with even Bibles potentially falling foul of the country’s strict regulations. Terje Hartberg from United Bible Societies called it “a great development, which will start a new chapter in Bible mini..
Man Raped His Own Daughter for More Than a Decade and Then Forced Her to Have an Abortion
An Australian man who admitted to raping his daughter and then coercing her into having an abortion was sentenced to 16 years in jail on Thursday, according to the Illawarra Mercury. The man plead guilty to sexual assault charges involving more than a decade of abuse to his teenage daughter, and a judge sentenced him on Thursday in Illawarra, a region of New South Wales, the report states. The man also plead guilty to sexually abusing two of his siblings in the 1980s. The man, who is not named..
Australia: Anglican bishop backs same-sex marriage ahead of possible referendum
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has introduced legislation for a referendum on same-sex marriage. An Anglican bishop in Australia has come out in favour of same-sex marriage ahead of a possible referendum on the issue next February. Ballarat's bishop Garry Weatherill, who opposes the referendum, told the ABC that he supported "marriage equality". Bishop Weatherill said: "The local position of this particular bishop is for marriage equality. The Bible teaches marriage is..
Law & Government
Abortionists Sue to Stop Texas From Requiring Burial, Cremation of Aborted Babies
AUSTIN — A coalition of abortion providers have filed suit in an effort to stop Texas officials from requiring that they bury or cremate the bodies of the unborn children they kill instead of having them incinerated with medical waste and dumped in landfills. “The regulation enshrines into law an exceedingly narrow set of beliefs regarding embryonic and fetal personhood, and what is appropriate for the disposition of embryonic and fetal tissue,” the lawsuit, filed on Monday, asserts. “These vie..
Trump Says Obama ‘Really Doing Great,’ Does Not ‘Care’ About Prosecuting Clinton Following Election
Speaking at “thank you” rallies in both Louisiana and Michigan on Friday, President-elect Donald Trump told those gathered that he believes Barack Obama has been “really doing great” and that he has no interest in prosecuting Hillary Clinton now that the election is over. He mentioned Obama in discussing concerns about voter fraud, which he said has only “gotten worse” since the current president spoke of the matter in 2008. “President Obama—who by the way I’ve gotten along with so well,” he s..
Mississippi City Settles Lawsuit Filed by Christians Harassed Outside State’s Last Abortion Facility
JACKSON, Miss. — Officials in Jackson, Mississippi have settled a lawsuit filed by a number of Christians who were reportedly harassed while conducting pro-life ministry outside of the last remaining abortion facility in the state. “We are pleased that the City has finally agreed to follow well-established legal precedent in this area of First Amendment rights,” Allison Aranda, senior staff counsel with the Life Legal Defense Foundation, said in a statement on Wednesday. “Our clients have been ..
Colorado College Student Charged After Using Skewer to Forcibly Abort Girlfriend’s Baby
COLORADO SPRINGS, Co. — A Saudi man attending college in the United States on a student VISA has been charged with unlawful termination of a pregnancy and sexual assault after he allegedly used a skewer to forcibly abort the child his girlfriend was carrying. Ahmed Almesbahi, 23, is a student at University of Colorado Colorado Springs and studies mechanical engineering. In May, his girlfriend, a Kazakh immigrant, contacted police to state that she had been assaulted by Almesbahi in August 2015 ..
Entertainment
Talking adoption, foster care and faith with the author of Bridge to Terabithia and The Great Gilly Hopkins
Comment countThe following is a guest post from Jedd Medefind, president of the Christian Alliance for Orphans, who recently talked with one of my favorite authors, Katherine Paterson, about some issues pretty close to my own heart. I love what she has to say here. It’s well worth the read. *** Embed from Getty Images“No book made a greater impression on me before high school,” a 40-something magazine editor recently shared with me. My 10-year old daughter said much the same, “Oh, I just loved i..
A Game About Grief and God Wins Major Award
That Dragon, Cancer was never meant to be the next big video game franchise. You don’t shoot aliens or run anyone off the road. You don’t fight the Joker or, despite its name, even battle any dragons. The game, designed by Ryan and Amy Green, was simply meant to help players understand what they went through as their son, Joel, suffered from and eventually died of cancer. You’re there with the doctors as they break the bad news, despair liberally flooding the room. You try to comfor..
“The Shack” official trailer released!
Octavia Spencer and Sam Worthington in “The Shack.” Courtesy Lionsgate, The official trailer for “The Shack” was released today. The film, based on the NYTimes best seller, will be released in March, 2017. Just know that this film goes where no other film has gone before, speaking theologically. I normally don’t post trailers before release but since I have seen this film twice I am posting it so you can get a taste of the film.
What Would Moana Do? Seven Life Lessons From Disney Princesses
Comment countFrom Moana, photo courtesy DisneyMoana, Disney’s latest animated heroine, sails into theaters this week. While she might not live in a palace or charm the socks off the nearest Prince Charming, everyone—especially the girls who’ll be flocking to see her—knows exactly who and what she is. “You’re in a dress and you’ve got an animal sidekick,” says resident demigod Maui. “You’re a princess.” Princesses have ruled Disney’s magic kingdom since Snow White first trilled into her animated ..
Health and Science
Jimmy Carter Visits Ken Ham’s Ark Encounter, Tells Reporters: ‘I Believe in Evolution’
Former President Jimmy Carter toured Ken Ham’s Ark Encounter on Friday, but told reporters that he was not necessarily endorsing Ham’s views, as he personally believes in evolution. “The earth is four billion years old, … but I don’t see a conflict there,” Carter told reporters, referring to the conflict between Christianity and evolution. “And as a scientist, I believe in evolution.” “But all things are possible through the divin..
‘Nobody Understands’: Chemist Debunks Evolutionary Viewpoint on Life’s Origins
An illustrious chemist who has previously shed light on critical shortcomings in scientists’ understanding of evolution has written a detailed essay explaining “the massive gaps in our understanding” of how life first originated. Dr. James Tour is a professor of chemistry, computer science, and materials science and nanoengineering at Rice University. He has written over 590 research publications and over 100 patents, and he is the recipient of numerous scientific aw..
Scientists Beginning to Doubt Discovery Once Touted as Evidence for Evolution
An influential scientific discovery that was once celebrated as compelling evidence for evolution may require reinterpretation, according to a growing number of scientists and researchers. In 2008, biologist Richard Lenski of Michigan State University jubilantly announced that he had witnessed a “major evolutionary innovation.” Lenski, as part of his Long-Term Experimental Evolution (LTEE) project, had been carefully observing the bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) reproduce in a lab. Finally,..
Inscriptions Found in Ancient Fortress Support Biblical Timeline, Challenge Skeptics
TEL AVIV, Israel – A team of Israeli researchers has found evidence that literacy was widespread among ancient Israelites, thus challenging critics of the Bible who claim most people in Old Testament times were illiterate. Critics of the Bible have long alleged that Israelites prior to the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. were largely illiterate. Therefore, they argue, many of the Old Testament books were written after the destruction of Jerusalem, which is much later than the Bi..
US
What Trump has done so far
(2) The U.S. has now pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the vast and complicated free trade pact with Asian countries, Canada, and Australia (not including China).(3) A hiring freeze for the federal government is now in effect.After the jump, 18 more things that the new administration has done in its first 72 hours.Critics are saying that Trump has broken his promises in not doing various things that during the campaign he said he would do on his first day. See this scorecard. But a da..
When Jesse Jackson was pro-life and why he changed
In a tribute to the recently-deceased Nat Hentoff, Carl Trueman describes an encounter on a train between the pro-life leftist and Jesse Jackson. From Carl R. Trueman, Strangers on a Train | Carl R. Trueman | First Things: There is one passage in Speaking Freely (177-78) that offers disturbing insights into modern political culture. Hentoff quotes a certain politician on abortion: “What happens to the soul of a nation that accepts the aborting of the life of a baby without a pang of conscience? ..
Mathematical proof of God’s existence?
The great mathematician and logician Kurt Gödel, who died in 1978, left behind a series of equations that purport to prove the existence of God. As I understand it (and I don’t understand the math!), the equations test the validity of St. Anselm’s ontological argument for God’s existence, which defines God as the greatest being [Read More...]
Many gods were invoked at the Inauguration service
The traditional Inauguration Service at the National Cathedral was an interfaith service featuring Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Baha’is, Native American religion, Jews, and Christians–including Catholics, Orthodox, mainline Protestants, and evangelicals–who aren’t bothered by syncretism. After the jump, a list of the participants, with a link to a story about the event. UPDATE: For a description of the [Read More...]
Church & Theology
A Brief Case for Reading Scripture with a Trinitarian Lens
Whatever your method of biblical exegesis, theological construction, or preaching and teaching, the Trinity should never be taken for granted in how you read Scripture. The triune God choosing to reveal himself to mankind is the cornerstone of our relationship with him and the bedrock content of his revelation. He didn’t have to communicate with us–before or after the Fall–and he certainly didn’t have to leave us his Word. But he did. So we should be careful not to forget the God who speaks thro..
8 Characteristics of an Effective Discipleship Program
One of the core ministries that God has greatly blessed in our church is the organized discipleship on Wednesday evenings. Not only are there new people continually being enrolled in discipleship and others completing the course, but the biblical grounding and personal mentoring that takes place during the weeks of discipleship continues to bear fruit in people’s lives years after they have finished. At our church, we use the Continue discipleship book and have found it both helpful and fruitfu..
What Do Pastors Do All Week?
I think one of the most common misconceptions of those who have not served as a senior pastor is that a pastor’s work is only the work of preaching. If you look at it that way, it would seem the pastor hardly works at all—perhaps for an hour two or three times each week. Yet, when Paul described the “office of a bishop” (pastor), he specifically called it “work.” This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.—1 Timothy 3:1 It was a joy a few months bac..
Did New Testament Writers Understand the Trinity?
In a thesis I recently wrote for Ridley College, under the supervision of Michael Bird, I argued that the Book of Revelation contains an incipient Trinitarianism. I made the case that John, looking back at his Old Testament (OT) and reflecting on the Christian tradition that would produce the New Testament (NT), at some level understood the divinity of the Son and Holy Spirit. No doubt, NT writers were not Nicene-confessing Christians–but I think it is an overreach to assu..