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→
Daily Verses
Proverbs 21:21
“Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.”Continue reading→
1 John 4:11 (02-05-17)
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. — 1 John 4:11 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... We are loved by the Creator of the Universe. He knows us personally. Our Heavenly Father cares about us tremendously. Although God knew about our weaknesses and sinfulness, he was willing to pay a terrible price to redeem us. Even though we are sometimes weak or rebellious, he loves us, forgives us, and welcomes us back when we are willing to confess our sins and come ho..Continue reading→
Your Future Is Confirmed!
I, John, saw the holy city, . . . coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Revelation 21:2, NKJVRegardless of your present circumstances or crisis, pressures or pain, suffering or sorrow, failures or frustrations, danger or disease, memories or misery, temptations or trials, problems or persecutions, burdens or brokenness, your situation is temporary compared to eternity. And eternity is going to be spent with Jesus in His Father’s house that has..Continue reading→
Psalm 33:4-5
“For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.”Continue reading→
Everything Will Be New
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Revelation 21:1, NIVPlanet earth is, at the very least, thousands of years old. Some think it may be millions or billions of years old. And it is showing signs of age. It is getting frayed and worn out. It is being polluted, gouged, stripped, burned, and poisoned, and much of the damage has been willfully and selfishly inflicted by man. But some of the scars are simply due to the wear and tear of a..Continue reading→
Hope
The reason for the hope that you have
After a childhood of turmoil and abuse, John didn’t know any other way to live. Dmitri thought that all the church wanted was his money. Hear how God renewed both of these men’s lives. Perhaps you’re wondering if there’s a way to overcome your own hurts and hang-ups. Don’t miss this inspirational story on Words to Live By.Continue reading→
A Christmas Invitation You Don’t Want to Miss!
John and Bonnie invited us to our first event of the holiday season. Along with a handful of others, we were included in a group we did not know to join them at their house. I plugged their address into my Google maps, and we headed to the party. Along the way, I said to Karen, “Do you think we need to pull up the email and check the invitation?” “No, we’ve got their address,” she said. “I don’t think there was any other information we needed.” We pulled into their subdivision — the gate was op..Continue reading→
God’s gift of grace
In the busyness and stress of the holiday season, it’s helpful to take a break and remember why we celebrate. Join us for a refreshing Christmas edition of “Words to Live By.” We’ll enjoy heartfelt reflections on the mystery of God’s grace! Discover the joy of our Savior’s arrival.Continue reading→
Is There Room in Your Inn?
“She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them” (Luke 2:7 NIV). No holiday on our calendar gets as much advertising time as Christmas. This month you can’t turn on your television, open up a website, or check your e-mail without hearing the word “Christmas.” You see beautifully decorated trees everywhere you turn. You’ll notice lo..Continue reading→
For it is by grace you have been saved
It seems no matter what they tried, Jose and Erika struggled to find contentment and satisfaction in their lives. From the time Rick was a little boy he faced abandonment issues leaving him with a deep sense of betrayal and resentment. Discover how hope and contentment can be found through the patient love of Jesus Christ.Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
Psalm 97:10
“Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.”Continue reading→
1 John 4:12 (02-06-17)
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. — 1 John 4:12 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... What an incredible thought! God can be seen in my home. The Father of the universe lives in my church. The Almighty God's love is recognizable in my life. How so? When I love those around me, when they love me back, when we choose to be loving instead of petty, unforgiving, critical, and harsh, God's presence, powe..Continue reading→
Proverbs 21:21
“Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.”Continue reading→
1 John 4:11 (02-05-17)
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. — 1 John 4:11 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... We are loved by the Creator of the Universe. He knows us personally. Our Heavenly Father cares about us tremendously. Although God knew about our weaknesses and sinfulness, he was willing to pay a terrible price to redeem us. Even though we are sometimes weak or rebellious, he loves us, forgives us, and welcomes us back when we are willing to confess our sins and come ho..Continue reading→
Prayers
The Debt of Love
PassageRomans 13:8-10 PrayerDear Father, I owe love to my fellow man, as you have said. What an endless debt! How can I keep your command to love my neighbor as myself? What would it be like to live in a world where such unselfishness prevailed? Ah, it would be heaven on earth, therefore such behavior is a precondition of our heavenly inheritance.But Lord, be gentle in your judgment toward me. I fall so far short on this. Love would absolutely do no wrong to one's neighbor - never taking an..Continue reading→
No Debt Except . . .
PassageRomans 13:8-10 PrayerDear Father, senior partner in my business,Help me get completely out of debt and stay out! Let me follow your word, "Owe no man anything! . . . except to love one another."Help me be a good steward of my business affairs. Spur me on to work smart as well as hard. Let me be very wise, even shrewd, in the way I order my business. While conserving resources, let me move forward, even taking risks when such is best.Help me, Father, to see you as the senior partner in w..Continue reading→
Authority
PassageRomans 13:1-7 PrayerDear Father, from whom all power comes,Help me to show proper respect for the duly constituted authority of government. Help me to do what is good, that I may receive the approval of those who serve you for the enforcement of good order.Teach me to be subject, not only to avoid the punishment of the state and to avoid your wrath, but also for the sake of my own conscience.Give me the integrity to pay taxes to whom taxes are due, to give revenue to whom revenue is due, ..Continue reading→
Living in Harmony
PassageRomans 12:16-21 PrayerDear Father, God of the lowly,Help me live in harmony with others - without haughtiness, without conceit, willing to associate with the lowly.Help me to repay no one evil for evil, but to take thought for what is noble in the sight of all.As far as it depends on me, let me live peaceably with everyone.Let me seek no revenge for myself, but leave it to your wrath, O God. Help me, Father, not to be overcome with evil, but to overcome evil with good.In the name and auth..Continue reading→
Questions & Answers
What Is Pantheism? Is It A Threat To Christianity?
Is Pantheism a threat to Christianity? What is Pantheism? Pantheism Pantheism is the view that God is in everything and in everyone and everything and everyone is God. Pantheism comes from the Greek word pan (all) and theos (God), so all things are God and God is all things. He is in all and all is He. That sounds a bit confusing, but if you see something in nature and see the beauty of it, we attribute the beauty of that to the glory of the Creator. For pantheists, they see the beauty as being..Continue reading→
Jesus’ Earthly Ministry – 5 Memorable Events
Most people would agree that Jesus was a great man. However, if you ask most people what it was that made Him great they often would say something to the effect that He treated everyone kindly and was not judgmental. Beyond that, they usually cannot describe anything about Jesus’ life that was particularly memorable. For this reason, we will look at five memorable events from Jesus’ earthly ministry. Jesus was Born Some would say that being born was not particularly a memorable event because ev..Continue reading→
The Power of “Nice” and the Importance of “Good”
“Why are you always involved in these missions trips to other religious groups?” Claire’s mother stopped me after a Sunday youth service and pulled me aside. I’ll never forget our conversation. Her question was more accusatory than inquisitive. “I’m not letting Claire go on this trip. I know lots of Mormons. We have several really good friends who are Mormon. They are incredibly nice people. Why would you want to challenge what they believe when they are so nice?” I received many similar complai..Continue reading→
Silas in the Bible
When you think of Silas from the Bible, what is the first Bible story that comes to mind? For me it is when he and Paul were beaten and thrown into jail for preaching Jesus. The account goes on to say that at midnight they were praying in the prison cell and singing praises unto God and all the prisoners heard them. What a testimony! Here is the full account: Acts 16:19–40 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketpl..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
When the Pastor Has an Affair
Be forthright with the congregation. The rumors are often worse than reality. You don’t have to give the sordid details. But the church needs to know the pastor was terminated because of moral failure. Speak to the congregation succinctly, honestly, and compassionately. It happens too frequently. It can be the lead pastor or any church staff member. And too many churches do not handle such tragedy well. But many churches do. Allow me to share some of the best responses I have heard from chur..Continue reading→
“I Got Gay Married. I Got Gay Divorced. I Regret Both.”
“I appreciate Maran’s candor in this article. I do think it is revealing. I suspect that many of those who marched for legal gay marriage in our country weren’t really that concerned about adding traditional marriage norms to gay relationships—norms of permanence, covenant, fidelity, etc.” Meredith Maran had an interesting essay in The New York Times over the weekend: “I Got Gay Married. I Got Gay Divorced. I Regret Both.” In it, she describes her “marriage” to her lesbian partner in 2008 and t..Continue reading→
American Pastor Andrew Brunson Has Been Held Captive In Turkey For Four Months. The President Must Act.
Brunson’s saga started on Oct. 7, when he and his wife, Norine, were summoned to court in Izmir, a coastal city where they reside and preach. The couple, who has raised three children in Turkey, expected to be informed that day that they were being granted permanent resident status. Instead, the Brunsons were detained and held for deportation. Tomorrow will mark the four month anniversary of a grim event. On October 7th of last year, American Christian Pastor Andrew Brunson was arrested in Turk..Continue reading→
Jesus Loves the Rich
“The Jesus of Scripture never showed partiality to the poor as over agains the rich. The Jesus of Scripture came into the world to redeem rich and poor. A brief survey of the Gospel record teaches us this important lesson–a lesson that we so desperately need to learn if we are to be faithful witnesses to the saving grace of God in Christ to all in in a day in which the rich are vilified by the poor.” Many people have a conception of Jesus that is–to put it as bluntly as possible–substantively d..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Iowa Senate Advances Bill to Defund Planned Parenthood
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Senate advanced a bill on Thursday that would defund the abortion and contraception giant Planned Parenthood. Senate File 2, was introduced by Sen. Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, and requires that family planning funds only be provided to health centers that do not perform abortions. “The Department of Human Services shall discontinue the Medicaid family planning network waiver effective July 1, 2017, and shall instead establish a state family planning services program,”..Continue reading→
Johann Gutenberg, Printer: 3 Ways He Revolutionised Christianity
Martin Luther started the Protestant Reformation, but it could never have happened without Johannes Gutenberg, innovator of the modern printing press. He revolutionised the Bible, the Church, and the world.Continue reading→
Report: Trump to Sign Religious Freedom Order Amid Retention of Homosexual, Transgender Protections
WASHINGTON — Reports state that President Trump might soon issue an executive order protecting the rights of religious groups following his decision to keep an Obama-era order banning groups that contract with the federal government from “discriminating” against homosexuals and transgenders in their business or non-profit organization. The outlet The Nation obtained a leaked copy of the order, which allegedly protects faith-based entities “when providing social services, education, or healthcar..Continue reading→
Franklin Graham Thinks President Trump’s Muslim Travel Ban ‘Isn’t Perfect’ But Doesn’t Completely Disagree With It
Evangelist Franklin Graham has been on the receiving end of criticisms because of his support for President Donald Trump.Continue reading→
Persecution
Czech Aid Worker, Sudanese Pastor Sentenced to Prison in Sudan
Photo Credit: OCHAJUBA, South Sudan (Morning Star News) – A judge in Sudan on Sunday (Jan. 29) sentenced Czech aid worker Petr Jasek to life in prison and two other Christians to prison terms of 12 years on charges related to “espionage,” a defense attorney said. “Petr Jasek was imprisoned for life,” attorney Muhanad Nur told Morning Star News. Along with the life sentence for espionage and waging war against the state, Jasek was also sentenced to six months in prison for spreading false rumor..Continue reading→
Report: Boko Haram Destroyed Over 900 Churches in Northern Nigeria
Photo Credit: AK Rockefeller(Daily Post) — The youth wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), 19 Northern states, yesterday said over 900 churches have been lost to Boko haram terrorism in the North east. It therefore urged the Federal Government to rebuild the churches and also re-establish Nigeria Inter Religion Council (NIREC) with a view to curbing incessant religious violence in the country. Speaking after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Gusau, Zamfara Sta..Continue reading→
Pastor, Eight Others Missing in Uganda After Muslims Beat, Rape Congregation
(Morning Star News) – A pastor in eastern Uganda and eight other Christians are missing two weeks after a Muslim mob attacked a church prayer meeting, locked the congregation in, beat several members and raped 15 women, sources said. The approximately 90 Muslims broke into the evening prayer meeting of Katira Church of Uganda, in Katira village, Budaka District at about 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 15 and beat them with clubs and sticks, area sources said. Previously Muslims had only thrown stones at the ..Continue reading→
Sri Lankan Church Lives on Despite Destroyed Building, Death Threats From Buddhist Monk
(World Watch Monitor) — The leader of a Sri Lankan church destroyed by a mob earlier this month has vowed that the church will continue to meet. Kamal Wasantha, leader of the Kithu Sevana prayer centre, told Asia News, “No attack can stop us. We shall continue to meet and pray under a tree.” Despite the attack leaving the Christian community of 15 families and 20 other worshippers nowhere to meet, they have no desire for revenge. “[We] shall not attack them in retaliation. Judgment belongs to ..Continue reading→
Movies
Silence: Scorsese’s Spiritual Masterpiece
Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Departed, The Wolf of Wall Street, Silence. One of these is not like the others. How could the same director who repeatedly reveled in the high cost of unchecked male rage also deliver the meditative and masterful Silence? Feudal Japan seems so far removed from the Mean Streets of New York City. Catholic priests dispensed wisdom and sacraments in both milieus, but the pace, tone, and body count is so different in the two films. While most Scorsese pictur..Continue reading→
Does the chariot race sequence in Ben-Hur need dialogue?
There are many problems with Timur Bekmambetov’s remake of Ben-Hur, but one of the more emblematic ones, I think, is the way he insists on adding dialogue to the chariot race. Bekmambetov can’t rely on the thrill of movement alone: instead, he has to pump the soundtrack full of exposition and dull action-movie banter. How does his film compare to the earlier ones, in this regard? In the 1925 silent film, you can often see characters’ mouths moving as their chariots fly down the track, but only o..Continue reading→
Blog Goals 2017
Flickr. Photo by Hey Paul Studios. CC Licensing. I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year. I’m sure that, for many, it was nice to say “so long” to 2016, and I hope that the new year is treating you kind. Our holidays were great, filled with time with family and friends and some chances to recharge our batteries. I’m still on vacation from work for another week, and I’m hoping to use this time to really gear up for the coming 12 months so I can attack 2017 afresh next week. I thought it might be..Continue reading→
Watch: Ten clips from The Purple Rose of Cairo
“Heaven, I’m in Heaven…” I just discovered that ten clips from my official second-favorite film of all time, The Purple Rose of Cairo, were posted to Fandango’s Movieclips YouTube channel about two weeks ago. The clips contain about 28 minutes of footage altogether, or just over a third of the film’s 82-minute running time. I wouldn’t recommend watching them without seeing the entire film first, but they do contain some of the film’s funniest and most poignant moments. Check them out below (thou..Continue reading→
Box office: Rogue One is now the #2 movie of 2016 in North America (but only the #9 movie worldwide — so far)
Rogue One ruled the box office for a third straight week as 2016 came to an end. The Star Wars prequel earned an estimated $49.5 million in North American theatres between Friday and Sunday. That raises the film’s domestic total to $424.9 million and makes it the second-highest grossing film of the year in North America — behind Finding Dory — and the 14th-highest grossing film of all time domestically. Overseas, it’s a slightly different story. Rogue One has earned $350 million to date internat..Continue reading→
2017 Film Journal
As per my 2016 Journal, videos and DVDs are in italics. Films I saw for the first time have an asterisk (*) next to them. Not counting extras and promo items. Jan Jan 1 — The Other Half [2016] * Jan 3 — Unless [2016] *Continue reading→
Watch: New clips and a featurette for Scorsese’s Silence
Nearly three decades in the making, Martin Scorsese’s adaptation of Silence is finally playing in a few American theatres, and it will expand to the rest of the continent over the next two weeks. To pique the interest of prospective moviegoers, Paramount has released a new featurette on Scorsese’s “passion” for the project, as well as a few clips. Here is the featurette: At least three clips from this incredibly challenging film have surfaced online too. In this one, Fathers Rodrigues (Andrew G..Continue reading→
The top ten posts at FilmChat in 2016
Happy New Year! Last year, for the first time, I compiled two lists of my most-viewed blog posts from the year that had just ended: one list covered the top ten posts from this blog’s entire archive, while the other covered the top ten posts that had been written in 2015. Now it’s time for the 2016 lists. And here they are: – The 10 most-viewed posts in 2016, regardless of when they were written: 1. History and tradition in movie depictions of the cross (April 2013) This one’s a perennial, and t..Continue reading→
Same Kind of Different as Me release date postponed again
Just a quick update regarding the release of an upcoming “faith-based” film. Deadline is reporting that Same Kind of Different as Me, based on the memoir by Ron Hall, Denver Moore and Lynn Vincent, has been dropped by Paramount Pictures, which was going to release the film in February. The film will now be released by Pure Flix Entertainment, the studio behind God’s Not Dead, on October 20, 2017. This is the second time the film — which stars Greg Kinnear, Renee Zellweger, Djimon Hounsou and Jon..Continue reading→
Music
United Again – Single by Matt Hammitt
Addressing the current state of division among the nation, GRAMMY® nominated Matt Hammitt debuts the lyric video for single "United Again" (FCM Records, Seth Mosley), encouraging communities to find strength and unity among God. Amid protests and demonstrations on Inauguration Day, the song serves as an anthem for the Church, unifying those who feel disheartened by the present political climate. "Today, it seems there's only one thing that most Americans can agree on; that our nation is divided, shares Hammitt. "Many are asking the questions about how, or even if, our country can heal. A long list leaders have claimed that[...]Continue reading→
WOW Gospel 2017 by Various Artists – “WOW” Series
WOW Gospel 2017 is the premiere annual collection of top selling artists from Traditional to Contemporary Gospel! This power packed compilation returns with the best Gospel praise anthems, ballads and radio hits of the year. The WOW Gospel 2017 double disc CD set and companion DVD features 31 tracks from legendary ground-breaking gospel talents like Donnie McClurkin, Kirk Franklin, Todd Dulaney, Tasha Cobbs, Erica Campbell/Big Shizz many more! Previously garnering gold and platinum certifications along with a core faithful fan base, this WOW Gospel installment may be the best yet! The companion DVD will feature live and concept videos from[...]Continue reading→
Chain Breaker by Zach Williams
Husband, father, singer, songwriter, worship leader, campus director at his home church in Arkansas, and now, most recently added to Zach Williams' list of titles is recording artist. Zach Williams' first full-length album, Chain Breaker, comes from a place of humility and honesty as these songs are a direct reflection of God's redemption in Williams' life as he heals from a past life of addiction, darkness, and hopelessness. Says Williams, "Jesus came and died on the cross so there would be a way for the chains of those struggles and addictions to be broken. If you have pain, He's a[...]Continue reading→
Nobody Famous by Jered Sanders
"We've got a lot to talk about, ya'll," states Jered with this release. 'Nobody Famous' marks Sanders third release along the side of the 'Black Friday' EP which dropped this past November. In a year's time, Jered is primed to impact CHH like few other CHH artists have achieved.[...]Continue reading→
Tears – Single by Matt Hammitt
GRAMMY® nominated Matt Hammitt debuts latest single "Tears," as a part of the second solo project of his career. Going for adds on Feb. 3, the song will impact AC and Hot AC/CHR radio and has already hit No. 1 on Play MPE's Top 20 Christian downloads and streams. Hammitt is the first signed writer to Songs for FCM, the Full Circle Music publishing company helmed by GRAMMY® winning producer Seth Mosley. In the Spring of 2017, Hammitt will release his full-length studio album featuring the single.[...]Continue reading→
For KING & COUNTRY Releases ‘Priceless’ Movie For Digital Download
Good news for all the for KING & COUNTRY fans if you weren't able to catch Priceless in theaters last fall, it is now available for Digital HD Download from Amazon and iTunes. When you purchase a digital copy of the movie, you'll also receive special features such as a live performance by for KING & COUNTRY, The Making of Priceless, The Heart Behind the Film, Deleted Scenes, and Trailers. If you prefer DVD or Blu-Ray, the film will be available on Valentine's Day and you can pre-o..Continue reading→
iShine Presents The B413 ‘NO FILTER LIVE’ TOUR 2017
Together with iShine, Provident Label Group, Essential Artist Services and Tween Gospel Alliance, they announce the B413 "No Filter Live" Tour. This unique tour, which will hit three key markets in spring 2017 Bowling Green, KY (April 22), Austin, TX (May 5) and Ft. Smith (May 6) is a two-hour event specifically designed for tweens and their parents to best prepare the tween demographic for life beyond entering their teen years, to deeply enrich the child's faith and help equip parents to s..Continue reading→
Books
My vocation trilogy
I have written three books on vocation. I just realized that this constitutes a trilogy. They aren’t The Lord of the Rings, but they are connected and build into a whole. (1) God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life. This sets forth the doctrine of vocation. (2) Family Vocation: Your Christian Callings in Marriage, Parenthood, and Childhood. Written with my daughter Mary Moerbe, this book explores in depth the various vocations within the family, showing too how the teachings about Go..Continue reading→
“Family Vocation” giveaway
GoodReads is giving away five copies of Family Vocation: God’s Calling in Marriage, Parenting, and Childhood. I wrote that book with my daughter Mary Moerbe. It goes beyond God at Work, not just in exploring the family vocations in depth–important in itself, if we want to revitalize Christian marriage and parenting–but also in including material on vocation in general that I learned after publishing that earlier book. All you do is click “Enter Giveaway” on the widget after the jump. Five entran..Continue reading→
Last Chance
Pre-order Pricing Ends Monday for Marry Wisely, Marry Well Marry Wisely, Marry Well teaches Christian young people how to start building a future marriage house even before beginning a relationship. It helps them learn to make a wise choice of a spouse, and how to start preparing for a future relationship that is truly built on Christ. 40% Pre-order Discount Ends MondayContinue reading→
10 books to add to your reading pile this Winter
In its longest shortlist ever, the Australian Christian Book of the Year Shortlist has been announced today. From pondering how God fell off Australia’s radar to exploring the church’s involvement in the holocaust to the devastating impact of nuclear tests on an Aboriginal community and the Christian woman who fought against them, the shortlist is one of the most diverse ever. Run by SparkLit, an organisation seeking to empower Christian writers, publish..Continue reading→
Top Ten Books 5
Jesus Roiling His World Ministry in the 1980s included a two year teaching opportunity on the faculty of Moody Bible Institute and being called as pastor to Bella Vista Church, Rockford, MI, where I served 24 years. You can imagine the many books that I read to keep my mind and heart vibrant. Yet, reflecting on the decade of the 80s, two books were profoundly influential on my view of Jesus and pastoral ministry. In the line-up today is book #5 of ten that shaped my life: Donald B. ..Continue reading→
The Sermon on the Mount in Korea
A wonderful new translation of the (=my) Story of God Bible Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount is now available through Ecclesia Books in Korea. Always a red letter today to see these translations, and others in the series are to follow...Continue reading→
My 5 Favorite Books of 2015
It seems like everyone makes a best books list around this time, so adding my list probably isn’t going to shatter anybody’s world. In any event, there are a few reasons why I’ve compiled this list. First, I love reading and I love to share what I’m reading. Second, I’m also always encouraged by others’ thoughts and their lists often help me pick out a few last books for my Christmas wish list. Third, I get a lot of books from publishers, and while I don’t feel compelled t..Continue reading→
American
How Much $$$$ is that Wedding?
Kathryn Vasel: The average cost of a wedding climbed to a record high of $35,329 last year, according to The Knot’s 2016 Real Weddings study. That’s up 8% from the 2015 average. Meanwhile, the number of guests has dropped. “Couples are spending their budgets to focus on guests, they are taking care of them and showing them a very personalized experience,” said Kristen Maxwell Cooper, executive editor at The Knot. “But personalization is not cheap.” Last year, the average number of wedding guests..
The Embodiment of Israel’s God? (RJS)
Richard Hays explores the ways in which the Gospel writers draw the Old Testament to narrate the identity of Jesus. In Reading Backwards: Figural Christology and the Fourfold Gospel Witness he focuses on Jesus as the embodiment of Israel’s God. In Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels he goes beyond this to look at other aspects of the identity of Jesus, as well as the re-narration of Israel’s story in light of Jesus and the role of the church (the gathering of Christ-followers) in the world. I am ..
Embedded Religion
In one of the best reads of the last few months, Kenneth Woodward, Getting Religion: Faith, Culture, and Politics from the Age of Eisenhower to the Era of Obama, opens with some insights into what he calls “embedded religion.” Many of the younger leaders in our churches today don’t know the story of the older leaders, and I don’t know a better book to “catch them up” than Woodward’s romp through the last sixty years or so. Extraordinary prose is accentuated by Woodward’s presence in all the majo..
Pastor Says Church Leaders Should be Free to Counsel Women to Have Abortions
Abortion advocates have been spouting dozens of reasons why the abortion business Planned Parenthood should keep getting taxpayer funding. But Pastor Derek L. Penwell’s is a new one. In a column for The Courier-Journal this week, the Kentucky pastor claimed the defunding effort would amount to a gag rule for clergy. Penwell is the senior pastor at Douglass Boulevard Christian Church in Kentucky. He also is the co-founder The Ally Network, a group of Kentucky organizations dedicated to “progres..
Entertainment
Hacksaw Ridge: The Poster
This fall is shaping up as a big one for fans of quality, challenging films with a faithful bent. Early awards darling A Birth of a Nation, based on Nat Turner’s bloody, biblically-inspired fight against slavery in the 1830s, hits theaters in October. Martin Scorsese’s Silence, which focuses on two Jesuit missionaries working in 17th Century Japan, is scheduled to be released this November. And then there’s Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge, which just released its first poster. From the ..
Hillsong UNITED To Unveil LIVE Visual Album “Of Dirt And Grace – Live from The Land”
Nashville, Tenn. (July 1, 2016) – Incorporating breathtaking imagery from Israel, platinum-selling Hillsong UNITED will debut Of Dirt And Grace – Live From The Land available from July 15 – a LIVE visual take on songs from their best selling record EMPIRES. The Beatitudes served as the essence and inspiration for their 2015 release, leading to the band’s aspiration to film where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount along with additional Biblically historic locations in and around Jerusalem and..
Batman v Superman Has Issues: Daddy Issues
OK, most of us agree that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice wasn’t a great movie. But it was, at times, a surprisingly thoughtful one. And with the Zack Snyder-helmed superhero flick now available on a variety of streaming services this week, it’s time to take a look at one thoughtful thread: The movie’s recurring thoughts about fatherhood—even when we’re talking about the heavenly Father. It’s no coincidence that Christians call God our “Father,” after all. The Bible has loads of ..
‘The Innocents’ tells a story of trauma, grace
Joanna Kulig in “The Innocents” (Courtesy of Music Box Films) At last, the long night of World War II is over in Europe, but for a Benedictine monastery of nuns in northern Poland, the nightmare continues. During vespers one evening, a white-veiled novice hears screaming. She puts on her coat against the cold and snow and, sneaking out a hidden door, runs across the fields to a nearby town. There, she asks a street urchin to take her to a doctor — just not one who is Russian or Polish. The young..
US
What you do to your neighbor you do to Christ
It still being Christmas–there are twelve days of it, remember–we can still contemplate the inexhaustible topic of God’s incarnation. After the jump, read an excerpt from one of Luther’s Christmas sermons, which our pastor quoted in his Christmas Eve message. The passage deals both with Christmas and vocation–that is, our calling to love and serve our neighbors in our various tasks and relationships. To those who think that they would have shown kindness to the Christ child and His parents, unli..
The superiority of the left-handed
People who are left-handed constitute 10-15% of the population. The other 85-90% have often given them a hard time. But new research suggests that lefties are wired in a way that makes them, among other things, quicker thinkers and more creative. And, judging from my left-handed wife, I know it’s true. Read details after the jump. From Carolyn Gregoire, How Left-Handed People Think And Feel Differently | The Huffington Post: Lefties historically have had a tendency to get left behind. Until rela..
“The darkness didn’t comprehend it”
I do not agree with N. T. Wright on “the new perspective on Paul,” but he has a published a fascinating reflection on John 1. He particularly focuses on this theme: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness didn’t comprehend it; the world was made through him and the world didn’t know him; he came to his own, and his own didn’t receive him.” (John 1:5, 10-11) God gives His Word, but the world doesn’t understand it. The Creator comes to the world that He made, but the world doesn’t reco..
Marshall McLuhan, conservative Catholic
Marshall McLuhan, who basically invented the study of media, became an icon of the 1960’s with his praise of the new information technology and his predictions of the new tribalism that it would make possible. McLuhan arguably predicted the effects of the internet before the internet was invented. And yet, as Jefferson Pooley reminds us, McLuhan got his start as a conservative cultural critic who, influenced by G. K. Chesterton, became a traditionalist Catholic who opposed the reforms of Vatican..
Church & Theology
Thank You, President Trump
President Trump has certainly been a controversial figure on our political landscape throughout this past election season. Today, however, I am thankful for one of the first executive orders he signed—an order to reinstate a ban on federal funds to foreign abortions. Often called the “Mexico City Policy” (because of the location where it was announced), President Reagan was the first to set this policy. In short, it bans federal funding to international organizations that perform or recommend a..
10 Characteristics of a Healthy Church (part 2)
In part 1 of this post, we looked at five characteristics of a healthy church: A Biblical Purpose A Spiritual Passion An Uncompromised Position An Endowment of Power A Growing Leadership In part 2, we’ll look at five final characteristics: 6. A Transparent Policy There’s a lot of talk in our day about transparency. Some of it is just talk in which people try to create an illusion of transparency where there is none. But biblical Christianity is transparent and free of guile. Think of it: man..
How Leaders Build Strategic Teams: Spiritual Leadership Podcast
A dream without a plan is a wish. So a spiritual, team-building leader doesn’t just assemble a team of dreamers, but a team of doers. In this Spiritual Leadership Podcast episode, we discuss what areas a pastor needs to develop strategy for his team, as well as how he can assemble a team of leaders committed to a process of growth. (If you cannot view this video in your email or RSS reader, click here.) At the beginning of this episode, I also answer a few questions that have been submitted f..
How Does the Holy Spirit Unite Us to Christ?
Follow @BrandonSmith85 In describing the Persons of the Trinity, the argument is often dichotomized into two parts: (1) Who the Person is (all three are God, but no Person is the other Person); (2) What the Person does (the Father sends the Son; the Son secures salvation; the Holy Spirit seals salvation; etc.) While this dichotomy is actually helpful in laying a foundation, it doesn’t always do justice to the intricate ways in which the Persons work together in the economy of salvation. In The W..