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
My favorite films of 2016
Conventional wisdom holds that 2016 was, to use the technical term, a dumpster fire. I’m not going to argue against that; it was a year in which American culture finally curdled and icons were taken from us at an alarming rate. But bad times make for great art, and 2016 was another wonderful year of cinema. Unlike other years, in which the majority of great releases were clustered around the fall months, my list for favorite films of 2016 includes films that were released throughout the calendar..Continue reading→
Happy Christmas Eve
Photo via Vlickr, Jori Samonen. CC Licensing. Ever since I was a child, Christmas Eve has meant more to me than Christmas Day. As a child, it was because Christmas Eve was when we would load up the car, go to my grandparents and open gifts with my cousins. It was that night — and the lead into Christmas morning — that embodied the holiday for me the most. Treats on the counter. One grandfather excitedly playing Santa. The other calmly reading Luke’s account of the Christmas story. A fire roaring..Continue reading→
The Best Films of 2016: Empathy in Action
What animated the most enduring films of 2016? While our nation suffered from our inability to empathize with the Other, thankfully the finest filmmakers reminded us how compelling compassion remains. Empathy turned a ‘small’ film like Moonlight into an immediate masterpiece. Not a shot, gesture, or line is wasted in Barry Jenkins’ gorgeous triptych. The evolution of Chiron across the mean streets of Miami communicated with such clarity why Black Lives Matter. The West Texas plains of Toby and ..Continue reading→
Short film submissions wanted $10,000 for films on fatherhood
Short film submissions wanted $10,000 for films on fatherhood December 21st, 2016 The Fatherhood CoMission and the Christian Worldview Film Festival have partnered to hold the second annual HONOR YOUR FATHER short film contest. The two groups urge filmmakers to use inspiration, humor, or drama in short film to promote a Biblical perspective of fatherhood, sharable on social media and appropriate to play in churches leading up to Father’s Day. Filmmakers of all ages and backgrounds are ..Continue reading→
My favorite (non-movie) pop culture of 2016!
Photo by Dafne Cholet, Flickr. CC Licensing. 2016 is coming to a close. And while there are a lot of reasons to be happy that we’re saying goodbye to this year, let’s not forget that this wasn’t a terrible year in every area. True, we might be skipping toward the apocalypse. But at least there were some fun diversions along the way. My post for the best movies of 2016 will be coming later. I hope to have it up before the new year, but the fall has been so busy that I’m behind on movies. There ar..Continue reading→
Pureflix joining forces with ClearPlay to deliver clean(er) content to families
Pureflix joining forces with ClearPlay to deliver clean(er) content to families December 20th, 2016 PureFlix, a leader in the faith and family streaming video space, is partnering with ClearPlay Inc. of Salt Lake City, Utah. To provide consumers original content, movies, TV shows and more completely free from any offensive language. ClearPlay’s innovative playback filtering technology is designed to work with the PureFlix.com existing library of more than 5,000 titles. It also opens the do..Continue reading→
“It’s My Favorite” Talks Christmas!
Photo by Antonio Castagna, Flickr. CC Licensing So, Christmas is coming and I know there’s been a bit of a lull the past few months in blogging as I’ve finished my first semester of grad school. It’s been a busy, challenging few months, but as of about 24 hours ago, I’m done with class. Starting Friday, I’ll be off work for two days. In addition to enjoying the holidays with my family, I’m also looking forward to catching up on some movies and tending to this neglected site. In the coming days a..Continue reading→
Sony Animation’s The Star — a Nativity film coming out next year — warms up its online marketing campaign
Is it too early to think about next year’s Christmas movies? The folks at Sony apparently hope it isn’t. Today their “faith-based” division, Affirm Films, sent out an e-mail letting people know that the upcoming animated film The Star — about a donkey, a sheep, and some other animals who participate in the first Christmas — now has a website. The film also has a few social-media accounts, but so far — apart from the brand-new banner above — there are no photos, no casting news and no details abo..Continue reading→
Watch: Jack Huston and Timur Bekmambetov sing Morgan Freeman’s praises in a clip from a Ben-Hur bonus feature
Ben-Hur was one of the year’s biggest flops, and director Timur Bekmambetov thinks he knows why: he recently told a Russian news agency that the film failed at the box office because audiences prefer stories of revenge to stories about forgiveness. That could be one of the reasons the film didn’t do so well, but I can think of a few others, too: the late-August release date, the lousy reviews, the perception that it was a niche “faith-based” film, and the utter lack of movie stars, to name just ..Continue reading→
Music
All Is Not Lost by The Brilliance
In a world faced with suffering, division and hate, liturgical band The Brilliance is declaring that even still All Is Not Lost, the title of their inspiring sophomore album, set to release January 27, 2017. The New York-based duo, comprised of David Gungor and John Arndt. writes songs for both the church and those feeling spiritually homeless. Their goal is to create music that gives voice to the pain and pleasure of the human experience, providing a sonic invitation that welcomes all people to live fully. Colored through with intricate string arrangements, All Is Not Lost contains tracks[...]Continue reading→
Red Sea Road by Ellie Holcomb
This record celebrates the Hope we have in Jesus, and the powerful personal ways Ellie has seen Him make Red Sea Roads through some of the most heartbreaking times of her life. "The past two years for our community have been heavy, full of suffering and loss," shares Ellie Holcomb. "Red Sea Road is a record full of songs about how I've seen God show up in the middle of all the pain. I know now more than I did two years ago that He is faithful, no matter what we are facing, I've seen Him continue to draw[...]Continue reading→
Vertical Church Band Announces The Vertical Nights Tour Featuring Pastor James MacDonald
Essential Worship's Vertical Church Band and Premier Productions have partnered and are proud to announce the upcoming dates for their Vertical Nights Tour. Kicking off March 8 in South Bend, Indiana, the tour is scheduled to hit 14 markets across the U.S. Tickets are on sale now by visiting here. RELATED Vertical Church Band Releases 'Frontiers' At each tour stop, concertgoers will get to enjoy a message from Pastor James MacDonald of Harvest Bible Chapel, along with music from..Continue reading→
Aaron Shust Releases Performance Video For ‘You Redeem’
This week Aaron Shust released the performance video, featuring former Sanctus Real lead singer and co-writer Matt Hammitt, for his new single "You Redeem." The song is the first single from the live worship album Love Made A Way, releasing March 10th. RELATED Aaron Shust's 'Ever Be' Top 5 on Billboard's NCA Chart "When God performs miracles, when he heals what cannot be cured, it can be overwhelming to know that He is mindful of us. I can clearly recall every moment I'..Continue reading→
Meredith Andrews’ Husband Helps Save A Life
Last week Meredith Andrews and her husband, songwriter and producer Jacob Sooter, got to have a part in something truly incredible helping save someone's life. RELATED Meredith Andrews Releases Video Series With Kay Warren Meredith posted a photo from the Nashville Airport last Friday evening telling the amazing story of how a simple tire iron played a vital role in saving a life. "On our way to the airport we came up on a car stopped at an intersection. Most cars were driving around, but..Continue reading→
Joel Vaughn Releases New EP
Joel Vaughn releases his second EP, Surrender, today. Leading up to the album's release, Joel pre-released his album on iTunes and via his IndieGoGo profile which awarded fans the opportunity to getting their names in the album's credits, a chance to write a song with him and an exclusive acoustic show. RELATED Joel Vaughn Launches Indiegogo to Fund Full Length Album "What if we could let go of our fear and truly trust God even when it's hard to? What could He accomplish through..Continue reading→
Hollyn Set To Release First Full-Length Album ‘One-Way Conversations’
Gotee Records' HOLLYN announced this week that she will be releasing her debut LP album, One-Way Conversations, next month on February 10. This album is the follow-up to her acclaimed self-titled EP that produced the No. 1 single "Alone (feat. TRU)" and the Top 5 single "Nothin' On You." The upcoming release already touts a No. 1 radio single with the track "Love with Your Life." The pre-order for One-Way Conversations is live now, click here to preorder digitally as well as preorder t..Continue reading→
We Love Christian Music Awards To Hold First-Ever Event Feb. 2
The WE LOVE CHRISTIAN MUSIC AWARDS have had a fifth year for the record books, and its unprecedented momentum continues with the announcement of its first-ever live awards event, to be held Thursday, Feb. 2 at the JUCE TV studios in the Nashville area. RELATED Voting Now Open In 5th Annual We Love Christian Music Awards Made possible by the awards' partnership between industry leading Christian music website NewReleaseToday (http//www.newreleasetoday.com) and Trinity Broadcasting Network&..Continue reading→
Atlantic Announces ‘The Shack Music From And Inspired By The Original Motion Picture’
Atlantic Records has announced its release of "THE SHACK MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY THE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE," due everywhere on Friday, February 24th to coincide with the nationwide release of the film from Lionsgate's Summit Entertainment label on March 3. RELATED 'The Shack' Set To Hit Theaters March 2017 "THE SHACK MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY THE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE" is available now for pre-order here and accompanied by two instant grat downloads "Keep Your Eyes On M..Continue reading→
American
Assisted Suicide is Antithetical to Liberal Values
Charles Camosy wrote an excellent article concerning the assisted suicide bill in New York that was recently published in the New York Daily News titled: Assisted Suicide vs liberal values. Camosy begins his article by describing the personal story that Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D) says led to her supporting assisted suicide. Camosy acknowledges the pain that has led many people to support assisted suicide, but he argues that this compassion leads to unintended consequences. No one can be unmo..
Nearly 50 New Pro-Life Laws Have Been Introduced Since President Trump’s Election
The year 2017 already is bringing strong hopes for future babies in the womb. World News Service reports state legislators have introduced almost 50 pro-life bills already this year that would increase protections for unborn babies and moms. Pro-life leaders said the November election results kindled new hopes that these protections will pass state legislatures and be upheld in the courts. “With the election of a pro-life president, with all of the gains that we made across the different state..
Parents Reject Abortion After Ultrasound Shows Identical Twins Cuddling Each Other
Doctors suggested that Hayley Lampshire may have to abort one of her unborn sons after they discovered the twins shared an amniotic sac and placenta. The Daily Mail reports the twins’ rare condition put their lives in jeopardy; the survival rate is only about 50 percent. But selectively aborting one of them would have 100-percent denied one child a chance at life. Lampshire and her husband said they were “heartbroken” when they heard the news, but their hopes were renewed when they saw an ultr..
Science is Incidental (RJS)
Chapter 5 of Denis Lamoureux’s new book Evolution: Scripture and Nature Say Yes looks at the way that “science” is presented in Scripture. Science is a modern concept, but Scripture certainly speaks about the nature of the cosmos and uses language that assumes a view of astronomy, geography, and biology. But the Bible is not a science book. It doesn’t teach new science, rather it reflects the typical views concerning astronomy, geography, and biology commonly held in the ancient Near East. These..
Entertainment
8 films and mini-series to see before you vote
Reese Witherspoon plays Tracy Flick in the 1999 film “Election.” (Paramount Pictures/Bob Akester) My ears perked up back in March when Texas Sen. Ted Cruz defended his wife, Heidi, after Donald Trump threatened to “spill the beans” about her. Cruz came back with a threat of his own that sounded like it was straight out of the 1995 film “The American President” when President Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas) stood up for his girlfriend (Annette Bening) to his opponent Sen. Bob Rumson (Richard Dr..
“Rabin in His Own Words” is a testament to peace
At the Venice Film Festival last September, the SIGNIS (Catholic) Jury placed filmmaker Amos Gitai’s “Rabin: The Last Day” on our short list for the SIGNIS Prize as soon as we saw it. The film is a captivating docudrama form of a political essay that explores the last day in the life of the famed peace-seeking Israeli Prime Minister and Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin (1922 – 1995) who was assassinated during a peace rally on November 4, 1995. Integrating actual footage of the shooting by a 25-ye..
“The Story of God” concludes 5/8 with “The Power of Miracles”
The Story of God concludes this Sunday with “The Power of Miracles.” This Sunday, May 8, 2016, the NatGeo Channel will conclude it’s beautiful inspiring and informative series on “The Story of God.” The final episode is “The Power of Miracles.” The series host, Morgan Freeman, begins this “journey to discover the power of miracles” by interviewing Alcides Moreno, a window washer in Manhattan who plunged 47 stories to the ground in 2007 and survived. Alcido’s younger brother, Edgar, perished. Fre..
Cast of RISEN reacts to meeting Pope Francis ahead of May release of DVD
The film RISEN, that I reviewed in February as a “moving contribution to the canon of biblical movies” will be distributed on digital on May 10 and on 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ & DVD May 24 with Bonus Materials that will include deleted scenes and three behind-the-scenes featurettes & commentary. And today, for the first time, you can watch and listen to the moving responses of actors Joseph Fiennes and Maria Botto as well as the co-producers, Mickey Liddell and Pete Shil..
US
Electoral College Day, then and now
The Electoral College meets today, with the designated electors meeting in state capitols to cast their vote for president. In most states, electors are required, by law or by oath, to vote according to the election results of their state. Nevertheless, this year electors are receiving thousands of e-mails, letters, and phone calls, insisting on the autonomy of the electoral college and begging them not to put Trump in office. Even Democratic electors are being pressured not to vote for Clinton ..
Top 10 Google searches of 2016
The internet contains unfathomable amounts of information. Search engines allow us to find anything we want to know, giving us access to knowledge on an unprecedented scale, thus advancing the capabilities of the human mind. When we can fully connect our minds to the internet, we can attain the next level of human evolution. So see what the year’s top searches on Google were. From Google’s Year in Search – Google Trends:Pokémon GoiPhone 7Donald TrumpPrincePowerballDavid BowieDeadpoolOlympic..
Theology & church growth
Canadian researchers conducted a study of mainline Protestant churches (Anglican, Presbyterian, Uniting, and Evangelical Lutheran [the liberal denomination, as opposed to the confessional Lutheran Church of Canada]), comparing traits in congregations that were growing and those that are not. They found that congregations that were theologically conservative are growing, and those that were theologically liberal are not. (Go here for the complete study.) After the jump, religion columnist Terry M..
$12 coffee and the positional economy
Starbucks is opening some exclusive “Reserve Roasteries and Tasting Rooms,” which will offer high-end coffee experiences at around $12 per cup. George Will discusses the phenomena, drawing on an economist who distinguishes between the “material” and the “positional” economy. First we have to meet our basic “material” needs (food, shelter, clothing). After that, what once were luxuries (automobiles, air conditioning, computers) are turned into necessities. After that, we spend money on high-statu..