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→
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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
News: Brazil’s Presidential Drama Reflects Political, Denominational Divides
Interim president Michel Temer gets evangelical support from Congress but faces a country split by faith and politics. Brazil has a new president, albeit temporarily. After sitting president Dilma Rousseff was accused of doctoring public finances to hide the country’s growing deficit, politicians—including the evangelical contingent—voted last week to begin her impeachment trial. Brazil suffers its worst economy in recent history, with high rates of unemployment and inflation making the countr..Continue reading→
Finding Purpose in Faith
Many skeptics maintain unquestioned faith that science will solve the world’s problems. Seeing the evidence of chaos throughout the world, often the product of religiously-inspired violence, they conclude that religion is somehow the problem. Authors like Christopher Hitchens capitalize on such assumptions, writing best-selling books that explain how “God is not great” or how religion has “poisoned” everything. By contrast, science has provided “progress,” the sense that things are definitely ge..Continue reading→
Can God Balance Mercy and Justice?
In a recent post, I addressed the issue of whether Christ’s death constituted a sacrifice. For many skeptics, Christ’s death, resurrection and atonement for our sins constitute a major stumbling block. In response to that post, one challenger commented that he could not understand “why the death of Jesus was that big a deal. He had 6 hours of agony. A terrible way to go, but how many people have similar experiences? And the atheist supposedly bound for hell will experience this kind of agony co..Continue reading→
Can Reason Lead Us To A Relationship With God
Most atheists feel confident that they have “reason” on their side. As a result, many are surprised when a Christian apologist takes an evidentialist, or reason-based, approach to matters of “faith.” Not long ago, the issue arose in a conversation I was having with a skeptic. I had been laying out the basic philosophical arguments for the existence of a supreme, uncaused being. Accepting the logic of these arguments, she shifted her challenge, saying: “You want me to use reason to get me to agr..Continue reading→
Music
Long Live the Rebels by Disciple
Two-time Dove Award winning Disciple is a staple in the Christian hard rock scene. Known for it's unique blend of faith with intense yet accessible music, the band has forged a deeply connected fan base along the way. Now, after a massively successful Kickstarter campaign, the band is poised to release its 13th studio album, Long Live The Rebels, on October 14 in partnership with Tooth Nail Records BEC Recordings.[...]Continue reading→
Reflection by Derek Minor (PRo)
Minor is slated to release his sixth album, Reflection, on October 14 on his Reflection Music Group in partnership with Entertainment One. The album includes the lead single "You Know It," "Until I'm Gone" featuring BJ The Chicago Kid, "Love Go High" featuring Chrisette Michele, "I'm Good" featuring Janice Gaines, among other tracks. "The overall message of this record is you really are made for greatness," Minor explains. "You're not the sum of your mistakes. We are all imperfect. You were made to be greater than your probably realize."[...]Continue reading→
Wonder by Jean Watson
Internationally acclaimed recording artist Jean Watson is busy prepping the release of her eighth and most ambitious full-length CD to date, WONDER, due to be released October 14, 2016 on Suite 28 Records/Shadowlands Music through Naxos of America, Inc., the nation's leading independent classical music distributor. "The music on WONDER is the most authentically 'me' music I have ever recorded," Watson says. "I believe the music is quite accessible to both the faith-based and general markets, and the opportunity to partner with Naxos to get the music into the hands of music lovers is huge. I really want to launch[...]Continue reading→
Followers by Tenth Avenue North
"This album is about following Jesus wherever He calls us," explains frontman Mike Donehey. "Everyone says let's follow Jesus let's do all these extravagant things but what we're saying is not to follow Jesus in what we do but to follow Jesus in the WHY we do it." With numerous No. 1 radio singles, multiple Dove Awards including New Artist of the Year and touring accolades that include Casting Crowns, MercyMe and Chris Tomlin, it would be easy for Tenth Avenue North to get caught up in the success of being an artist. However, since their last album Cathedrals (2014),[...]Continue reading→
Michael Sweet’s ‘One Sided War’ Attacks The Billboard 200 Landing At #77
Stryper frontman Michael Sweet continues to grow musically. His latest release One Sided War, released via Rat Pak Records, made a massive impact on the charts this week. The latest solo album from Sweet landed at #77 on the Billboard 200 with over 8300 units sold and was also #1 on the Hard Rock Albums and Top Christian Albums charts. One Sided War was also the #4 on Top Rock Albums, #6 on Independent Albums and #21 on Top Current Albums charts. The album was also #1 on the Amazon Hard Rock cha..Continue reading→
Jamison Strain Releases ‘Beautiful Beginning’
Singer-songwriter Jamison Strain hasn't had much down time since the July release of his latest album, Beautiful Beginning. He's toured relentlessly, including a September tour with Building 429 and Finding Favour, and the upcoming Wonder Tour 2016 alongside OBB and Love Collide. Sponsored by ChildFund International and Adelphoi Music Group, the Christmas tour will hit cities nationwide through mid-December. Growing up as a pastor's kid, Jamison grew up with a desire for people t..Continue reading→
TODDZERO Gets Brutally Honest With New Album
Los Angeles-based Indie Rock artist TODDZERO has performed on some of music's biggest stages, including SXSW and the MTV Movie Awards Pre-Show, and his critically acclaimed songs have been heard on hit TV shows like the Freeform/ABC Family series The Fosters. But when TODDZERO started to write songs for his latest album, My Precious Limp, he faced an unusual dilemma. It would by easy, and comfortable, to write another collection of songs about the usual themes. Or, he could take the opportu..Continue reading→
Trae Edwards Premieres ‘Love Got Us Through’ Music Video
While the news has been filled with terror attacks, mass shootings and unspeakable tragedies, inspirational Country Music artist Trae Edwards is speaking out with his new single, "Love Got Us Through." The music video premieres at 1000 a.m. EDT today exclusively at The Boot. Trae hopes that the song provides comfort to those that are grieving, and hope for all that better days are ahead. Response to the song has been overwhelming, leading to national media coverage, including appearances on FOX..Continue reading→
Journey’s Jonathan Cain Offers Exclusive Facebook Live Listening Party October 18
Jonathan Cain, longtime keyboardist and rhythm guitarist in Journey, co-writer of the No. 1 catalog rock song in iTunes' history, "Don't Stop Believin'," as well as writer of "Faithfully" and co-writer of "Who's Crying Now," "Open Arms" and many more international hit songs, will host an exclusive Facebook Live listening party Tuesday, Oct. 18, beginning at 700 pm CDT for everyone who preorders his solo album, What God Wants to Hear.Continue reading→
American
Another “Lifestyle Choice” — Trans-Species
Nano, a 20-year-old Norwegian, says, “I was born in the wrong species.” Nano believes she is trapped in a human female body instead of a feline body. A woman who hisses at dogs, claims her night vision and sense of smell is better because she is really a cat. She even meows in “cat language.” The Daily Mail reports: Sadly, such “lifestyle choices” are nothing more than disordered affections, in some cases mental disorders, which enable people to reject truth and condone wrong and delusional beha..
The Myth of the ‘Moderate Muslim’
Below is a guest post from my friend and Liberty Alliance colleague, J. Matt Barber which was first published on his site: BarbWire.com. “When the sacred months are over slay the idolaters wherever you find them. Arrest them, besiege them, and lie in ambush everywhere for them.” – The Quran, Surah 9:5 When it comes to the global scourge of orthodox Islam, the Western world, which Islamists expressly seek to “destroy from within,” is an upside-down realm wherein objective facts, logic and reason ..
O Holy Night– Unique History, Watch Beautiful Performance
“O Holy Night,” one of the most beautiful Christmas carols worshipping the birth of Jesus Christ, was written by an atheist. Not just an atheist, but an avowed atheist and vocal anti-cleric. In 1843 a local parish church in Roquemaure, France, completed renovating its organ. To celebrate this joyous event that coincided with Christmas, the parish priest asked Placide Cappeau (1808-1877), a wine merchant, poet, and native of Roquemaure, to write a Christmas poem for the celebration. Cappeau agree..