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
Was Christ’s Death A Sacrifice?
The blood-curdling scream signaled that she had not yet given up. Hours of pushing, and the baby had still not descended. The OB was weighing her options, while dad wiped mom’s forehead and encouraged her on. She screamed again, pushing and puffing and praying that this agony might soon draw to a close. The pain was so… intense, so utterly mind-numbing that she wondered, for the thousandth time, why she had wanted to have another child… This is a scene that plays out day after day in hospitals ..Continue reading→
Why Christians Venerate the Cross
For many people, an obstacle to faith in Jesus is the seemingly gory nature of the core tenets of Christian history. Jesus suffered a horribly violent end, yet Christians revere the cross that was the instrument of that torturous death. And they celebrate His victory over death by partaking of His “body” – honoring His last injunction to “take and eat” and “take and drink” of His body and blood. One challenger asked why Christians venerate the cross. If a friend were gunned down, he asked, woul..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
Ohio Bill Would Require Abortion Clinics to Bury Aborted Babies Instead of Selling Their Body Parts
Today, hearings began on Ohio Right to Life’s Unborn Child Dignity Act (S.B. 28), legislation which would require the humane burial or cremation of unborn children following an abortion. The legislation also increases informed consent for women seeking abortions by giving them the option of burial or cremation. Senator Joe Uecker, who is the sponsor of the bill, spoke before the Government Oversight and Reform Committee in the Ohio Senate, asking his fellow senators to join him in protecting th..
Alveda King: I’m Sick of Pro-Abortion Politicians Using Race-Baiting to Deceive Black Voters
Alveda King, the niece of Doctor Martin Luther King Jr, has released a pro-life message for Black History Month. The Civil Rights leader says she is sick and tired of pro-abortion politicians using race-baiting to deceive black voters into supporting them. “For years liberals and progressives have skillfully appealed to the Black communities, vying for the African American vote while maintaining that abortion is good for blacks and, conversely, that those who are pro-life are somehow anti-Afric..
Professor of Neurobiology: Human Life Begins at Conception, Fertilization
Maureen Condic, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy at the University of Utah. She has been a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, a distinguished group of physicians, scientists, and theologians from the international community whose mission it is to study questions and issues regarding the promotion and defense of human life from an interdisciplinary perspective, since 2014. Dr. Condic is one of our nearly 40 associate scholars. In this interview, she discusses t..
Should a Father be Able to Stop The Mother From Aborting Their Baby? Lawmakers Say Yes
An Oklahoma bill is stirring up national controversy and raising awareness about fathers’ inability to legally protect their unborn children from abortion. The bill, Oklahoma House Bill 1441, sponsored by state Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Atoka, would prohibit unborn babies from being aborted without the father’s consent except in cases of rape, incest and the life of the mother. A state House committee approved the bill on Tuesday in a 5-2 vote, and sent it to the full Oklahoma House for a vote, ..
Australia
Leading Bible expert is returning to Australia
In a major coup, Rikk Watts, a highly-regarded Bible scholar is returning to Australia, joining Alphacrucis College as Professor of Biblical Studies. He is currently a Professor of New Testament at Regent College in Vancouver, Canada. “I regard him very, very highly,” John Dickson, founder of the Centre for Public Christianity (CPX) told Eternity. “He is one of the world’s leading scholars on the Gospel of Mark. He has extraordinary ability both in the..
Where are all the godly role models for our men?
If you are an Australian man aged 15-44 years, you are more likely (by far) to die from suicide than any other cause says mental health support organisation Beyond Blue. It’s a concerning statistic – as is the fact that 80 per cent of all suicides in Australia are committed by men, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Men are also twice as likely to have a substance-abuse disorder, and will be the absent parent in 81 per c..
Former Imam in Eastern Uganda loses home, family, work after turning to Christ
NAIROBI, Kenya – Morning Star News – A 53-year-old man in eastern Uganda sits alone in a small shanty after losing his family, house and business because he left Islam for Christianity. Muslim relatives drove Kuluseni Iguru Tenywa, a former imam, from his ancestral home the night of June 27 in Budhagali village, Jinja District. Led by his brother-in-law, 45-year-old Isa Nsaja, the relatives gathered outside Tenywa’s house. “I heard people talking outside my house ar..
Charity must trump theology in gay marriage debate, says Christian thinker
A leading Christian commentator has come out in support of same-sex marriage on the basis of charity rather than theological principle. Scott Stephens, the ABC’s Online Editor of Religion and Ethics, told a forum last night that he had reached “a profound realisation” of the genuine fear of having a plebiscite felt among many groups. “I’ve reached the conclusion that the pain that’s caused to people by having the institution of marriage denied them – tha..
Law & Government
Colorado Pastor Prohibited From Using Name of Jesus in Bus Bench Advertisements
COLORADO SPRINGS, Co. — Officials in a Colorado city are reviewing the advertising policies of a local transit company after it prohibited an area pastor from using the name of Jesus in bus bench advertisements. According to reports, Mountain Metro Transit told Lawson Perdue, pastor of Charis Christian Center in Colorado Springs that if the name of Jesus were allowed, the company would also have to accept ads considered hate speech. Perdue had been advertising on local bus benches for the past..
James Dobson Walks Back Assertion Trump Is Christian: ‘Do I Know That for Sure? No.’
COLORADO SPRINGS, Co. — James Dobson, the founder of the renown Colorado-based organization Focus on the Family, is seemingly walking back comments he made last week asserting that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is a “baby Christian” who needs to be “cut some slack.” As previously reported, Dobson was interviewed last Tuesday by Michael Anthony of GodFactor.com, who was among the nearly 1,000 evangelicals who came to listen to Trump at the Marriott Marquis in Manhattan. During t..
Judge Strikes Part of Mississippi Conscience Act, Requires Clerks to Issue ‘Gay Marriage’ Licenses
JACKSON, Miss. — A federal judge who was appointed to the bench by Barack Obama has struck down part of Mississippi’s Freedom of Conscience Act, requiring clerks within the state to issue “gay marriage” licenses despite their religious convictions. As previously reported, in April, Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed into law H.B. 1523, also known as the Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act. It was sharply criticized homosexual and transgender advocates. “The sin..
Concerns Raised as Trump Silent on Supreme Court Ruling Striking Down Texas Abortion Law
WASHINGTON — Concerns are being raised as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has been silent about Monday’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down a Texas abortion law as being an “undue burden on abortion access.” As previously reported, the court issued its 5-3 decision on Monday, stating that the Texas regulations, which require abortionists to have admitting privileges at a local hospital and keep their facilities up to the same standards as ambulator..
Entertainment
The Quiet Miracle of Queen of Katwe
It’s a miracle. The phrase is pregnant with Christian portent. Yes, other religions have their own sets of miracles, but Christianity seems to put a special emphasis on them. Jesus performed plenty of miracles, from killing fig trees to raising the dead, each one used as one more proof of His divinity. And ever since then, miracles have always been an important part of the Christian story—and Christian stories. Christian movies are enamored with the miraculous. Just this year, we’ve..
What the Magnificent Seven Says About American Faith
The Magnificent Seven begins in a church. It ends in a church. And even though the actual church building is a burned-out shell for much of the movie, the edifice still towers over the little town of Rose Creek—a charred, broken prophet, its shadow casting judgment over those who pass through. Throughout American cinematic history, the Western has long been a lens through which America sees itself—at our best and worst. It’s given us our defining heroes and served as a crucible thro..
Fox’s The Exorcist is More About God than The Devil. Here’s Why.
You just can’t keep a bad demonic force down, I guess. It’s been 45 years since William Peter Blatty wrote The Exorcist, and more than 40 since Blatty’s work became one of the best-known, most-feared movies in history. Now, thanks to Fox, The Exorcist is back, only with more installments and, hopefully, less pea soup. The story is different this time around, but its dynamics are roughly the same: A young girl from an affluent family is involved. A doubting priest and a grizzled vete..
‘Queen of Katwe’ tells of a mighty girl chess prodigy from Uganda
(This is from my column but I loved, loved, loved, this movie because Phiona is a mighty girl – and her mother a mighty woman) In Katwe, a slum outside of Kampala, Uganda, Phiona (Madina Nalwanga) drops out of school at a young age to help her widowed mother, Harriet (Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o), support the family. Meanwhile, Robert (David Oyelowo) takes a low-paying job at a Christian youth center in Katwe since he cannot find a job as an engineer. Phiona follow..
US
More Russian dirty tricks
Not only did the Russians hack into the Democrats’ e-mails in an attempt to influence the election. According to a classified report shared with Donald Trump, the Russians also compiled a dossier of “compromising” information about the president-elect’s personal life and about his finances. That the Russians released embarrassing information about Hillary Clinton but not about Trump is evidence, according to the CIA, that they wanted to discredit the former but protect the latter. But now some f..
Living under the law
More from David Zahl., who distinguishes between the big-L “Law” (of God) and the little-l “law” that people today try, futilely, to live by. . . . The latter too is a sign of how people today are obsessed with justifying themselves, even though they can’t. We need to point them to the justification they can have, freely, through Christ. I would add that those of us who have that justification should remember it more and should apply it when we ourselves fall into these syndromes of perfectionis..
The origin of the Bible’s chapters and verses
Imagine trying to look something up in the Bible if it didn’t have chapters and verses. But the Bible didn’t come with them. They were added to make the Scriptures more accessible. We have two men from two different centuries to thank for these innovations. Mark Wood at Christianity Today tells the tale, excerpted and linked after the jump. From Mark Wood, Who Divided The Bible Into Chapters And Verses? | Christian News on Christian Today: Anyone who knows about Magna Carta and King John has pro..
Justification and contemporary culture
Luther-influenced Anglican David Zahl has a brilliant article in the latest Christianity Today about Luther’s distinction between Law and Gospel and his understanding of justification by faith. These teachings, Zahl shows, go to the very heart of what people are most struggling with today in contemporary culture: perfectionism, the need for approval, and the futility of [Read More...]
Church & Theology
10 Ways to Be a Blessing to Your Missionaries
It is impossible for any local church to carry out the Great Commission without missionaries. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.—Matthew 28:19–20 Missionaries, then, are our co-laborers in the harvest. Just as we strive to be a blessing to those we physically labor alongside..
7 Ways Parents Undermine Their Own Influence
All children have moments or seasons when they struggle with obedience—just like their parents. But some young people, particularly in their teenage years, become defiant and overtly disrespectful. Why? There are many contributing reasons—including the freewill of every person to follow the Lord or to reject authority— but below are seven factors common when teenagers rebel. Regardless of what you may be doing right as a parent, if you are also doing any of these, you are undermining your own ..
How to Vote When This World Is Not Your Home
I don’t know that I’ve ever been so weary of politics as I am this election season. This year has certainly been one of the most negative and difficult in American history. Often when voting, we look for “the lesser of two evils.” Perhaps a better way to say it is that we should look for which candidate is more likely to support vital issues as related to the teachings of Scripture and is most likely to preserve religious liberty for those who desire to propagate Scriptural truth. This is not ..
7 Truths I Shared with Future Pastors Last Week
I meet once or twice each year with the senior men of West Coast Baptist College to discuss ministry philosophy and personal growth. As we met last week, I was encouraged by their sense of anticipation and eagerness for getting into the ministry. These are exciting days to serve the Lord. While it’s true that the ministry landscape is very different from when I first entered the ministry, it’s also true that there have never been more opportunities or a greater need for gospel-preaching churche..