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
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
“Hell House” and shock-and-awe evangelism
George Ratliff’s “Hell House,” (2002) resonates with me in a way few documentaries have. Its depiction of evangelicalism is strikingly familiar. When its church members speak about sin, salvation, and Hell, I hear phrases that could have come from my own lips 20 years ago. As I’ve returned to the film over 10 years, my relationship to it has changed. At first, I was sympathetic to the members of Trinity Church, located in Cedar Hill, Texas. Years later, I was frustrated. Now, I find their tactic..Continue reading→
Review: Inferno (dir. Ron Howard, 2016)
Remember The Da Vinci Code? It was all the rage a decade or so ago, what with its sensationalistic claims that Jesus had had a wife and child, and that a secret society had been keeping his descendants hidden for centuries to protect them from the big bad Catholic church. The book spawned a film, and the film spawned a sequel (which was actually based on an earlier book), and then… it all just kind of stopped. Dan Brown wrote a third novel, The Lost Symbol, but the studio never got around to fil..Continue reading→
Is Doctor Strange the best Marvel Cinematic Universe movie yet?
Variety magazine’s chief film critic has seen Doctor Strange, and he calls it “Marvel’s most satisfying entry since ‘Spider-Man 2’ ”. That’s high praise, considering Spider-Man 2 came out four years before Iron Man, and thus four years before the invention of what we now know as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Other critics have been a little more reserved with their praise — IndieWIRE merely called this film “the most exciting addition to [Marvel’s] ever-expanding universe since ‘The Avengers,’ ..Continue reading→
Watch: Desmond Doss refuses to fight back in a clip from Hacksaw Ridge
Before he faced combat on the front lines, Desmond Doss — a World War II medic who refused to carry a weapon because of his religious beliefs — had to face his fellow soldiers. A new clip from Hacksaw Ridge shows how some of Doss’s fellow troops bullied him and called him a “coward” for refusing to kill or fight back. Here is the clip: The film opens across North America two weeks from today, on November 4. Update: A second clip, of Doss rescuing a sergeant who had dismissed him because of his ..Continue reading→
Watch: Desmond Doss refuses to fight back, and rescues one of his comrades, in two clips from Hacksaw Ridge
Before he faced combat on the front lines, Desmond Doss — a World War II medic who refused to carry a weapon because of his religious beliefs — had to face his fellow troops. A new clip from Hacksaw Ridge shows how some of Doss’s fellow soldiers bullied him and called him a “coward” for refusing to kill or fight back. Here is the clip: The film opens across North America two weeks from today, on November 4. Update: A second clip, of Doss rescuing his sergeant, has popped up too: Check out earl..Continue reading→
Newsbites: The independent Christian film edition!
Here are three quick news items that came up over the past week. 1. The Hollywood Reporter says atheists are complaining that I’m Not Ashamed, a film about the Columbine massacre, depicts Rachel Scott, the first person killed by Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, as a Christian martyr. The news site also has a clip of the scene in which Scott is shot. The film comes to American theatres tomorrow. 2. The makers of God’s Not Dead have been sued by several people who claim that the film ripped off the..Continue reading→
“The Second Coming of Christ” drama coming in March 2017
Flawless Production Inc. (Tarzana, California) has released the first trailer for their upcoming action drama “The Second Coming of Christ.” The main protagonist is a female atheist scientist experiencing end events leading up to Christ’s return. Experienced cast members include Golden Globe nominee Tom Sizemore (“Saving Private Ryan”), Oscar® nominee Sally Kirkland (“JFK,” “Bruce Almighty”), Jason London (“Dazed an..Continue reading→
Box office: The Accountant balances the books in North America, while Inferno heats up ticket sales overseas
A thriller starring Ben Affleck topped the North American box office this week, but the biggest winner globally was a Da Vinci Code sequel that opened overseas. The Accountant, starring Affleck as an autistic hit man, led the way domestically with an estimated $24.7 million between Thursday and Sunday nights. But Inferno — the third film starring Tom Hanks as a Harvard “symbologist” who uses his knowledge of Renaissance art to thwart a series of global conspiracies — made more than double that, ..Continue reading→
Watch: Two more TV spots for Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge
Another week, another pair of Hacksaw Ridge TV spots. Here’s one called ‘Stay True’ (as in Desmond Doss’s line, “I don’t know how I’m going to live with myself if I don’t stay true to what I believe”): And here’s one called ‘Witness’: The film opens November 4, which is three weeks from today. Check out earlier Hacksaw Ridge trailers and other videos here: The ‘Believe’ trailer (July 28, 2016)The ‘Greg Laurie Interviews Mel Gibson’ video (August 31, 2016)The ‘Incredible’ and ‘Duty’ TV spots (O..Continue reading→
Music
Aaron & Amanda Crabb To Join Inaugural Festivities
Acclaimed Difference Media husband/wife duo Aaron & Amanda Crabb will head to Washington, D.C., next week to perform at Family Research Council's Faith Freedom & Future Inaugural Ball, it was recently announced. The couple joins a lineup of top performers, including best-selling comedian Chonda Pierce, at the black-tie gala set to follow the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump on January 20. RELATED Chonda Pierce To Perform At Faith Freedom & Future Inaugural Ball "We truly count i..Continue reading→
Bethel Music’s Brian & Jenn Johnson To Unveil ‘After All These Years’ January 27
More than 10 years since their last solo release, Bethel Music's Brian & Jenn Johnson will debut their highly anticipated album After All These Years on January 27, capturing the wonder, conviction, and tenderness of heart behind the story of who they've become and who they've remained over the past season. Cowriting every song on the album together, After All These Years varies stylistically from previous projects, as each track is marked by a distinct and bright 80-piece symphon..Continue reading→
Thousand Foot Krutch Gives Away Three Song EP
Thousand Foot Krutch is starting the new year by giving away a three song EP via NoiseTrade. You can download it here. RELATED Thousand Foot Krutch Fights With A 'Different Kind Of Dynamite' The EP features "Push," the latest single from last year's album Exhale, alongside a remix of Oxygen Inhale's song "Untraveled Road" and an acoustic version of "Let the Sparks Fly" from 2012's The End is Where We Begin. All three songs are available on a free or pay-what-you can b..Continue reading→
Chonda Pierce To Perform At Faith Freedom & Future Inaugural Ball
Best-selling comedian Chonda Pierce is set to take the stage for a performance at the Faith Freedom & Future Inaugural Ball in Washington, D.C., January 20. Presented by Family Research Council, one of the country's leading policy organizations, the ball is among a slate of high-profile celebrations to follow the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump earlier that day. RELATED Chonda Pierce Caps 2016 With Sold-Out National Tour, Award-Winning DVD And Key Appearances "The inaugural even..Continue reading→
Big Daddy Weave Kicks Off 2017 With Set Free Tour
Fervent Records/Word Entertainment artist Big Daddy Weave will kick off 2017 with their Set Free tour. The 25-city tour, which will begin January 25th in Joplin, Missouri, will feature guest artists We Are Messengers and Zach Williams. The current singles from the three artists Big Daddy Weave's "The Lion and the Lamb," We Are Messengers' "Magnify" and Zach Williams "Chain Breaker" are all topping the Christian music radio charts. RELATED Big Daddy Weave Receives The Rich Mullins Arti..Continue reading→
Cece Winans Returns After Nine Years With Soul-Stirring Album
Ten-time Grammy winner Cece Winans' long-awaited new album, 'Let Them Fall In Love,' is set for release on February 3, 2017 via Puresprings Gospel/Thirty Tigers. Recording her first solo album in nearly a decade, the multiplatinum-selling artist returned to the studio to cut her most adventurous album yet. Produced by her son Alvin Love III, along with Winans' long-time collaborator Tommy Sims (Garth Brooks, Michael McDonald, Bonnie Raitt) and mixed bye Dae Bennett (Tony Benn..Continue reading→
MercyMe’s Bart Millard Announces Movie
Bart Millard, lead singer for GRAMMY-nominated band MercyMe, has announced that he is in the process of filming a movie based on his childhood and how it inspired the writing of MercyMe's biggest hit. "5 years ago I was approached about making a movie about my childhood and how it inspired the song "I Can Only Imagine." This is Dennis Quaid, who plays my dad. CRAZY!" Millard shared via social media this week. RELATED MercyMe Announces New Album Through PledgeMusic Campaign The movie, dire..Continue reading→
Worship Artist Josh Pantana Premieres New Video
Josh Pantana is an independent artist based in Nashville, TN with a style reminiscent of singer-songwriters such as James Taylor, and John Denver. His modern effect of ambient post-rock and electro influences can be heard in his songs that deal with topics such as faith and healing, and his story-esque approach pays homage to the stylings of greats such as Johnny Cash, and Paul Simon. NewReleaseToday.com is premiering his new worship video, "My King is Known By Mercy," today. "My church, Midto..Continue reading→
Cana’s Voice To Launch New Year With Video Shoot In Houston, TX
Cana's Voice remains a busy touring act and will start off the New Year with a live concert videotaping at Champion Forest Baptist Church, Houston, Texas on Jan. 22. Mark Lowry will be the special guest on the program, and the church's choir will join Cana's Voice on several songs. This will be a free concert, with an open invitation for anyone to attend and be a part of the live taping. Doors will open at 6 pm CST and the concert will begin at 7 pm CST. Cana's Voice will per..Continue reading→
American
Is the Book of Acts Loveless?
By John Frye For the observant reader of the Bible, it comes as a shock to read the Gospel of John with it use of the word “love” some 39 times. John: the gospel of love. The shock sets in as the reader continues on into the Book of Acts. How many times does the word “love” appear? Zero. None. Not once. We know that “love” is one of Luke’s vocabulary words because he uses it 19 times in his Gospel (I’m working with the NIV). Why the absence of this great word in Luke’s sequel to Theophilus—the B..
Michael Licona: The Gospels as they Really Are
Years ago, when my research was on the Synoptic Gospels, I composed a list of how the Evangelists “edited” their sources. Using the standard theory of their relationships (Mark first, then used by both Matthew and Luke, both of whom also used another source called “Q”), I came up with the following sorts of edits by the Evangelists: 1. Instead of editing they “conserved” or “preserved” by copying. 2. They sometimes conflate two sources into one. 3. They sometimes expand the source they are using..
Pro-Abortion Whoopi Goldberg: Quit Using the Term Pro-Life “Because Nobody is Not for Life”
Thursday on The View, the mostly liberal panel surprisingly talked about an event that ABC News routinely ignores: the annual March for Life. The hosts were respectful of the marchers but Whoopi Goldberg took issue with the march’s use of the term “pro-life.” The whole panel then made contradictory and confusing arguments then about how one could be both “pro-choice” and “pro-life.” The show began with Whoopi announcing this Friday was the annual March for Life. She then began to tear into the ..
EPIC: Jonathan Cahn Sums Up Obama’s Anti-Christian Legacy
Rabbi Jonathan Cahn’s last words to Barack Obama, as described in his National Prayer Breakfast remarks, are perhaps the most fitting summary of Obama’s anti-biblical and anti-Christian legacy. He said, Obama: “led this nation to champion the killing of the unborn, and not only within its own borders, but in that of other nations across the world. “labored to strike down the standards and order ordained by God concerning man and woman and marriage, not only within these borders, but around the w..
US
Vocation in Hacksaw Ridge
Notice how many movies are about vocation. For example, consider Hacksaw Ridge, Mel Gibson’s movie about Desmond Doss, the first conscientious objector who won the Medal of Honor. A medic, he rescued 75 wounded servicemen in the Battle of Okinawa. I haven’t seen the film yet, but a review in World Magazine by Sophia Lee quotes a passage that goes to the heart of the doctrine of vocation. Read it and my discussion after the jump. From Sophia Lee, A pacifist at war | WORLD News Group: Desmond hold..
Red Letter Christians
Tony Campolo and some other liberal evangelicals have started a movement they call “Red Letter Christians.” The term comes from the convention in many editions of the Bible to print the words of Jesus in red. Red Letter Christians believe that Christianity should be about following the words of Jesus, rather than getting involved in theological disputes, culture war issues, and right wing politics. Rather, followers of the words of Jesus will be advocates for the poor, promote tolerance, and be ..
So why the loss of interest in the NFL?
Television ratings are way down for professional football games. The NFL is trying to figure out why the sudden loss of interest. I have to say that I am not as interested in the games as I used to be, even last year, and I’m not sure why. I don’t think it’s just because the Packers aren’t doing all that well. I saw them through rougher times. And it’s not because the games are too long. I like long games. And it’s not because Colin Kaepernick is disrespecting the flag. He’s getting sacked so mu..
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Another remarkable prophecy of Christ in the Old Testament (the study of which is a classic devotion for Advent), is Isaiah 9:1-7. Not only do we learn that the Messiah will live in Galilee and will be the eternal Davidic King. Verse 6 also establishes His deity and does so in Trinitarian terms: And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. The child who is born to us will be called “Mighty God.” We also have an intimation of the inter-relat..