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
Psalm 18:1-2
“[Psalm 18] For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”Continue reading→
1 John 4:9 (02-03-17)
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.— 1 John 4:9 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Showing love is about sharing life with someone else. No one quite epitomizes this principle like Jesus! His sacrifice, however, is what saved us and brought us to our new life in Christ. Now God wants us to show his love to others by sharing it in ways that they can understand and appreciate. ..Continue reading→
God Loves Everyone
Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 1 John 4:15, NKJVGod loves each and every person who has ever been born into the human race! God loves: the Eskimo living in an ice hut, the Chinese living in a bamboo lodge, the African living in a mud hut, the homeless living in a cardboard box, the Bedouin living in a tent, the Indian living in a teepee, the royals living in a palace, the poor living in public housing, God loves the whole world! God lov..Continue reading→
Psalm 59:16
“But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.”Continue reading→
1 John 4:8 (02-02-17)
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. — 1 John 4:8 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... An unloving person doesn't know God. It's that simple. Enough said. My Prayer... Father, please bless me with a loving heart and a lifestyle that generously shares your love with others. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Today's Verse Illustrated CommentsContinue reading→
Hope
A Baby Changes…
A baby changes everything. When our first was on his way, someone gave us a card that said on the front page, "Congratulations!" It had the picture of the cutest baby you would ever see until ours was born. But then you opened it up and saw these words in large, bold print: "Life as you once knew it is over!" It was. Babies do have a way of disrupting the routine of life. It starts as soon as their existence is announced. "Guess what honey?" The young husband has no clue. "Did I forget our anni..Continue reading→
Something Greater to Come
Time of Waiting: A few years ago, I prepared for Lent and Easter by trying to determine from Scripture where Jesus was and what he was doing on each of the days leading to his crucifixion and resurrection. Though it would be interesting to try, it is impossible to follow Mary and Joseph from the time of Gabriel’s visit until they arrived in Bethlehem. We can imagine the hardships of travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, but the Bible simply says that they went. Like all pregnancies, Mary’s involved..Continue reading→
Redemption and Restoration
Nate’s drug and alcohol addiction had overtaken his life. In order to support his habit, he committed a crime that earned him a 12-year prison sentence. Thinking her husband a lost cause, his wife, Rose, moved on with her life without him. You’ll be inspired by this story of redemption and restoration as both Nate and Rose surrendered their lives—and their marriage—to Jesus Christ.Continue reading→
Who Doesn’t Love Baby Jesus?
It is the time of year when many of us are celebrating the birth of Jesus. It is a time of mangers and pageants and the story of a baby coming down from heaven. We sing "Joy to the World", "Away in a Manger", and "Silent Night". We focus on gifts, love, family, and church. For some of you, this will be one of the two or three times all year you will make it to church. We celebrate this baby born to save us from our sins. So who would not love baby Jesus? Satan. Baby Jesus ruined all of his plan..Continue reading→
The gift of God’s grace
A gifted athlete, Bobby earned a scholarship and was the first in his family to graduate from college. But his insatiable pursuit of wealth and material things sent his life into a tailspin he never expected. Find out how a man who thought he’d lost everything instead gained everything in the gift of God’s grace.Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
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→
Psalm 18:1-2
“[Psalm 18] For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”Continue reading→
Prayers
Living in Love
PassageRomans 12:9-15 PrayerDear Father, empowering God,Let my love be genuine for everyone in heaven and on earth. Help me hate what is evil at all times and everywhere. Help me hold fast to what is good, the old and the new.May I love my fellow disciples with brotherly affection. May I show them greater honor than they show me.Let my zeal not cool. May it blaze with energy from your Spirit.May I rejoice in hope and be patient in tribulation. Let me be constant in prayer. May I contribute liber..Continue reading→
Value of Interdependence
PassageRomans 12:3-8 PrayerDear Father, who wills our interdependence,Having gifts that differ, let us use them appropriately according to your will.If prophesy, in proportion to one's faith. If service, diligently serving. If teaching, instructively teaching. If exhortation, strongly motivating encouragement. If giving, with liberal and generous contributions. If giving aid, with zeal. If acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.Great Giver, give your gifts to your people through your people. But ..Continue reading→
Need for Interdependence
PassageRomans 12:3-8 PrayerDear Father, who wills our interdependence,Help me not to think more highly of myself than I ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith which you have assigned me.I know that I am but one member in the body of Christ, and while important, no more important than any other.For as in one body, we have many members, and all members do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of..Continue reading→
A Holy Temple
PassageRomans 12:1-2 PrayerDear Father, dweller of my temple,Please give me the mind of Christ and make my body a temple of the spirit of holiness which is his.Make me holy through and through. May my whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless by your power until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.I trust you to do this because you are the one who has called me, and you are faithful. Your word says that you will do it!By the authority of Jesus and in his name I ask for this growth in grace...Continue reading→
Questions & Answers
Should Christians Judge Others Outside The Church?
Is it right for Christians to judge those outside of the church? Church Discipline The Bible teaches through the Apostle Peter that “it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God” (1st Pet 4:17)? We know that the outcome will be utterly horrible for them, and since “the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner” (1st Pet 4:18), but does this mean we’re to ..Continue reading→
The Salvation Equation: The Simple Relationship Between Faith and Works
I’ve taken many missions trips to the great state of Utah. Our high school and adult teams have had the opportunity to talk with many LDS and Christian believers about the nature of salvation. Many of our conversations centered on the relationship between faith and works. Christianity is unique in its characterization of salvation as the free gift of God: Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, s..Continue reading→
Who Are The Nestorians And What Is Nestorianism?
What is Nestorianism? Who are the Nestorians? What do we need to know about them? The Nestorians A Nestorian is a member of a “Christian” sect that originated in Syria and Asia Minor around 386 to 451. A Nestorian believes that since there were two natures in Christ, both the flesh and the Divine, or His divinity, there must be two people or persons loosely united in this union but under conflict. They didn’t see the unity in Christ’s fleshly body and His being God; rather they emphasized the d..Continue reading→
How Can You Start Your Own Ministry?
How can you, even being one person, start your own ministry? Trial and Error I should have received more training or read more on the subject of starting a ministry before I began one, because I was a comedy of errors along the way. My first ministry was actually started by God’s providence because I wasn’t planning on beginning a nursing home ministry. It just worked out that way. One of our elderly church members broke her hip. Sadly, she was never going to be able to return to church, so I t..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
12 Trends That Shaped U.S. Religion Since the ’70s
“Attitudes toward homosexuality and sexual identity have been transformed, obviously, with far-reaching consequences for religious movements of all kinds. Religious groups have had to confront gay-related issues in their own ranks and also had to decide their attitudes to public policy.” What are the most significant changes and megatrends that have occurred in the U.S. since the mid-1970s? If you imagine someone time traveling between the eras, what would strike them? What was not tolerated t..Continue reading→
No Little Women: Know What We’ve Got Before She’s Gone
“It is abnormal for men, as effeminate as many are today, to actually be feminine, and frankly, impossible. What woman has inside her can only be cheaply imitated by a man to another man. She alone can shine as female from within. Only Hannah can cry and sing over motherhood. Only Abigail can slow down David and make him marvel at her delicate influence.” Jennifer Marie, my dear wife, died on the fourteenth of September last year.[1] She was thirty-eight. We had barely made it to our eighteenth..Continue reading→
The Inconceivable Start of African-American Christianity
“It is a remarkable event not merely because of the risks incurred (200 lashes of the whip often awaited those caught at such a meeting) but because of the hurdles overcome merely to arrive at this moment. For decades all manner of people and circumstances conspired against African Americans even hearing the gospel, let alone responding to it in freedom and joy.” Peter Randolph, a slave in Prince George County, Virginia, until he was freed in 1847, described the secret prayer meetings he had at..Continue reading→
They Devoted Themselves to Prayer
“Prayer continued to mark apostolic ministry. Burdened with administering relief for widows, the apostles declared they must not leave the ministry of the word and prayer to serve tables. They asked the church to choose seven men. They appointed them to lead this mercy ministry and ordained them in prayer.” From the Mount of Olives, where Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples went to a prayer meeting. They met in a familiar upstairs room in Jerusalem. All 11 apostles and the women who had bee..Continue reading→
Women
Latasha Morrison: The Church Is the ‘Only Place Equipped to Do Racial Reconciliation Well’
The founder of Be the Bridge reveals her vision for solving America's race problem.Continue reading→
Listening for God’s Holy Whisper
Some days we need a cheerleader—someone to pick up the pompoms on our behalf. Someone to say, “Keep going, you can do this!” when we feel like giving up. Then there are other days—days when we need that gentle voice of encouragement from someone who knows us well. That’s when we need someone to say, “I know this feels hard, but you did the right thing.” And then there are the days when you just need someone to tell you the truth.Continue reading→
When Women Blame Men for Domestic Stress, They Miss the Big Picture
The gender wars inspire finger-pointing. The gospel offers another way.Continue reading→
Life & Society
Trump At National Prayer Breakfast: ‘As Long As We Have God, We Are Never, Ever Alone’
President Trump used a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast to repeat his pledge to abolish the Johnson Amendment that prevents religious organisations engaging in political campaigning.Continue reading→
Evangelical Jerry Falwell Jr To Head Education Task Force For Trump
Prominent Evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr. has been appointed to lead an education reform task force under U.S President Donald Trump. Falwell is keen to cut university regulations, including those that deal with campus sexual assault.Continue reading→
Archbishop Of Canterbury ‘Glad’ To Meet Trump: ‘I Would Try To Change His Mind’
The Archbishop of Canterbury would be "very glad" to meet Donald Trump and try and "persuade him to change his views" if the US president came to the UK on a state visit.Continue reading→
New York Gov. Seeks to Enshrine Abortion in State Constitution in Case Roe v. Wade Overturned
ALBANY, N.Y. — The Democratic governor of New York is calling for lawmakers to pass a bill enshrining abortion as a right in the state Constitution in the event that the U.S. Supreme Court ever overturns Roe v. Wade. “As they threaten this nation with a potential Supreme Court nomination that will reverse Roe v. Wade, I want them to know today: If that’s what they do, we’re going to protect Roe v. Wade in the state of New York,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared at a “I Stand With Planned Parenthood” ..Continue reading→
Persecution
Report: Global Christian Persecution Rose for Third Year in a Row in 2016
SANTA ANA, Calif. — A watchdog organization that releases a report each year on the global persecution of Christians says that acts of hostility against believers rose for the third year in a row in 2016, with persecution in South and Southeast Asia particularly rising to “unprecedented levels.” “For Christians in the West, the Open Doors World Watch List is a clear indicator that we need to advocate on behalf of those who do not have the same religious freedom privileges we do,” said David Cur..Continue reading→
Christian in Algeria Sentenced to Prison for Islamic Cartoons on Facebook
Photo Credit: Mohamed BengueddaTIZI-OUZOU, Algeria (Morning Star News) – A judge in Algeria has reduced from five years to one year a prison sentence for a Christian convicted of offending Islam with cartoons on his Facebook page. Samir Chamek, a 33-year-old theater actor in Algeria’s northern area of Wilaya de Bouira, had been sentenced to five years and a fine of 100,000 Algerian dinars (US$900) last year under Article 144 of the country’s 2006 law outlawing any “writing, drawing, statement o..Continue reading→
Sudan Officials Ignore Order to Remove Government-Imposed Church Leaders
Photo Credit: OCHA(Morning Star News) – After more than three years, the leadership of the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church (SPEC) remains in the hands of government-appointed committee members even after a court ruled in November that the appointments were illegal, sources said. Sudan’s Ministry of Guidance and Religious Endowment appointed a group to run the SPEC offices on May 13, 2013, in what the prior church leaders called a bid to control church activities and rid the country of Chr..Continue reading→
Nigerian Christians Face Pressure to Abandon Faith
(World Watch Monitor) — While violent attacks on Christians at the hands of Islamist militants Boko Haram and the Fulani herdsmen in the northeast and Middle Belt of Nigeria have captured media attention, the persistent social pressures Christians face elsewhere go mostly unnoticed. Despite common misperceptions that they are a minority across the north of Nigeria, Christians still form the majority in half of the 12 northern states now all under Islamic law (although they are in theory exempt ..Continue reading→
Movies
Mourn With Those Who Mourn
In memory of Clementa Carlos Pinckney (1973-2015), Democrat, South Carolina Senate; senior pastor of Mother Emanuel A.M.E. [African Methodist Episcopal] Church; martyred with eight of his congregation while they studied scriptures and prayed together in the church. You can read much more about Pastor Pinckney and his church here. It was one year ago this month that shots rang out on our campus at Seattle Pacific. And the community responded by gathering in grief, in support, in prayer, and, when the truth was learned, in grace and love toward the antagonist. I was blessed, and taught, by their response. Today, those of us on campus are gathering in SPU’s prayer chapel to pray for our grieving neighbors at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, and for the troubled heart of the suspect in custody. Elsewhere — specifically, online, from angry responders (a wide range, including suit-and-tie white guys) — I’m already seeing waves of rage and hate directed at the shooter. I unde..Continue reading→
What Specialists Are Saying About Jurassic World
Gathering in a bunker deep underground where velociraptors cannot find them, the Looking Closer Specialists are talking about Jurassic World. The Specialists are a community of friends who are supporting my efforts on this blog. They have a private Facebook group, they get to see some of this blog’s posts before everybody else, they’re acknowledged in the Credits, and they are invited to participate in occasional posts like this one. (Sound like fun? Here’s how to join them.) Since I haven’t had a chance to see Jurassic World yet — there were other films far higher on my priority list this week — I asked them for their first impressions. Here’s what they’re saying… Joseph: It met my expectations, Jeffrey. But I suspect that says more about my expectations than it does about Trevorrow’s film. Heavy, heavy on the effects and action, light on story and the characterizations (and motivations) of its characters. A more successful return to the franchise than either The Lost World or Jurassi..Continue reading→
Torres and the Influence of David Bazan and Terrence Malick
It’s June again: The end of another academic year. We’ve come to Graduation Weekend, and I’m driving to a special ceremony, where this year’s crop of honors society students — the Seattle Pacific University Scholars (or “UScholars”) — will gather with families and friends to celebrate their achievement. And on the way, my car doors are pulsing to the beats of an album that has its hooks in me: Sprinter by Torres. These songs keep playing in my head long after I’ve had parked the car on Seattle’s Queen Anne Hill and descended into the sunny campus. Everywhere I look the lawns are alive with faculty in full regalia and seniors draped in graduation gowns and stoles, capped with tasseled mortarboards. I hurry through the crowd to the lobby of Otto Miller Hall, where UScholar seniors have set up informative honors project displays. There each student explains to visitors what they’ve been learning in these last days before their launch into the great unknown. Despite the celebratory mood, I..Continue reading→
Bracing for Jurassic World: My Personal History with the Raptors
Just like every other moviegoer on the planet, I had a blast attending the theatrical opening of Jurassic Park in 1993. I remember laughing for joy at the blissful terror of the T-Rex’s entrance, and laughing even harder when I saw my friends Eric and Matt crawling under their seats. But I was having fun in spite of the movie’s screenplay, which felt cheap and sentimental even for Spielberg at the time. I thought then — and I still think — that it’s B-grade Spielberg. This weekend, I went digging for any writing I might have done back then, and could only dug up this old paragraph: One cannot help but assume the reason the characters in the film are so scared is because they’re so poorly developed. Spielberg was so excited about directing the dinosaurs that he forgot to check the quality of the script. This is not such a bad thing, really. The corny dialogue and aspirations to social and environmental relevance seem to suit this old-fashioned thrill-fest. Who comes to this movie to be ..Continue reading→
A New Conversation with Pete Horner, Sound Designer for Jurassic World
My friend Pete Horner was the sound designer/sound mixer for Jurassic World… not to mention his extraordinary back catalog of work, like the Redux version of Apocalypse Now. He won an Emmy for his work on Hemingway and Gellhorn. Here he is, interviewed for Filmback, talking about the art of sound design. Well worth listening to. And here’s a shout-out to my friend Claire Tanner, who is a producer and the co-host of Filmback. Great work, Cory Titus and Claire Tanner! Check this out. And if you like that, you’ll like the bonus round, when he tells a story about my favorite band: Over the Rhine. Image published my two-part interview with Horner a while back: Part One, Part Two.Continue reading→
Halfway Through 2015: What’s Your Favorite Music So Far?
So far, 2015 has been an impressive non-stop parade of great albums. I could easily turn in a Top 10 of the year today if I was asked. But we’re only halfway there. Dr. Jeff Keuss of Seattle Pacific University hosted this live podcast discussion of some of 2015’s most exciting music. We listened to stuff by Kendrick Lamar, Kacey Musgraves, Ibeyi, Sleater-Kinney, and much more, and talked it over. Then, we answered some great questions from diners in our live audience. Panel guests included Anthony Barr-Jeffrey, Anna Miller, and myself. Maybe you missed the live event, but you can listen now to the podcast. Tune in for The Kindlings Muse here. What are the most impressive records you’ve heard in 2015 so far? What albums have you played the most?Continue reading→
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Charlize Theron-the-Road-Again [This review has already been read by the Looking Closer Specialists, whose helpful responses persuaded me to see the movie a second time before publishing it. Thanks, Specialists! Read about how you can join the club that gets first-looks and access to a private Looking Closer Facebook group here.] I am looking at the back of a man who stands on a sandy precipice beside his souped up sports car, and I have just enough time to think three things: 1) Wow, the colors of this post-apocalyptic desert wasteland are so saturated that they make Luke Skywalker’s homeland look positively grayscaled by comparison! 2) Is this guy just scanning the horizon, out beyond the dunes? Or he is preparing to urinate over the edge? And then, 3) I wonder how long this goes before we hit the first chase scene and we see Max — BOOM! We’re off! He’s jumping in his car! And the first mad, mad, mad chase scene of Mad Max: Fury Road is underway! And if you’re not excited about tha..Continue reading→
MCFARLAND USA: An Interview with Legendary Coach Jim White
Do you like sports movies? I cry every time I watch Field of Dreams. The rousing underdog stories of Rudy or The Rookie almost feel too good to be true. The cynic in us may resist, but once you actually meet Jimmy, the guy who sank the winning shot in Hoosiers, your perspective shifts. These aren’t just tall tales, manufactured by Hollywood. These can be modest, “everyday” heroes who challenge us to practice, to press on, to never give up. I recently met Jim White, the legendary cross-country c..Continue reading→
OSCARS 2015: BOYHOOD, BIRDMAN OR BUDAPEST FOR BEST PICTURE?
The 2015 Oscar race has become one of the tightest and most unpredictable contests in years. Three well-crafted films emerged over awards season as the key contenders for the 2015 Academy Award for Best Picture: Boyhood, Birdman, and The Grand Budapest Hotel. While Selma and Interstellar combined epic scale and meticulous craft, the Academy and the guilds obsessed over a few peccadilloes that kept them out of serious Oscar contention. (Only time will honor these two towering cinematic achievemen..Continue reading→
Music
Trust You All The Way by About A Mile
Since launching 2014's biggest-selling Christian album debut from a new artist, Dove Award-nominated About A Mile is taking all the experiences over the last couple years and pouring them into its sophomore album, Trust You All The Way, to be released from Radiate Music Oct. 28. More than the successes of playing Christian music's biggest stage (Winter Jam) and a bevy of supporters that have fully-funded its PledgeMusic campaign, band members and brothers Adam, Luke and Levi Klutinoty have resolved to trust God with every aspect of their lives and ministry. Pouring that conviction into their upcoming album, which was produced[...]Continue reading→
Flammable Kingdoms (Matthew Parker Remix) – Single by MHEternal
Hot on the heels of Matthew Parker's critically acclaimed release, Adventure, the producer and electronic pop artist has reimagined MH Eternal's deceptively deep yet infectiously catchy single, "Flammable Kingdoms," from 2015's 'Songs For Tomorrow' EP.[...]Continue reading→
Ghost Ship by Theocracy
After finally gaining some momentum with As The World Bleeds, Theocracy is ready to blast into the mainstream with their newest release.[...]Continue reading→
VERIDIA Debuts Music Video for Still Breathing
As they kicked off their month-long tour with Evanesence this past weekend from Dallas, alt-rock band VERIDIA has also just debuted their latest music video for their current radio single "Still Breathing." Uniquely filmed in a haunted house located in Nashville, the video was directed by Matt DeLisi, the director behind the band's previous video, "Pretty Lies." Written by Veridia's front woman Deena Jakoub, the song "Still Breathing" shares the important message of dealing with fear..Continue reading→
Zach Williams’ ‘Chain Breaker’ Music Video Explodes; Single Stays No. 1 For 3rd Week
For the third week in a row at radio, "Chain Breaker," the debut single from Essential Records' artist Zach Williams, continues to hold the No. 1 spot of the Christian AC Indicator chart. The song has climbed into top 5 on the Christian Airplay chart and has also been the top-selling single on the iTunes Christian Songs chart for the past few weeks. "Chain Breaker" is also No. 15 on Billboard's Hot Rock Songs chart, joining such artists as twenty one pilots, Coldplay, Kings Of Leon and..Continue reading→
Sidewalk Prophets Announces Second Leg of ‘The Prodigal Tour’
Sidewalk Prophets will be taking their hit music, energetic live performance, and thought-provoking creativity on the road this winter and spring as they announce the 2017 leg of "The Prodigal Tour." The tour is in partnership with The Mocha Club, a non-profit that the band has passionately supported since visiting the Democratic Republic Of The Congo in 2011 and seeing the organization's work first-hand in caring for needs of the area.Continue reading→
Cana’s Voice Delivers Standing Ovation Performances with Dr. David Jeremiah’s ‘Stand Up Tour’
Cana's Voice continues to impact audiences with performances and songs from their debut album, This Changes Everything. Recently, the trio traveled to Washington, DC for an appearance at the Verizon Center with Dr. David Jeremiah's Stand Up Tour. The overall message for the evening was to honor God and our country, through a deeper relationship and commitment in our faith with Christ. The program featured labelmate, Charles Billingsley, and the LU Praise choir and band from Liberty Uni..Continue reading→
Joel Vaughn Releases New Song
Pop artist Joel Vaughn has released his new single, "As You Are" which will be a part of a new album coming out on January 27th, 2017. Joel Vaughn debuted his DREAM Records release, Kinetic which has quickly gained new fans for his upbeat, pop melodies. The debut single, "Wide Awake" track debuted at #15 on the Billboard Hot AC CHR chart and was the featured song on Tennis Trick Shots ft. Serena Williams Dude Perfect that received 13 Million views on YouTube. The Nashville-based artist will feat..Continue reading→
About A Mile Releases ‘Trust You All The Way’
About A Mile's full-length sophomore album, Trust You All The Way, releases globally tomorrow (Oct. 28) from Radiate Music and is available for preorder now at iTunes and Amazon.com. Along with the preorder from iTunes are immediate downloads of the new single and title track, the hard-driving "Taking Back" (the video of this song has been seen on AXS TV, YouToo America Garage Band, ClubCom, California Music Channel, Video Hits and many more outlets internationally) and the pop flavored Top..Continue reading→
American
CW Show “Jane the Virgin” Runs Ad Promoting Planned Parenthood Abortion Corporation
The night before Valentine’s Day, the CW’s Jane the Virgin aired a pro-Planned Parenthood message in favor of fighting “overpopulation.” One of the main characters, Petra Solano (Yael Grobglas), asks Chuck Jesser (Johnny Messner) to sign an easement for her kids’ beach club – which happens to cross into the property of his adults-only hotel next door. Chuck, who dislikes children, refused mid-show. “No can do,” he responded, “You know how I feel about that kids’ club. Screeching rodents gonna..
United Nations Hearing Will Slam Ireland for Not Killing Unborn Babies in Abortions
This week, the Irish Government will appear before the UN Committee for the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women. The hearing takes place in Geneva and while it focuses on many areas of life affecting women such as equal pay, the issue of abortion is also on the table for discussion. As expected, prochoice NGOs based in Ireland are seizing on the opportunity to push their case for the removal of the Eighth Amendment, despite the fact that there is no right ..
Witches Come Out to Support Planned Parenthood as Pro-Life People Protest
This weekend, there were pro-life #ProtestPP rallies scheduled at more than a quarter, over 200, of Planned Parenthoods across our nation. And the violence and hatred that our team saw at multiple locations was not only frightening but it was a clear warning sign to you and me. In Portland, where our Northwest Coordinator (Katie) spoke, the abortion supporters where already at the Planned Parenthood by the time the pro-lifers arrived for their rally. They immediately starting yelling obscenitie..
Amazing Time-Lapse Video Shows Birth to 12-Years-Old in Under 3 Minutes
This encouraging item for Monday’s edition of National Right to Life News Today will take under three minutes of your life and leave you smiling from ear to ear. The title of the video is “Lotte from birth to 12 years in 2 min. 45 sec,” and it appears at mercatornet.com. According to the brief accompanying text, “Dutch filmmaker Frans Hofmeester filmed his daughter every week, from birth up until she turned 12 years old and then made this time lapse edit. Fascinating.” If you are a parent, you..
Law & Government
U.S. Supreme Court Lets Ruling Stand Requiring Christian Pharmacy to Stock Morning-After Pill
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed a ruling to stand that requires the owner of a Washington pharmacy, along with two of his pharmacists, to stock the morning-after pill despite their religious convictions regarding abortifacients. As previously reported, in 2006, Ralph’s Thriftway owner, Kevin Stormans, received a call inquiring whether the location sold the morning-after pill. After replying that the pharmacy did not carry it, he began to receive anonymous complaints via phone an..
Hillary Clinton Marches in New York City Homosexual Pride Parade
NEW YORK — Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton marched in New York City’s homosexual pride parade on Sunday, waving a rainbow flag. According to reports, Clinton marched for two blocks in the area of the Stonewall Inn, a tavern that the Obama administration has sought to have dedicated as a monument to homosexual rights. She was joined by Al Sharpton, a controversial ordained Baptist minister, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. Actress Cyn..
U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Down Texas Abortion Law as Creating ‘Undue Burden on Abortion Access’
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday handed a victory to abortion rights advocates, striking down a Texas law imposing strict regulations on abortion doctors and facilities that its critics contended were specifically designed to shut down clinics. The 5-3 ruling held that the Republican-backed 2013 law placed an undue burden on women exercising their constitutional right to end a pregnancy established in the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. The normally nine-justice court..
Entertainment
The Heavenly Comedy of NBC’s The Good Place
Ancient Egyptians thought that life went on after death, as long as you knew the right passwords, their bodies were nicely salted and their hearts were sufficiently weighty. Vikings believed that Valhalla awaited the mightiest among them, where they could fight all day and drink all night. And some Christians figure that St. Peter will be waiting for the dearly departed in front of heaven’s pearly gate, pen in hand. But no afterlife is quite like what we see in The Good Place—a plac..
Catholics in Media to award ‘Ben -Hur’ ‘Ray Donovan’ ‘The Story of God’ October 9th in Los Angeles
Culver City, CA – Catholics in Media Associates has announced its honorees for the 2016 CIMA Awards to be presented at the organization’s 23rd annual event on October 9, 2016. All the CIMA Awardees were chosen for their ability to tell stories that transcend daily life in compelling ways and to communicate the true, the good, and the beautiful in compelling ways. Following the 10:00AM Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Ang..
How Sully and Captain America Have a Lot in Common
It’s been a year of superheroes. Deadpool kicked the party off in February with its snide, R-rated take on heroism. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice thundered into theaters a month later. Captain America: Civil War opened the summer movie season with a $179.1 million opening weekend, and Suicide Squad continues to collect cash at box-office turnstyles across America. Four superhero movies, each one having grossed more than $300 million in North America. With all that superhero act..
‘Sully’ the man and the miracle
Everyone knows the story of US Airways Flight 1549. On January 15, 2009 Captain Sully “Sullenberger” (Tom Hanks) and his co-pilot Jeff Skiles (Aaron Eckhart) took off from La Guardia airport in a plane with 155 souls on board, including passengers and crew. They collided with a flock of Canadian geese just a couple of minutes later. They were over Manhattan and radioed they were banking left, turning back to La Guardia. In 207 seconds, with both engines out Captain Sully and Skiles brought the p..
US
“The last honest liberal” dies
Nat Hentoff, 91, has died. The jazz critic for the Village Voice, Hentoff described himself as a left-wing Jewish atheist. But he became a pro-life crusader, alienating his fellow liberals for his strong opposition to abortion. Hentoff was a civil libertarian, fiercely devoted to the Constitution, who quit the ACLU because of its support of speech codes. Hentoff had been called “the last honest liberal” for his consistency in extending the left’s concern for the poor and marginalized to the most..
Spiritual anguish
Contrary to the “prosperity gospel” and other theologies of glory, negative experiences can also have a positive spiritual significance. Many of us go through depression, blue moods, black moods, and other sufferings, whether physical or emotional. These are not signs that you have lost your faith or that God has abandoned you. Luther, who knew these states of mind well, considered them important for the Christian life. In fact, he considered them necessary for anyone who presumed to be a theolo..
Empire of Desire
I have long said that we shouldn’t look for analogies between our cultural problems and the fall of the Roman empire. We should look for parallels with the fall of the Roman Republic. Carl Trueman says that while the position of Christianity is changing, secular society itself is changing too. He sees the rise of what he calls an “empire of desire” (a concept also treated by R. R. Reno, whom he links to). He calls for new Ciceroes who have the integrity, the wisdom, and the eloquence to defend o..
Democrats hope to come back by going left
Democrats strategizing over how to overcome their recent defeats now have a plan: go left. They are reasoning that they can get back those working class voters who chose Trump. After all, Trump’s populist economics promises–including protectionism, job protection, and more jobs–goes along with what Democrats used to stand for, before the party embraced globalism and Wall Street. The Democrats believe that the cultural issues are still to their advantage, so they are going to emphasize their soci..
Church & Theology
How Is a Biblical Christian to Respond in This Election?
This has been an incredibly difficult election season. In fact, recent polls indicate that 82 percent of Americans are disgusted with it. Sometimes as Christians, we wonder how we can make a difference in a time like this. How do we respond to the vitriol and rhetoric with clear thinking and Christ-like decisions? 1. Remember your dual citizenship. Our first loyalty is not to America but to our King. Patriotic as we may be, we have an eternal homeland: For our conversation is in heaven; from..
What Following Jesus Looks Like on a Weekday
When Jesus called His disciples, it wasn’t a Sundays-only proposition. He had something more in mind—something 24/7. Likewise, when the disciples responded to His call, they “left all, rose up, and followed Him” (Luke 5:28). In a day when Christians feel good about themselves if they go to church on Sunday and pastors are tempted to measure their success by how Sunday’s services went, it’s good to be reminded that Christ’s call “Follow Me,” is a call for every day of the week. Think of it thi..
5 Things to Pray for When You’re Overwhelmed
Four weeks ago, I spent Monday night at gate 76 of Detroit International Airport, fervently praying for my three-year-old grandson, Chandler, who was undergoing an emergency surgery. A CT scan had revealed a fractured skull and bleeding near the brain, but beyond that, I really didn’t know or have the medical understanding of exactly what was going on. In an email I sent the next day to some praying friends, I wrote, “I don’t have all the technical info. I just know we need to pray fervently.” ..
4 Areas I Expect Our Leadership Team to Build
One of the things I look forward to when I hire staff is the opportunity to invest into their lives. Between praying for and pastoring their family, weekly staff meetings, and other times of training, I want to do all I can to help build them up in service and as spiritual leaders. At the same time, I don’t hire staff solely to invest in them. In fact, I hire them primarily to help me build the work of the ministry God has entrusted us with here at Lancaster Baptist Church. If you serve on a c..