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→
Christian Quotes
Dale: happiness from God
Sunday, January 22, 2017 Meditation: Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one m..Continue reading→
Moody: Jesus is the light
Saturday, January 21, 2017 Feast of Agnes, Child Martyr at Rome, 304 Meditation: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. —Psalm 23:4 (KJV) Quotation: The valley of the shadow of death holds no darkness for the child of God. There must be light, else there could be no shadow. Jesus is the light. He has overcome death. ... Dwight Lyman Moody (1837-1899) See also Ps. 23:4; Isa. 25:8; Hos. ..Continue reading→
Drummond: the urgency of loving
Friday, January 20, 2017 Commemoration of Richard Rolle of Hampole, Writer, Hermit, Mystic, 1349 Meditation: [Jesus:] “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it ..Continue reading→
Thomas a Kempis: temporal vs. eternal
Thursday, January 19, 2017 Commemoration of Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester, 1095 Meditation: Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. —Matthew 19:21-22 (ESV) Quotation: For a small reward, a man will hurry away on a long journey; while for eternal life, many will hardly take a single step. ... Thoma..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→
Church & Ministries
Could This Be The End For Britain’s Ugliest Cathedral?
Simon Jenkins: 'Disappointment still hangs about this place, lonely on its hill outside the town... Even the approach road has been likened to the entrance to a crematorium.'Continue reading→
Archbishops Call For ‘Radical New Christian Inclusion’ After Synod Blocks Sexuality Report
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have called for a 'radical new Christian inclusion' towards gay couples in the Church of England after its ruling body voted down a report maintaining a conservative line on sexuality.Continue reading→
One Evangelical’s Journey Towards Accepting Gay Blessing In The Church Of England
How one senior evangelical figure moved from opposing gay couples to pushing the Church to changeContinue reading→
No, Lent Isn’t In The Bible. Here’s Why It’s A Good Thing Anyway
Taking up good habits rather than giving something up could be a great way to learn the discipline required to do Lent in a different way in future.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
Box office: Fantastic Beasts underperforms Harry Potter in North America but outperforms it elsewhere
J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world came roaring back to the big screen this week. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the first in a series of prequels that take place several decades before Harry Potter is born, earned an estimated $75 million in the U.S. and Canada between Thursday and Sunday nights. That’s the least that any Harry Potter film has made in its first weekend in North America.1 However, the film earned another $143.3 million overseas and reportedly beat the first weekends of all..Continue reading→
The Broken Hands of Doctor Strange
What Marvel’s latest hero movie teaches us about engaging suffering. I felt uncomfortable as my friend Danny and I sat down to watch the latest Marvel comic book movie. He and I have been watching big-screen heroes together for more than 20 years. From The Hobbit to Harry Potter, from Star Wars to The Matrix, from Batman to Ant-Man, we love these stories of lonely characters who are catapulted out of their comfort zones, reluctantly recruited into rebellions against evil, and transformed into s..Continue reading→
To everyone telling me to be quiet and trust God after this election
Photo via Flicker. From New Life Church Colingwood. CC Licensing. Again, apologies. I know: I’m the movie guy. And trust me, next week, you’re going to get movie stuff. Thoughts on “Moana,” “Arrival” and possibly the return to the Harry Potter universe. Plus, my thoughts on some pop culture I’m thankful for and a fun new series just for the holidays that I’m extremely excited about. But this election rocked the church. So, indulge me, please. Ever since the election, I’ve seen attempts by mysel..Continue reading→
A Quiet Love Story Speaks Volumes in ‘Loving’
The film portrays the interracial couple who made history. Rich and Mildred Loving love each other. It’s as simple as that. Living in a seemingly serene pocket of rural Virginia, the two travel to Washington, DC, after Mildred gets pregnant and marry in the simplest of ceremonies. The Lovings want what any couple in 1958 wants: to own a home close to their families, to raise a family of their own, and to live in peace. However, the outside world can’t see anything but what they’ve deemed unac..Continue reading→
“Facing Darkness” wins Best Feature Documentary Premiere Award at 2016 Heartland Film Festival
“Facing Darkness” wins Best Feature Documentary Premiere Award at 2016 Heartland Film Festival November 15th, 2016 True story of race against time to save American medical missionaries stricken with Ebola comes to theaters, one night only, March 30, 2017 “Facing Darkness—a documentary from Samaritan’s Purse and Executive Producer Franklin Graham—claimed the Best Feature Documentary Premiere Award at the 2016 Heartland Film Festival. FACING DARKNESS brings to life the true story of Brantly a..Continue reading→
Paul Verhoeven still wants to make that movie about Jesus
Paul Verhoeven — the man behind such sci-fi hits as RoboCop and Starship Troopers, plus such sexually charged films as Basic Instinct and Showgirls — has been talking about making a movie about Jesus for almost thirty years now, ever since he first attended a meeting of the Jesus Seminar in 1988. The subject came up again this week when Verhoeven — whose subversive critical hit Elle gets a limited release in U.S. theatres today — spoke to ComingSoon.net to promote his newest film. Here’s a key b..Continue reading→
MGM reports a $47.8 million write-down on Ben-Hur
Love it or hate it, Timur Bekmambetov’s remake of Ben-Hur was one of the year’s biggest flops. And now one of the studios behind the film has revealed just how badly it hurt their profits. Deadline reports that Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which paid 80% of the film’s production costs (the remaining 20% was paid by Paramount, the studio that distributed the film), told its investors this week that the box-office failure of Ben-Hur led to a $47.8 million write-down for the fiscal quarter between July and..Continue reading→
New images from two upcoming “faith-based” films
It’s been a bit quiet at the blog here lately. Here are two new images from a couple of “faith-based” films that are coming out early next year. Octavia Spencer, who plays one manifestation of God the Father aka “Papa” in The Shack, posted the second image from the film to her Instagram account last night (the first image — posted a week ago — showed Aviv Alush as Jesus in the film): Meanwhile, Paramount released this poster for Same Kind of Different as Me: Same Kind of Different as Me opens F..Continue reading→
Losing my evangelical home
Photo by Art4theglryofGod Photography By Sharon, Flicker, CC Licensing. I promise we’ll get back to movies shortly. Given the events of this week, I wanted to post this, originally from my Facebook account. It has been edited for length. I am surprised how angry and depressed I felt seeing the election results. To think that Donald Trump is the next President of the United States still seems unreal. I have no clue how a man with such a short fuse and no political experience will govern. I’m terr..Continue reading→
Music
New Release Today Premieres Carmen Justice’s New Video For ‘Flaming Arrows’
Recently Carmen Justice announced her departure from pop girl group 1 Girl Nation (1GN) and that she was embarking on a new journey as a solo artist, and this morning she premiered her new sound, new look and new video for her debut single "Flaming Arrows" as seen exclusively on New Release Today. RELATED 1GN Disbands, Former Lead Singer Carmen Justice Steps Out As Solo Artist The video, directed by Matt Hadley of Wander Creative Productions, was shot in Franklin, TN at the Imago Dei boutique ..Continue reading→
Beleaf Releases New Single, Video
Rapper Beleaf just energized fans with a new, previously unreleased single "No Chill," and an accompanying music video. This kicked off a campaign for fans to pre-order his forthcoming album--which currently is untitled and doesn't have an official release date. You may pre-order here (http//www.kingsdreament.com/no-chill-preorder). Check out the audio and music video for "No Chill" here. Baltimore native Beleaf Melanin is a man of many talents. His last release, 2014's Red Pills Blac..Continue reading→
Entertainment One Garners 30 Nominations For The 2017 Stellar Awards
Entertainment One garners a diverse breadth of nominations for the upcoming 32nd Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, with 30 nominations across 16 categories, and multiple nominations in major categories including Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year, and Choir of the Year. A total of 9 artists are nominated for their chart-topping mix of powerful albums and live projects released over the past year, led by Hezekiah Walke..Continue reading→
Tedashii Kicks Off 2017 With The Release Of New Single ‘Free’
Hip-hop recording artist, TEDASHII, kicks off 2017 with the release of his brand new single "FREE," available for purchase (here) and streaming across all DSPs via Reach Records today (January 20). A carefree installment to his decade-long body of work, the record sets the tone for what's to come from the fearless rapper this year. "This is a song all about freedom," Tedashii explains, "Freedom of expression artistically and musically and truly, freedom to be myself." RELATED Tedashii Rele..Continue reading→
Matt Hammitt Surprises Audiences With ‘United Again’ Single Release On Inauguration Day
Addressing the current state of division among the nation, GRAMMY® nominated Matt Hammitt debuts the lyric video for single "United Again" (FCM Records, Seth Mosley), encouraging communities to find strength and unity among God. Amid protests and demonstrations on Inauguration Day, the song serves as an anthem for the Church, unifying those who feel disheartened by the present political climate. RELATED Former Sanctus Real Frontman Matt Hammitt Debuts Single 'Tears' "Today, it seems ..Continue reading→
‘American Idol’ Finalist Chris Sligh Releases New Single
"American Idol" Top 10 finalist, Chris Sligh, is releasing a new song to Christian radio today. "Worthy", the debut single from Sligh's recently-released CD, goes for adds to Christian AC and Christian CHR/Hot AC-formatted radio stations. "Worthy", featuring acclaimed singer/songwriter Kayla Bailey, is one of 11 songs on the electropop/worship project titled "Mighty Roar/Healing Flood." RELATED 'American Idol' Finalist Chris Sligh Releases New Album Sligh's new music, his f..Continue reading→
David Dunn Premieres New Live Studio Music Video For ‘I Wanna Go Back’
David Dunn premieres a new live studio music video for "I Wanna Go Back" exclusively with CCM Magazine today. The single is from his forthcoming album Yellow Balloons, which is set to release on February 17. "I Wanna Go Back" is continuing to climb the charts and has landed in the Top 5 on the Hot AC/CHR chart and debuted in the Top 30 at AC Monitored and Christian Airplay chart this week. Click below to view the video. RELATED David Dunn Debuts Music Video For New Single 'I Wanna Go Back&..Continue reading→
Former Sanctus Real Frontman Matt Hammitt Debuts Single ‘Tears’
GRAMMY® nominated Matt Hammitt debuts latest single "Tears," as a part of the second solo project of his career. Going for adds on Feb. 3, the song will impact AC and Hot AC/CHR radio and has already hit No. 1 on Play MPE's Top 20 Christian downloads and streams. Hammitt is the first signed writer to Songs for FCM, the Full Circle Music publishing company helmed by GRAMMY® winning producer Seth Mosley. In the Spring of 2017, Hammitt will release his full-length studio album featuring the si..Continue reading→
Ellie Holcomb Premieres New Music Video For ‘Find You Here’ Exclusively With Billboard Online
Singer songwriter Ellie Holcomb will release her sophomore album, Red Sea Road, next week on January 27. In anticipation of her forthcoming release, today Billboard.com premiered her music video for the single "Find You Here," which is also the new album's current radio single. Click below to view Holcomb's video taped in the Appalachian Mountains over a 48 hour girls' road trip. The video can also be viewed here courtesy of Billboard online. RELATED Ellie Holcomb To Release Sop..Continue reading→
World
Bible Left Untouched And Unmoved After Powerful Tornado Rips Through Christian University In Mississippi
Powerful tornadoes ripped through southern Mississippi late last month, bringing death and destruction to many places.Continue reading→
In France, People Who Speak Against Abortion Will Now Be Treated As Criminals
People who try to discourage women from having abortions are now virtually considered criminals in France.Continue reading→
Christian Astrophysicist Sees Little Chance Of Alien Life In New Earth-Size Planets Discovered By NASA
Seven new Earths? As in seven new habitable worlds?Continue reading→
Christian Family Of ISIS Suicide Bomber Believe He Was ‘Brainwashed’
British citizen Jamal al-Harith stunned his Christian family when he blew himself up in a suicide bombing mission carried out in behalf of the Islamic State (ISIS) earlier this month against Iraqi forces near Mosul.Continue reading→
American
NFL Player Ben Watson Tells March for Life: “We Must End the Unthinkable Practice of Abortion”
Joining hundreds of thousands of people at the March for Life today is NFL star Ben Watson. The Baltimore Ravens tight end has been using his fame not to speak for himself but to speak up for the most vulnerable lives in America – babies in the womb. “Abortion will not end until men stand up” for women and babies in the womb, Watson challenged the crowd during the 44th annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. “We must end the unthinkable practice of abortion in the United States of America.” ..
March for Life President: The Only Number I Care About Is The 58 Million Babies Killed By Abortion
While the theme of this year’s March for Life was “The Power of One,” March President Jeanne Mancini seemed keen to take the focus off of crowd numbers and overall statistics and focus on the big picture: 58 million babies have been aborted in the United States since 1973. Mancini immediately dismissed any comparison to last week’s Women’s March on Washington, saying that the organizers were not concerned with crowd size or likes on social networks. Instead, Mancini said that the only number th..
Trump Advisor Kellyanne Conway Tells March for Life: President Donald Trump “Stands With You”
Kellyanne Conway, a top adviser to President Donald Trump, told hundreds of thousands of people at the March for Life that the president stands with them in their battle against abortion. “Steps away from here in the White House, a president and a vice president sit at their desks and make decisions for the nation,” Conway told the crowd. “As they sit there, they stand here with you.” “Their impassioned defense of life as presidential candidates showed a nation that courage and commitment can ..
Kingdom Roots with Dennis Venema, Genomist
Please listen to this to hear Dennis Venema’s story about changing toward evolution.
US
The Christmas wars throughout history
A new book by Gerry Bowler entitled Christmas in the Crosshairs: Two Thousand Years of Denouncing and Defending the World’s Most Celebrated Holiday points out that the “Christmas wars”–the conflict between secular and religious observances of Christmas–have been going on throughout the history of Christianity. The Bishop of Amasea complained in 400 A.D. about how Christmas presents make children greedy. St. Augustine complained about the commercialization of Christmas. And Christians have long c..
Person of the Year
Time Magazine’s Person of the Year is Donald Trump. Of course it was. Who else could it be? One of our end-of-the-year customs here at the Cranach blog–along with making predictions and checking last year’s predictions–is to make our own proposals for Person of the Year. Trump is clearly, in the words of Time’s criteria, “the person who had the greatest influence, for better or worse, on the events of the year.” Feel free to comment on whether you think his influence will be “for better or worse..
Ancient scientists helping modern scientists
Contrary to the stereotypes about ancient and medieval knowledge and totally contradicting Mark Twain’s depiction in Connecticut Yankee of King Arthur’s court panicking over an eclipse, the scientists of yore were keen observers of the heavens. They kept meticulous records of things like eclipses and analyzed them mathematically. Now astronomers from 2016 A.D. are using data recorded by the Babylonians in 136 B.C. to determine that the earth’s rate of rotation has slowed down. They are also maki..
From “the most humiliating year in our history” to victory
Today is the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Daily Oklahoman has a fascinating and moving feature looking not only at the coverage of that event but of its anniversary through the war years and beyond. We often forget that the first year of the war we were losing. The editorial for December 7, 1942, called it “the bitterest and most humiliating year in our history.” The next year’s paper was sober but more upbeat. Then we see optimism. In 1945 we see the exuberance–and relief..