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
Greater than We Think
His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue. 2 Peter 1:3, NKJVGod is bigger than we think and greater than we think. Nothing is beyond His ability, whether it’s a problem to solve, a marriage to reconcile, a memory to heal, a guilty conscience to cleanse, a sin to forgive, a business to save, a budget to stretch, another mouth to feed, or anything else we could name. All are within His po..Continue reading→
1 Corinthians 2:9
“However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—”Continue reading→
1 John 4:7 (02-01-17)
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. — 1 John 4:7 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... The old song says, "Where oh where is love?" Love is with God. Love comes from God. Love is the key attribute of God. Love is from God. Love is of God. You want to be more loving? You want to find greater intensity in your love? You want to know how to love others who are hard to love? Look to God. But, where do we see God ..Continue reading→
The Sound of His Voice
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. John 10:27, NKJVThe Eastern shepherd of Jesus’ day raised his sheep primarily in the Judean uplands. The countryside was rocky, hilly, and creased with deep crevices and ravines. Patches of grass were sparse. So the shepherd had to establish a personal relationship with each sheep, nurturing its love and trust in order to lead it to where the path was the smoothest, the grass was the greenest, the water was the cleanest, and the nights..Continue reading→
Deuteronomy 6:4-5
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”Continue reading→
Hope
Christmas Can Bring Out the Best in Us!
The city lights have now become giant snowflakes. One by one, homes are adorned with lights, wreaths, mangers, Santas, and the words, "Merry Christmas!" The sounds of Christmas are being heard loud and clear, far and wide. Choirs are singing "Joy to the World!" "Silent Night" is heard in the background as shoppers walk through the stores to find that perfect gift for their loved ones. Jesus is now the topic of conversation. Jesus is now at the center for billions around the world. Jesus gets the..Continue reading→
God Is Working While You’re Waiting
“I wait expectantly, trusting God to help, for he has promised” (Psalm 130:5 TLB). God wants you to wait patiently for him to answer your prayer, but he also wants you to wait expectantly. Have faith. Trust God to hear and to answer. When you wait expectantly, you show God that you believe his promises. You believe he’s going to keep his word. Daniel Boone, the famous frontiersman, was once asked, “Have you ever got..Continue reading→
What Does God Want While You Wait for an Answer?
“Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act” (Psalm 37:7a NLT, second edition). What does God want you to do while you’re waiting on an answer to your prayer? Psalm 37:7 says, “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act” (NLT, second edition). God wants you to wait patiently for him to answer your prayer. Have you noticed that we don’t mind waiti..Continue reading→
How Can I Get Out of This Mess?
“Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:24b-25a NLT, second edition). Here is the testimony of a Chinese Christian: “I walked through the road of life and had fallen into a great ditch. The ditch was filled with depression, discouragement, and sin. As I lay in that ditch, Mohammed came along and said, ‘It’s your fault you’re in the di..Continue reading→
A church behind the walls
Raised in a legalistic religious home, David’s rebellion led him straight to the jungles of war-torn Vietnam, while Jerry’s dangerous and dysfunctional upbringing led him to a lifestyle that earned him a lengthy prison sentence. Discover how both men received the love of Jesus Christ, and how His gift of grace gave them each a ministry they never expected! Be encouraged that no one is beyond God’s love and mercy.Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
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→
Prayers
A Living Sacrifice
PassageRomans 12:1-2 PrayerDear Father, all worthy God,I present my body to you, O Lord, as a living sacrifice. May it be holy and pleasing to you.Let this be my spiritual act of worship, not done at set times of remembrance, but constantly, moment by moment, day by day, night by night.Let me not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, which is doomed to pass away. Instead, let me be transformed by the renewing of my mind, so that I may be able to test and approve what your holy wi..Continue reading→
God’s Reconciliation
PassageRomans 11:33-36 PrayerDear Father,How great your mercy is! How deep your riches and wisdom and knowledge are! How unsearchable are your judgments! How inscrutable your ways!No one can know your mind totally! No one can be your counsellor! No one can give you a gift! Because from you and through you and to you are all things!May my faith never falter, my belief never fail. Continue your process of reconciliation among all your people, Jews and Gentiles.In the name of Jesus Christ, my Savio..Continue reading→
An Invited Guest
PassageRomans 11:17 PrayerDear Father, king of banquets,May I enter your halls wearing the appropriate garment, the righteousness of Jesus Christ, not that of my own making. The false righteousness of adherence to man-made rules is a worthless covering. Only the true righteousness of belief in your Son will make my appearance acceptable to you.Grant me true humility. If I boast, let it be about you. Let my pride be in what you have done for me, not in what I make of myself.In the name of Jesus, ..Continue reading→
A Grafted Branch
PassageRomans 11:17 PrayerDear Father, king of banquets,Like that unknown hearer of Jesus long ago, I say, "How blessed it will be to eat bread in the kingdom of God."Please, Lord, don't let me be like those who were invited to the marriage feast honoring the king's son but who scorned it in favor of business deals and family matters. They were left out while the king filled his house with those from the highways and country lanes. Your ancient people, Israel, rejected your invitatio..Continue reading→
Questions & Answers
The First Question to Ask of an Ancient, Holy Book: Is It Ancient?
Many of the world’s best known religious texts are silent when it comes to claims about history. Many Eastern religious scriptures, for example, describe spiritual principles devoid of historical location or setting. Texts such as these are proverbial in nature, proclaiming ancient wisdom without any connection to historical context. The Abrahamic religions are very different, however. Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Mormonism make claims about ancient history. For this reason, these religious ..Continue reading→
Should Christians Boycott Businesses Or Products?
Should Christians boycott certain products or businesses for certain stands they take? Commanded Submission The Bible doesn’t say anything about boycotting businesses or products, but it has a lot to say about obeying those who are in authority. Only when we are told to break God’s law can we break man’s law (Acts 5:29), but until that happens, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. ..Continue reading→
Enlightening KJV Bible Verses About Hatred
As time progresses it seems that hatred becomes more and more abundant. The news is filled with rioting and murder which seems to be the result of fierce hatred for certain people and groups. Sometimes we must just reflect upon what God says about hatred. Take a look at these enlightening KJV Bible verses about hatred. What the LORD Hates: “These six things doth the LORD hate: Yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, An heart tha..Continue reading→
Does Jesus Possess the Nature of God? (Podcast)
In this blast from the past, J. Warner examines the Deity of Jesus. If there is a God, it is reasonable to believe that this God would have several classic attributes, including omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence and omnibenevolence. Does Jesus possess these qualities? What do the reliable eyewitness accounts tell us about the nature of Jesus? Does He possess the nature of God? You can also subscribe to the Cold-Case Christianity Weekly Podcast on iTunes, or add the podcast from our RSS Fee..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
Of Empires, 180s, And The Communion Of The Saints
All things considered, of the three, the third explanation seemed most likely. I had a seminary professor who used to warn us all about the danger of empire building. He was exactly right. As I sat in his office, he would recount stories of this fellow and that who had trampled on old friends as they sought to build a (religious) empire (his word) of some sort. He noted how pastors do it. He warned about the problems inherent to the church growth movement, which was in full swing, and the Reform..Continue reading→
The Apology to the LGBT Community That Needs an Apology
I’m deeply sorry for any Christian who proclaims another Gospel—not that there is another Gospel—that leaves us in our sin. This is not love. This is not compassion. Yes, God loves us just as we are. But He doesn’t want to leave us where we are. God wants us—all of us—to turn from our sin. The biblical writers call this repentance. God is patient toward us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance (2 Pet. 3:9). Last week I was sent a video titled Confessions of a..Continue reading→
Pastor, Are You Okay?
Through the year, names get checked off as families and individuals are visited in homes and cafes. Burdens and cares are shared; plans are made for private reformation and encouragement. Without scientific specificity, I have come to the conclusion that most congregations are like my own. The closer you get to the end of the year, elder visits increase. If there is time, ruling elders’ families will be visited before the end of the year, or at least before the congregational meeting. And if one..Continue reading→
I Have Deleted Politics From My Digital Life
I want to be completely ignorant of what my Twitter people think about politics, and I want you to know as little about what I think as possible. Honestly, politics have become more divisive than unifying, even among friends and co-laborers in Christ, and the fight really just isn’t worth it to me anymore. Thankfully, it’s not a mandatory fight, online anyway. You can just dismiss yourself; so I did. I was texting with some friends while watching the daily White House briefing over my lunch bre..Continue reading→
Women
Patricia Heaton: My Career Floundered, Then Flourished Because of Faith
Q+A: The star of ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ and ‘The Middle’ reveals the prayer that changed her life.Continue reading→
A Happy, Healthy (Angry?) Family
A Happy, Healthy (Angry?) Family I learned how to be emotionally dishonest at an early age. When I was a child, any expression of anger earned me a one-way ticket to my room for a prolonged timeout. Afraid of breaking what appeared to be a fragile relational thread, I learned to either redirect or deny my anger. In essence, I learned that anger was simply not allowed. This misguided response to anger continued well into my 40s. By that time, I had three young children and a husband who worked ..Continue reading→
Why Are Our Children So Anxious?
Unpacking the reasons behind childhood and adolescent anxiety—and the hope we find in the gospel.Continue reading→
10 Non-Obnoxious Ways to Share Your Faith at Work
10 Non-Obnoxious Ways to Share Your Faith at Work I have an acquaintance, "Alice," who has been fired twice for witnessing at work. Well, that's how she explains it. Perhaps a better explanation may be that Alice's approach to evangelism is "in your face." If there were a caricature of an evangelical on the popular show The Office, Alice would fit the bill perfectly. She embodies all the negative stereotypes our culture has about evangelical Christians: she's judgmental of all t..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Investigation Captures Planned Parenthoods Admitting: We Only Do Ultrasounds If You’re Aborting
An undercover investigation involving nearly 70 Planned Parenthood locations nationwide captured almost all of the facilities outlining that the organization does not offer ultrasounds for mothers who want to ensure their baby is healthy, but only provides them for women who wish to obtain abortions. “One would think that a corporation that constantly touts its care for women, uses ‘parenthood’ in its name, AND has ultrasound machines would want to ensure healthy pregnancies by allowing women t..Continue reading→
Trump Chooses Episcopalian Neil Gorsuch as U.S. Supreme Court Nominee
President Trump has announced that he has nominated 10th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Neil Gorsuch to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court as the replacement for the late Justice Antonin Scalia. “Judge Gorsuch has outstanding legal skills, a brilliant mind, tremendous discipline and has earned bipartisan support,” Trump stated in introducing his pick to the public Tuesday night. “Mr. President, I am honored and I am humbled. Thank you very much,” Gorsuch, an Episcopalian, said to applause in acce..Continue reading→
Trump’s Refugee Ban vs Obama’s: What Is The Difference?
Trump supporters have sought to legitimise the refugees ban by pointing to Obama's act in 2011. Here is why this is misleading:Continue reading→
Holocaust Memorial Museum Speaks Out On Lessons Of History After Donald Trump Fails To Mention Jews
An accurate understanding of the Holocaust and the systematic slaughter of six million Jewish people is "critical" if the lessons of the past are to be learned, the US Holocaust Memorial Museum has stated.Continue reading→
Persecution
Congress Passes ‘International Religious Freedom Act’ to Combat Persecution Worldwide
WASHINGTON — Congress passed a bill this week that aims to give the White House and State Department improved tools to address religious persecution worldwide. The Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act had been introduced in the House last year by Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., and then in the Senate this year by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. The bi-partisan-backed bill first passed the House in May and then came before the Senate this month, where it passed unanimously. It is named after fo..Continue reading→
Trial Begins Against Indonesian Governor Accused of Blaspheming Islam
(Morning Star News) – The blasphemy trial of Jakarta Gov. Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama began on Tuesday, with the ethnic Chinese Christian breaking into tears inside the courtroom while hundreds of people protested outside. Some 2,000 police officers kept anti-Ahok and pro-Ahok protestors apart outside the heavily guarded court. Those opposing Ahok chanted, “Jail Ahok, jail Ahok, jail Ahok now.” A panel of judges will hear from 30 witnesses and see 50 pieces of evidence regarding the charge o..Continue reading→
Former Muslim’s 60-Year-Old Mother Attacked in Uganda for Putting Faith in Christ
(Morning Star News) – Relatives of a former Islamic teacher attacked his 60-year-old mother on Thursday (Dec. 8) for becoming a Christian, wounding her head and breaking her hand, sources said. Aimuna Namutongi sustained a deep cut on her forehead. She and her son, 30-year-old Malik Higenyi, were trying to gather cassava at 10 a.m. on the homestead he had been forced to abandon in Bufuja village, Butaleja District, after Muslim relatives threatened to kill him if he returned. Higenyi, whom Mus..Continue reading→
Turkey Jails U.S. Pastor on ‘Terrorism’ Allegations
(World Watch Monitor) — A Turkish judge has sent Andrew Brunson to prison in Izmir, 64 days after the U.S. pastor and his wife, Norine, were detained on 7 Oct. under Interior Ministry deportation orders. Although his wife was released on 19 Oct. and given an extended permit to remain in the country, Andrew Brunson has been held since 20 Oct. at the Harmandali Detention Center on the northern edge of Izmir. The 48-year-old was transferred overnight on 8 Dec. to a counter-terrorism center, befor..Continue reading→
Movies
COMMON BRINGS GLORY TO THE GRAMMYS (AND THE OSCARS): An Interview
What 2015 Grammy moment moved you? Kanye West’s cut in on Beck’s acceptance speech for “Album of the Year” garnered most of the headlines. How sad to a stunt overshadow Annie Lennox’s rousing rendition of “I Put a Spell On You” with Hozier. Pharrell reimagined his sunny single, “Happy,” into an intriguing protest echoing the “Hands up/Don’t shoot” posture that accompanied events in Ferguson, Missouri. Prince slipped in the best one-liner of the night, “Albums still matter. Just like books and bl..Continue reading→
Diablo Cody Tweets About Rescuing Jinger Duggar
Her new movie, Paradise, is all about religion. In the movie, which was originally titled Lamb of God, a young religious woman (Julianne Hough) is in a terrible accident, which causes her to question G-d and run off to Las Vegas to see what sin feels like. Well, it looks like screenwriter/director Diablo Cody had some pretty specific pop-culture inspirations for the movie: The Duggars. Particularly Jinger. Diablo recently tweeted that if Jinger ever wants to run away from her family, she can com..Continue reading→
Music
As We Ascend Releases First Single Wash Away to iTunes
As We Ascend's first single "Wash Away" is now available on iTunes, six days before the completion of their PledgeMusic campaign to fund the full length album Farewell to Midnight. In addition to being available on iTunes, "Wash Away" is also going for adds at radio. The PledgeMusic campaign is currently at 95% of its goal. You can listen to "Wash Away" below. As We Ascend, formed by former members of We As Human, launched their PledgeMusic campaign with the unique invitation to fans to "..Continue reading→
Bizzle Petitions for Financial Support of New Project
The recent release of Bizzle's new project Crowns & Crosses has sparked a conversation about the realities of being an artist with his God Over Money fans. In a recent newsletter, Bizzle details the shocking differences between a fan purchasing a physical or digital copy of any GOM release versus streaming through the likes of Spotify or Apple Music. He begins with the staggering reality that it takes 1,500 streams to equal that of one album sale. For example, if 100,000 fans stream the en..Continue reading→
John Mark McMillan Launches Pre-order for ‘Mercury & Lightning’
John Mark McMillan has launched a pre-order for his upcoming album Mercury & Lightning through PledgeMusic. The album has been preceded by the release of "Wilderlove" and "No Country." The PledgeMusic pre-order gives fans the chance to purchase a wide range of merch packages, with each one providing access to exclusive behind-the-scenes information approaching the album's release. The pre-order was launched in part due to the overwhelmingly positive response to the single "Wilderlove," re..Continue reading→
Sho Baraka’s ‘The Narrative’ Debuts at No. 6 on iTunes Hip Hop Chart and No. 26 on iTunes Overall
Critically acclaimed hip hop artist Sho Baraka unleashed The Narrative last week, and it was well received by fans and critics alike as it peaked at No. 6 on iTunes Hip Hop Chart and No. 26 on iTunes Overall Albums Chart. Created with the intention to generate a discussion among each other about the social issues we face today and throughout history, Sho Baraka is doing just that as shown by the critics below "Sho Baraka gives us conscious hip hop that makes us think. It is not intended for eas..Continue reading→
MercyMe’s ‘Welcome To The New’ Receives RIAA Gold Certification
GRAMMY® Nominated MercyMe's Welcome To The New (2014) has been honored with RIAA Gold Certification, marking the sixth gold album for the band in addition to a double platinum album and a platinum video. Welcome To The New earned two GRAMMY® nods, multiple GMA Dove Award honors and an American Music Award nomination. In addition, the album boasts three No. 1 singles with "Greater," "Flawless" and "Dear Younger Me," and one Top 5 single with "Shake." MercyMe is planning to unveil a new recor..Continue reading→
Deraj Drops A New Single
Deraj blessed both the genre and Reflection Music Group (RMG) fans worldwide with a new banger for the car on "Know That's Me," featuring KYNG. Listeners can purchase not only the track, but also the instrumental backing and an acapella version of the track. The three versions of this project may be purchased here, or streamed on Spotify. Visuals for the project debuted under the direction of Joe Desantis. The video may be viewed below. RMG has been quite the productive label as of late..Continue reading→
Live in Chicago: The Looking for America Tour by Switchfoot
Track Listing 01. Holy Water 02. Meant To Live 03. Bull In A China Shop 04. Where The Light Shines Through 05. I Won't Let You Go 06. Love Alone Is Worth The Fight 07. Hello Hurricane 08. If The House Burns Down Tonight 09. Float 10. Live it Well Continue reading→
Courtney Orlando Releases New Single, Wait On You
Courtney Orlando released his latest single "Wait on You" on October 10. You can download the track for free on SoundCloud here. Orlando describes the new track as an open conversation between him and God. No future plans of a full length project have been released at this time. The artist formally known as J.R. dug his roots into the hip-hop genre over a decade ago with his debut release Metamorphosis in 2005. Fittingly, change has followed him in the area of style, depth and even branding a..Continue reading→
The Narrative by Sho Baraka
Track Listing 01. Foreward, 1619 02. Soul, 1971 03. Kanye, 2009 (feat. Jackie Hill Perry) 04. Love, 1959 05. Here, 2016 (feat. Lecrae) 06. 30 & Up, 1986 (feat. Courtney Orlando) 07. Profhet, 1968 (feat. James Portier) 08. Maybe Both, 1865 (feat. James Portier) Purchase 09. Excellent, 2017 Purchase 10. Road to Humble, 1979 Purchase 11. Myhood, U.S.A., 1937 (feat. Vanessa Hill) 12. Words, 2006 13. Fathers, 2004 Purchase 14. Piano Break, 33 A.D. Continue reading→
American
Birth Control and Contraception Don’t Reduce Abortions Despite False Claims From New Study
As congressional efforts to defund Planned Parenthood gain momentum, it is unsurprising that the abortion provider is fighting back. The group recently funded a study – carried out by the liberal think tank Child Trends — which makes some outlandish claims about the purported health benefits of contraception. The study claims that if all women of childbearing age could access a complete range of contraception methods, both the unintended-pregnancy rate and the abortion rate would fall by more t..
Activists Celebrate Abortion Provider Appreciation Day, “We’re Grateful for Abortion Doctors”
There is so much going on, including plans to cut the half-billion dollar stream of federal dollars to Planned Parenthood, you might anticipate that the largest provider of abortions on the face of the planet might pay less attention than usual to the “National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers.” I went to PPFA’s twitter account and after searching in vain for a reference, plugged the word “abortion” into the search engine. For the period of the last two days, the word appeared just th..
Amazing Video Shows Huge Pro-Life Flashmob at Peru March for Life
Organizers of the Peru March for Life created an enthusiastic new video recently that shows a flashmob celebrating the lives of babies in the womb. Churchpop reports the pro-life organizers created the music video to promote the upcoming march. The video shows a lively crowd of young pro-lifers gathering in downtown Lima, dancing and singing as they celebrate the lives of babies in the womb. The pro-life event, Marcha por la Vida, is scheduled for March 25 in Lima. The theme this year is “Take..
Her Abortion Was Botched So Badly it Left Part of the Baby “Putrefying” Inside of Her
Jane nearly died from an illegal, botched abortion prior to Roe v. Wade. And for that reason, she is fighting to keep abortion legal today. She and three other women who had illegal abortions prior to Roe recently shared their horrific abortion experiences in a video by The Scene, according to the Daily Mail. Jane, whose last name is not provided, said she had the abortion in 1968 after a man broke into her room, raped her and threatened to kill her. One horrifying event led to another when sh..
Australia
The business of our mission
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS Saturday 10 December 2016 Bible Society and Koorong now share a huge 2500-square-metre warehouse at Erskine Park in western Sydney. From here, hundreds of thousands of Bibles and Christian books are shipped to all corners of Australia and the Pacific under the watchful eye of warehouse manager John Park and his staff of 40. John is enjoying his expanded role with responsibility for six new staff and managing extra sales. “All the extra money profited or saved within thi..
Reading of God’s wonderful love
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS Friday 4 November 2016 Imagine not being able to read this sentence. Perhaps you can’t get your head around that because you have been able to read and write since you can remember. But according to the latest UNESCO figures, 758 million adults (aged 15 years and older) across the world remain unable to do so. Imagine – nearly 760 million adults are not able to read and write in their heart language! Let’s put it another way: 33 times the total population of Australia is il..
A fun format freshens the word of God
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS Friday 25 November 2016 Although the nations in the South Pacific enjoy a long history of Christian mission, many contemporary churches still don’t have the Scriptures in their own language, and those that do are forced to read old-fashioned Bible translations that don’t really connect with a new generation of Christians. Bible Society South Pacific is committed to meeting this need, and is in the middle of a ten-year project to provide updated and new biblical materials to ..
Celebrate the Bible with us in 2017
We’re celebrating the Bible in 2017 and on Sunday March 5th a very special event will take place in partnership with Hillsong and live streamed in churches across the nation. Key speakers include Anglican Archbishop Glenn Davies and Hillsong’s Brian Houston, with more announcements to be made prior to the event. The post Celebrate the Bible with us in 2017 appeared first on Bible Society.
Law & Government
Missouri Lawmaker Introduces ‘Right to Life Act’ to Outlaw Abortion in State
Photo Credit: Oriol MartinezJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A lawmaker in Missouri has presented a bill that would end abortion in the state with no exceptions. Rep. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, introduced the “Right to Life Act” in the legislature on Monday, which recognizes the unborn as being persons from the point of conception and therefore entitled to the right to life. “The life of each human being begins at conception and is hereby deemed a person,” it declares. “As with all persons, unborn children ..
US House Votes to Permanently Ban Taxpayer Funding of Abortion
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives passed the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act on Tuesday, essentially placing a permanent ban on taxpayer funding of abortions, as outlined in the Hyde Amendment. The matter now moves to the Senate for consideration. The Act had been introduced by Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, a longtime supporter of the Amendment, which was first passed in 1976 to ban the use of Medicaid funds for abortion, with the excep..
Kentucky Abortion Facility to Close After License Denied, Leaving One Remaining Provider in State
LEXINGTON, Ky. — An abortion facility in Kentucky is set to close later this month after state officials denied its owners a license, leaving just one abortion provider in the state. The closing of EMW Women’s Clinic in Lexington was announced on Friday by the Kentucky chapter of the National Organization for Women as it relayed a message from the facility’s executive director. “As you know, for the past 6 1/2 months we have diligently pursued obtaining a license to operate an abortion facilit..
Democratic Rep. Files Resolution to Recognize ‘Darwin Day’ on Feb. 12
WASHINGTON – A Democratic lawmaker filed a resolution in the House of Representatives that, if approved, would recognize February 12, 2017, as “Darwin Day” and celebrate the father of evolution’s contributions to science. House Resolution 44, filed on Wednesday by Democratic Rep. James Himes of Connecticut, seeks to honor Darwin on the 208th anniversary of his birth. “Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by the mechanism of natural selection, together with the monumental amount of scientific e..
Entertainment
Liam Neeson sees God as love, not a stern master (interview)
Actor Liam Neeson plays the apostate Jesuit priest Fr. Ferreira in Martin Scorsese’s new film “Silence.” I interviewed Neeson by phone on Jan. 18. It was a short interview (about twelve minutes). You can read my interview with Matt Malek, an executive producer on the film and my review at Sister Rose Movies and at the National Catholic Reporter.NCR: Have you seen the film? Neeson: Yes, twice in fact. What did you think of it? When you’ve worked on a film and see it for the first time, there’s a ..
Driven by Mystery: An Interview with the Producers of “The Story of God”
By Wesley Baines Who is in charge of the universe? Big questions like these are the currency that National Geographic’s beloved documentary, “The Story of God” deals in, and it has yet to shortchange its viewers. For those unfamiliar with this groundbreaking series, viewers are invited to join Freeman as he travels the world, exploring the nature of faith and religion. With the inaugural episode of the show’s second season, airing on January 16th, these questions continue, as narrated by the div..
The Story of God: Are We All Chosen?
Comment countNational Geographic’s fascinating series The Story of God With Morgan Freeman kicks off its second season Jan. 16. The first episode is titled “The Chosen One,” and it focuses on those whom, in a variety of religions, believe that they’ve been picked to do special work. Some of these folks have daunting tasks to fulfill. The show begins with 9-year-old Jalue Dorjee, a soccer-loving, Pokemon playing kid from Minnesota who was told he’s the reincarnation of a famous Tibetan lama. That..
‘Patriot’s Day’ inspires and surprises
Patriots DayMost people will remember April 15, 2013, when brothers Tamerlan (Themo Melikidze) and Dzhokhar (Alex Wolff) Tsarnaev set off two homemade bombs at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. It was Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts, the day of the Boston Marathon, held annually to commemorate the first two battles of the Revolutionary War: Concord and Lexington. Click here to continue reading at St. Anthony Messenger, February, 2017 (scroll down). P.S. I am adding this today, January 12: I..
Health and Science
Bird or Dino? Fossilized Feathered Tail Ignites Debate Between Evolutionists, Creationists
MYANMAR – Evolutionists are heralding the discovery of a well-preserved feathered tail in Asia as evidence that dinosaurs once had plumage, while creationists maintain that the specimen likely came from a bird. Last week, a team of researchers consisting primarily of scientists from Canada and China published a journal article in “Current Biology.” The article, titled “A Feathered Dinosaur Tail with Primitive Plumage Trapped in Mid-Cretaceous Amber,” describes a piece of amber, approximately th..
Evidence of a Young Moon? Study Forces Scientists to Rethink Lunar Dating Techniques
Could the moon be younger than most realize? A new study shows that craters on the moon form quicker than previously thought, which means many features on the lunar surface are not as old as astronomers had predicted. Astronomers at Arizona State University and Cornell University recently set out to measure the formation rate of craters on the moon. To do so, they compiled thousands of high-resolution “before and after” images of the moon’s surface captured by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbite..
Christian Scientist Fired for Challenging Evolution Awarded Financial Settlement
LOS ANGELES – An evangelical Christian scientist who was fired after discovering evidence that seemingly contradicted the evolutionary timeframe has been awarded a generous settlement after taking his case to court. As previously reported, Mark Armitage was a scientist at California State University—Northridge (CSUN) who discovered soft tissues on a large triceratops horn that was believed to be at least 65 million years old. However, the discovery became mired in controversy when Armitage desc..
‘Increasingly Aggressive’ Atheists Target Children in New Evolution-Promoting Book
An evolution-propagandizing illustrated children’s book is drawing praise from the secular community and currently ranks as a best seller on Amazon.com. “Annabelle & Aiden: The Story Of Life” is a 26-page children’s book that was published last month. Advertised as an “inspirational storybook” that will help kids “gain a basic understanding of evolution,” the book walks readers through the history of life according to Charles Darwin. Featuring a “wise owl” who describes..
US
C. S. Lewis, atheist
C. S. Lewis, one of the foremost Christian apologists, had been for 15 years a convinced and rather militant atheist. My friend and former colleague Joel Heck has written a splendid study of Lewis’s atheism, published by Concordia Publishing House: From Atheism to Christianity: The Story of C. S. Lewis There are many kinds of atheism, just like there are many kinds of Christianity, and Joel unpacks the influences, books, and ideas that defined Lewis’s particular variety of unbelief. In tracing L..
The three causes of war
The great Athenian historian Thucydides said that there are three causes of war: (1) honor (2) fear (3) national interest. Jonah Goldberg discusses those factors and cites modern historian Donald Kagan, who says that honor comes first as the reason why a nation goes to war. That motive is far more common, he says, than national interest. World War I was surely caused by many nations’ sense of honor. World War II was caused by Germany and Japan’s radical sense of national pride and the honor (and..
Immigration chaos
President Trump’s executive order blocking entry into the United States of citizens of seven nations has created chaos at airports around the world, as Iraqis with green cards, visas, and airplane tickets were suddenly not allowed to get on flights or to go through passport controls, leading to people being trapped in airports and demonstrations breaking out worldwide. The chaos also broke out within our government: The acting attorney general said the Justice Department will not defend the pres..
LCMS president on immigration issues
Cuban immigrants head to Ysleta Lutheran Mission in El Paso When it comes to immigration issues, there is the obligation of the State to enforce the law. But, for the Church, there is also the obligation to minister to those in need. Now that President Trump is cracking down on immigration–rightly so, many of us would say–our Lutheran Hispanic congregations and our various Hispanic ministries are dealing with a sense of panic and insecurity among many of those to whom they are ministering. LCMS ..
Church & Theology
What Happens to Us When We Read the Bible?
Superhero movies and the latest iteration of Star Wars show the power of a good story. Grown men and small children alike dress up in costumes, stand in line for hours, and spend $62 on a bucket of popcorn just to watch larger-than-life heroes do the unthinkable. People are riveted by a good story that seems otherworldly, and they’re willing to scrounge up the money and time to invest if they’re convinced they’ll enjoy themselves. Through my work with the Holman Christian ..
What the “Gospel of Jesus’s Wife” Teaches Us about Manuscript Evidence
Last week, I taught for two days at City Church’s Institute, wherein my church offers an opportunity each summer for church members (mainly college students) to learn theology, church history, cultural engagement, etc. along with a church internship and a mission trip (or two). One morning, I taught on the development and authority of Scripture. My lecture started with general and special revelation, and then moved into oral tradition and eventually all the way to the for..
A Grave Concern for Christians in America
In current deliberation among California legislators is Senate Bill 1146. I am gravely disturbed by this bill that strikes a direct blow to religious liberty and severely infringes on personal freedoms and the freedoms of Christian institutions in California. The so-called “Equity in Higher Education Act” is designed to erode the free exercise of religion given us in both the United States Constitution and the California Constitution, by limiting the involvement of colleges to have students, fa..
Why the Trinity Debate Matters for the Pulpit and the Pew
In case you missed it, there’s been an online debate about the Trinity that has scholars and pastors and even institutions on edge. The debate online has stayed at a rather high academic level, but to give you a primer, here are just a few of the articles: This article by Liam Goligher started it all (here)Bruce Ware’s response to Goligher (here)Michael Bird’s overview of the concerns (here)Fred Sanders’s outline of foundational Trinitarian affirmations (here)Matt Emerson’..
Finance
Tackling Student Loans
$37,172 This is the average debt load a student will end up with after graduating college. If you’re like the 66% of all undergraduate students who have taken a student loan, you probably want to get rid of those things as fast as possible. It’s easy to get caught up in the borrowing maze in college and managing your loans can become a headache quite fast. With lenders selling your loan to other places and changing their name – it’s hard to keep everything straight! Here are a few things to help ..
20 Beautiful Homemade Christmas Gifts
The holidays are great, but buying gifts can get expensive. Real expensive. But if you’re like me, you enjoy giving gifts to people and watching them open them on Christmas day. Even better is giving someone a homemade gift that you invested your own time and energy creating. Making a homemade Christmas gift or decorations can be economical and thoughtful at the same time. If you’re the DIY type of person, consider one of these 20 homemade Christmas gift ideas to make this holiday season memorab..
12 Theses on a Christian Understanding of Economics
The Christian worldview reminds us that we must live with the recognition that we will give an account to the Lord for our stewardship of our resources. Regrettably, many American Christians know little about economics. Furthermore, many Christians assume that the Bible has nothing at all to say about economics. But a biblical worldview actually has a great deal to teach us on economic ma..
5 Helpful Moving Tips: What To Do When You’re About to Move
Moving usually isn’t the most enjoyable thing to do, especially if you’re making a move in the heat of summer. You have to consider all sorts of things like travel logistics, getting your stuff (which always seems to multiply) into a moving truck (which always seems to be smaller than you thought), and setting up everything at your new place. Sure, actually moving your stuff might take a weekend but there are a few things you should do ahead of time to make your move go as planned. Since moving into a new place usually doesn’t happen often, most people are just not sure what to do when moving. Don’t let your big move sneak up on you. Get organized and plan ahead with these moving tips. You’ll be glad you did. 5 Things to Remember When Moving1. Start Looking EarlyAssuming you don’t already have a place, you’ll need to lock this part in right away. When we were planning on moving to a new city for my wife to attend medical school, we started looking at rentals 6 months in advance. Colleg..