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
1 Corinthians 10:16 (10-16-16)
The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?— 1 Corinthians 10:16 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... The Apostle Paul makes clear that the heart of the Gospel is found in the death, burial, resurrection, and appearances of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:1-8). The Lord's Supper, Communion or Eucharist as it is sometimes called, is a key part of our walk with Christ. It is a t..Continue reading→
Our Father Comes Alongside
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:25, NKJV The Greek word for “comforter” is parakletos, which literally means one called alongside to help. This was beautifully illustrated in the 1992 Summer Olympics during a track-and-field event. As the runners in the 400-meter race flew around the oval track, one of them suddenly pulled up on the back stretch, one leg held up and dangling as he limped to a stop. He had pulled a hamstring! As the crowd stood, holding its c..Continue reading→
Psalm 19:14
“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”Continue reading→
Judges 10:15 (10-15-16)
And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day.— Judges 10:15 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... When God's people realized the depth of their sin and the impending punishment by God, they repented and asked for his help. They didn't try to diminish the gravity of their sin. Instead, they threw themselves on the mercy of the LORD and his graciousness. Unfortunately to..Continue reading→
The Jewel of Creation
I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10, NKJVIn the beginning, the Creator was not stingy with our environment. He filled it with life. Planet Earth was progressively transformed as every day God’s Word went forth and every day God’s Word was received. Each day’s change prepared the environment for the next day’s change until it was totally transformed. Yet it was as though it waited for something. In the same way a church sanctuary, all decora..Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
Heavenly Treasure
Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matthew 6:20, NIV Gold is one of our most precious commodities. We hoard gold, we wear gold, we invest in gold, we work hard for more gold – we love gold! We sacrifice our families, our friends, our reputations, our health – all so that we can increase our supply of earthly treasures. We want to buy more things . . . so we can dust more things so we can break more thing..Continue reading→
Joshua 24:15
“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.””Continue reading→
Psalm 11:7 (11-07-16)
For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.— Psalm 11:7 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Can you think of any greater promise for those who seek to be righteous and just? We will see God face to face! Incredible. What a blessing! What a future! What an incredible Father! So let's seek our Abba Father, the LORD God, with all heart and soul and mind and strength until that day that we get to see him as he is, face-to-face with God in al..Continue reading→
A Day of Rest
Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Exodus 31:15, NKJV Like a boat that would be tossed endlessly and aimlessly and dangerously on the open sea without an anchor, we need to anchor our lives as well. That anchor is devotion to God. God worked for six days during that first “week” then rested on the seventh: “And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done” (Gen. 2:3, NI..Continue reading→
Prayers
Daily Prayer for October 4
He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means "Be opened!"). At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. Mark 7:34–35, NIV Father in heaven, we people on earth are poor and needy. We are deaf and dumb, but you rouse us every day and call to us, "Ephphatha." We thank you for this, in gladness for all you do for our sake. Help us to become united in expectation for the great day when our Lord Jesus Christ wil..Continue reading→
No Fear in Christ
Passage: Hebrews 13:6-8 Prayer: Dear Father,Help me say with confidence: The Lord is my helper. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?I remember those who led me to Christ by speaking his word to me. Thank you for them. Bless them abundantly. Help me to imitate their faith.And most of all, thank you for Jesus Christ, who forever remains true to me. Thank you, my God, that he is the same yesterday, today, and for ever.In the name of Jesus. Amen.Continue reading→
Daily Prayer for October 3
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18–19, NIV Lord our God, our Father in heaven, we come to you as your children. Bless us, we pray. Bless us especially in days when fear tries to take hold of us. Let your help come down to us as you have promised..Continue reading→
Almighty and Everlasting God
Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. BCPContinue reading→
Questions & Answers
What Does the Bible Say About Harvest?
One of my favorite seasons is fall. The weather is cooler, leaves are changing colors, and things planted in the garden have matured and are ready for harvesting. With that comes corn on the cob, apple cider, and pumpkin pie. Likewise, in most cultures it is a time when families unite to celebrate the blessings of the harvest before entering the long dark winter. In consideration of these things, what does the Bible say about harvest? Where do we get the word harvest? In not so ancient history,..Continue reading→
What Is The 7th (Seventh) Commandment In The Bible?
What is the 7th Commandment from the Bible and applications for today’s believer? The Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments were never part of the Old Testament or Mosaic Laws at all. These were written by the very finger of God and in stone, indicating their permanence, unlike the Mosaic Laws which were written on parchment or animal skins. These laws were only until the time of Christ and the completed work on Calvary. These laws all pointed forward to the coming work of Christ and were only ..Continue reading→
Are some sins more wrong than others?
Many of us have a tendency to judge certain sins as worse than others. We say, “I have my struggles, but at least I don’t struggle with that.” Surely some attitudes and behaviors carry the potential for greater, far-reaching consequences than others. But that does not make one set of sins worse than another. The New Testament calls us to take all sin seriously: Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you favor some..Continue reading→
Are doubts a sign of a weak faith?
I’m a believer—a Christian. I’m a “lifer” and an insider. I was born into a Christian home. I have Christian parents. I’ve gone to church all my life. I’m also a doubter. Over the years I’ve had many troubling questions: How do I know God exists? Can I be sure Christianity is right? How can there be an all-loving and all-powerful God when there is so much evil in the world? Can I really trust that the Bible is true? For most of my life I’ve walked in a place of doubt-plagued faith. And while ..Continue reading→
Church & Ministries
7 Tools To Be Thankful For This Thanksgiving
In a few days, we’ll sit down to a Thanksgiving meal. Some will travel to see extended family while others may enjoy the celebration at home. As we prepare the turkeys, pies, and way too many side dishes, I wanted to share several tools I’m grateful we have at our disposal. These help us share the Gospel and make disciples in our communities and around the world. #1 – The ability to communicate to so many We can send mass emails out to those in our congregations, post a sermon video on our webs..Continue reading→
Vatican Explores Space-Age Technology To Preserve Its Most Ancient Documents
x To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Representatives from ESA and the Vatican Apostolic Library signed a declaration to continue collaboration, followed by a tour of the Library.Copyright ESA The Vatican has turned to space-age technology to help preserve some of the oldest and most fragile documents in the world. The Holy See is using a system called FITS, or flexible image transport system format, that was develope..Continue reading→
Finding a Rhythm and Raising the Energy Level in Your Leaders
Fun around Saddleback… Saddleback’s College Ministry Staff. “Stay Classy San Diego!” (via Facebook) The quickest way to destroy a team is to burn them out. And you don’t have to look around the field of ministry very long to realize that the ministry is filled with burned out leaders. But it’s possible to find a healthy working rhythm and ultimately increase the effective energy with which your leaders serve without causing them to burn out. Every minute of every day we are using up energy, an..Continue reading→
Pope Francis: Priests Can Forgive Women Who Have Abortions
Pope Francis has concluded his Jubilee Year of Mercy with an extraordinary grant of permission to priests to continue absolving women who have had abortions.Continue reading→
Hot Topics
Even If He Doesn’t
“Somewhere along her Christian path, some teacher or mentor had told this woman that God is good because He does what seems right to us. She had been taught that we are to name what we want and claim it territorially, as if we can instruct God on the best way to do things.” I once attended a non-denominational women’s Bible study, and each week we discussed the passage of scripture in small groups. I loved some things about it: the mix of ages, learning from other women’s life and faith experie..Continue reading→
Today’s Theologians: Dr. Richard Gaffin
“My primary interest in biblical theology has always been not for its own sake but for the relationship and interface between it and systematic theology, as the former serves to provide the latter with its life-blood: sound exegesis, and for that, attention to the text within its context in the unfolding history of special revelation is essential.” As we continue our series of interviews with notable theologians, we sit down with Dr. Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. Dr. Gaffin is Emeritus Professor of Bi..Continue reading→
Ministerial Godliness: Its Value
“Paul does not mince his words. He condemns them as ‘men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain’ (1TI 6.5). The life of these ministers had become a charade. Their ‘ministry’ was nothing more than a thinly veiled mask to cover up their greed.” What matters most to us in life? There is a ‘right’ answer to that question, but then again there are many ‘real’ answers that lurk beneath the surface. No serious-minded Christian wou..Continue reading→
Our Heart Telescope
Our problem is that, like astronomers before Hubble, we are so earth-bound with this world’s concerns that the atmosphere around us distorts our view of God’s love. Our lusts for rusting treasures, our worries over life’s issues, our yearning for yet one more pleasure render us unable to comprehend love’s measure without the assistance of the Spirit of God. Like a telescope, we need God’s Spirit to take the enormity of God’s love and focus it down into our hearts so that we can grasp more of the..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Obama Administration Finalizes Rule Banning States From Defunding Planned Parenthood
Photo Credit: All Nite ImagesWASHINGTON — The Obama administration finalized a rule on Wednesday that bans states from defunding family planning organizations such as Planned Parenthood because they abort unborn children. “This rule will strengthen access to essential services like cancer screenings and contraception for some of the most vulnerable patients in this country,” Chief Medical Officer Karen Scott of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, said in a statement. “Public comme..Continue reading→
Pagan Priest Wins Right To Wear Horns In Driver’s Licence Photo
Phelan MoonSong, known as the "Priest of Pan", was initially told he could not wear the headgear. But he challenged the decision and has been given the same recognition as other religions.Continue reading→
One Million Moms Criticises Highlights Magazine for Featuring Same-Sex Couples
The Christian watchdog group One Million Moms has slammed Highlights magazine, a monthly magazine for children ages 6 to 12, for deciding to feature same-sex families and making it appear as if having two moms or two dads is a normal way of life.Continue reading→
Voicemail Threatening to ‘Drop a Bomb’ on a California Mosque Being Investigated
A California mosque received a message on their voicemail service Friday afternoon from an individual who threatened to “drop a bomb” on the mosque, community Muslim leaders said Monday. The incident at the Islamic Center of Tustin was reported to the Tustin Police Department on Sunday, said Sgt. Mike Van Cleve. “It appears there was no caller ID on the call,” he said. “We took a report and are investigating.” A spokesman for the mosque did not return phone calls Monday. The voicemail is amo..Continue reading→
Movies
Silence: Scorsese’s Spiritual Masterpiece
Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Departed, The Wolf of Wall Street, Silence. One of these is not like the others. How could the same director who repeatedly reveled in the high cost of unchecked male rage also deliver the meditative and masterful Silence? Feudal Japan seems so far removed from the Mean Streets of New York City. Catholic priests dispensed wisdom and sacraments in both milieus, but the pace, tone, and body count is so different in the two films. While most Scorsese pictur..Continue reading→
Does the chariot race sequence in Ben-Hur need dialogue?
There are many problems with Timur Bekmambetov’s remake of Ben-Hur, but one of the more emblematic ones, I think, is the way he insists on adding dialogue to the chariot race. Bekmambetov can’t rely on the thrill of movement alone: instead, he has to pump the soundtrack full of exposition and dull action-movie banter. How does his film compare to the earlier ones, in this regard? In the 1925 silent film, you can often see characters’ mouths moving as their chariots fly down the track, but only o..Continue reading→
Blog Goals 2017
Flickr. Photo by Hey Paul Studios. CC Licensing. I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year. I’m sure that, for many, it was nice to say “so long” to 2016, and I hope that the new year is treating you kind. Our holidays were great, filled with time with family and friends and some chances to recharge our batteries. I’m still on vacation from work for another week, and I’m hoping to use this time to really gear up for the coming 12 months so I can attack 2017 afresh next week. I thought it might be..Continue reading→
Watch: Ten clips from The Purple Rose of Cairo
“Heaven, I’m in Heaven…” I just discovered that ten clips from my official second-favorite film of all time, The Purple Rose of Cairo, were posted to Fandango’s Movieclips YouTube channel about two weeks ago. The clips contain about 28 minutes of footage altogether, or just over a third of the film’s 82-minute running time. I wouldn’t recommend watching them without seeing the entire film first, but they do contain some of the film’s funniest and most poignant moments. Check them out below (thou..Continue reading→
Box office: Rogue One is now the #2 movie of 2016 in North America (but only the #9 movie worldwide — so far)
Rogue One ruled the box office for a third straight week as 2016 came to an end. The Star Wars prequel earned an estimated $49.5 million in North American theatres between Friday and Sunday. That raises the film’s domestic total to $424.9 million and makes it the second-highest grossing film of the year in North America — behind Finding Dory — and the 14th-highest grossing film of all time domestically. Overseas, it’s a slightly different story. Rogue One has earned $350 million to date internat..Continue reading→
2017 Film Journal
As per my 2016 Journal, videos and DVDs are in italics. Films I saw for the first time have an asterisk (*) next to them. Not counting extras and promo items. Jan Jan 1 — The Other Half [2016] * Jan 3 — Unless [2016] *Continue reading→
Watch: New clips and a featurette for Scorsese’s Silence
Nearly three decades in the making, Martin Scorsese’s adaptation of Silence is finally playing in a few American theatres, and it will expand to the rest of the continent over the next two weeks. To pique the interest of prospective moviegoers, Paramount has released a new featurette on Scorsese’s “passion” for the project, as well as a few clips. Here is the featurette: At least three clips from this incredibly challenging film have surfaced online too. In this one, Fathers Rodrigues (Andrew G..Continue reading→
The top ten posts at FilmChat in 2016
Happy New Year! Last year, for the first time, I compiled two lists of my most-viewed blog posts from the year that had just ended: one list covered the top ten posts from this blog’s entire archive, while the other covered the top ten posts that had been written in 2015. Now it’s time for the 2016 lists. And here they are: – The 10 most-viewed posts in 2016, regardless of when they were written: 1. History and tradition in movie depictions of the cross (April 2013) This one’s a perennial, and t..Continue reading→
Same Kind of Different as Me release date postponed again
Just a quick update regarding the release of an upcoming “faith-based” film. Deadline is reporting that Same Kind of Different as Me, based on the memoir by Ron Hall, Denver Moore and Lynn Vincent, has been dropped by Paramount Pictures, which was going to release the film in February. The film will now be released by Pure Flix Entertainment, the studio behind God’s Not Dead, on October 20, 2017. This is the second time the film — which stars Greg Kinnear, Renee Zellweger, Djimon Hounsou and Jon..Continue reading→
Music
United Again – Single by Matt Hammitt
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. "Today, it seems there's only one thing that most Americans can agree on; that our nation is divided, shares Hammitt. "Many are asking the questions about how, or even if, our country can heal. A long list leaders have claimed that[...]Continue reading→
WOW Gospel 2017 by Various Artists – “WOW” Series
WOW Gospel 2017 is the premiere annual collection of top selling artists from Traditional to Contemporary Gospel! This power packed compilation returns with the best Gospel praise anthems, ballads and radio hits of the year. The WOW Gospel 2017 double disc CD set and companion DVD features 31 tracks from legendary ground-breaking gospel talents like Donnie McClurkin, Kirk Franklin, Todd Dulaney, Tasha Cobbs, Erica Campbell/Big Shizz many more! Previously garnering gold and platinum certifications along with a core faithful fan base, this WOW Gospel installment may be the best yet! The companion DVD will feature live and concept videos from[...]Continue reading→
Chain Breaker by Zach Williams
Husband, father, singer, songwriter, worship leader, campus director at his home church in Arkansas, and now, most recently added to Zach Williams' list of titles is recording artist. Zach Williams' first full-length album, Chain Breaker, comes from a place of humility and honesty as these songs are a direct reflection of God's redemption in Williams' life as he heals from a past life of addiction, darkness, and hopelessness. Says Williams, "Jesus came and died on the cross so there would be a way for the chains of those struggles and addictions to be broken. If you have pain, He's a[...]Continue reading→
Nobody Famous by Jered Sanders
"We've got a lot to talk about, ya'll," states Jered with this release. 'Nobody Famous' marks Sanders third release along the side of the 'Black Friday' EP which dropped this past November. In a year's time, Jered is primed to impact CHH like few other CHH artists have achieved.[...]Continue reading→
Tears – Single by Matt Hammitt
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 single.[...]Continue reading→
For KING & COUNTRY Releases ‘Priceless’ Movie For Digital Download
Good news for all the for KING & COUNTRY fans if you weren't able to catch Priceless in theaters last fall, it is now available for Digital HD Download from Amazon and iTunes. When you purchase a digital copy of the movie, you'll also receive special features such as a live performance by for KING & COUNTRY, The Making of Priceless, The Heart Behind the Film, Deleted Scenes, and Trailers. If you prefer DVD or Blu-Ray, the film will be available on Valentine's Day and you can pre-o..Continue reading→
iShine Presents The B413 ‘NO FILTER LIVE’ TOUR 2017
Together with iShine, Provident Label Group, Essential Artist Services and Tween Gospel Alliance, they announce the B413 "No Filter Live" Tour. This unique tour, which will hit three key markets in spring 2017 Bowling Green, KY (April 22), Austin, TX (May 5) and Ft. Smith (May 6) is a two-hour event specifically designed for tweens and their parents to best prepare the tween demographic for life beyond entering their teen years, to deeply enrich the child's faith and help equip parents to s..Continue reading→
Books
My vocation trilogy
I have written three books on vocation. I just realized that this constitutes a trilogy. They aren’t The Lord of the Rings, but they are connected and build into a whole. (1) God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life. This sets forth the doctrine of vocation. (2) Family Vocation: Your Christian Callings in Marriage, Parenthood, and Childhood. Written with my daughter Mary Moerbe, this book explores in depth the various vocations within the family, showing too how the teachings about Go..Continue reading→
“Family Vocation” giveaway
GoodReads is giving away five copies of Family Vocation: God’s Calling in Marriage, Parenting, and Childhood. I wrote that book with my daughter Mary Moerbe. It goes beyond God at Work, not just in exploring the family vocations in depth–important in itself, if we want to revitalize Christian marriage and parenting–but also in including material on vocation in general that I learned after publishing that earlier book. All you do is click “Enter Giveaway” on the widget after the jump. Five entran..Continue reading→
Last Chance
Pre-order Pricing Ends Monday for Marry Wisely, Marry Well Marry Wisely, Marry Well teaches Christian young people how to start building a future marriage house even before beginning a relationship. It helps them learn to make a wise choice of a spouse, and how to start preparing for a future relationship that is truly built on Christ. 40% Pre-order Discount Ends MondayContinue reading→
10 books to add to your reading pile this Winter
In its longest shortlist ever, the Australian Christian Book of the Year Shortlist has been announced today. From pondering how God fell off Australia’s radar to exploring the church’s involvement in the holocaust to the devastating impact of nuclear tests on an Aboriginal community and the Christian woman who fought against them, the shortlist is one of the most diverse ever. Run by SparkLit, an organisation seeking to empower Christian writers, publish..Continue reading→
Top Ten Books 5
Jesus Roiling His World Ministry in the 1980s included a two year teaching opportunity on the faculty of Moody Bible Institute and being called as pastor to Bella Vista Church, Rockford, MI, where I served 24 years. You can imagine the many books that I read to keep my mind and heart vibrant. Yet, reflecting on the decade of the 80s, two books were profoundly influential on my view of Jesus and pastoral ministry. In the line-up today is book #5 of ten that shaped my life: Donald B. ..Continue reading→
The Sermon on the Mount in Korea
A wonderful new translation of the (=my) Story of God Bible Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount is now available through Ecclesia Books in Korea. Always a red letter today to see these translations, and others in the series are to follow...Continue reading→
My 5 Favorite Books of 2015
It seems like everyone makes a best books list around this time, so adding my list probably isn’t going to shatter anybody’s world. In any event, there are a few reasons why I’ve compiled this list. First, I love reading and I love to share what I’m reading. Second, I’m also always encouraged by others’ thoughts and their lists often help me pick out a few last books for my Christmas wish list. Third, I get a lot of books from publishers, and while I don’t feel compelled t..Continue reading→
American
Doubting Your Doubts (Jonathan Storment)
Doubting Your Doubts So last week I wrote a post responding to the New York Times article from December where the columnist Nicholas Kristof interviewed Pastor Tim Keller about Christianity. The article was great, and I appreciated both Keller’s answers and Kristof’s questions. I wrote last week, that one of the things that I appreciated the most, was Keller’s pastoral yet counter-cultural way of answering Kristof’s question of “Am I a Christian?” Kristof is an admirer of Jesus and appreciates m..
Pro-Life Groups Urge Senate Committee to Confirm Pro-Life Rep. Tom Price as HHS Secretary
A Senate committee will vote tomorrow on the nomination of pro-life Congressman Tom Price to be Secretary of the health and human services department. Price is one of President Donald Trump’s marquee pro-life nominees to head a cabinet department that will have significant overview concerning pro-life policies. Leading up to tomorrow’s vote, pro-life organizations such as the Family Research Council are urging senators to vote Yes on Price’s nomination. FRC president Tony Perkins sent the foll..
Miracle Twins Who Survive Birth at 23 Weeks Prompt Call to Ban Late-Term Abortions
Claire and James Weir are proud parents of the youngest twins to be born in Great Britain, according to The Sun. At approximately one pound in weight, Imogen and Annabelle Weir were born at 23 weeks and 4 days. “They are the youngest and smallest surviving twins to be born in Scotland,” Claire Weir told The Sun. “I’d never heard of twins so small surviving. It didn’t seem possible for one, let alone two.” Their story makes the call to ban late-term abortions even more pressing. The legal cut o..
Majority of Americans Agree With President Trump’s Decision to Stop International Abortion Funding
This past Monday, pro-life President Donald Trump made it abundantly clear the United States will no longer use taxpayer dollars to support organizations that promote the killing of unborn children in developing nations. I congratulate White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer for explaining to reporters the underpinnings of that change: that funneling tax dollars overseas to organizations that perform or promote abortions “is contrary to the values of this president.” The president’s action ill..
Entertainment
Measuring Success: One Woman’s Counter-Cultural Path
As an independent filmmaker, I have the privilege of telling stories that you don’t often see coming out of the mainstream media or Hollywood studios. I relish the opportunity to work on projects that take risks—that shine a light on gems beneath unturned stones. And yet, even I didn’t expect to find such a treasure as the woman I’ve spent the last few years uncovering. Perhaps the greatest unknown hero I’ve encountered, she has taught me about success in ways that couldn’..
Searching for Jesus: A Q&A with Risen’s Joseph Fiennes
Rome, Italy – February 3, 2016: Joseph Fiennes attends RISEN photocall overlooking Vatican City. “If I was to take anything away personally from making this film, it’s the concept of redemption and forgiveness and second chances. The second chance for Clavius resonates with me, and I think it might for a lot of people.” — Joseph Fiennes, who plays Roman Military Tribune Clavius in the new movie, Risen What would it be like to be the Roman military official assigned to find the body of Jesus afte..
Risen: Not Just Another Bible Movie
A scene from the new movie, Risen, starring Joseph Fiennes. There are films that are entertaining. There are films that are soul-stirring. And there are films that are faithful to the source material (when the source material is the Bible, this third category becomes an important one for many believers). It is rare to experience a film that checks one or two of these boxes, let alone all three. Risen, starring Joseph Fiennes and opening in theaters February 19, is a film that definitively inhabi..
Coach Lad: The Real Story of the Coach Portrayed in ‘When The Game Stands Tall’
In his 33 years at De La Salle High School in California, Bob “Coach Lad” Ladouceur became one of the most successful high school coaches in the nation. His 399-25-3 record ranks the most victories in California history, including 29 North Coast Section championships, 17 California State championships and the longest winning streak in the history of high school sports. Five different times, both USA Today and Fox Sports Net voted De La Salle the No. 1 team in the nation; the Spartans finished in..
US
Small Oklahoma town thwarts OPEC
Cushing, Oklahoma, is a town of about 7,000 close to where we live. What makes it notable is that several oil pipelines cross there. Which has led to the construction of massive oil storage facilities where production companies can park their oil until it’s needed. The big OPEC producers, led by Saudi Arabia, have made a deal with non-OPEC producers, such as Russia, to cut back production in an attempt to drive up prices. But because Cushing has built up such a big supply, prices are staying low..
Ceremonial Deism
The Supreme Court ruled in 1984 that Nativity scenes in publicly-owned spaces are legal. As long as they don’t mean anything. Hillsdale Sophomore Nic Rowan writing in the Federalist sees this as an example of “ceremonial deism.” After the jump, read his argument and my thoughts on the matter. From Nic Rowan, Supreme Court: You Can Only Have Public Nativity Scenes If They Don’t Mean Anything, The Federalist: A nativity scene placed in the public square is not a religious symbol. It’s an instance..
Our attention span drops to below that of a goldfish
Americans have a very high literacy rate. The problem is, though people can read, many of them don’t read. At least not anything longer than a tweet or a blog post. One-quarter of Americans haven’t read a single book all year. That can be said of one-third of American men. One problem, reports Eric Metaxas, is that our attention span keeps dropping. In the year 2000, our average attention span was an already unimpressive 12 seconds. Now it’s 8 seconds. One journalist observed that this is less t..
Gift idea: Christianity Today’s 2017 book awards
Christianity Today has announced its 2017 book awards. The list of winners in all of the different categories might give you some good ideas for Christmas presents. I like book editor Matt Reynolds’ introduction to the list. He surveys how, thanks to the new printing press, Luther’s Reformation in 1517 was tied to the reading of books. Reading popularized the Reformation, and the Reformation popularized reading. From Matt Reynolds, Christianity Today’s 2017 Book Awards | Christianity Today: Mak..