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
Scorcese’s ‘Silence’ Asks What It Really Costs to Follow Jesus
Martin Scorsese adapts Shusaku Endo’s acclaimed novel about faith, mission, and suffering. It’s been 28 years since Martin Scorsese ruffled the feathers of many Christians with the controversial Last Temptation of Christ, a film condemned by the Roman Catholic Church (of which Scorsese is a member) and a key moment in the history of the culture wars. A sincere if uneven exploration of the “fully man” side of Jesus, Last Temptation angered many believers because of its suggestion that Jesus expe..Continue reading→
Mary Magdalene director Garth Davis says Rooney Mara’s version of the character will not be a prostitute
Garth Davis is making the rounds to promote his first feature film Lion, which tells the true story of an Indian boy who was adopted by an Australian couple and then, as an adult, used Google Earth to find the village of his birth. Along the way, Davis has also revealed one or two tidbits about his next film Mary Magdalene, which recently finished shooting in Italy. In a video interview with Collider, for example, Davis confirmed that Mary Magdalene will not be a prostitute in his film, and he t..Continue reading→
Will the Force Be Strong with Rogue One?
It will depend on if the film taps in to the secret of any good Star Wars movie. “Star Wars at Christmas?” “Put it back in May where it belongs.” Some Star Wars fans had “a bad feeling about this” when The Force Awakens was scheduled for December 18, 2015. But complaints were forgotten when the movie opened to rave reviews. Me, I’ve associated Star Wars with Christmas since I opened my first Star Wars toys on Christmas morning in 1977, while the original was still in theaters. Dozens of those..Continue reading→
‘La La Land’ Dances Between Love and Calling
What Christians might take away from Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling’s latest hit. Editor’s note: This review contains spoilers for the movie La La Land. C. S. Lewis wrote, “Being in love is a good thing, but it is not the best thing.” Hollywood takes a different stance. On-screen love stories bring us dramatic clichés: happily-ever-afters, grand gestures that save the day, and sobbing protagonists railing against whatever tragic external obstacle drove them apart. Damien Chazelle, the writer/d..Continue reading→
Jesus gets a digital tummy-tuck
Yesterday I updated my post on movie depictions of the Crucifixion to take into account a couple of films that have come out since the last update, and along the way, I decided to replace one of the images from Risen. The original image came from the film’s trailer, but the new image — with completed visual effects — came straight from the movie itself. And I noticed that it wasn’t only the clouds in the background that had been changed (to reflect the darkness that came over Jerusalem, as per M..Continue reading→
Box office: Office Christmas Party nearly topples Moana
An R-rated comedy almost beat a Disney cartoon at the box office this week. Office Christmas Party, about a night of corporate frivolity that gets out of hand, earned an estimated $17.5 million between Thursday and Sunday nights. It’s the fifth film to co-star Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston, and it landed in the middle of their previous openings together — bigger than The Switch (2012, $8.4 million) and Horrible Bosses 2 (2014, $15.5 million), but smaller than Horrible Bosses (2011, $28.3 mi..Continue reading→
Why ‘The Secret of Kells’ is a Perfect Christmastime Movie
The film is a gorgeous reminder of the beauty of God that waits beyond our walls of fear. The world outside—it’s a dangerous place. Stick with Christian community. Where it’s safe. I have received that message—sometimes blatant, sometimes merely implied—within so many Christian communities from childhood through adulthood. I’ve been instructed to read only Christian texts, attend only Christian schools, support only Christian charities, seek out Christian doctors, root for Christian football p..Continue reading→
IS GENESIS HISTORY? Film Aims To Answer Questions Of Creation, Evolution, Global Flood
One segment of the documentary focuses on the “Great Unconformity” with a trip to the Grand Canyon. The Great Unconformity is a geological formation that appears globally where granite bedrock is separated from sediment layers on top by an erosional layer caused by flood flow. NEW YORK (Christian Examiner) – A new documentary on the historicity of the Book of Genesis is coming to theaters across the country Feb. 23, but for one night only. The film, IS GENESIS HISTORY?, is the product of Compa..Continue reading→
Arrival’s Terrifying Vision of a Global “Unfriending”
Although caused by aliens, the breakdown in communication in Arrival feels all too familiar. Reader, I confess: I clicked “unfriend” last month. Several times. Understand, I wasn’t ending friendships. I was respecting them—by refusing to let Facebook’s limitations do them further harm. It troubled me to see conversations we might have enjoyed in person go so horribly awry on social media. And anyway, our heated arguments attracted other angry voices, voices that overwhelmed our debate with sna..Continue reading→
Music
The Brilliance Unveil ‘All Is Not Lost’
All Is Not Lost, the sophomore release from The Brilliance is available now, and critics are calling it "the album you need to hear in 2017." RELATED The Brilliance To Unveil Hope-Filled 'All Is Not Lost' January 27 The duo, comprised of David Gungor and John Arndt, is seeking to share a timely message of understanding, with lyrics eliciting love and unity throughout the 11-track offering. "We're looking forward to sharing these new songs because we are in a season when, no m..Continue reading→
GAWVI Releases Official Video For ‘In The Water’
Having made serious waves in 2016 with his breakout solo EPs, entitled Lost In Hue and Holding Hue, GAWVI now returns with the official video for one of the standout tracks, "IN THE WATER." RELATED GAWVI Releases Official Video For 'Late Nights' "In The Water," as well as the rest of the Lost In Hue EP, debuted on the Electronic/Dance Billboard charts at #2 and hit the top spot on the iTunes Dance charts. Now with nearly 2 million Spotify streams for the EP, not to mention the countl..Continue reading→
Brian & Jenn Johnson’s ‘After All These Years’ Debuts At No. 1 On iTunes Christian Albums Chart
Available today, Dove Award winning Bethel Music's Brian & Jenn Johnson debut After All These Years, applauded as "beautiful offerings of worship" and "sure to be one of the top worship albums of the year." Hitting No. 1 on the iTunes Christian Albums chart, the 10-track album comes more than 10 years since their last solo release together, featuring an 80-piece orchestra with every song cowritten by the duo. RELATED Bethel Music's Brian & Jenn Johnson To Unveil 'After All These ..Continue reading→
Reba To Headline Second Show At Historic Ryman Auditorium On February 15
To fans it may seem Reba McEntire has done it all but on February 15 she will surprise them once more, adding a 230P matinee to the already sold-out 730P show at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium. A rarity for the venue, the dual performances also mark the multi-media entertainers first time to headline a concert there. Tickets go on sale tonight (1/26) at 600P CT through ryman.com and ticketmaster.com, available ONLINE ONLY. RELATED Reba McEntire Inspires With New Album On February 3 ..Continue reading→
Gabby Douglas Releases Christian Music Compilation Album
U.S. Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas has made no secret of her Christian faith, and earlier this month, she shared some of the songs that have personally inspired her with the release of a special compilation project, titled Conqueror. The album features spotlight tracks from a number of Christian artists representing a variety of styles, ranging from hip-hop to Gospel, hard rock to electronic. It's not uncommon to see athletes such as Douglas sporting headphones leading up to a competitio..Continue reading→
Lecrae Debuts New Single
Grammy-Award winning artist Lecrae released the powerfully uplifting "Blessings" today, which features Ty Dolla $ign ("Paranoid," songwriting contributor to Rihanna/Kanye West/Paul McCartney song "FourFiveSeconds," among others). The mesmerizing track is now available at all DSPs, with the lyric video for "Blessings" also available today--watch it here http//smarturl.it/BlessingsLyric. The captivating artist closed out 2016 with his acclaimed 'Destination' tour this past fall. He kicks..Continue reading→
Righteous Vendetta Announce New Album ‘Cursed’
Rock group Righteous Vendetta has announced the details on an upcoming album titled Cursed, due to release on March 17. Cursed will be the first release in nearly four years from the Wyoming-based band, who released their last project The Fire Inside in 2013. Righteous Vendetta has spent those years with relentless touring and crafting the new songs. Cursed will be releasing through Century Media Records. "After two years of writing and recording we are beyond excited to finally release this a..Continue reading→
Tauren Wells’ ‘Love Is Action’ Hits No. 1 For Eight Weeks; Debuts New Video And Single
With the first single from Provident Label Group's Tauren Wells, "Love Is Action," capturing the No. 1 spot at CHR radio for eight weeks in a row, Wells is now debuting his follow-up single, "Hills And Valleys." Releasing to both Christian AC and CHR radio, the song is available in three versions "Hills And Valleys," found on the Undefeated EP; a remix version ("The Hills Remix") and an acoustic piano-driven rendition ("The Valleys Version"). There are also two Spotify playlists curated by ..Continue reading→
MercyMe To Release New Album ‘Lifer’ On Mar. 31
On the heels of their RIAA Certified Gold and GRAMMY® acclaimed Welcome To The New (2014), MercyMe will release LIFER (FAIR TRADE SERVICES) on Mar. 31, 2017. RELATED MercyMe Announces New Album Through PledgeMusic Campaign The core of LIFER is the question of what it looks like to live as followers of Christ that are committed for life. With 2014's Welcome To The New, MercyMe spoke to the grace and celebrated new life that Christ offers us in entering into faith. With their newest record,..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..