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The Withering of Vice and the Sexual Revolution

15/03/2016 0 Comment

The modern or postmodern quest for sexual emancipation cannot be neutral when it comes to the teachings of the Bible and the moral witness of historic Christianity.

This post is the final in a four part series on Secularization and the Sexual Revolution.

How Did We Get Here?

The question remains, how did all this happen? As already noted, the sexual revolution did not emerge in a vacuum. Modern societies created a context for moral revolution that had never been available in intellectual terms before. In other words, certain cultural conditions had to prevail in order for the revolution to get the traction it needed to succeed. One of the things we need to note is that we are looking at an explicitly cosmopolitan revolution.

Urbanization, Technology, and the Weakening of the Family

Modernity and modernization brought urbanization such that increased numbers of people were now livin..

Churches Continue to Face Budget Shortfalls

10/03/2016 0 Comment

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — When it comes to finances, the new normal for American churches seems to be “just getting by.”

A third of Protestant senior pastors say their church’s giving was under budget in 2015, according to LifeWay Research.

One in five saw their finances decline.

Overall, about half of pastors say the economy negatively affected their churches this year.

Scott McConnell, associate director of LifeWay Research, says pastors are still uneasy about their church’s fina..

In Celebration of Evangelical Feminism on International Women’s Day

08/03/2016 0 Comment

March 8, 2016

…For I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed… 2 Timothy 1:12

Today, March 8th, is International Women’s Day. I’m using it as an opportunity to think about what it means to be an evangelical woman in today’s world.

An evangelical woman is one who believes in the evangel—the Gospel—the Good News that God so loves the world that He gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross to make atonement for sin. And that anyone and everyone, anywhere and everywhere, who..

What Do You Worry About?

02/03/2016 0 Comment

What Do You Worry About?

Down through the years, I have seen many Christians who feel they need to “help God” accomplish His plan and purpose in their lives. They think if they’re not doing all the right things then God’s plan for their lives might be delayed and possibly thwarted!

For example, a believer knows he is called into the five-fold ministry. But when it doesn’t come to pass as quickly as he thinks it should, he thinks it’s delayed because he hasn’t prayed enough… he hasn’t st..

My 5 Favorite Books of 2015

07/12/2015 0 Comment

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..

Mourn With Those Who Mourn

18/06/2015 0 Comment

In memory of Clementa Carlos Pinckney (1973-2015), Democrat, South Carolina Senate; senior pastor of Mother Emanuel A.M.E. [African Methodist Episcopal] Church; martyred with eight of his congregation while they studied scriptures and prayed together in the church.
You can read much more about Pastor Pinckney and his church here.

It was one year ago this month that shots rang out on our campus at Seattle Pacific. And the community responded by gathering in grief, in support, in prayer, and, when the truth was learned, in grace and love toward the antagonist. I was blessed, and taught, by their response.
Today, those of us on campus are gathering in SPU’s prayer chapel to pray for our grieving neighbors at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, and for the troubled heart of the suspect in custody.

Elsewhere — specifically, online, from angry responders (a wide range, including suit-and-tie white guys) — I’m already seeing waves of rage and hate directed at the shooter.

I unde..

“Help, I’m Insecure”

02/04/2015 0 Comment

**(Before we start reading, I was actually writing a chapter in my new book, “The Runaway Bride” and I titled the chapter “The Insecure Bride.” I felt led by the Lord to share a snippet of the chapter with you. Note that this isn't the entire chapter, but you can find the rest of it on June 5, 2015 on this site when it goes live! :))**

One of satans biggest weapons is doubt. Satan loves for us to question who we are and how we measure up to others (Ephesians 2:1-2; Ephesians 6:12; 1 Samuel ..

COMMON BRINGS GLORY TO THE GRAMMYS (AND THE OSCARS): An Interview

09/02/2015 0 Comment

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..

Britney Spears Endorses Pastor/Author Max Lucado

03/11/2013 0 Comment

Britney Spears has a new album coming out and is about to kick off a two-year residency in Las Vegas, so she’s out there working the publicity machine. During a recent Twitter chat, a fan asked Britney what her favorite book was, and the singer replied, “Anything by Max Lucado.”

Lucado is a Texas-based preacher and author of a hundred (yes, a hundred) Christian-themed adults and kids’ books. Their titles include Grace for the Moment, Outlive Your Life: You Were Born to Make a Difference, and God..

Katy Perry’s Song “By the Grace of God” Is a Flashback to Her Christian Singer Days

01/10/2013 0 Comment

Before Katy Perry was an animal-print-and-candy-loving pop star, she was Katy Hudson, aspiring Christian singer. Though her switch to the secular side of music helped make her a star, Katy (whose parents are pastors) hasn’t given up on her Christian background. Her new album Prism features the ballad “By the Grace of God,” which probably won’t ever be released as a single but does a bang-up job appealing to one of her core constituencies.

But what does John Mayer think?