The Truth About Men and Church (Robbie Low)
Most of us, I suspect, are not great students of “the small print.” We employ lawyers and accountants because we recognize that carefully constructed small print may contain disclaimers, definitions, and information that effectively drive a coach and horses through our assumptions about the general argument and make utterly null and void the common understanding that we thought we had. Allow me to introduce you to a piece of very small print....

Did Jesus Ever Get a Stomach Virus (Russell Moore)
Last week a friend called my office to leave a question she wanted some help thinking through. Could Jesus have gotten a stomach virus? Or the flu? Or a head cold? This question was rooted in something a little deeper. Since sickness is part of the curse of the Fall, would Jesus’ sinless nature have exempted him from viruses and bugs and fevers?....

The Christian Worldview as Master Narrative: Creation (Al Mohler)
One of the hallmarks of the postmodern age is, as one of its main theorists has explained, “incredulity toward metanarratives.” This reflects the postmodern suspicion of any master explanation of world reality and human experience. But, from beginning to end, biblical Christianity is a master narrative. Biblical Christianity is not only a faith that involves essential truths; it is the story of God’s purpose to redeem humanity and to bring glory to himself. This narrative is revealed to us as a comprehensive master story that is as vast as the cosmos and so detailed as to include every atom and molecule of creation...

500 Billion Words, New Window on Culture (NY Times)

With little fanfare, Google has made a mammoth database culled from nearly 5.2 million digitized books available to the public for free downloads and online searches, opening a new landscape of possibilities for research and education in the humanities.

Ten Things About the Christmas Story You May Have Missed (Joe Carter)

They were not "kings" from the east and there wasn't three of them. And when they arrived in Bethlehem, Joseph and Mary and Baby Jesus were not still in the stable, but in a house, contrary to half the Christmas cards that will be arriving at your house.  And there's no indication there were cattle in that stable or anywhere nearby. In fact, the only thing that leads us to believe Jesus was born in a stable is that Luke 2:7 tells us Mary laid the Baby in a manger, a feeding trough. But you knew all this...

Why Narnia is Not Allegory (The Thinklings)
Did C.S. Lewis write allegory? The answer is not as obvious as it seems. Because modern readers define and interpret Allegory so loosely and broadly, it has become common to speak of the Narnia stories as allegories of the Christian faith (or at the very least, to speak of the first book in the series as an allegory of the Gospel story), or to speak of The Space Trilogy as allegories of spiritual origins and conflict. But the fact is that C.S. Lewis published only one allegorical work: The Pilgrim's Regress. ....

Seven Lessons that WikiLeaks Teaches Us (Mitch Joel)

Most of the debate is about the legalities and moralities of what WikiLeaks is (and what it means). If you take a step back, and look at it (without prejudice and without passing legal judgment), there are many lessons about how new media acts (and reacts) that are excellent business lessons as well. Consider this a cautionary tale...

Time’s Person of the Year and Why (Time.com)


She was exaggerating — but only a little. Woolf saw a fundamental shift in human relations taking place at the beginning of the 20th century "between masters and servants, husbands and wives, parents and children." Those changes, she predicted, would bring about transformations in every sphere of life, from religion to politics to human behavior. Few would say she got it wrong...

The Theology of Christmas Carols (Probe Ministries)

Most radio stations play some type of Christmas music during the holiday season, but many of the songs have become so familiar to us that we no longer consider their content. In between the secular songs like "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Up on a Housetop," you may hear the strains of an old hymn by Charles Wesley called "Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus." It was written in 1744, and it reads...

80 Over 80: The Most Influential Octogenarians in American (Slate)

Welcome to Slate's 80 Over 80, our annual catalog of the nation's silver lions: fourscore elder statesmen, titans of industry, cultural icons, and notorious newsmakers who have remained influential into their ninth decade and beyond. As always, we've ranked these still-twinkling stars according to their power and importance, with extra credit given for energetic achievements post-80 and for being really, really old.

More Protestant Churches Feel Economic Pain (USA Today)

The recession is dipping into church collection plates.
A growing number of Protestant congregations have seen their Sunday collections drop this year, according to a survey by LifeWay Research on the economic health of churches. Pastors blame high unemployment and a drop-off in giving by members.

Why X is Used to Replace Christ in Christmas (R.C. Sproul)

The simple answer to your question is that the X in Christmas is used like the R in R.C. My given name at birth was Robert Charles, although before I was even taken home from the hospital my parents called me by my initials, R.C., and nobody seems to be too scandalized by that.
X can mean so many things. For example, when we want to denote an unknown quantity, we use the symbol X. It can refer to an obscene level of films, something that is X-rated.

The Dangerous Worlds of Analog Parents with Digital Teens (Al Mohler)

Sunday’s edition of The New York Times gave front-page attention to the problem of adolescent bullying on the Internet. There can be no question that the Internet and the explosion of social media have facilitated the arrival of a new and deeply sinister form of bullying, and the consequences for many teenagers are severe. For some, life becomes a horror story of insults, rumors, slanders, and worse.

Sociological Insights on the American Family (Center for Marriage and Families)

Briefs on parenting topics

Is It Necessary to Believe in the Virgin Birth? (RC Sproul Audio Broadcast)
Is our belief in the virgin birth really essential to the Christian faith, or just a matter of personal interpretation? Does “virgin” really mean “virgin”?

Prophecies of the Messiah (Probe)

Biblical prophecy is a fascinating subject. It not only includes predictions of events that are still in the future. It also includes predictions of events that were future at the time the prophecy was given, but which have now been fulfilled and are part of the past. This latter category includes all the prophecies about a coming Messiah that Christians believe were accurately fulfilled in the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. If the Bible really does contain such prophecies, then we would seem to have evidence that's at least consistent with the divine inspiration of the Bible. One can see how an all-knowing God could accurately foretell the future, but it's not clear how a finite human being could do so. Thus, if there are accurately fulfilled prophecies in the Bible, then we have yet another reason to believe that the biblical worldview is true.

31 Ways to Pray for Your Children (Bob Hostetler) "For years, like any responsible Christian parent, I prayed daily for my two children, Aubrey and Aaron. I prayed for God's blessing and protection throughout their days. I prayed for them to be happy. I asked God to help them through difficult times and to help them make wise choices. My prayers were regular, heartfelt, and--for the most part--pedestrian and repetitive.
I wanted more than that, however. I wanted so much for my children, but when I knelt in prayer, I invariably found the same tired words rolling from my lips, like an adult whose table grace never progressed beyond "God is great, God is good, now we thank him for this food..."

Facebook Users are Narcissistic, Insecure & Have Low Self-Esteem?  "Using Facebook is the online equivalent of staring at yourself in the mirror, according to a study. Those who spent more time updating their profile on the social networking site were more likely to be narcissists, said researchers. 
Facebook provides an ideal setting for narcissists to monitor their appearance and how many ‘friends’ they have, the study said, as it allows them to thrive on ‘shallow’ relationships while avoiding genuine warmth and empathy..."

Seven Principles of Prayer (Matthias Briefing) "Prayer is a universal phenomenon amongst mankind. Men and women have always prayed everywhere. It is a natural consequence of believing in God. Humanity, by nature, believes in the existence of deity, that is, in a super-human, powerful, eternal being or beings with whom we are related and on whom, in some way, we depend. It is a concept congruous with our knowledge of ourselves and of the world. And so prayer is a natural activity. It springs out of our sense of need and of God's relationship to us and his ability to help..."

You’re Fooling Yourself (Paul Tripp)  "There's loads of knowledge to be found, but wisdom is a rare commodity. Why? Because wisdom is one of sin's first casualties. It's hard to admit, but true none the less: sin reduces all of us to fools. And the fact is that no one is more victimized by your foolishness than you are. You see the empirical evidence of the foolishness of sin on almost every page of Scripture. For example, you see foolishness in full operation in the tragic story of David and Bathsheba. This is why David says, "Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place" (Psalm 51:6 NIV)...."



 

Whoopi, Joy and Barbara Do Theology (World Mag Online)   "The View may not be a model of clear thinking but it probably offers a pretty good view of current cultural thinking—what might better be called “feelthink.” A few days ago, Joel Osteen was on the show to help kick off the Christmas season, but Barbara Walters immediately ambushed him with a question about homosexuality. Not for the first time, the ladies began showing off their expertise in..." 

How to Disciple a Transsexual & Five Other Gospel-Driven Articles (Bob Thune) "I appreciated this insightful series by Pastor Bob Thune: My friend Ryan is a transsexual. He used to hate God, but now he’s at least lukewarm toward the idea of trusting Jesus. In this essay, I want to share a few insights into how I’ve discipled Ryan. That way, if you ever disciple a transsexual, you’ll have some idea of where to begin.."



 

Trends: The Phone Call is Now Dead (Tech Crunch)
"In the tech industry saying that something is dead actually means “It’s on the decline.” And yes, the phone call is on an inexorable decline. My original title for this post was “The Phone Call Will Be Dead In __ Years” but as consumer inertia is somehow still keeping our parent company Aol in the dialup business, I thought it might be prudent not to include an ETA on the death of the call..."

Four Reasons You Should Resist the TSA and How (Ed Stetzer)

"I do not get much into causes-- they take way too much energy and produce little change. However, I do think that there are times to stand up-- and I think this is one of those times. Today, there will be much talk in Congress about the new TSA procedures. I will offer four reasons why I think you should resist these new TSA procedures..."

Thanksgiving Quiz (Probe)

This nation was founded by Christians, and Thanksgiving is a time when we can reflect upon this rich, Christian heritage. But many of us are often ignorant of our country's origins, so we have put together a Thanksgiving quiz to test your knowledge about this nation's biblical foundations. We hope that you will not only take this test and pass it on to others, but we also hope that you will be encouraged to study more about the Christian foundations of this country.
1. What group began the tradition of Thanksgiving?...

Thanksgiving Roots (Probe)
We live in an uncertain moment in history when everyone is looking for "Roots." November, especially, is a time to reflect upon family and traditions. Curiously, we Christians tend to be strangers to what is best in our own tradition. I refer to the Puritans, the historic source of our Thanksgiving heritage and much of what is still good about America.



We can still feel today the impact and the echoes of this robust community upon our own lives--in family, in work, in education, in economics, in worship, and in national destiny. But let them speak for themselves:...

 

True Thanksgiving: What are we Teaching our Kids? (Chuck Colson)
This Thanksgiving Day recalls another Thanksgiving many years ago—the happy hours I spent with my children and grandchildren. Over turkey and dressing, I decided to quiz my then 8-year-old grandson, as proud grandparents often do.
I leaned over and said, “Charlie, why did the Pilgrims celebrate the first Thanksgiving?”...

Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving (CNN on YouTube)
CNN Interviews Eric Metaxas on his recent book "Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving"

Interview with Ken & Joni Eareckson Tada (Family Talk Radio)  "She’s deeply loved by so many of us, and simply hearing her first name, “Joni,” brings a smile to our faces. Today we will check in with Joni Eareckson Tada and her beloved husband, Ken. They talk poignantly about their latest journey together ­– Joni’s battle with breast cancer. Join us as they share their tender love story in a way that reflects the love of Christ."

Should Spouses Be Transparent with each other? (Counseling Solutions)  "Being honest and transparent with each other is a common counseling question, especially in the context of marriage. You could frame the question from the “negative perspective” by asking, “Should we be dishonest and non-transparent with each other?...”

Friendships and Flock Comedies: How are Your Friendships? (Colsen)

"David Brooks, the insightful New York Times columnist, has been watching a lot of television lately—comedies, to be specific. Brooks has noticed a shift in how television treats friendship. “For most of television history,” Brooks writes, “sitcoms have been about families.” But now, Brooks observes, “Today’s shows are often about groups of unrelated friends who have the time to lounge around apartments, coffee shops and workplaces exchanging witticisms about each other and the passing scene....”

The Pink Ribbon Campaign, What are we Really Funding? Chuck Colson
"You’ve seen them everywhere: pink ribbons and wristbands to raise awareness about breast-cancer prevention. But before you donate, find out where the money is going.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure, formerly known as the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, is a big promoter of the pink ribbon campaign. It raises money for breast cancer detection and research, and it awards grants to many worthwhile programs.
But as the Life Issues Institute points out, “In a counterproductive twist, Komen is also funding a group that actually promotes a possible cause of breast cancer.”..."

The Morning After, What Does it Mean? Albert Mohler "The meaning of the 2010 election is destined now to be the Great Debate of the next political season. While this is true after most election days, it is especially true this year, given the scale and scope of the political change this election will bring about. The scale is seismic, and the scope is vast. In terms of national politics, this election amounts to a megashift. What does it all mean?...."

Idolatry is Biggest Obstacle to World Mission, Says U.K. Theologian
CAPE TOWN, South Africa – "Respected theologian Chris Wright gave a challenging critique Saturday of the evangelical movement when he said a disturbing number of its leaders are guilty of idolatry. God’s people today, like in the Old Testament, have fallen to worshiping the false gods and idols of the world, said the international director of U.K.-based Langham Partnerships as he spoke before the thousands attending the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangeliziation.
“Idolatry … is the biggest single obstacle to world mission,” said Wright, who will be the main drafter of the much-anticipated Cape Town Commitment that will come out of the weeklong gathering of mission-minded Christian leaders..."

How Dare you Compare Abortion to the Holocaust or Slavery? (A Response by Bryan Kemper)
I have heard many people cry foul whenever any pro-lifer uses the Jewish Holocaust or slavery in America as a comparison to abortion. Many times at my talks someone will scold me during question-and-answer time, claiming to be offended that I would use such a comparison. The problem they have is not really the fact that a comparison is being made to one of these horrific tragedies; after all, we build museums, memorials and reminders of what happened to make sure something like the Jewish Holocaust will never happen again. The problem really is that we have elevated what they consider to be a blob of tissue to personhood status...

What is the Worst Thing About Hell? (RC Sproul)  "R.C. Sproul’s answer may surprise you:
It is common to say that hell is the absence of God. Such statements are motivated in large part by the dread of even contemplating what hell is like. We try often to soften that blow and find a euphemism to skirt around it.
We need to realize that those who are in hell desire nothing more than the absence of God. They didn’t want to be in God’s presence during their earthly lives, and they certainly don’t want Him near when they’re in hell. The worst thing about hell is the presence of God there..."



 

Luther’s 95 Theses: An Inteview with Carl Trueman "This Sunday is Halloween. But more importantly, it’s Reformation Day—when the church celebrates and commemorates October 31, 1517. It was on this day (a Saturday) that a 33-year-old theology professor at Wittenberg University walked over to the Castle Church in Wittenberg and nailed a paper of 95 theses to the door, hoping to spark an academic discussion about their contents. In God’s providence and unbeknownst to anyone else that day, it would become a key event in igniting the Reformation..."




 

Living and Dying with Jesus (Various authors)  "Living and Dying with Jesus

 

Tony Reinke reproduces a moving section from a Charles Spurgeon sermon (November 2, 1884):

• The best preaching is, “We preach Christ crucified.”
• The best living is, “We are crucified with Christ.”
• The best man is a crucified man.
• The more we live beholding our Lord’s unutterable griefs, and understanding how he has fully put away our sin, the more holiness shall we produce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Profile of Robert Schuller’s Beliefs (Joseph Gudel)  "'Why would any Christian write an article criticizing Dr. Schuller? Isn't this being negative? Isn't this being unloving?' These and similar questions are raised automatically by many people whenever one Christian criticizes another Christian; especially when the one criticized is as notable and well-liked as Dr. Robert Schuller.
I believe the first question raised above will be answered as we examine the content of Dr. Schuller's theology. To test or criticize someone whose teachings are aberrational is not being negative; in fact the Bible commands us to do this. When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica, he told them to "test all things; hold fast to that which is good" (1 Thess. 5:21).
The question still remains: "Is this unloving?" The most unloving thing that we could do would be to close our eyes and turn our backs as untold numbers of people are being led astray by false teaching. To critique a Christian who has erred from the truth is the most loving thing we could do for him. The Apostle James wrote: "My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth, and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins" (James 5:19-20).

Urlich Zwingli: The Reformer of Zurich (Reformation Society)

Ulrich Zwingli was the father of the Reformation in Switzerland. Born and raised in the Alps, Zwingli was one of the most colourful and audacious characters in Swiss history. A devout student of the Scripture, Zwingli was transformed and shaped by the Word of God. He has been described as “an amazing combination of intellect, passion and wit.”
MAN OF THE MOUNTAINS
Born at an altitude of 3,600 feet (1,100 metres), the son of the Mayor of Wildhaus, Zwingli studied in Bern, Basel, and Vienna. In 1506, he received his MA degree. As a pastor in Glarus, Zwingli served as a chaplain with Swiss mercenary soldiers in Italy. The Swiss regularly hired out their men to fight for foreign powers. At that time, the Swiss generally believed that their national economy depended on this war industry."

John Knox: The Reformation in Scotland (Reformation Society)

"As the books of Martin Luther, and Tyndale’s translation of the New Testament, entered Scotland, they were received with great interest. Students at St. Andrews University began to take their faith seriously. Patrick Hamilton, a student at St. Andrews, wrote a book that was condemned as heretical. He fled to Germany, met with Luther and soon returned to Scotland. Hamilton began preaching the Protestant Faith with great boldness."

William Tyndale: The Battle for the Bible (Reformation Society)

"Did you know that the first English translations of the Bible were banned? That the first printed copies of the New Testament in English had to be printed in Germany and smuggled into England in bales of cotton? Did you know that the Bible translator responsible for this was burned at the stake for the crime of translating the Scriptures into English?
Bishop Stephen Bradley observed: “We are in danger of forgetting truths for which previous generations gave their lives...”"

John Calvin: A Heart Aflame and a Mind Renewed (Reformation Society)

"The exiled French Reformer, John Calvin, became the most influential man of his age and his teachings have proven to be some of the most influential in the shaping of Great Britain and the United States of America.
Some of the greatest philosophers, writers, Reformers and Christian leaders in history have described themselves as Calvinists. Some of Calvin’s influential disciples include: John Knox, William the Silent, Oliver Cromwell, John Owen, John Milton, Richard Baxter, Jonathan Edwards, David Brainerd, George Whitefield, William Carey, William Wilberforce, Sir Isaac Newton, Lord Shaftesbury, Charles Spurgeon, David Livingstone, The Covenantors in Scotland, The Hugenots of France, and the Pilgrim Fathers to New England..."

What Evangelism is Not (Baptist Press)  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The Great Commission Resurgence proposals within the Southern Baptist Convention have reminded us of the high priority of evangelism and local/global missions. The same is true of many denominations across the theological spectrum of beliefs as Christian leaders worldwide seek to regain strongholds of spiritual influence in North America and Europe. However, unless we're cautious and clear, a sloppy, imprecise definition of missions and evangelism will destroy renewal efforts. Let's define evangelism by what it is not and then by what it is. Evangelism is not ...



 

Chilean Minor Gives Minors Sermons, Music (Baptist Press) SANTIAGO, Chile (BP)--As the day of their rescue draws near, trapped miners in Chile are listening to recordings of sermons, Bible studies and Christian music a half-mile underground, thanks to the efforts of Chilean engineer Igor Bravo. Bravo has been part of the rescue efforts for 33 trapped miners in northern Chile for weeks. But it isn't only the miners' physical needs that concern him -- it's their spiritual needs as well.....

2 Chilean Miners Accept Christ While Trapped (Baptist Press) SANTIAGO, Chile (BP)--José Henríquez leads a small group of men in prayer every evening in northern Chile -- 2,300 feet below the surface of the earth. For more than two months, 33 Chilean miners have been trapped beneath the desert floor in a chamber the size of a living room. A partial collapse blocked the mine exit Aug. 5.  Chilean Mining Minister Laurence Golborne confirmed Oct. 11 that a trial run of a rescue capsule was successful. The miners' rescue is scheduled to begin at midnight, Oct. 12...

A Luther-Lantern for Halloween (J.D. Wetterling) "There’s a carved pumpkin on my doorstep this season but it's no pagan icon. It honors a backwoods monk from sixteenth century Saxony who, in God’s providence, changed the world on what the culture now calls Halloween. It was on that day in 1517 that 37-year-old monk and University of Wittenburg theology professor, Martin Luther, nailed a challenge to the church authorities on the bulletin board—the church door—to debate ninety-five points of Scripture and church custom..."

Luther’s 95 Theses  "Out of love and concern for the truth, and with the object of eliciting it, the following heads will be the subject of a public discussion at Wittenberg under the presidency of the reverend father, Martin Luther, Augustinian, Master of Arts and Sacred Theology, and duly appointed Lecturer on these subjects in that place. He requests that whoever cannot be present personally to debate the matter orally will do so in absence in writing. When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said "Repent", He called for the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.... "

Martin Luther: Lessons from his life and labor (Piper)

"One of the great rediscoveries of the Reformation -especially of Martin Luther- was that the Word of God comes to us in a form of a Book. In other words Luther grasped this powerful fact: God preserves the experience of salvation and holiness from generation to generation by means of a Book of revelation, not a bishop in Rome, and not the ecstasies of Thomas Muenzer and the Zwickau prophets (see note 1). The Word of God comes to us in a Book. That rediscovery shaped Luther and the Reformation...

How Much Do You Know About Religion? (The Pew Forum Quiz) "And how do you compare with the average American? Here's your chance to find out. Take our short, 15-question quiz, and see how you do in comparison with 3,412 randomly sampled adults who were asked these and other questions in the U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey. This national poll was conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life from May 19 through June 6, 2010, on landlines and cell phones, in English and Spanish. ..."

 

Five Ways to Change Your Ways Series (Counseling Solutions)  "David slept with another woman. In the heat of the moment and the dark of the night David committed adultery with Bathsheba. Rather than changing his ways, he chose to cover his steps. You know the story. He had Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, killed so he could marry her. Once married, the sin was covered and there was no need to repent (Read: change), according to David.  What David did not count on was the relentless love his Father had for him. God is good and part of his goodness motivates him to help us live holy lives. Though David was physically and spiritually deteriorating because of his unwillingness to repent, he was determined not to change..."

Engaging the Culture (Phil Johnson) "In one of my messages last week at the Ocean City Bible Conference, I remarked that evangelicals should spend less energy desperately seeking new ways to be hip and trendy, and invest far more of our time and resources in the work of proclaiming and defending the gospel.
After all, when we call ourselves EVANGELicals, we are purporting to hold the gospel message in high esteem. It is therefore ironic (and utterly inappropriate) that the mainstream of the contemporary evangelical movement is so blithely willing to adjust or tone down the gospel message in order to try to get in step with the values, trends, and dominant worldviews of our culture..."

Wannabe Cool Christianity: Sacrificing Authentic for Hip (Colson) "It’s not your father’s church by any stretch. 
The congregation is meeting in a warehouse in a neighborhood filled with trendy shops, cafes, and theaters. The pastor—sporting a faux hawk, tight t-shirt, and skinny jeans—is not averse to using salty language or discussing sex in explicit terms. During the sermon, congregants text the pastor questions, which he might answer at the end. The music? Indie-rock..."

What is Truth? (John MacArthur). "One of the most profound and eternally significant questions in the Bible was posed by an unbeliever. Pilate - the man who handed Jesus over to be crucified - turned to Jesus in His final hour, and asked, "What is truth?" It was a rhetorical question, a cynical response to what Jesus had just revealed: "I have come into the world, to testify to the truth...." 

The Subtle Body—Should Christians Practice Yoga? (Al Molher) "Some questions we ask today would simply baffle our ancestors. When Christians ask whether believers should practice yoga, they are asking a question that betrays the strangeness of our current cultural moment — a time in which yoga seems almost mainstream in America..."

Forget What You Know About Good Study Habits (NY Times) "Every September, millions of parents try a kind of psychological witchcraft, to transform their summer-glazed campers into fall students, their video-bugs into bookworms. Advice is cheap and all too familiar: Clear a quiet work space. Stick to a homework schedule. Set goals. Set boundaries. Do not bribe (except in emergencies)...."

How Specific Should a Husband in confessing lust to his wife? (video response by David Powlison)

Lashing Out at God in Prayer: Is it OK? (RC Sproul) "Some of the people in the biblical narratives seem to bargain with God. For instance, Hezekiah reminds God of what a good king he has been. Is it proper to pray in this fashion?
Scripture is brutally honest with us, revealing the faults and vices of the saints, as well as their virtues. We see inappropriate conduct even from great men such as Abraham, Moses, and David. Thus, the fact that the Bible tells us that various men tried to bargain or negotiate with God should not communicate to us that this is the appropriate way to deal with Him. Scripture is simply revealing this common human tendency, not sanctioning it. The fact is, people do this all the time..."

Five Myths Christians Believe (Baptist Press)  "I used to believe that as long as I was "doing the Lord's work," God would protect me from physical harm with some kind of magic force field whenever I visited overseas mission fields.

Historical ignoramus that I was, it didn't dawn on me until years later that countless faithful believers have died through the ages from sickness, accidents, attacks or persecution while serving the Lord. Was I supposed to get a special exemption when they didn't?..."

A Bad Idea: International Burn a Koran Day (Colson) "...Pastor Terry Jones’s thoughts about Islam are simple and direct. The title of his book says it all: Islam is of the Devil. The same thought is on a sign outside of his church, the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, and on the T-shirts and coffee mugs the church sells. In order to raise greater awareness of the dangers of Islam, Jones has designated 9/11 as “International Burn a Koran Day.” According to their Facebook page Jones hopes, and I quote, “To bring awareness to the dangers of Islam and that the Koran is leading people to hell. Eternal fire is the only..."

Answers to Keys to Healthy Christian Growth in Godliness (Dane Ortlund) "...That’s the question I asked a handful of thoughtful men of God last week. Responses below. Please understand: I explicitly asked our brothers to keep it to a single, short sentence. Of course, whole volumes could be (and have been!) written addressing this question (here’s my favorite). So we gladly receive these wise statements remembering that sanctification is not a math problem. There is no formula. Every answer below needs a hundred footnotes. Point taken..."

Christian Sanctification: Indicative, But No Imperative? (Michael Bird)  Sunday, September 05, 2010 Christian Sanctification - Indicative but no Imperative?
"One of the standard features of Christian ethics is that it has an indicative part (what God has done for us in in salvation) and an imperative part (how we are to live in consequence). In other words, because of what God has done for you, now you should live in a manner worthy of your salvation. This pattern of indicative and imperative certainly works in Paul (e.g., Romans 6), but I would argue that it is also the pattern in the Pentateuch since the long is given to a redeemed people not to redeem the people. In fact..."

Can We Trust Our Bibles with so Many Translations? (Greg Koukl) Dear Fellow Ambassador, “The Bible has been changed and translated so many times over the last 2000 years, it’s impossible to know what it originally said. Everyone knows that.”
This invocation of common knowledge is enough to satisfy the ordinary, man-on-the-street critic of the New Testament, and the challenge has stopped countless Christians in their tracks. The complaint is understandable. Whisper a message from person to person, then compare the message’s final form with the original. The radical...."

God, the Gospel and Glenn Beck (Russell Moore)  A Mormon television star stands in front of the Lincoln Memorial and calls American Christians to revival. He assembles some evangelical celebrities to give testimonies, and then preaches a God and country revivalism that leaves the evangelicals cheering that they’ve heard the gospel, right there in the nation’s capital...

Why Does the Universe Look So Old? (Dr. Al Mohler)  "For a response to Dr. Mohler from BioLogos, see our series of blogs, beginning here.
It is extremely assuring to see this room filled at this hour on a Saturday morning of people here to seek Biblical truth on any number of questions. This conference has hopefully drawn us to some of the most pressing questions that Christians face, the tough questions. It is an honor to be here as always with my dear friend Dr. R.C. Sproul, with so many others, all these speakers, and the dear colleagues in the fight of the faith in coming to understand the great truths of the Christian faith and how these might most helpfully be applied in the confrontation with the questions of contemporary life. For so many years Ligonier Ministries and R.C. Sproul have demonstrated that you really can teach the deep things of the Christian faith to a church and to Christians in the late 20th and 21st centuries..."

More Teens Becoming Fake Christians (CNN)

(CNN) -- If you're the parent of a Christian teenager, Kenda Creasy Dean has this warning: Your child is following a "mutant" form of Christianity, and you may be responsible. Dean says more American teenagers are embracing what she calls "moralistic therapeutic deism." Translation: It's a watered-down faith that portrays God as a "divine therapist" whose chief goal is to boost people's self-esteem....

Saving Your Family From Music Porn (Baptist Press) "Nearly every 12 year-old knows Rihanna, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. Do you?
The music industry today is huge, racking up over 1.5 billion in sales in the U.S. alone, and kids are their target audience. It's an industry that is no longer primarily about music. It's become another avenue for selling porn and sexualizing younger and younger children in the process.
Recently, Mike Stock, one of Britain's top songwriters and producers, denounced his own industry for marketing music that is, what he calls "99 percent soft pornography."

Abortion and Human Rights (Greg Koukl) "Let me ask you a question. Are you against slavery? Do you believe that the issue of slavery is a moral position? Are laws legislating that particular moral position appropriate? What you've said is that it's appropriate to legislate certain moral issues and that you'd be in favor of that. The economic issue would actually be on the side of the South because slavery is what propped up the economic system of the South. When slaves were emancipated it gutted them of their economic force. Let's remove the economic argument.

Based solely on morality, are you willing to say that the moral issue of slavery should be enforced simply as a moral issue? This is a very important point. Many people have offered the objection that we should not force a particular morality in the issue of abortion. My questions are very pointed and leading..."

God and Global Warming (Baptist Press)  FORT WORTH, Texas (BP)--"I remember when I first heard about global warming. It was 1980 and I was in my senior year of college at Savannah State College (now Savannah State University). I was reading an article in Omni magazine about how human activity is causing an increase of greenhouse gases leading to global warming. I remember thinking how strange that people would be concerned about global warming when, just a year or two before, climate scientists were warning us about global cooling and a new ice age..."

Who Respects the Human Body? Not Homosexuals (Nancy Pearcey) "The ruling by Judge Vaughn Walker to strike down Proposition 8 raises a host of issues that go far beyond the California case. Especially troubling is Walker's view of gender. His ruling makes the sweeping assertion that "gender no longer forms an essential part of marriage." This declaration is being quoted in astonishment for its sheer breathtaking exaggeration. Yet it reveals a pivotal element in the liberal view of human sexuality..."

Signature in the Cell: Information and Intelligence (Chuck Colson) "In recent years, there have been several important books about intelligent design that go to the debate about evolution and the origins of life. Bill Dembski’s The Design Inference was first. Then along came Darwin’s Black Box by Michael Behe, showing the irreducible complexity of the cell, which casts grave doubts on Darwinian evolution as an explanation for life and higher life forms..."

The World’s Prayer Guide (CT) "Operation World might just be one of the most popular and influential evangelical books you've never read. Since 1974, the daily, country-by-country prayer guide has sold 2.5 million copies in six editions, including about 400,000 for the 2001 (most recent) edition. Canadian Jason Mandryk, a missionary researcher with Worldwide Evangelization for Christ International, has taken the reins as author of the newest edition, which will be published next month..."

Redefining Marriage has Consequences (Baptist Press) "ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP)--If you change any aspect of a mathematical or chemical equation, you not only alter the equation, you also affect its outcome. A judge's recent ruling on marriage changes the entire concept of matrimony. If it is allowed to stand, it will also influence the outcome of marriage and its impact on society..."

Who is Being Irrational? Prop 8 and Judicial Overreach (Chuck Colson)  "Is there a rational basis for prohibiting same-sex marriage? Yes, Judge Walker’s opinion notwithstanding.  In his ruling overturning California’s Proposition 8, Judge Vaughn Walker wrote that the amendment failed the legal test that is a “rational basis” for limiting marriage to heterosexual couples. According to Walker, all it did was “enshrine in the California Constitution the notion that opposite-sex couples are superior to same-sex couples.”

Afghan Aid Workers Were ‘Unwavering’ (Baptist Press) "NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Heather Mercer, who along with Dayna Curry was held captive by the Taliban for 105 days nine years ago, said the aid workers who were killed recently in Afghanistan were an example of what it means to love a forgotten people..."

Three Lies about Reaching Muslims (Baptist Press).  "MIDDLE EAST (BP)--Karim* grew up in an Arab Christian family in a Middle Eastern country -- part of the "1 percent of Christians among the 99 percent Muslims," as he describes it.  When you're part of a tiny, historically persecuted minority, you tend to keep your head down and your mouth closed. You also tend to believe what your elders tell you about the majority, whether it's true or not. Karim did -- for a time...."

Deep Sea Slugs: God’s Creativity at the Bottom of the Sea.   "This spectacular looking creature is not an alien lifeform, but one of 3,000 varieties of sea slugs that live on ocean floors around the world. They are among the most visually stunning animals that you could ever hope to see, and while the name sea slug is somewhat yucky, the alternative, nudibranch, sounds rather sophisticated. These amazing mobile works of art can really make you gasp - they look that good! ..."

Jeremy Lin: Rare Harvard grad, Asian-American, Christian in the NBA (Washtington Post).  "After eight U.S. presidents, 19 Supreme Court justices and 41 Nobel laureates, it looks like Harvard University can chalk up a different achievement this summer: its first grad in the NBA in 57 years, and just the fourth ever..."

Dangers Facing Over-churched Kids (Ministry to Children) "A top concern for most kids pastors is reaching the children in their communities who do not attend church. These unchurched kids simply don’t know much about the Bible. Often they have a mixed up version of Jesus gathered from TV shows. Before they can give their lives to Him, they need a basic introduction to the Good News.
On the other end of the spectrum are kids who are overexposed to church..."

Can You Change What You Want? (David Powlison) "Question 15 of 15 from the Q&A in David Powlison’s essay, “I Am Motivated When I Feel Desire,” Seeing With New Eyes: Counseling and the Human Condition Through the Lens of Scripture.
15. Can you change what you want?..."

How to Love One Another: Affirm, Share and Serve (Tim Keller) "Most of us are familiar with the “one another” commands of the New Testament. In the study guide for Gospel in Life: Grace Changes Everything, Tim Keller offers a helpful taxonomy under the categories of affirming one another, sharing with one another, and serving one another. These form, he says, “nine ‘community-building practices’—specific behaviors that build Christian community.” For a more detailed unpacking of each point, see pp. 58-71..."

Family Unplugged: How Technology Affects Relationships (Breaking Free). "Is technology enhancing or inhibiting our ability to relate to one another? Some scientists believe our wired culture is changing the way we think and behave—and we may be paying too high a price in the relationships that matter..."

Why Morning People Rule the World (London Evening Standard) "We are all morning or evening people. Scientists have established that our genes dictate around half of what they call our “chronotypes” — our natural preference for certain times of the day."...

For the Young Mother: Ministry, Guilt and Seasons of Life (9Marks) Guilt is a young mother’s habitual shadow. It has a nasty way of soaking through many of her efforts at nurturing, serving and loving others. “Am I doing enough for my children? For others? What do they think of me? What does God think of me?”

Some Biblical Thoughts on the Holy Spirit (Graham Cole) "Christians throughout the ages have feared that they may have committed the unpardonable sin—blaspheming the Spirit. What’s your understanding of what Jesus meant by this sin? How would you counsel those who fear they’ve committed it?..."

How Can I Be Better Prepared For Evangelism? (Randy Alcorn) "I was recently asked on Facebook the following question: "I had a woman come to my door today, wanting to share the gospel. Why is it that even though I know what I believe and why I believe it, that it is so hard to share with others? She was a Jehovah's Witness, and asked if she could come back to share a scripture again. I told her yes. I will be better prepared next time, but how do I become better prepared?"...."

One Another’s Not Found in the Bible (Ray Ortlund) "Humble one another, scrutinize one another, pressure one another, embarrass one another, corner one another, interrupt one another, defeat one another, disapprove of one another, run one another’s lives, confess one another’s sins..."

Repealing ‘Don’t Ask’—What’s Really at Stake? (Al Mohler) LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--Get ready. Big changes are coming to the United States military. Congress seems poised to pass legislation that would call for the elimination of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy put in place in 1993. With the support of the Obama administration, and with Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress, it appears that the official normalization of homosexuality within the U.S. armed forces may take place sometime this year, after the completion of a Pentagon review....

Don’t Be a Jerk Online (CNN Belief Blog). "...'So then why are there so many hateful Christian blogs? Why do Christians write bitter messages on Twitter? Why do we send hate mail? I think there are two reasons Christians are jerks online..."

Do Not Harm (great website on ethical stem cell advances)

Freedom of Religion at Stake (Chuck Colson).  I hope every single BreakPoint listener has viewed my Two Minute Warning video commentary on what I believe is the greatest threat to religious freedom in my lifetime.

How Much Should Christians Care for the Environment? (CT). "I care for my aunt who has Alzheimer's disease and for her mentally handicapped daughter. That is, their needs are often on my mind, and I sympathize with them. My aunt's doctor hardly knows her, but in terms of outward, objective action,he cares for her more than I do. My daughter, who lives with them and manages their household, cares for them both subjectively and objectively, much more than either the doctor or I do.
How concerned should Christians be about care for the environment? It depends partly on what we mean by "care for the environment." Are we talking about subjective, emotional care, or objective, active care?"



 

Why are Christians on Earth? Spurgeon's answer:  "If God had willed it, each of us might have entered heaven at the moment of conversion. It was not absolutely necessary for our preparation for immortality that we should tarry here…"

Christianity By the Numbers (C. Michael Patton) "While no numbers such as these can be perfect, these are some charts that I keep up with using multiple sources, including the CIA, Religious Tolerance.com, patheos.com, and others. I thought I would share them. Click on the charts to enlarge..."

US World Cup Players open about their faith (Baptist Press) JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (BP)--"Several members of the U.S. National Team playing in the 2010 FIFA World Cup are not shy about discussing their Christian faith. Following are quotes from five of them about their faith:..."


 

Fighting the Fear of Men (Ed Welch). "Fear of man is such a part of our human fabric that we should check for pulse if someone denies it.” —Ed Welch, When People Are Big and God Is Small. In order to fear God not man, here are the steps Welch sets forth in his book:..."

Opinion on Toy Story 3 (Ben Witherington). "It is always difficult to top a classic film like Toy Story, but when you have some of the most talented writers and illustrators at Pixar and some of the most familiar voices (i.e. Tom Hanks, Joan Cusack etc.) in the business, lots of things are possible. I am on record as saying I would watch a movie about ice melting if Pixar made it, and of course..."

Public Opinion on the Morality of Homosexuality (Gallup).  "Americans say gays are ok. For the first time since Gallup began measuring the "moral acceptability" of homosexuality, a majority of Americans support gay and lesbian relations..."

 

101 Creative Ideas to Support World Missions (German Missionary Fellowship) "Create mission awareness:
•Get alongside new believers, disciple them, encourage them to explore and develop their gifts and to grow in various types of ministry in the church (children's work, youth meetings, evangelistic outreach, house groups).
•Create interest in mission—invite missionaries, have a world map in the church hall, mission information, adopt an unreached people group (prayer, info).
•Place missionary books on the church bookstall and in the church library.
•Give missionary books as a gift to specific people...."

John Wooden, the Christian (Baptist Press). "ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP)--John Wooden died on Friday, June 4. Throughout the following weekend sports channel ESPN paid homage to the coaching legend. Wooden was heralded as a great coach, dedicated husband, wonderful family man and a person who possessed sterling character..."


 

What Brain Scans Tell us about Marriage (NY Times). "THE sudden breakup of Al and Tipper Gore’s seemingly idyllic marriage was the latest and among the sharpest reminders that the only two people who know what’s going on in a marriage are the two people who are in it..."

50 Movies that have a Christian Worldview (Touchstone). "Over at the blogsite Aggie Catholics, they've run a list of the top fifty Catholic movies, by which they do not necessarily mean movies that are explicitly about Catholics, but rather movies that somehow reflect a Catholic view of the world and man's place in it. Most of the movies listed are rather recent for my taste -- "recent" being anything later than The Godfather. I was struck by the absence of a single movie directed by John Ford, for my money the greatest English-language director ever, and a man whose imagination was profoundly Christian and Catholic (and, I might add, anti-modernist), and only one movie by Frank Capra, the one to be expected -- It's a Wonderful Life."

Freedom from Porn: One CEO takes a Stand (Breakpoint). "In the never-ending battle of the technological titans, score one for Steve Jobs. No, the CEO of Apple hasn’t come out with yet another groundbreaking iProduct, at least not since the iPad. But he’s done something even more extraordinary—he’s brought good values into the mix..."

Godly Grief (Kevin DeYoung) "On Tuesday we looked at worldly grief from 2 Corinthians 7. Today we turn our attention to godly grief. Though answering a slightly different question, I think the Heidelberg Catechism (Answer 89) gives a good definition of godly grief. Godly grief “is to be genuinely sorry for sin, to hate it more and more, and to run away from it.”..."

Are there Dangers in being ‘Spiritual, but not Religious’? (CNN)""I'm spiritual but not religious." It's a trendy phrase people often use to describe their belief that they don't need organized religion to live a life of faith. But for Jesuit priest James Martin, the phrase also hints at something else: egotism.
"Being spiritual but not religious can lead to complacency and self-centeredness," says Martin, an editor at America, a national Catholic magazine based in New York City. "If it's just you and God in your room, and a religious community makes no demands on you, why help the poor?"..."

The Ten Best Cities for the Next Decade (Yahoo Real Estate). "We live in challenging times. Unemployment remains high, and the U.S. lead in technology and science is slipping as many foreign countries gain ground. But some U.S. cities, though slowed by the Great Recession, still thrive by lifting good old American innovation to new levels. And that will help put more Americans back to work and keep our international edge."

Prayer is Always Subversive (Jared Wilson) "Last fall a student of Fair Haven Union High School received permission from the principal to hold a "National Day of Prayer at the Flag Pole" event, which was attended by a number of students, staff and adults.
The students were very enthused with the results and asked the principal if they could continue once a week with these meetings. They have been meeting every Wednesday morning all through the winter, rain or shine, and have been faithfully praying for God's presence in the school and in the lives of the students, for the nation and children in Sudan, etc..."

 

Ecological Catastrophe and the Uneasy Evangelical Conscience (Russell D. Moore) "I’ve left my hometown lots of times. But never like this.  Sure, I’ve teared up as I’ve left family and friends for a while, knowing I’d see them again the next time around. And, yes, I cried every day for almost a year in the aftermath of a hurricane that almost wiped my hometown off the map. But I’ve never left like this, wondering if I’ll ever see it again, if my children’s children will ever know what Biloxi was..."

The Black Keys to Amazing Grace (Link to Song sung by Whitney Phipps). "We’re in Daytona Beach right now, preparing to celebrate with Simon and Elizabeth as they are wed today. Last night at the rehearsal dinner, we sang one of my favorite hymns, “Amazing Grace.” I love the hymn for all its passion and power, and for the back story that gives the song all its richness and glory. It’s not just a hymn written from abstract theological principles. It’s a song rising from the belly of a slave ship and from the heart of a slave trader sovereignly reborn from above. It’s a hymn that crosses the Atlantic and blends the hearts of black and white. It’s a hymn that joins heaven and earth and lifts the soul upward..." 

The Three Stands of Biblical Prayer: Praying Beyond the Sick List (David Powlison). "It sounds so simple. Pastors could so easily pray for the sick—pointedly and intelligently—couldn’t they? But so often these prayers from the pulpit sound like a nursing report at shift change in your local hospital: "The colon cancer in room 103 with uncertain prognosis … the lady in 110 with a gall bladder that’s not yielding to treatment … the broken leg that’s mending well … the heart patient going into surgery on Tuesday under Dr. Jones’s skilled hands … .”

Gambling: What’s at Stake? (Baptist Press). "SPANISH FORT, Ala. (BP)--Gambling has been around for centuries. Historians reveal Egyptian pharaohs practiced gambling compulsively. Their subjects buried them with their dice. Greek and Roman civilizations had an affinity for gambling revealed by their goddesses of luck and gambling..."

Should Christians use Facebook? Answered by RC Sproul, Jr.  "I sometimes wonder if the devil doesn’t take great pleasure in irony, in watching us turn ourselves inside out while missing the point. While I am on Facebook, and therefore at least hold to a tentative conviction that such is allowable for Christians, there are any number of reasons to raise concerns over it..."

Are Christians Meant to Feel Guilty All the Time? (Kevin DeYoung) "I imagine there are plenty of Christians who rarely feel the sting of conscience or the pangs of regret. But I also know many, many Christians (including the one I see in the mirror) who easily feel bad for all the things they are not doing or are doing less than perfectly. In fact, I’m convinced most serious Christians live their lives with an almost constant low-level sense of guilt..." 

All Roads Lead to Heaven? Kathleen Parker Does Theology (Al Mohler) "What catches the attention of a columnist for The Washington Post? A recent column by Kathleen Parker indicates that theology has become a focus of national attention. Kathleen Parker used her column in The Washington Post to take on Franklin Graham and his belief that belief in Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation..."

The Dangers of Emotional Pornography (Relevant Magazine) "We (rightly) worry and fight against visual pornography. But what about the dangers of pornography of the mind and heart? I watched the pilot episode of Glee when it premiered a few months before the show was to begin airing regularly. It was decent enough to at least give some time to the next few episodes. But by the end of episode two, I was getting a little uneasy. As I watched it, I was becoming aware of what the writers wanted me to feel—the good guy teacher to cheat on his evil wife with the gentle co-worker, and the main male character to cheat on his hypocritical Christian girlfriend with his female lead counterpart..."

5 Reasons You Might Not Be Seeing Spiritual Growth (Jonathan Dodson) "1. Feelings can be misleading.
Just because we don’t feel holy doesn’t mean the Spirit isn’t making us holy. Feelings aren’t an adequate barometer of spiritual growth, but the gospel always leads us into growth. Bank your growth on faith in gospel truth, not in subjective feelings...."

Seven Thoughts on Reading the Bible (JC Ryle) "7 Thoughts on Reading the Bible


1) Read the Bible with an earnest desire to understand it.

2) Read the Scriptures with a simple, childlike faith and humility...."

Why Words Matter In Worship (Steven Altrogge)   "Yesterday I wrote a post entitled How to Write An Awful Worship Song. The post was 75% humorous and sarcastic, and was written primarily out of my own experiences in writing awful worship songs. I wasn’t taking pot shots at modern songs or songwriters. However, a number of people made comments along these lines:..."

Can You Be Christian and Gay? Jennifer Knapp on Larry King and Denny Burk. "...King wanted to discuss the question, “Can you be Christian and gay?” King asked Knapp if she was still a Christian, and she said that she was a “person of faith.” She also said that there’s no contradiction with being a Christian and homosexual. At one point, Knapp appealed to the Greek New Testament to justify homosexual behavior..."

The Pill Turns 50--TIME considers the Contraceptive Revolution (Al Mohler) "Anniversaries and commemorations come and go as history unfolds, but few dates are as significant as May 9, 1960. On that day the Food and Drug Administration approved the sale and use of Enovid — the first mass pharmaceutical form of what is now simply known as “The Pill.” Quite simply, the world has never been the same since.

The 50th anniversary of the Pill will surely draw a great deal of media and cultural attention. TIME magazine devoted its May 3, 2010 cover story to the meaning of the Pill after a half-century. Executive Editor Nancy Gibbs wrote the main story, entitled..."

 

Sin: Not the Way It's Supposed to Be. by Cornelius Plantinga Jr."...in the 1991 film Grand Canyon, an immigration attorney breaks out of a traffic jam and tries to drive around it. He doesn’t know where he’s going and he’s alarmed to note that each street seems darker and more deserted than the last. Then, a nightmare. His fancy sports car stalls. He manages to call for a tow truck, but before it arrives, five local toughs surround his car and threaten him. Just in time, the tow truck shows up and its driver—an earnest, genial man—begins to hook up to the sports car. The toughs protest: the driver is interrupting their meal. So the driver takes the group leader aside and gives him a five-sentence introduction to sin: ..."

Evangelicalism, Evolution, and the Risk of Looking like a Cult (Carl Trueman). "The recent comments by Professor Bruce Waltke, to the effect that Christianity risks becoming a cult, or at least being perceived as a cult, unless it embraces evolution, have provoked a storm of comment, pro and con. I do not wish to address Professor Waltke's comments directly; for the record, I have always enjoyed his writings (and found them helpful). He is a scholar and gentleman, and when Professor Waltke speaks, I listen, even when I disagree. Thus, what I want to reflect on here are not Professor Waltke's well-known and long-standing views on origins but the questions surrounding the claim that a Christianity which rejects evolution really does risk becoming a cult, and, if so, whether that is something about which we should worry...."

How to Disarm an Angry Person (Ed Welch) "It is the most difficult of maneuvers. There are no guarantees of success. And the stakes are high. But we have no choice: we must learn how to do it. How do you disarm an angry person? The angry person could be a child, parent, spouse, friend, neighbor or counselee. And, of course, we could use a little disarming ourselves sometimes..."

Spiritual Perfectionism and Discouragement (D. A. Carson). "Most readers of Themelios will be aware that the word “perfectionism” is commonly attached in theological circles to one subset of the Wesleyan tradition. As far as I can tell, the numbers who defend such perfectionism today are rather depleted. They hold that progressive sanctification is not only desirable and attainable but, borne along by grace, can result in a life of sinlessness here and now: we do not have to wait for the glorification that all God’s redeemed people will enjoy at the parousia. A century ago the movement was often an extrapolation of Keswick theology, then in its heyday—a movement distinguishable from Keswick theology by its claim to attain a rather higher “higher life” than most within the Keswick fold thought they could achieve...."

Five Big Issues Facing the Western Church (Tim Keller) "1. The opportunity for extensive culture-making in the U.S. In an interview, sociologist Peter Berger observed that in the U.S. evangelicals are shifting from being largely a blue-collar constituency to becoming a college educated population. His question is, will Christians going into the arts, business, government, the media, and film..."

How Many People Does it take to Save an Unborn Life? "Visit http://www.heartbeatinternational.org/ and you will see Lisa. She represents one example of the community of Christians it takes some times to save even one mother and baby from abortion. I met Lisa through the Core Center, our of Heartbeat affiliate in Sunbury, OH. Listening to Lisa, I counted about 23 people who played a direct and significant role, in rescuing Lisa from despair, saving her baby from certain death, and being the answer to prayer for a young couple praying for the opportunity to adopt. They include...

Render Unto Caesar? On Paying Taxes After Obamacare (Mohler). "A significant number of Christians are now wondering about the moral implications of the Obama health care overhaul. While any number of moral questions will demand attention, the question of abortion stands at the center of concern. And with the question of abortion comes the question of taxes..."

Abundant Life with Exercise (Branda Polk). “'A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance.'” (John 10:10, HCSB)
The statistics are frightening and sad:
• 62% of Americans are overweight or obese
• 1 in 3 US adults have high blood pressure
• 17.2 million Americans have diagnosed diabetes, approximately 6.1 million are undiagnosed diabetics, and over 63 million are pre-diabetic symptoms
• 1 in 3 American men have some form of heart disease
These realities are just a few reminders of the unhealthy, disease riddled lives that so many people live. These statistics are even more discouraging when, most of the time, these are the consequences of an inactive lifestyle and are completely preventable..."

 

Websites to Save You Money (Baptist Press).  DORA, Ala. (BP)--There's a wealth of info in cyberspace that can help you and your family save time and money. If you aren't Internet savvy, please check with your local library, community college and other places that offer basic computer courses -- many of which are free.

Son of Hamas: an interview with Mosab Yousef, a former terrorist, now believer (GQ Mag). "Last week Mosab Yousef, the eldest son of Hamas founder Sheikh Hassan Yousef, dropped a book more incendiary than any roadside IED, betraying his family, the Palestinian people, and Muslims the world over. Son of Hamas chronicles the decade Yousef spent as a spy for Shin Bet, Israel's internal security service. In it, Yousef unspools one of the most unlikely tales of our time, narrating the events that led to his disillusionment with Hamas and Islam, his conversion to Christianity, and his kinship with his Israeli handlers, which transformed a boy throwing stones during the first intifada, into a dedicated Shin Bet agent by the start of the second." 

Hope in Discouraging Times (Randy Alcorn) "Several people have already asked about my response to the passage of the Health Care Reform Bill and its inclusion of abortion. Yes, I am deeply concerned about its effect on unborn children. However, even though this bill has passed, the righteous cause of the unborn is not over. The indictment against people who shed innocent blood is not over. The command of God is not over: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; defend the rights of the poor and needy”

The Lost Girls: The growing problem of sex slavery in the US (Carolyn McCulley). "Texas Monthly has published a comprehensive article about the burgeoning sex trafficking problem in Houston and other U.S. cities. It provides an in-depth look at the issue of trafficking, how it is handled legally, and what the victims have to endure. Though it is not a comfortable article to read, I believe it is important for us to know the scope of the problem and what can be done about it..." 

I Don’t Want My Children to Be Happy (Missy) "Dear Shepherd, Sissy, Maggie and Ikey,
Recently we were told by people whom we love and respect why they oppose our plans to adopt. One of the reasons given was that we would not be able to pay for your college education. It's true...."

 

The Scandal of Gendercide—War on Baby Girls (Al Mohler) "The reality has been known for years now, though the Western media have generally resisted any direct coverage of the horror. That changed this week when The Economist published its stunning cover story -- "Gendercide -- What Happened to 100 Million Baby Girls?" In many nations of the world, there is an all-out war on baby girls. In 1990, economist Amartya Sen estimated that 100 million baby girls were missing -- sacrificed by parents who desired a son. Two decades later, multiple millions of missing baby girls must be added to that total, victims of abortion, infanticide, or fatal neglect."

Credit Where its due: Morality, Poverty and Evangelicals (Chuck Colson) "In a recent New York Times column, Nicholas Kristof credits evangelicals with pushing for AIDS and malaria programs and for “doing superb work on issues from human trafficking in India to mass rape in Congo.” This is in contrast, he says, to the “save-the-worlders,”—that is, liberals. Kristof credits liberals for being concerned about poverty because for decades, they have supported big-government programs for the poor and sick, both at home and abroad. But since when is supporting government-run programs the only way, or even the best way, to help the world’s poor?..."

Finding God’s Direction in your life (David Jeremiah). "God loves to do astounding things. Most of the time, they are in response to the prayers of His people. Throughout my years as a pastor, a number of people have come to me for counsel on how to find the direction God has set forward for their life. I have to admit, my straightforwardness is not lacking in my response to them: "Have you prayed about it?" More often than not, the reply affirms my suspicions..."

A Puritan Prayer (from the Valley of Vision)  "Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly, Thou has brought me to the valley of vision, where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;.."

A Biblical Theology of Prayer (Edmund Clowney). "'Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name . . .' From around the globe the heavenly Father is addressed in the languages of earth. The prayer that Jesus taught begins where prayer must begin - with the true and living God. The Bible is God's Word; it is his story of his work in bringing rebellious men and women back to himself. It tells, not of man's seeking a lost God, but of God's seeking lost men. The Bible does not present an art of prayer; it presents the God of prayer, the God who calls before we answer and answers before we call (Isa. 65:24)..."

Confidence to Approach God Together (Dan Cruver) "Hebrews 10:19-25 is a text I return to fairly often, especially when I am preparing myself for corporate worship. My default mode is to read “enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus” and “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” from an individualistic perspective. I can read those words and think primarily about the great privilege I have to approach the Majesty on High (Hebrews 1:3) privately. But the writer of Hebrews is not so much thinking of believers approaching God privately as he is about believers approaching God corporately."

“Unquestioning Christians” and Atheistic Bluster (Phil Johnson) "I don't encourage anyone to hang around the infidel sectors of the Internet or interact on a large scale with the many missionaries of skepticism who love to vent their hatred of God along with copious amounts of profanity, smutty language, lewd innuendo, blind rage, and pathologically pugnacious attitudes wherever they can find an unmoderated forum..."

Do We Need to Tell People the Bad News Before the Good News? (Paul Copan) "We’ve seen them in all manner of places—on street corners, in parking lots, at craft fairs, outside stadiums. Sometimes they’re on wearing placards, admonishing hearers to “turn or burn.” Or perhaps they’re warning America of coming judgment and doom. Others may prefer challenging individual “sinners” on the street, exposing them to their failure to live up to the Ten Commandments. A common justification from those “witnessing” is: “You need to tell people the bad news before they can listen to the good news....”

Is Jesus an Egomaniac? (John Piper) "Erik Reece is writer-in-residence at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, teaching environmental journalism, writing, and literature. He published a book last April entitled, An American Gospel: On Family, History, and the Kingdom of God. On May 13, 2009, he did an interview on National Public Radio with Terry Gross on the program Fresh Air about his book."

NewsNote: Tiger Woods’ Buddhist Confession (Al Mohler). "Americans are accustomed to a certain kind of public confession, argues Susan Wise Bauer -- and that means a confession that is shaped by the Christian faith. Indeed, in her seminal book, The Art of the Public Grovel, Bauer argues that Americans are actually accustomed to a public confession that she describes as Augustinian."


 

God watches you Google (Tim Challies). "In 2006, AOL made an epic misjudgment. As part of a research project headed by Dr. Abdur Chowdhury, AOL made available to the public a massive amount of search data, releasing the search history of 650,000 users over a 3-month period. That totaled some twenty one million searches."

Eating Our Young, Killing our Old: A Looming Crisis? (Breakpoint).  "I enjoy reading David Brooks’ columns in the New York Times. He’s not your typical columnist. He usually takes a “big picture” view of the challenges facing our society. Now I don’t always agree with his positions, but I benefit from his often-provocative take..."

STR for Students

New Website by Stand to Reason for Students (Stand to Reason Place...Just Think)

Talking with your children about marriage & sex

Talking with your children about marriage & sex (Jay Younts, there are six parts in this series) "One of the more dreaded of parental responsibilities is telling children about sex. This conversation is often so awkward that both parent and child wonder what good could come from it. Sometimes, there is no actual conversation. A parent might hand a book to his or her child and say, "Read this and let me know if you have any questions." There is a degree of irony in this awkwardness. On the one hand, it is almost impossible to avoid being confronted with sex. Movies, billboards, commercials, songs, news reports, casual conversations, TV programs etc., form a cultural bombardment of sexual themes that invade daily life. On the other hand, at least in most Christian households, sex is not talked about as a part of regular family conversation."

The Shack

The Shack’ & the missing art of evangelical discernment (Al Mohler) "The publishing world sees very few books reach blockbuster status, but William Paul Young's "The Shack" has now exceeded even that. The book, originally self-published by Young and two friends, has now sold more than 10 million copies and has been translated into over thirty languages. It is now one of the best-selling paperback books of all time, and its readers are enthusiastic."

Where are the Young Men?

Where are the Young Men? (Al Mohler). "A visit to your local college or university campus is likely to reveal that a revolution has taken place. On many campuses, young women now outnumber young men, and a gender gap of momentous importance is staring us in the face. This gender gap has been growing for some time now, as successive generations of young women have entered the world of higher education. Yet, no one seemed to see a gap of this magnitude coming -- until it had already happened."

Imprisoned in Haiti

Imprisoned In Haiti (Tim Challies) "Last spring I received an email from a reader of this site who asked if I would be able to send an inscribed copy of The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment to a young man who was just graduating high school. This would serve as a small graduation gift. I was glad to do so and sent the book to Silas Thompson. You may know that name now as Silas is currently in a Haitian prison, arrested and charged with child abduction and criminal association. He is there with his father Paul and eight other Americans. You have undoubtedly heard of the story through the media..."

Miracles & Acts of Providence

Miracles and Acts of Providence (Phil Johnson) "There's a vast difference between God's constant providential control over the natural order of everyday events and His occasional miraculous intervention in worldly affairs. If you have difficulty understanding the diffference, here's a real-life illustration that I hope will help..."

Why Antidepressants are No Better than Placebos

Why Antidepressants are No Better than Placebos (Newsweek) "Although the year is young, it has already brought my first moral dilemma. In early January a friend mentioned that his New Year's resolution was to beat his chronic depression once and for all. Over the years he had tried a medicine chest's worth of antidepressants, but none had really helped in any enduring way, and when the side effects became so unpleasant that he stopped taking them, the withdrawal symptoms (cramps, dizziness, headaches) were torture. Did I know of any research that might help him decide whether a new antidepressant his doctor recommended might finally lift his chronic darkness at noon?"

Tim Tebow's Super Bowl Ad

Is Tim Tebow’s Super Bowl Ad Intolerant? (Washington Post) "I'll spit this out quick, before the armies of feminism try to gag me and strap electrodes to my forehead: Tim Tebow is one of the better things to happen to young women in some time. I realize this stance won't endear me to the "Dwindling Organizations of Ladies in Lockstep," otherwise known as DOLL, but I'll try to pick up the shards of my shattered feminist credentials and go on."

The Unpardonable Sin

Have You Committed The Unpardonable Sin? (Ed Welch) "With all the attention being given to addictions and lusts, the scrupulous among us can feel neglected. But, just as there is an addict within us all, so is there a legalist who feels guilty and never able to measure up. Here is something for the legalist within. Pound-for-pound, the passage on the unpardonable sin can deliver the most guilt in all Scripture."

Should I Get a Christian Tattoo

Should I Get a Tattoo (Even If My Parents Don’t Like It)?    "Dear Dr. Moore, I want to get a tattoo. I’d like it on my stomach, with a cross, with the words, “Flee Immorality: You Were Bought with a Price.” I’d like this as a measure of accountability for myself as the years go by, in case the zeal I have for the gospel ever wanes and I’m ever in a place of temptation this will be an ever-present reminder of what I know to be true..."

Erwin McManus's Casket

Erwin McManus Miracle Casket Commerical for the Super Bowl (Phil Johnson) "Back in August of '08, I wrote a post about the pretentiousness of Christians who try too hard to be artsy and manage to sully both art and the gospel in the process. (In retrospect, the tone of that post might sound a tad too cantankerous, even for me. But I completely stand by the point of it.) One of the targets of my criticism in that post was Erwin Raphael McManus, self-styled "futurist, author, speaker, activist, filmmaker and innovator who specializes in the field of..."

Graphic Video of a Severe Injustice

This four-minute video is not pleasant, but it must be seen. Thousands of innocent unborn children are torn to pieces everyday in the U.S. because most people simply don't know what abortion actually does. This video is shocking because abortion is shocking. It is no more gruesome than the reality. With the exception of the final scene (a second-trimester fetus), all of the video you will see depicts children who were killed during first-trimester abortions.

Super Bowl Ad

Plans for Tebow Pro-life Super Bowl Ad  "With his unconventional pass delivery and a physical style that seems just as comfortable running the ball anyway, some wonder if University of Florida star quarterback Tim Tebow will achieve NFL glory. But football fans just may get to see the story of the Heisman Trophy winner and unapologetic Christian impact the pro sport's biggest game of the year...."

Right to Life

Pro-life Pivot (World Magazine, Marvin Olasky) "Twenty years ago the pro-life movement was in bad shape. Frustration had grown as eight years of the Reagan administration had not led to Roe v. Wade's reversal or reduced the annual toll in dead children..."


Black Genocide (World Magazine, Lynn Vincent) "Alabama State University (ASU), a historically black college, is planted near the west side of the capital city of Montgomery, a birthplace of the civil-rights movement. The campus sits at the edge of a major housing project. Or as Tijuanna Adetunji puts it: "It's in the 'hood." That made it the perfect place for Adetunji, 38, who grew up in the Montgomery projects herself, to share her message on African-Americans and the true nature of abortion..."

Pro-Life Victories Chronicled "It is probably fair to say that no other single activity has defined the Knights of Columbus over the past half century as much as the pro-life movement. Following the shock of the Supreme Court’s decision to preempt all state and federal laws regulating abortion in Roe v. Wade in 1973, we launched a long-term battle to fight legalized abortion."

Social Gospel?

Social Gospel Redux? (Russell Moore) "He said he'd wished I'd preached on Judges. I was the guest preacher that day and this was one of those sluggish congregations where you feel as though you're looking into the eyes of department store mannequins. I'd just finished preaching a gospel sermon on the new birth from the third chapter of John. And the man approached me to say he'd love to hear me preach on Judges, because "that's what we really need..."

Scientology Test?

Scientology ‘Free Personality Test’ is newspaper insert (Baptist Press)  "The Church of Scientology placed a "free personality test" -- Scientology's "Oxford Capacity Analysis" -- as a paid insert into The Tennessean newspaper Jan. 7 asking in a large typeface, "Are you curious about yourself?..."

Who are Evangelicals?

Who Exactly are the Evangelicals? (Michael Horton)  "feels like a renewed storm, or at least a squall, has been gathering around the term "evangelical" lately. More and more self-described evangelicals are realizing that not everyone believes the same things, even about the core doctrines. In response, some have begun to write manifestos which attempt to re-articulate the characteristics of an evangelical identity. Others are authoring books and holding conferences which aim to re-center the movement as a whole. Still others have decided it's best to pitch the term altogether and call themselves "post-evangelicals."

Technologies that will rock 2010

Technologies that will rock 2010 (TechCrunch) "Now that the aughts are behind us, we can start the new decade with a bang. So many new technologies are ready to make a big impact this year. Some of them will be brand new, but many have been gestating and are now ready to hatch. If there is any theme here it is the mobile Web. As I think through the top ten technologies that will rock 2010, more than half of them are mobile. But those technologies are tied to advances in the overall Web as well..."