July 2, 2012
For those who missed it, Spain beat Italy 4-0 to claim the European Championship on Sunday. How are sports viewed in your country? How can a Christian balance faith in God and sports interest?
something lesser
I was surprised when a colleague told me that few commentaries are written on the book of Judges. In general it seems that Christians avoid the book.
But there are many interesting, helpful stories in Judges. Chapter 17 contains one of them. The protagonist is named Micah, but he isn’t the prophet Micah. Though they share the same name (which…
upstairs downstairs
Walk into her house and a showcase living room quickly commands your attention. Ornate, expensive furniture populates rooms tastefully embellished with understated artwork. A lavish floral arrangement adorns a perfectly lit breakfast nook.
But no one ever sits on the furniture. The flower-shaped soaps in the soap dish never clean anyone’s hands; the towels in the kitchen and bathroom don’t…
all in the family
In his poignant article, Abba Changes Everything: Why Every Christian Is Called To Rescue Orphans, author and adoptive parent Russell D. Moore writes: “I was at first reluctant to adopt, because I assumed an adopted child would always be more distant than a child ‘of my own.’ I was wrong. And I should have known better. After all, there are…
the only way?
Meryl Streep played a nun in the movie Doubt, so, of course, she was asked her opinion on religion. She answered that the teachings of various religions “form a kind of fence that divides us from each other,” and that as a mother “I deeply resent the idea that if you’re not a member of a church, temple, ashram, synagogue…
keep it real
John 17:3: This is the way to have eternal life—to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One You sent to earth.
Can you name a religion that allows you the honor of becoming a child of the Most High God? Why is Christianity so different than mere religion? It is different because it's not a religion at…
a song to come
Avenged Sevenfold lead singer M. Shadows claims his band doesn’t “take sides” in religion—an interesting approach to addressing the pressing questions that scream relevance for all of us: Is there a God? And if so, what is our response to His reality?
Despite the disavowal of things religious by Avenged Sevenfold, their name is overtly biblical. It’s derived from the Genesis account…
pillar of truth
My friend doesn’t like the idea of attending church. She says, “People leave their brains at the church doors.” A contemporary poet describes the church this way: “Outwardly splendid as of old; inwardly sparkless, void and cold. Her force and fire all spent and gone, like the dead moon she still shines on.”
For some people, the church is simply…
entrance into life
"Jesus told him, 'I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through Me'" (John 14:6).
If I could use one word to describe Jesus today, it would be "refreshing." There's nothing stuffy or stale about Him. Jesus isn't the Author of religion, but of relationship. In the beginning, God didn't create…
adoption option
In his Apology (AD 197), Tertullian argued that the Roman government should stop persecuting its best citizens. He said that Christians not only prayed for the emperor and the empire, but they also sacrificed for the sake of their neighbors. He said they pooled their money “to feed the poor and to bury them; for boys and girls who lack…
ekg
The electrocardiogram (EKG) is a test that helps your doctor determine your heart's health by measuring its electrical activity. The pattern of these signals can tell your physician if your heart is functioning normally, under stress, or damaged. What if every follower of Jesus could get a spiritual EKG today? I wonder what it would say about our spiritual health.…
