Culture

One of the more popular verses in the Bible among followers of Jesus is Jeremiah 29:11:

‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’

It’s a beautiful, hope-inspiring promise from God’s Word. Unfortunately, that promise isn’t ours the way most people think.

In this video, Voddie Baucham of Grace Family Baptist Church in Spring, TX explains why Christians today misinterpret this verse. For those that can’t watch the video, I’ll try to summarize his points below. For the rest of you, enjoy this short clip:

The heart of Baucham’s dissent (in which he’s not alone, and with which I tend to agree), is that this promise was made to the people of Israel. If you read the passage in context, you’ll see that Lord is speaking to the nation of Israel, promising them that at some point in the future (150 years, Baucham tells us) that He will gather Israel back together from the nations to which it has been exiled and bring them back to the land of promise. The “you”, then, in 29:11 is not a modern day Christian; it’s the entire Old Testament nation of Israel. Baucham also points out that this is not an individual promise, but a corporate promise. It’s not to, say, Jeremiah, but to all of the people of Israel as a whole.

Baucham also does a nice job dismantling that “yeah, but that was the Old Testament and this is the New.” He notes the “cognitive dissonance” (how great is it that that term shows up in a sermon? :) between the perceived promise in the verse (“plans for welfare and not for calamity”) and the harsh reality of life. “Why don’t you ask Ananias and Sapphira about that. Oh, I’m sorry. You can’t. God killed them. Not allowed them to die. He KILLED them. As a matter of fact, He killed them in church!” He then quickly listed how the apostles, all Godly men with strong faith all died horribly. Either God broke His promise to us in this verse, or we’ve interpreted the verse incorrectly.

For what it’s worth, I tend to think that there IS something for us in this verse. While God’s plan for us, either as individuals or as the church body as whole, may not be for welfare and not calamity, I think this verse, in concert with countless others throughout Scripture can give us comfort in knowing that God does have a plan for us. Unfortunately, that plan, in the short term at least, may very well include some pain and misfortune. Baucham says it best when he asked, “If God would crush and kill His perfect, spotless, sinless Son, who do you think you are?” Indeed.

For a long time now, I’ve been bothered by the idea of multi-site/multi-campus churches. From the outside looking in, there’s always been something about that type of church that doesn’t seem to square with what I read in Scripture, that of a man standing before a group of believers, sharing what he feels the Lord has put on his heart. In this type of church, with the pastor a projection on a screen, it seems that the congregation is intentionally separated from its “pastor”, so I wonder if it’s possible (dare I say it) to have a good church experience in such a setup.

I’ve been meaning to try to muddle through my thoughts on it to see if I can come up with a coherent reason why it bothers me, or maybe to see if I’m just being silly. Enter, stage right, Thabiti Anyabwile. Anyabwile, about whom I know nothing, and, indeed, hadn’t heard of until I read this article, articulates pretty well, I think, why multi-site churches are a bad idea. Sure, some good is coming from them, but I think he’s right that this type of church is not ideal. Go read the article and tell me: am I heading in the right direction, or am I just a tradition-bound crank? :)

Jason Gray is a fairly new name to the Christian music scene, so he’s probably not as familiar to most as he should be, as he has put out some really good work. One song of his that I really like is “More Like Falling in Love.” In this song, Gray talks about how the Christian life shouldn’t be about following rules, nor should it be about striving to be good under our own power, but it’s about the Spirit of God living and moving in us to make us more like Christ. We shouldn’t be following rules. Rather, we should be falling deeper and deeper nib love with Jesus Christ, from which the traits and behaviors of holiness will flow (super-) naturally. It’s a great song with a great message. Check out the video below, then go buy the song. :)

Our criteria include:

a) focus on the Christ Child and all His coming means;

b) whether it has stood the test of time (i.e. newer songs have the burden of proof; and

c) musical quality (though I realize many older hymns were later put to other tunes).

But first, honorable mentions include: Hallelujah! Chorus (I was recently told this was actually part of the Easter, not Christmas, portion of Handel’s Messiah); O Come All Ye Faithful, and Mary Did You Know?

The top five are:

5. What Child Is This? (I love the composer’s answer to his own question)

4. Away in a Manger (Children love this song and for good reason)

3. Silent Night (Is there any more serene song that this?)

2. O Holy Night (enough said)

Read the rest of this entry »

Imagine for a moment, a la Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, you could transport founding father and patriot Patrick Henry to today’s time. Imagine further you would take him to an American airport. I’m sure he would be shocked bedazzled to see the flying contraptions (not to mention the small rectangular object people held up to their ears). He might even be delighted, hoping to go tell Benjamin Franklin of what he saw.

Yet then imagine his horror to see a TSA attendant invasively frisking a nun in public, one who refused to walk through a “magic-like” machine that showed a person without clothes. Let’s listen in to the conversation:

TSA worker: Can I see your ticket, sir? It says here you paid with cash not plastic. We may have to search you.

Patrick Henry: What do you mean, plastic? May I ask who you are?

TSA worker: I work for the Transportation Security Administration of the Federal Government?

Patrick Henry: The what?

TSA worker: Put your hands above your head and let us scan you?

Patrick Henry: I beg your pardon!

TSA worker: Security!

Patrick Henry: Ladies and gentlemen, I implore you.

TSA worker: It’s for your own safety sir [as the worker invasively frisks him]

Patrick Henry: My safety? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of this shame? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me modesty … or give me death!

This is a silly illustration is to show the depths to which we have sunk. At the price of supposed security, we are giving up far more important things. I oppose the new TSA regulations for the following reasons:

1) The new scanners are an invasion of privacy and decorum;

2) The new frisking tactics are an invasion of privacy and modesty;

3) The new system is unnecessary. The previous security system worked. Even the “Fruit of kaboom” underwear bomber’s plan did not work, as he had to go to such great lengths to circumvent the system that his bomb was not functional.

4) Last but least, the new system is too costly. Specially trained dogs could be much more effective and cost-effective.

In sum, count me with the growing group of Americans fed up with the erosion of our modesty and yes, our liberty. Yes, please forbid it Almighty God!

“Colorado voters on Tuesday rejected what was said to be the nation’s only pro-life amendment.”

“Personhood Amendment 62, which would have given human rights to the unborn, was defeated by a nearly 3-to-1 margin. This is the second time the pro-life measure was voted down.”

“‘Tonight’s victory sends a strong message that Colorado is a pro-choice state,’ Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Monica McCafferty told The Colorado Independent.”

Read more here (and weep).

With people heading to the polls tomorrow to pull the lever, so to speak, on a number of issues and candidates, the question of personal faith in public life is getting yet another round of discussion. There are some candidates, and some state question supporters, that make mention of faith, to varying degrees, while others decry the role of faith in public life. Their thinking seems to be, “It’s OK for you to have a private faith, but don’t let it influence you publicly.” This proposition could not be more unfair. Read the rest of this entry »

With John Lennon’s recent birthday (he would have been 70), a lot of people are talking about him, and most of them mention a song that is easily one of his most famous: Imagine. I have to be honest with you. I have that song. Read the rest of this entry »

From an AP Story:

A Southern Baptist leader who is calling for Christians to avoid yoga and its spiritual attachments is getting plenty of pushback from enthusiasts who defend the ancient practice.

Southern Baptist Seminary President Albert Mohler says the stretching and meditative discipline derived from Eastern religions is not a Christian pathway to God.

Mohler said he objects to “the idea that the body is a vehicle for reaching consciousness with the divine.”

“That’s just not Christianity,” Mohler told The Associated Press.

Read the rest here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101007/ap_on_re/us_rel_southern_baptists_yoga

From WORLD Magazine’s website:

“To make a (way too long) story short, Gilbert (who is actually a great writer), spent months on the bathroom floor crying out to an ambiguous god/being/universe/Jiminy Cricket, begging for communion. She decides, after one particularly emotional episode, to take a year off to find him/her. She just wants God, she says, more and more of Him. Filled up and flowing over. The rub, being, of course, that she isn’t looking for God as much as she’s trying to create Him from scratch:

“I think you have every right to cherry pick when it comes to moving your spirit and finding peace in God. I think you are free to search for any metaphor whatsoever which will take you across the worldly divide whenever you need to be transported or comforted. . . . If humanity never evolved in its exploration of the divine, a lot of us would still be worshiping golden, Egyptian statues of cats. And this evolution of religious thinking does involve a fair amount of cherry-picking. . . . That’s me in the corner, in other words. That’s me in the spotlight. Choosing my religion.”

“Sounds more like a kid in a Build-a-Bear store than a spiritual quest—but with more fluff.”

Me: Save $10 and skip the movie. Save $20 and skip the book. Read the rest of the review here.

Over the weekend, Glenn Beck held a rally on the National Mall at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The political left, of course, hated every minute of it. Russell Moore, Dean of the School of Theology and Senior Vice-President for Academic Administration at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, though, was unimpressed for other reasons and posted this very thought-provoking article on the event. It’s so chock full of great quotes that if I tried to sample them, I’d likely end up pasting the entire article, so head over to russellmoore.com and read the entire article yourself. I will, though, at the risk of “ruining” it for you, quote his closer, because it’s a good one:

It’s sad to see so many Christians confusing Mormon politics or American nationalism with the gospel of Jesus Christ. But, don’t get me wrong, I’m not pessimistic. Jesus will build his church, and he will build it on the gospel. He doesn’t need American Christianity to do it. Vibrant, loving, orthodox Christianity will flourish, perhaps among the poor of Haiti or the persecuted of Sudan or the outlawed of China, but it will flourish.

And there will be a new generation, in America and elsewhere, who will be ready for a gospel that is more than just Fox News at prayer.

Feel free to comment below.

A recent conversation I had has gotten me thinking about Jackie Gleason, who died in 1987. Although I was only in my early teens, something he said really struck me as not quite right. As best as I can remember (I can’t find the quote online), he said in one of his last interviews, knowing he was dying of cancer, something to the effect of “I can’t believe in a God who would send me to hell.” Whether or not that was his exact quote, that’s a common sentiment these days, and is just as wrong now as was back then. Read the rest of this entry »

New York Times Magazine has a new piece that every pro-life person ought to read. Called ‘The New Abortion Providers‘, the piece shows has the medical community has silently trained a new general of doctors to provide abortions outside the context of abortion clinics, as part of their regular medical practices.

Below are pictures of two doctors, “Dr. Rachael Phelps (left), an alumna of the Family Planning Fellowship. Dr. Emily Godfrey (right), whose specialty is family medicine, with a patient undergoing a routine checkup.” Hardly the monstrous-looking depictions of abortion-providers we heard of in the 80s and 90s.

While the pro-life movement celebrates the closing of abortion clinics–and we should–the pro-choice movement, says the NY Times piece, feels just fine about the trend.

It’s a must read piece to understand the new landscape of the pro-life struggle in America. And it makes me all the more thankful for pro-life doctors who stay true to the pledge to “do no harm.”

‘Messengers’ to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando have “passed seven resolutions moments ago, all near-unanimously or unanimously. Among them were resolutions emphasizing the centrality of the Gospel and supporting family worship time. Messengers also passed a resolution “On the Scandal of Southern Baptist Divorce” and “On the Gulf of Mexico Catastrophe.”

Read about it here.

I wish to add my voice to “a conservative group that monitors the entertainment industry [now] applauding Apple CEO Steve Jobs for his pledge to keep porn applications off the iPhone.”

“Jobs took a stance against porn when the iPhone was released in 2007 and has reiterated that stance at least three times during the past month while also taking a dig at a competitor, Google’s Android phone.”

Read more here.

In January 2004, the Claremont Institute published an important piece on boys in America today. Called “Wimps & Barbarians: The Sons of Murphy Brown,” the piece explored the two basic pitfalls, two extremes young men fall into. Later that year, a companion piece, also by Terrance O. Moore, was published on the effects this is having on young women. Here is an excerpt from the piece, “Heather’s Compromise.”

Many young women today look upon the world of dating with anxiety, hopelessness, disappointment—even dread. They express disappointment with young men’s stubborn immaturity, with their own slim chances of finding love, and with the sad fact that whereas in the past, everyone expected women not to have sex before marriage, nowadays everyone, especially their boyfriends, expects that they will. And though they often don’t say so directly, many young women are disappointed by their parents’ advice or, more often, complete lack of it.

Young women have, of course, adjusted to the world around them. In the vernacular, they aren’t looking for Mr. Right but for Mr. Right Now. But looking for Mr. Right Now has taken an enormous toll on their lives and emotions. The decision to look, or settle, for Mr. Right Now might be described as Heather’s Compromise. Heather, today’s young woman, is tempted continually to compromise her ultimate happiness for the momentary attention of an undependable young male on his terms.

Read the rest here. For any parent, these pieces are a must-read.

From equip.org:

“Yoga Day USA is January 23 – this Saturday.  Yoga teachers around the country will be holding free sessions in yoga studios, fitness clubs, and even churches to spread their message.  As Christians, how should we respond?  Is yoga compatible with Christianity? Aren’t Christians called to meditate on scripture?  How is that different from yoga meditation?

“Hear the answers to these and more questions on [The Bible Answer Man program on] your local station or tune in at 6PM ET today on our website at www.equip.org! You can join the conversation by calling 888-ASK-HANK (275-4265).”

10. A Christmas Story (so many classic lines)

9. Frosty the Snowman (brings happiness even thinking about it)

8. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (lovin’ the song)

7. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the cartoon, not the Jim Carey)

6. Miracle on 34th Street (the black and white version, of course)

5. Ernest Saves Christmas (admit it, you like this one too)

Read the rest of this entry »

My criteria include:

a) focus on the Christ Child and all His coming means;

b) whether it has stood the test of time (i.e. newer songs have the burden of proof; and

c) musical quality (though I realize many older hymns were later put to other tunes).

But first, honorable mentions include: Hallelujah! Chorus (I was recently told this was actually part of the Easter, not Christmas, portion of Handel’s Messiah); O Come All Ye Faithful, and Mary Did You Know?

The top five are:

5. What Child Is This? (I love the composer’s answer to his own question)

4. Away in a Manger (Children love this song and for good reason)

3. Silent Night (Is there any more serene song that this?)

2. O Holy Night (enough said)

Read the rest of this entry »

Maggie Gallagher, a tireless defender of traditional (or, shall we say, real) marriage, has a post by that title in response to Ben Smith’s assertion that it is. For the impatient, she says it is not for these reasons:

1. Nothing is inevitable.
2. Young people are not as unanimous as most people think.
3. The argument from despair is bait and switch.
4. Progressives are often wrong about the future.
5. Demography could be destiny.
6. Change is inevitable.
7. Newsflash: 18-year-olds can be wrong.
8. New York’s highest court was right.

Read the whole post here for the details.

OK, I’ll admit it. I have not read any of the books in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga, nor have I seen the popular film. As a general rule, I do not comment on works I have not read or seen.

Yet I am aware of countless teens (and even grown, Christian women) who are swooning over the works, therefore I felt compelled to research whether its runaway popularity is a positive development.

A paraphrase summary I found of the film goes something like this: Seventeen-year-old Bella falls for Edward, who is charming, mysterious, powerful, and dangerous but wise beyond his years and, ultimately, a gentleman. The paragon of self-control Edward will not allow them to have premarital sex. The catch is Edward is a vampire.

The abstinence seems to be why many Christian reviewers have heaped praise on the books and movie. I have found two reviews, however, from sources I trust, The Christian Research Journal and WORLD magazine, who think differently.

In CRJ’s review [not available online] entitled, “The Twilight Saga: A Classic Romance Too Mature for Teens,” Stephen Ross takes a fair and balanced look at the series. His review crescendos with this stinging statement: “The Twilight love saga, then, may be the ultimate female coming-of-age fantasy that our biblically illiterate culture can offer, and, as such, this captivating story evokes dangerlously false expectations in young women that no man could ever satisfy. In fact, given that female sexuality is quite naturally rational, far more so than young male sexuality, the comparison that comes to mind is that Twilight is to female sexuality what pornography is to male sexuality.”

WORLD’s review, written from a woman’s perspective, is no kinder. Read the rest of this entry »

You may have read about the push to encourage OU fans not to sing “… and the home of the SOONERS!” instead of the proper ending of the National Anthem. Here is the actual story about the controversy in The Oklahoman.

I normally don’t like to stop to kick every barking dog, but this issue requires a stand. You can count me with David Boren and the fans who want this phenomenon to stop because:

1) It’s silly copy-cat-ism at its worst. The Atlanta Braves started this years ago (which makes more sense as they are the Braves, by the way, and only add an ‘S’ on the end) so it’s not even original to us;

2) There’s something unpatriotic about messing with our national anthem, and we Okies are the first ones to get upset when someone tinkers with the words of the pledge of allegiance. Why does this not upset us?;

3) The so-called tradition is brand-new. It did not begin until a decade ago; and

4) Finally, the fans who do it subconsciously realize it’s inappropriate. How do I know? Because during the ballgame directly following 9/11, the entire stadium, I vividly recall, sang as one “… and the home of the brave.”

Let’s keep celebrating America the home of the brave, fellow Sooners!

Mike Adams has a great piece on an often controversial topic: what to wear to church: Sunday’s Breast.

Christianity Today offers yet another thought-provoking column on the “marketing” Jesus movement. The piece says in part:

The de-churched nature of our theology makes evangelism hard to do without seeming salesy, because churchless evangelism unavoidably promotes a consumerist soteriology. When it’s just you and Jesus, you (the consumer) “invite him” (the product) “into your heart” (brand adoption) and “get saved” (consumer gratification). Certainly God has worked and continues to work through these formulae. His doing so testifies to his grace, however, not to the fidelity of such evangelistic formulations, which, in this culture, inadvertently make Jesus out to be a cosmic version of the consumer brands promoted in the thousands of advertisements each of us sees daily.

Such brands promise to deliver goods—self-esteem, sex appeal, confidence, coolness—that they have no intrinsic capacity to give. Their power is in consumers’ collective willingness to imbue them with that kind of power. In other words, consumerism is impotent to deliver on its promise, and deep down, we know it. Consumerist marketing offers something that just isn’t there.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Christian Research Institute offers a summary critique of Joel Osteen’s best-seller, Become a Better You. It begins:

Named as one of Barbara Walters’ “10 Most Fascinating People of 2006” and selected as the “Most Influential Christian in 2006” by the readers of Church Report Magazine, Joel Osteen’s star continues to rise. His charmed life as the guru of the ”gospel-light” message is now all the more assured with skyrocketing sales of a new blockbuster book on self-improvement. Not without its merits, Become a Better You offers good advice throughout, such as accepting God’s forgiveness, reaching out to others, and never giving up. As in his other number-one bestseller Your Best Life Now, which remained on the New York Times “Best Sellers” list for more than two years and has sold more than four million copies, however, there are serious concerns about its teachings.

Read the rest here.

I hate to link to a gossip article, but in a recent article in the gossip section of the NY Daily News, Brad Pitt, when asked if he believes in a “higher power” emphatically, says “no.” Here’s the quote from the article:

I’m probably 20 percent atheist and 80 percent agnostic. I don’t think anyone really knows. You’ll either find out or not when you get there, until then there’s no point thinking about it.

His last sentence strikes as a very dangerous stance to take. If he’s right, and there is no God, then he dies, his consciousness ends, and he’s OK. If he’s wrong, though, then he’s going to come face to face with a god of some sort. Or many, for the sake of argument. If this god (or gods) judges on actions, then perhaps he’ll be fine. Maybe this deity doesn’t really care, say, and sends him back in another body, then, again, perhaps he’s OK. But, if we Christians are right, that there is a God, that sin is a real problem, that God will judge and punish sin, that Jesus paid that penalty for us on the cross and that we must place our faith in Him, then Pitt is in real trouble. He won’t be able to point to all the children he and the woman that’s not his wife that he lives adopted. He won’t be able to point to any charity work he’s done. As with everyone else, The Lord will look only at how Pitt stands in relation to Jesus Christ. If there’s no relationship there, then there will be no mercy, and Brad Pitt will be held culpable for his sins.

If all of that’s true, and I’m convinced it is, then the time to worry about is now. Post-modern, wishy-washy thoughts on the existence of God are worthless when you’re standing at the judgment seat, so, Mr. Pitt, with all due respect, now is the perfect time to think about the existence of God.

“Now personally, I don’t recommend the Potter books. I’d rather Christian kids not read them. But with some 325 million of them in print, your kids will probably see them and hear others talk about them, and they’re probably going to read them anyway. So use this occasion to teach them to be discerning—like Daniel. Dare them to have Daniel as their role model, not Harry Potter.

“And if your kids do enjoy Harry’s magical world, you should give them copies of C.S. Lewis’s Narnia books and Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy.

“These books also feature wizards and witches and magic, but in addition, they inspire the imagination within a Christian framework—and prepare the hearts of readers for the real-life story of Jesus Christ.”

–Chuck Colson in his July 2007 Breakpoint commentary

What do you all think? Is Colson right?

“These media tend to shorten attention spans, weaken discursive reasoning, lure people away from Scripture and prayer, disembody relationships, feed the fires of narcissism, cater to the craving for attention, fill the world with drivel, shrink the soul’s capacity for greatness, and make us second-handers who comment on life when we ought to be living it.”

-John Piper making an argument against social media like Facebook and Twitter which he then refutes, explaining why he tweets

“As God can protect his people under the greatest despotism, so the utmost civil liberty is no safety to them without the immediate protection of His Almighty arm. I fear that Christians in this country have too great a confidence in political institutions … [rather] than of the government of God,” from Confidence in God in Times of Danger by Alexander Carson.

For better and worse, I’m always trying to read the subtle messages movies send, especially to children. Here’s a great line from a movie I’ve never seen called The Last Days of Disco, criticizing Lady and the Tramp:

“[Tramp's] he’s a self-confessed chicken thief, and all-around sleazeball. What’s the function of a film of this kind? Essentially as a primer on love and marriage directed at very young people, imprinting on their little psyches the idea that smooth-talking delinquents recently escaped from the local pound are a good match for nice girls from sheltered homes. When in ten years the icky human version of Tramp shows up around the house, their hormones will be racing and no one will understand why. Films like this program women to adore jerks.”

Over the top commentary? Yes. But think about it: “Lady” really should have accepted “Jock’s” [pictured left] marriage proposal. He would have made a way better husband and father.

Hat tip: JR

Last week, David Letterman made a “coarse” joke about Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and her daughter who were visiting New York City. The joke was done in poor taste, and all who were offended and outraged by the joke have legitimate grounds to respond the way they did.

I could give a lengthy analysis of why Letterman’s joke was bad, give an interpretation of his intent, accuse him of being an angry liberal, so on and so forth. But I won’t do that; rather I will focus on something all of us should be ready and willing to do when we have done something wrong. That is admit the wrong and begin the process of forgiveness.

Monday night, Letterman gave a sincere apology:

David Letterman Apologizes

I commend him for what he said. He admitted there was a misunderstanding, and he gave a thorough explanation. He also was genuine in apologizing to everyone involved.

Forgiveness is not a quick remedy. Time is needed. But the greatest thing about forgiveness is watching how God can work. I recently received a good description about forgiveness from Rick Warren’s book  The Purpose Driven Life. I think it is applicable to this situation.

Christianity Today has a must-read article on public policy and abortion in America. It claims, “The current proposals to lower the abortion rate will only make things worse.”

The piece goes to analyze some of Obama’s words and actions pertaining to abortion, which in this case are not the same.

The article, part of a complete series on the pro-life cause, even examines the next wave of abortion on demand: chemical abortions under other names, like “emergency contraceptives.”

“NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2009 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month.”

-BARACK OBAMA, in a recent White House press release

Hat tip: BTD

Recently, I read an article by Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com criticizing NBA All-Star Dwight Howard for thanking God for Howard’s team the Orlando Magic making the NBA Finals. Here is what Howard said in the press conference after Orlando defeated Cleveland in the Eastern Division series:

“First, I want to thank God, man, because without Him none of this would be possible. I told my guys before the game if we come out, we play 100 percent, play hard for 48 minutes, then God is gonna do the rest, and He did tonight. We got a good victory; man … it’s all because of Him.”

Freeman gives a common rebuke to comments like Howard’s, saying God doesn’t care about sporting events, that He is more concerned about world tragedies and other severe issues. He has a point, but it is easy to forget that God has no limits to his care and the concerns of this world. And because we are limited to the understanding of God’s will, it is possible that God has a purpose and plan that involves the NBA Finals and specifically Dwight Howard.

But as Jesus reminds us, God cares for the sparrow and the lilies of the field, so he also cares and provides for us. Also, we are reminded that in everything we do, we are to give all the glory to God. Howard is to be commended for showing his thanks.

“The Bible Answer Man” radio program broadcasts on weekdays from 5-6 p.m. (CST).

It is arguably the most insightful program in Christian Talk radio. Even if I do not agree with him on every single issue, Hank Hanegraaff, has done much to defend the faith and is an indispensable apologist.

This Wednesday and Thursday, he is going to take on major skeptics who are attacking the veracity of the Scriptures. Read more about the program here.

I was one of the many who participated in the national webcast of Dave Ramsey’s Town Hall For Hope on Thursday, April 23. I believe a rebroadcast of the event is becoming possible, and I encourage you to watch it by going to www.townhallforhope.com for details.

Dave opened with some personal thoughts about the recent economic crisis and gave a historical perspective of what shaped America’s economy. This was followed by a Q&A session of Dave taking questions from an array of communication sources including Twitter, Facebook, email, phone and from the audience.

I thought the questions were of the typical financial advice-seeking inquiries. Personally, I would have liked for more skeptics to have posed questions, those who aren’t sold on Dave’s approach, because I know there are a lot of hurting people who are relying on the theory that government will turn the ship and right the wrongs of these economic ills. Read the rest of this entry »

Controversy arose after the Miss USA Pageant on Sunday. Apparently a professing gay judge asked Carrie Prejean, Miss California her view of gay marriage. Her response was the following:

“We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite. And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that’s how I was raised.”

Both co-directors of the pageant responded differently. One was “saddened.” The other fully supported Prejean’s response. Read the rest of this entry »

OK, I’ll admit it. I have not read any of the books in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga, nor have I seen the popular film. As a general rule, I do not comment on works I have not read or seen.

Yet I am aware of countless teens (and even grown, Christian women) who are swooning over the works, therefore I felt compelled to research whether its runaway popularity is a positive development.

A paraphrase summary I found of the film goes something like this: Seventeen-year-old Bella falls for Edward, who is charming, mysterious, powerful, and dangerous but wise beyond his years and, ultimately, a gentleman. The paragon of self-control Edward will not allow them to have premarital sex. The catch is Edward is a vampire.

The abstinence seems to be why many Christian reviewers have heaped praise on the books and movie. I have found two reviews, however, from sources I trust, The Christian Research Journal and WORLD magazine, who think differently.

In CRJ’s review [not available online] entitled, “The Twilight Saga: A Classic Romance Too Mature for Teens,” Stephen Ross takes a fair and balanced look at the series. His review crescendos with this stinging statement: “The Twilight love saga, then, may be the ultimate female coming-of-age fantasy that our biblically illiterate culture can offer, and, as such, this captivating story evokes dangerlously false expectations in young women that no man could ever satisfy. In fact, given that female sexuality is quite naturally rational, far more so than young male sexuality, the comparison that comes to mind is that Twilight is to female sexuality what pornography is to male sexuality.”

WORLD’s review, written from a woman’s perspective, is no kinder. Read the rest of this entry »

I have much admiration for conservative columnist Cal Thomas. He recently posted an article titled “Apologies Just Tell Our Enemies We’re Weak.”

He makes some excellent points in regards to Secretary Hillary Clinton apologizing to Mexico for the demand of drugs in America. This apology is not constructive. Some could say she was grandstanding and just continuing the “company line” of blaming the former administration for everything that is wrong.

And Cal is right when he says “what good does it do? Unless she has a suggested policy to accompany her confession or apology, I fail to see how it lowers the level of violence in Mexico or reduces the demand for illegal drugs in the U.S.”

However, I will not agree with him when he says apologizing shows weakness. When someone is wrong, admit it. When there isn’t admittance, there is pride.

The Bible says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” This will cause more weakness than confession ever will.

In a recent speech on the floor of the US Senate, Senator Jim DeMint (R, SC) made a great, principle speech on why the GIVE Act (HR 1388). While there are many great, political reasons to oppose this boondoggle, one of the provisions of the bill that bothers me the most is this:

SEC. 1304. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES AND INELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS.
Section 125 (42 U.S.C. 12575) is amended to read as follows:
SEC. 125. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES AND INELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS.
(a) Prohibited Activities- A participant in an approved national service position under this subtitle may not engage in the following activities:
[SNIP!]
(7) Engaging in religious instruction, conducting worship services, providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship, constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship, maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or worship, or engaging in any form of religious proselytization.

The way I understand that is this: If, say, your son gets a federally subsidized student loan, he will be compelled to enter a period of public service. However (above and beyond Senator DeMint’s excellent case against government-mandated volunteerism), your son will not be able to choose as his service anything that might spring from his personal faith. Want to help out at your local denomination-sponsored boys’ home? Too bad. If the name of Jesus (or Jehovah, Allah, etc, to be fair) happens to be mentioned by the group you’d like to serve, they are enjoined from receiving any GIVE help. The message, then, is that you can help, but only if you’re humanistic or atheistic in whom you want to help. To force someone to “volunteer” is bad enough¹, but then to deny them their rights of free speech and exercise of religion is beyond the pale.

The government intrusion into private life and the erosion of personal rights continues apace, and the band plays on.

(h/t Michelle Malkin)

¹ The “volunteering” here is, indeed, forced. I can think of no other instance where one gets a loan and is forced to perform some sort of service. I certainly don’t pull weeds for my mortgage company.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way.”

-Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

Me: Though Dickens referred to the French Revolution, could this describe today’s cultural statement?

Peter Jones recently attended the National Pastors’ Conference, sponsored by Zondervan and Intervarsity Press. In a brief report filed at truthXchange, he describes what Michael Horton (whom he mentions in post) so aptly dubs “Christless Christianity¹.” The report is not a good one.

(Hat tip to Brandon Dutcher)

¹ Dr. Horton uses the term “Christless Christianity” to describe that “flavor” of Christianity that likes to talk about being nice to people, etc., but avoids discussion of Christ, who he was, why he came, why we need him, etc. It’s a nice, catchy phrase that embodies the rebirth of the Social Gospel, in which salvation through Christ has been all but completely removed (and in some cases, no longer “all but”) from any teachings and we focus on making people like us. Dr. Horton probably has a better description of his term, but that’s my take on it from what I’ve heard him say. Dr. Horton podcasts regularly at the White Horse Inn if you’d like to hear more.

There were many mornings in the 1980s when my mother would drive my brother and me to school. There were times when some sort of typical family bickering would break out, if for no other reason but that it was early in the morning, and all three of us preferred to be back in bed.

This also was the time when Lake Hefner Parkway was being developed. Traveling at least 20 miles to our private Christian school was an adventure at times, dealing with a constant changing route due to construction.

But no matter how much bickering or aggravation we experienced on those early mornings, when it became 7:30, the radio was turned on to KTOK, and the familiar voice would appear that seemed to calm us for the remainder of the trip. Read the rest of this entry »

“America needs a Manhattan Project for character. Children must be taught to tell the truth, that falsehoods have bad consequences. Children must know that honor, respect for others, integrity and fair play are indispensable to a happy life.”

- former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating, writing in a column in the Feb. 6, 2009, edition of The Oklahoman

Last year, I wrote a post about the priority of environmentalism from a Christian perspective (March 14). After reading Father Jonathan’s article “Limiting Couples to Just Two Kids is Not the Way to Save the Earth,” I have witnessed one of my greatest fears regarding the global warming issue.

Promoting abortion for the ridiculous notion that it would save the Earth is an absolute low. Father Jonathan’s article even presents Jonathon Porritt’s concept of making sure teenage mothers abort their children for the sake of the environment.

Please friends, let us pray this does not become the norm.

President-elect Barack Obama ignited a firestorm of controversy with some by allowing Rick Warren to voice a prayer during his inauguration. More controversial, I think, though certainly less-covered, is a similar selection of homosexual Episcopal priest Gene Robinson. Matt Barber, director of cultural affairs with Liberty Counsel and associate dean with Liberty University School of Law, discusses this selection in his short but poignant column, “Obama betrays Christian voters.” He makes a really good point, with some really good zingers (“After that comment, I wonder if he heard a rooster crow.”). It’s a short piece, so I’d encourage you to read it, and by all means, pray for our next president, and pray for Gene Robinson.

“In sum, while an alarming number of Western Christians suppose they can achieve physical and spiritual well-being through a form of yoga divorced from its Eastern worldview, the reality is that attempts to Christianize Hinduism only Hinduize Christianity.”

- Hank Hanegraff, adding to a carefully documented three-part series entitled, “The Yoga Boom, A Call for Christian Discernment.”

In a not quite accurately titled article (I would expect the top pro-abortion moment to be Obama’s election ; ), American Life League has an interesting, if not depressing, run down of some the more appalling quotes from pro-abortion advocates in 2008. You can see the whole list here, but I’d like to point one out in particular:

Comedian Doug Stanhope

These are not empty words. I, Doug Stanhope, am offering you, Bristol Palin, the sum of $25,000 so that you can abort your child and move out of that draconian home. I have also set up a PayPal link so that others around the world can help increase this amount to ease the burden of starting out on your own at such an early age.

While it’s a pretty despicable comment, what I find interesting is how he phrased things: “..abort your unborn child…” In making the statement, he seems to be implicitly accepting the pro-life stance that the unborn is indeed a human child, but still offers to pay to kill it. Pretty chilling.

For Christmas this year, I received not one but two copies of Do the Right Thing by Mike Huckabee — one from my mother-in-law and another from a friend.

The irony of this is I attempted to purchase the book for my mother, and it was sold out (though I noticed this particular popular bookstore was well stocked with multiple books on Obama, as well as many liberal authors).

Since I’m in the middle of reading four different books, I’m only on chapter four, but already I’m convinced this is one of the best books I have ever read, mostly because of one profound paragraph. Read the rest of this entry »

If we were able to somehow calibrate our time’s equivalent to a moral Dow Jones Industrial average, I wonder if 2008 would have fared any better than the financial markets. Indeed it was easier for me to recall many discouraging trends and headlines than encouraging, from a culturally conservative, Christian perspective.

Be that as it may, I have put together this list of the good and the bad. Perhaps as you make your New Year’s resolutions, you could ponder this question as well:

Concerning Trends

• The Shack was a runaway bestseller
• Yoga became more widely available–in churches at that
• Millions of pro-life Christians supported Barack Obama
• Emergent church spokesman, Rob Bell and Brian McLaren, became much more influential
• Numerous pro-life initiatives went down at the ballot box (in South Dakota and other key states)
• The so-called gospel of Judas gained headlines and caused confusion
• And perhaps most disturbing of all, Christianity Today published a movie review of Sex and the City (a fairly favorable one at that)

Encouraging Trends

• Millions of people worldwide accepted the Gospel, with key gains in China, Africa and other parts of the world.
• Rick Warren represented evangelical Christians well at a presidential forum at Saddleback Church.
• The Bible was the number one best selling book–yet again.
• The Chronicles of Narnia books and movie outdid The Golden Compass.

Finally, it was also amid the backdrop of 2008 that this very blog, Pilgrim’s Progress, was founded. We appreciate you reading our thoughts and offering yours. Here’s praying for a good 2009.

10. A Christmas Story (so many classic lines)

9. Frosty the Snowman (brings happiness even thinking about it)

8. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (lovin’ the song)

7. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the cartoon, not the Jim Carey)

6. Miracle on 34th Street (the black and white version, of course)

5. Ernest Saves Christmas (admit it, you like this one too)

Read the rest of this entry »

I just read a message from Mike Huckabee. I hope you will read it as well and will be encouraged.

In the past, I have referred to Father Jonathan’s news blog on Fox News website. He has posed another intriguing penning.

In his “Letter to a Frazzled America,” he asked readers to post responses to three questions. Read the rest of this entry »

I bought this for my wife for Christmas. Why ruin the surprise with this blog entry? Because we already opened her gift and watched it. (Does that make it “our” gift?)

We can’t decide if Prince Caspian is better than The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but they are both simply superb and are must-sees. The action in Caspian is slightly better, but it’s hard to beat the original’s storyline.

Here was my mini-movie review, published last May.

Note: About the title to this entry, I just got used to saying “available on DVD” instead of VHS, and now they invent Blu-ray to confuse this Luddite. Go figure.

OK, I know there are very few movies about this overlooked holiday, but if you and your family are looking for an informative and entertaining movie over the Thanksgiving break, you cannot do much better than The Mayflower Voyagers.

Then again, with A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is pretty classic, as well…

Update: ABC is showing both, as a back-to-back holiday special, at 7 p.m. (CST) this Tuesday, Nov. 25!

Having just finished the work, I estimate otherwise, and believe The Shack could more appropriately be called a pilgrims regression. Why do I say that?

First, while the work paints itself as fiction, it is clearly designed to contain teachings about the nature of God. And it is the author’s (mis)understanding about God—especially the Trinity—that presents the most problems. I do not think it spoils the plot to tell you that, amid a great tragedy, the protagonist meets the Father, Son and Holy Ghost in a remote shack, each of whom is a separate person. The Father (or “Papa” as He is called) manifests Himself as a large, African-American woman with somewhat lacking grammar. The Son, meanwhile, is presented as a sort of fuzzy teddy bear, and the Holy Ghost (also a woman) is nebulous and even apologizes at one point to “Mack,” the main character. There is also a dialogue in which the Holy Spirit is approvingly equated to the legendary American Indian’s Great Spirit.

Read the rest of this entry »

Over at Public Discourse: Ethics, Law, and the Common Good, Maggie Gallagher, President of the Institute for Marriage and Public Policy, and President of the National Organization for Marriage, has an excellent article titled, Marriage Matters: For Kids, for Parents, and for Religious Liberty.  If you are one of the ones wondering what the fuss is all about, this article should give you a very nice introduction to the issue, which goes well beyond “fairness.”  Some highlights:

• Marriage between a man and a woman is rooted in our nature–”in biology, not bigotry”–sex between men and women makes babies, society needs babies, and babies need a father as well as a mother. But the proponents of same-sex marriage want the government to declare in law that there is no difference between same-sex and opposite-sex unions, and anyone who thinks otherwise is promoting bigotry. This will have major ramifications for those who believe in marriage in the traditional sense–especially religious citizens and organizations.
• Equality, especially racial equality, trumps religious liberty in our constitutional scheme. Indeed just a few weeks after declaring that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right (because sexual orientation is a protected class just like race), the California Supreme Court explicitly affirmed that the government has the right and obligation to punish a Christian doctor who refused to perform the insemination procedure on a lesbian couple. Treating two women in a union any differently than a husband and wife is now the same as discriminating on the basis of race under California law–and it is a well-established principle of law that religious beliefs do not give an individual or an institution a right to violate norms of racial equality.
• Everyone acknowledged that a union of a black man to a white woman could be a marriage–which is why these unions had to be banned to maintain a racial classification system in the law. Calling same-sex unions ”marriages,” by contrast, requires the law to redefine the very meaning of the word, and to strip marriage as a public, legal status of its ancient, honorable, and distinctive relationship to responsible procreation.

You should read the whole article to see how this attempt at redefining marriage will affect you, your family and your church.  It won’t be pretty.

According to the online resource, Wikipedia, “Religulous is a 2008 American documentary film written by and starring political comedian Bill Maher and directed by Larry Charles. According to Maher, the title of the film is a portmanteau derived from the words ‘religion’ and ‘ridiculous,’ implying the satirical nature of the documentary that is meant to criticize the concept of religion and the problems it brings about.^“

There is no way I could, in good conscience, justify supporting this movie financially by seeing it. Therefore, there is no way to provide our readers a movie review. So instead I wish to point to the “Bible Answer Man’s” (Hank Hanegraff), who has something to say about this so-called documentary in this brief blog entry.

I was privileged to attend a round-table luncheon this week featuring one of my favorite Christian spokesman, Richard Land. If this name is new to you, I wish to unlock the treasure trove. Feel free to Google him, or start by reading this TIME magazine piece about “God’s lobbyist.”

Dr. Land conversed about the hottest topics, such as the upcoming elections and embryonic stem cell research. When I asked him what he thought William Wilberforce, one of his heroes as well as mine, would think are the most pressing issues of the day, he answered: “The pro-life question and the definition of marriage.” I quite agree.

In fact, there was really only one issue on which Dr. Land and I cannot agree. He, a Texan, wants the Longhorns to win in the Red River match this weekend. To that I say, “Go Sooners!”

Update: Richard Land’s public policy group, the Ethics & Religious Liberties Commission, has produced an impressive “party-platform” guide for 2008. Find out more here about this nonpartisan resource.

Who do you think would win in a fight between actors Richard Gere and Kirk Cameron? I tend to think Cameron, and I certainly hope his love story movie will prevail over Gere’s at the box office this weekend.

You see, each stars in a new movie, specifically a love story. While Gere has the promotional engine of Hollywood in his corner, Cameron has had the support of Evangelical churches, which gives him a fighting change.

One of the many glowing secular reviews of Gere’s says in “‘Nights in Rodanthe,’ based on another highly adaptable romance novel by Nicholas Sparks (“The Notebook”), we witness a couple of middle-age characters slowly getting a life after denying themselves one for many years.”

As best as I can tell, this is a story of two married adults seeing each other outside of the bonds of their own marriages. So here we apparently have yet another film begging the viewer to root for an inappropriate romance. Meanwhile, in the Dallas Morning News, Kirk Cameron talks about his role in Fireproof, that I previously reviewed. OK, I’ve admitted I’m rooting for Kirk. For whom will you root with your movie ticket dollars?

As you’ve likely heard by now, John McCain has chosen a running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.  You’ve also likely heard that she has several children, the youngest of which, Trig Palin, has Down’s Syndrome.  Have you heard, though, the new depths to which the main stream media (MSM) have gone to tear down Gov. Palin?  James Taranto has, and he’s not happy:

Fowler uses Palin’s motherhood to disparage her accomplishments, an obvious betrayal of the principle of women’s equality. And although proponents of permissive abortion laws nearly always claim to support not abortion but “a woman’s right to choose,” here we have three of them rebuking Palin for choosing not to abort her baby.

So a woman has the right to choose, as long as she chooses to abort her baby.  Their true colors finally shine.

I just heard about a new book on apologetics, When God Goes to Starbucks. Meanwhile, I am reading a rejoinder to Christopher Hitchens’ God Is Not Great. Written by Christian author Douglas Wilson, the book (which is more of a pamphlet) is called “God Is,” and offers a brief answer to each of Hitchens’ main points.

I bring these book titles up to say, in this age of so-called New Atheists and constant gratuitous broadsides to the historic Christian faith, apologetics appears to be more important than ever.

Next month, the greatest professor in Oklahoma (and the country for that matter) will be delivering five lectures on America’s Legacy of Freedom. “Internationally distinguished scholar and author, Dr. J. Rufus Fears, will present the series beginning Sept. 8.” Click here to read more.

I have heard it said that (in addition to reading the Bible), one should always be starting, in the middle-of, or finishing a good book.

Today, I began reading, Creating the Better Hour: Lessons from William Wilberfoce. The work–which is a collection of essays on the man–is so far superb. As a bonus, it contains a brief foreword from Pastor Rick Warren, who once again, did a stand-up job during the recent presidential forum.

Mosab Hassan Yousef is an Arab, and his father is one the most influential leaders in Hamas, yet Mosab Hassan Yousef has become a Believer.  All new Believers need the prayers of their brothers and sisters in Christ as they grow, but this man needs them more than most.  Read more about his remarkable embrace of the Christian faith here.

One of my favorite conservatives from one of my favorite, though least well-known, think tanks has an important piece this week. Ken Connor (formerly of the Family Research Council) and his Center for a Just Society have distributed, “How to Produce Real Change.” It begins:

“Change! It’s the mantra of the political season.  But what kind of change—from what to what?”

Connor then pulls lessons from one of the greatest reformers of all time, William Wilberforce. Click here to read the piece. You’ll be very glad you did.

Dear Readers,

You may already be aware that over the weekend, one of the greatest writers, thinkers and Christians–Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn–passed away. All the free world owes a great debt of gratitude to this man, whose abounding contributions brought freedom and honored God. Here is a sampling of his genius, a speech he delivered at Harvard University nearly 20 years ago.

Update: Chuck Colson here offers a must-read about this giant, “Jeremiah at Harvard: Three decades after Solzhenitsyn’s speech, where do we find ourselves?”

If you do not know to whom I refer, count yourself lucky. Mr. Tolle is the New Age spiritual rock star created by Oprah Winfrey who likes to quote Jesus. In an important piece, Christianity Today magazine explores the answer to the question I pose in the title of this post. Read it here.

NewsOK.com has a very important interview with the greatest professor in Oklahoma and the country, Dr. J. Rufus Fears. If you have heard Dr. Fears speak even once, then you are bound to click on the link here.

If you are not, please drop whatever you are doing and listen to him discuss the superb art exhibit on ancient Rome now in Oklahoma City. Wait for the end, when you will hear Dr. Fears reveal the most important legacy of the Roman Empire, which may surprise you.

In the past, I have referred to Father Jonathan who does a column on Fox News’ website. A couple of weeks ago he wrote a column that disappointed me, giving a theological perspective that is contrary to mine.

His latest, though, is a really good one. I encourage you to read it especially if the difficulties of life have you down. Check out his column ”Happiness on the Isle of Capri.” 

Last night, I had the unique privilege of taking my wife to a sneak preview of the movie, Fireproof. If you are familiar with the movie, Facing the Giants, you may have known about this forthcoming release. Here is my brief take on it.

What to like

Two words: Kirk Cameron. OK, I’ll admit: Left Behind: The Movie left a bad taste in my mouth, but he more than redeemed himself is his role as “Captain Caleb Holt,” a firefighter who struggles to keep alive the cooling embers of his marriage.

If I had to place the movie in a single genre, it is a love story. It is not, however, a so-called (and I really dislike this term) “chick flick,” like You’ve Got Mail. But unlike that, it can put wind in your sails if you are (or hope to be) married. Further, the movie had plenty of comic relief and some good, hearty masculine aggressiveness. The movie contains some tense scenes and some violence (which I think can be a good thing), which may make it not for children. Yet it did not have profanity or inappropriate content, which is a huge plus.

What critics won’t like

With the exception of Cameron, the actors in the movie are amateurs. It shows in only a few parts though, and all of the main actors were good. And that is point two: it is a movie in pursuit of goodness, not beauty. In other words, it was more like a good meal from Chick-Fil-A than a fine French restaurant. But that’s okay by me and it achieves the goals it sets out for itself. I mean, this film isn’t supposed to win an Oscar, it is supposed to help change lives and thus the culture. Finally, many will see the film as more of a sermon than a movie, and I will be the first to admit that it is a heavy-handed presentation of the Gospel. Of course, isn’t that our call as Evangelical Christians, to engage the culture and present Christ to all?

Overall

I give this movie two enthusiastic thumbs up, and I will be encouraging my Evangelical brethren (and neighbors) to see it come September 26. My movie date dubbed it “simply awesome,” and I would agree.

For more information or to see the trailer, visit the movie’s website.

Just last week, I heard a contrast made between being a “conservative” and a “progressive” (by the way, that’s the new term for liberal). A “conservative” was defined as someone who looks back, who holds on to things of the past, whereas a progressive is someone who looks forward to the future, ready to embrace new ideas, even new truths. Of course, carefully defining the words like this is a thinly veiled attempt in pejorative monikers by those on the left. That being said, there is some truth in the definitions. Read the rest of this entry »

If you follow Christian fiction at all, you’ve likely heard of The Shack, a novel by Oregon salesman William P. Young.  You might even have seen it on the shelf of a local Christian bookstore, as I did just last week.  The novel, which was written by Young to help explain all of the perceived contradictions between the existence of a good God and all the evil in the world, is a run away best seller.

While many view it as simply a work of fiction, since it discusses the very nature of God (specifically, the Trinity), it deserves a very careful and thoughtful analysis.  Is it a wonderful piece of writing, as Eugene Peterson and Michael W. Smith think it is, or is it a the heresy-ridden tome as Albert Mohler claims?  In this fairly short piece, Tim Challies, author of “The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment,” analyzes The Shack to see where the truth lies.

If you’ve read this book or know someone who has, you owe it to yourself to see what the fuss is about, as ideas have consequences, and truth matters.

On behalf of the Pilgrim’s Progress bloggers, I say: May you and your family have a very blessed Fourth of July. And may the Lord make us ever more grateful for the nation in which we live.

Check out the bad news from this AP story, which shows relativism is alive and kicking within the Church today. I just rue the near inevitable successor to it: the arrival of nihilism.

“America remains a nation of believers, but a new survey finds most Americans don’t feel their religion is the only way to eternal life — even if their faith tradition teaches otherwise.”

“The findings, released Monday in a survey of 35,000 adults, can either be taken as a positive sign of growing religious tolerance, or disturbing evidence that Americans dismiss or don’t know fundamental teachings of their own faiths.”

“Among the more startling numbers in the survey, conducted last year by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life: 57 percent of evangelical church attendees said they believe many religions can lead to eternal life, in conflict with traditional evangelical teaching.”

While I was at the annual SBC meeting in Indianapolis, I was pumped to discover my favorite Christian scholar, Timothy Paul Jones (an Okie, by the way), would be signing his latest book.

To tell you the truth, I wasn’t all that jazzed about Dr. Jones’ new book, but I bought one nonetheless. Boy, am I glad I did. In it, he twists so-called Christian skeptics into an intellectual pretzel, in his usual engaging style. The book is summarized here:

“So far, the twenty-first century has been rough on Jesus. Theories that have been swirling around for hundreds of years claiming to discredit His life have suddenly become hot again. None of these theories are completely new. In fact, the hundreds of books, movies, and other reconstructions simply recycle the “top ten” conspiracies. Timothy Paul Jones has researched them all and discovered there is no reason to fear these skeptical reconstructions of Jesus. When subjected to actual historical evidences, each conspiracy crumbles beneath the weight of its own overblown claims.”

It is a must-read, which I try not to say too often. Shortly after meeting Dr. Jones, I took advantage of the long afternoon break to see another Dr. Jones, the new Indiana Jones movie. Something about seeing it in Indiana made it better than it otherwise would have. I give it 3 stars (out of 4). Is it a must-see? Probably, though not nearly as much as Prince Caspian.

Fox News is one of several news outlets carrying an amazing story.  Fox’s story is titled “Stem Cell Treatment Credited for Helping Boy, 2, Regain His Sight.”  It’s a heart warming story about a 2 year old boy who was born with a rare disease that guaranteed to rob him of his sight.  His parents, though, paid $43K to fly to China for a medical procedure using stem cells that they hoped would fix his sight, and that it did.  As a father of two boys, of course, I was thrilled to see such a happy outcome, but the pro-lifer in me wanted to know what kind of stem cells were used, so I started digging.

The first link didn’t say, so clicked the link at the end of the story to read the original article written by the Fox affiliate in Orlando.  This article, too, lacked the all important detail for which I was searching, so I turned to Google News.  A search for the boy’s name (Tre Burgos) turned up four articles, some of which had questionable relevance.  The search did, though, turn up an article that brought an end to my short search.

The New Smyrna Beach Observer had an article on the boys plight,  but with much more detail, including the object of my quest.  Written prior to the Fox News articles above, the NSB Observer reports (emphasis added):

On Feb. 21, of 2008, Elioe [Tre's real name] will travel with his mother and father, to Bieke Biotech Treatment Center in Hangzhou, China and undergo 4-6 umbilical stem cell injections, which consist of 10-15 million cells per injection.

The miracle treatment, then, was not embryonic stem cells, but umbilical, or “adult” stem cells.  Now, you can call me paranoid if you want, but why is that the Fox News story doesn’t mention what kind of stem cell was used?  Could it be that by trumpeting the success of this stem cell treatment (and omitting the type of stem cells involved), someone hopes to sway the popular opinion with regard to any type of stem cell treatments (namely embryonic), thus removing the political and emotional barriers to emryo-destructive research in the future?  Nah, surely not.

My head is still shaking negatively. Scott McClellan has surrendered to the almighty dollar.

The former White House press secretary’s recent book release is a so-called ”tell all” about his time serving the Bush administration. I have no intentions of reading this book because I don’t see, in the long run, how it can benefit.

It will not change anybody’s mind about President Bush or going to war in Iraq. It won’t affect the upcoming election. The only thing it does is stir the water cooler and provide another media headline for the week.

McClellan will sell some books, but I believe there will be long-term damage for him. McClellan already was forgotten when the ever-impressive Tony Snow replaced him. Whatever smear this book reveals will cause McClellan to be considered a weasel more so than a patriot.

I remember a statement my pastor once said. “What I say about you says more about me than it does about you.”

Whatever truth McClellan believes he’s sharing in his book will not bode well for himself. I may be in the minority for now, but I believe history will look favorably on President George W. Bush. McClellan will only enjoy his riches for a brief season.

So I just saw The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, “a 2008 fantasy film based on Prince Caspian, the … published novel in C. S. Lewis’ children’s fantasy series.”

I give it four stars (out of four), and you could make a good case for it being better than the first movie. Having just read the book, it was obvious where the differences were. As a non-purist though, I was not annoyed and rather liked the adaption for the silver screen. The acting was superb, as the children were even better than in The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe. The action was intense, and the storyline beat the pants off any Harry Potter movie (not that I have seen all of them).

If you’re looking for a good movie to see this week, while the showings of Indiana Jones 4 are sold out, you owe it to yourself to see this one.

By any standard, Alexander Solzhenitsyn was one of the most important figures of the 20^th Century. His writings and Christlike example are remarkable.

To explain his rarity, Solzhenitsyn’s Thursday, June 8, 1978 Commencement Address at Harvard University gives us an example of one of the only good commencement addresses on record. Moreover, it provides one of the most thoughtful indictments of our western culture, which comes “ not from an adversary but a friend,” one who knew firsthand the tortures and evils of life in the communist Soviet Union.

“A decline in courage may be the most striking feature which an outside observer notices in the West in our days. The Western world has lost its civil courage, both as a whole and separately, in each country, each government, each political party, and, of course, in the United Nations. Such a decline in courage is particularly noticeable among the ruling groups and the intellectual elite, causing an impression of loss of courage by the entire society. Of course, there are many courageous individuals, but they have no determining influence on public life.”

Find the entire speech here.

One of my favorite think tanks, the Claremont Institute in California, has published two of the most important essays you can read concerning young men and women in American today.

‘Wimps and Barbarians: The Sons of Murphy Brown,’ follows the growing up of the fictional boy, “Avery, son of Murphy Brown,” and uses him as a springboard to warn against the two dangers for young men in America. You may recall, “Television’s Murphy Brown, played by Candice Bergen, was a successful news commentator who, after an unsuccessful relationship with a man that left her alone and pregnant, bore a son out of wedlock. The event, popular enough in its own right, became the center of political controversy when then Vice President Dan Quayle in a speech to the Commonwealth Club of California lamented that the show was ‘mocking the importance of a father.’”

The sister piece is entitled simply, ‘Heathers Compromise.’ It begins, “If we imagine that the decline of boys into wimps and barbarians has led inversely and categorically to the rise of girls, we would be gravely mistaken.”

Each piece does a superb job of showing what type of child, after years of rearing, you would not want to produce. Further, it points up the need for knowing what type of boy or girl you would like to raise, the golden mean between the extremes. In this writer’s case, that golden mean would be Christian Ladies and Gentlemen. That goal is easier said than done, but it is nice to at least have the goal.

Further suggested reading: ‘Dan Quayle Was Right‘ by Barbara Dafoe Whitehead.

There is little question in my mind that the 50s in America were a better time, in terms of social goodness and a thriving Christianity, than the decades following. A new piece in the superb journal, Touchstone Magazine, though, provides a provocative look back into that oft-lauded time and asks a few probing questions, such as:

“Are the 1950s in any way a useful model for American Christians of the twenty-first century? Would we like to go back? Would it be better, for instance, if the movie moguls returned to producing religious epics like The Ten Commandments, with their earnest depictions of the power of God? Would the renewal of prayers before football games in any way strengthen the fabric of public life?”

Their answer might surprise you. Read the feature here.

From an AP news story: “Conservative Christian leaders who believe the word ‘evangelical’ has lost its religious meaning plan to release a starkly self-critical document saying the movement has become too political and has diminished the Gospel through its approach to the culture wars.”

“The statement, called ‘An Evangelical Manifesto,’ condemns Christians on the right and left for ‘using faith’ to express political views without regard to the truth of the Bible, according to a draft of the document obtained Friday by The Associated Press.”

It looks like some heavy hitters have signed the document, such as Os Guiness and Rick Warren.

Update: Al Mohler has an important analysis of the manifesto. Also, I discovered that one of my favorite Christian thinkers of our day–and one of the most underrated–Timothy George, has signed the manifesto.

Out of a deep sense of duty to our readers, we went to see the new documentary, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. The film, starring Ben Stein, is definitely worth seeing, and has something to say. Unlike the Al Gore documentary, it has not won critical acclaim and will likely not have the staying power of the former Vice President’s green movie. It could, however, outdo Michael Moore’s so-called art.

‘Expelled’ tells the story of Stein’s exploration of why those in the scientific community have been banished when even suggesting the consideration of intelligent design as a reasonable alternative to teaching the evolution theory.

Throughout the film, Stein makes the analogy of the evolutionary theory being a contributor to the rise of the Nazi Holocaust, communism, atheism and Planned Parenthood.

References of the Holocaust are depicted with some graphic scenes. The horrific eugenic experiments that Nazi scientists performed on disabled people also are mentioned in the film.

The movie’s culmination centers on Stein’s interview with Richard Dawkins, one of today’s prominent scientists who promotes the scientific theory of evolution. There’s quite a dramatic build-up to the interview where Stein gets Dawkins to admit there could be a possibility of intelligent design. However, Dawkins refuses to believe in the popular intelligent designer.

Stein is his typical self. His dusty dry sense of humor is splattered throughout the film. If you appreciate his character in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, you will enjoy ‘Expelled.’ And you will experience Stein’s passion of seeking truth, which we hope you share.

Do you recall ever hearing about Richard Niebuhr’s classic, Christ and Culture? It
outlines the five prevalent ways Christians have interacted with culture:

• Christ against Culture
• Christ of Culture
• Christ above Culture
• Christ and Culture in Paradox
• Christ Transforming Culture.

I am pumped to see The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, “a 2008 fantasy film based on Prince Caspian, the second published novel in C. S. Lewis’ children’s fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia.”

This promises to be a good example of how (Christian) works can attempt to transform culture, not merely oppose the bad already out there.

It appears that the “art” project mentioned yesterday was just a hoax:

The story about Aliza Shvarts’ project, published Thursday in the Yale Daily News, swept across blogs and media outlets — including the Drudge Report, Fox News and The Washington Post — before Yale issued a statement saying it investigated and found it all to be a hoax that was Shvarts’ idea of elaborate “performance art.”

All sides seem to agree, though, that it was in very poor taste.  I’ve never been happier to report that I was wrong. :)

In perhaps the most shocking display of the depths to which “art” will go, Yale senior art major Aliza Shvarts, with her new multiple-abortion exhibit, hopes to create a “conversation and debate on the relationship between art and the human body:”

Beginning next Tuesday, Shvarts will be displaying her senior art project, a documentation of a nine-month process during which she artificially inseminated herself “as often as possible” while periodically taking abortifacient drugs to induce miscarriages. Her exhibition will feature video recordings of these forced miscarriages as well as preserved collections of the blood from the process.

You can read more about this disgusting display of depravity here.

UPDATE: Steve Wagner of Stand to Reason has a nice round up of the current state of this ghastly affair.

In a recent resolution passed by the Student Government Association of Oklahoma Baptist University, the SGA inserted itself into a volatile conversation, that concerning recent comments made by State Representative Sally Kern concerning homosexuality and Islam. Setting aside the ramifications of said issues with regard to national security and stability — a debate, perhaps, for another entry — as well as the appropriateness of a “legislative” body addressing issues outside its charter, I would like to address some very disturbing assertions by the SGA. Read the rest of this entry »

For many Americans, divorce is the easy way out. If your marriage is hard, just end it and move on. Often missed in the shuffle of pushing the Easy Button is the long term tolls divorce takes on both partners, and especially on any kids that may be involved. While these issues are well known, if not often ignored, a recent study shows an interesting data point: an immense financial burden on the public. A recent report shows that divorce and out-of-wedlock child birth has cost the American taxpayers $112B. That’s with billion with a “B”. Perhaps this will drive lawmakers to take marriage (and Dan Quayle) more seriously. Family deterioration is something they like to give lip service to, but no real action, but massive amounts of money they can no longer spend on pointless bridges and monuments usually gets their attention.

Last night, as I drove back from my parents’ house after our Easter celebration, I had a lot of time to think, as any late night drive with two young children is wont to offer. As we drove, we passed by a billboard, and it got me to thinking about a funny story (in an oh-my-goodness sort of way) a couple of friends of ours once told my wife and me. It had to with P.F. Chang’s, their son, and some unexpectedly hot noodles. Read the rest of this entry »

The Learning Channel is currently running the third season of Jon & Kate Plus 8. I have recently been introduced to this reality show, but I am quite fascinated with the group dynamics of this young couple and their family of twins and sextuplets.

It’s an interesting experience in my house on Monday nights now. My wife and I have been married for 10 months, and it seems like she and I each carry an opposite gene.

I want to watch Jon & Kate, and she prefers to watch CSI:Miami. How odd is it that the husband is interested in a reality show about a couple with a bunch of kids and the wife prefers to watch a crime show? Fortunately, both shows don’t come on at the same time, so I have my preference at 8 p.m., and she gets to watch Horatio speak his overdramatic lines at 9 p.m.

So what is it about this show that appeals to me?

It could be that as an inexperienced husband I find it educational to watch another couple whose lives are on display to the world, observing how they relate to each other, how they fight yet work out situations.

It could be that I like making my wife paranoid with the thought I could actually consider wanting a set of multiple kids and will have us rush out to meet with a fertility doctor. Fear not, though. Jon & Kate have no bearing on when we decide to have children.

What I do find appealing about the show is some of the things TLC does not emphasize. Jon and Kate Gosselin are committed Christians, and they do have pro-life convictions.

When discovering Kate was pregnant with six, her doctor attempted to provide comfort with the suggestion of reduction. Kate emphatically said on the show that her response was “we will NOT discuss reduction.” That sound byte was a major selling point for me.

I found the Gosselins’ website, and reading their story was priceless.

“I have learned that I am not at all in control of my own life—God is,” Kate writes. ”He owns every facet of my very being! What great relief to know that all that stress does not have to sit on my shoulders anymore! I give it to God and he takes care of it for me! I have learned to be grateful for everything I have.”

Of all the multitude of reality shows that have been aired and are currently airing, I don’t know if there ever could be one with a greater impact of planting seeds of the gospel as well as providing a positive pro-life message than Jon & Kate Plus 8.  

Recently, a proclamation was made by leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention regarding the issue of the environment and climate change.

I haven’t come to a definite conclusion on what to make of this. I did notice BGCO executive director/treasurer Dr. Anthony Jordan was listed among the signatories of the declaration.

Christians should be good stewards of the land and not hold a reputation of being irresponsible with natural resources. I have no difficulty in recycling and having a “green-friendly” approach to living.

I also believe that Christians should have the proper perspective of living obediently and remembering God alone is responsible for providing all things for us to enjoy (I Tim. 6:17) and His plans cannot be thwarted (Job 42:2), even by an interpreted climate change.

Father Jonathan has a regular column on the Fox News website. Of course, he and I will differ on certain theological issues, but he regularly gives a perspective that will cause me to ponder.

He gave his commentary on the SBC leaders’ environment proclamation, and there’s a passage that provoked my usual pondering.

“I think we can learn a great deal from this environmental debate,” he said. ”Being ‘green’ is the newest semi-spiritual movement to sweep American culture. Part of its success can be attributed to the hollow and thirsty hearts of millions of Americans who long for spirituality and want to take part in the adventure of doing good for others, but who are fed-up with what they consider harsh and senseless demands of religion and its hypocritical leaders. They have found in environmental activism a moral cause.”

He is correct. There are many “hollow and thirsty hearts” in our country. However, I do question what he means by “harsh and senseless demands.” If such demands are biblical, then it doesn’t matter if someone interprets them as harsh, and they certainly wouldn’t be senseless.

But here’s what I can appreciate from both the SBC leaders and Father Jonathan. The sanctity of life is a greater cause.

“Any policy that puts the defense of the earth above the interests of human life is unacceptable,” the priest said.

“We are proud of our deep and lasting commitments to moral issues like the sanctity of human life and biblical definitions of marriage. We will never compromise our convictions nor attenuate our advocacy on these matters, which constitute the most pressing moral issues of our day,” the SBC proclamation states.

The concern of raising the banner of environmental issues is holding it higher than what the Bible emphasizes. Let’s pray it will never fly above the pro-life standard.

Are you familiar with the Internet content filter, BSafe? If not, you should check it out, as it’s the best, Jerry, the best.

However, I was disappointed to discover that the filter blocks our blog, and plan to plead our case to the forces that be. That aside, I am a huge proponent of putting a filter on every computer, be it BSafe or another software.

In this dark age, we Christians must go out of our way to protect our children, our marriages, and our God-given purity. And if that means missing a few worthy blogs, so be it. After all, what profit it a man to gain the whole World Wide Web and lose his soul?

Update: Shortly after my post was published, the BSafe people contacted me and indicated that the reason our site was blocked is because it fell under the “Free Host” category, which are notoriously salacious and difficult to monitor. They agreed, however, to change our status to “Opinion” and therefore allow BSafe subscribers to read this blog. Just when I thought my estimation of their company could not go any higher, they do this.