Movies have a transformative power that’s perhaps unmatched by any other medium. But can movies actually be religious experiences? That’s what Josh Larsen eloquently makes the case for in his thought-provoking new book, “Movies Are Prayers.” Recently, Larsen answered a few questions about faith, film and his new book How do you think movies challenge our typical ideas about prayer? I like to think that the movies can work alongside our typical ideas of prayer. I know what it means... Read more
Tom Muzzio’s story is one that rings all too familiar in the nonreligious community. But it is still one worth telling. Born into a post-WWII era modernist home, Muzzio was captivated by the Jesus Movement of the 60s and 70s in college and converted to a fundamentalist strand of evangelical Christianity. His spiritual journey led him to become an evangelical minister and missionary. But something changed in the 1980s. As the Religious Right rose to prominence and brought it’s political... Read more
Scripture instructs us in Psalm 127:3 that Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward for Him.” As parents, it is our obligation to teach our children to follow Christ and to call Him “Lord.” This is where books geared towards children can be a vital tool in this journey. Sheila Walsh’s “The Bible is My Best Friend” initially appears to be a contender for my child. But there is a hesitation as the stories and illustrations... Read more
Whatever the current state of organized religion, most Americans still believe in angels—a full 72 percent, in fact, according to a 2016 Gallup poll. And it’s no wonder. Numerous are the tales of those who have been miraculously rescued from impossible situations, only to speak of mysterious strangers or indescribable beings afterward. These stories inspire us to believe that there might just be something out there that we don’t yet understand, and that it’s looking out for us. Over two... Read more
What does it mean to truly love someone? Is it possible to still love someone — even if they don’t remember who you are? These are the tough questions that Keeping Love Alive As Memories Fade addresses. Most couples will experience great challenges, changes, joys and regrets throughout their lives together. Till death do us part, right? But what’s often not anticipated is the unthinkable: Alzheimer’s. Perhaps there’s nothing out there that can shake a marriage (or familial relationship) more... Read more
Is it more important to be happy or comfortable? Is comfort and happiness the same thing? Comfort feels good. On the surface, comfort might seem like a good place to be. Many of us worked hard and sacrificed a lot to get there. But when we stop reaching and growing in life–can comfort actually be a bad thing? Comfort sometimes will masquerade as happiness. Once you’ve attained comfort–then what? We focus too much on keeping what’s making us comfortable–more money,... Read more
It’s been said that you can never really know someone completely. But perhaps the person that is the most difficult to get to know is the one that’s closest to us: Ourselves. Although our experiences and chemistry have collectively shaped each one of us into the people we are, this does not mean that we necessarily know who we really are and how we relate to the world around us. Most of us react to the days events in an... Read more
A symbol can sometimes convey an idea better than a thousand words of explication. This is what Pastor Rob Fuquay does when he uses the image of racing flags to discuss different aspects of Christian faith in his book, “Take the Flag: Following God’s Signals in the Race of Your Life.” Sometimes, language gets in the way of faith. The unique speech used within the Christian Church—often called “Christianese”—can be confusing for those new to the faith. Phrases like “backsliding,”... Read more
Life is abuzz with media input and our fast-paced lives are making us spin. Stepping on the accelerator in life is common for most of us, but where are we really going? More importantly, what is God really speaking to us? God communicates with us daily, if we can shut down the roar of our thoughts and just pay attention. Author and Reverend Rob Fuquay maintains that the flags used to communicate to drivers in racing can be applied to... Read more
By Jake Raabe Children’s Bibles are a difficult sub-genre for publishers to work with. The nature of religious beliefs- or any beliefs about the way the world works, for that matter- are such that parents will invariably impart them on their children from a young age, whether through example or direct conversation about them. And yet, as with many religious texts, the Bible was not written with children in mind. Publishers of religious material for children, particularly Bibles, must carefully... Read more
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