I should recognize up front that I can hardly be considered a neutral party with respect to the Blue Like Jazz movie. First, I got to see a screening of a rough cut a few months ago, and then sit in on a podcast interview with Steve Taylor, the film’s director. I also got to meet Taylor, Don Miller and Marshall Allman at a screening in Colorado Springs, and I was invited with my wife, Amy, to write up the... Read more
Amy and were asked to write a short study guide to accompany the upcoming Blue Like Jazz movie. The e-book will be distributed to anyone who wants a copy for free. We’re excited and honored to be a part of this, and it’s my hope that the e-book will help individuals and small groups who see the movie to go a little deeper with it and come away with something meaningful. Click on the book cover below to check out... Read more
It’s not that often that anyone accuses Geraldo Rivera of being a reporter. More often than not, he’s good for audacious soundbytes and a campy mug at the camera while sporting his trademark “look at me” mustache. He’s more circus performer than analyst, but in as much, he’s a sign (or symptom) of the state of “news” in today’s media. Opinion journalism is one thing. I do it all the time. There’s a time and place for opinion. But there’s... Read more
I’ve written a couple of pieces lately that have gotten a lot of attention about why younger people tend to walk away from church. If you haven’t seen them yet, here are the links: Seven Reasons Why Young Adults Quit Church Four More (BIG) Reasons Why Young Adults Quit Church It was suggested that I might also post a piece about why young adults come back to church. Though I can’t say for sure why ALL young adults in church... Read more
I was interviewed recently on the Open House radio show, a weekly program with Leigh Hatcher that syndicates across Australia, about my articles on why young adults leave church. Why Young Adults Leave Church (Open House Radio Interview 3-2012) Read more
You’d think I’d eventually run out of material for this weekly series I’ve been doing. Fortunately for me, there is no apparent end to the phenomenon that is the bad church sign. Church sign epic fails, part four Church sign epic fails, part three More church sign epic fails Church sign epic fails Read more
I was interviewed for a radio show recently called State of Belief that airs on stations around the Midwest about my recent article, “Rick Santorum, Champion of the Secular Left.” I’ll admit I was a little nervous when a religious radio show from the Beltway wanted to talk to me about my understanding of church and state, and about Rick Santorum’s role in that debate. But it actually ended up being really interesting. Here’s what they posted on their website... Read more
Emmanuel shows up on our front porch about once a week. His name means “God with us,” but if there’s anyone on the planet who appears to have been forgotten by the Divine, It’s him. He stands at about 5’4″ and has maybe a handful of teeth left. when he speaks, I catch about half of what he says, but there’s a childish innocence in his eyes that betrays the years of hard living he has endured since then. Sometimes... Read more
Following is taken from Banned Questions About Jesus. Galatians 3:22: Is it the faith of Jesus or faith in Jesus that’s the key? Amy Reeder Worley: It is both the faith of and in Jesus that lead to salvation, which is another word for “liberation.” Jesus’ faith in God was absolute. He lived in complete service to God. Jesus prayed: at Gethsemane (Matt 26:36), after healing Simon’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:35), before he was baptized (Luke 3:21); when the disciples asked... Read more
It’s no surprise that some Christians and the organizations they represent are less than enthused about the forthcoming Blue Like Jazz movie. But Steve Taylor, the film’s director, claimed today on Donald Miller’s Blog that certain prominent Christian filmmakers “issued what amounts to a fatwa against Blue Like Jazz.” One of the concerns involves a movie being released this month called October Baby, which is being distributed by Provident Films. Taylor received word that Provident had ordered exhibitors not to... Read more
Christian Piatt
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