Yesterday NASA made the announcement that they finally discovered something many have pondered: the existence of an Earth-like planet. The above illustration shows Kepler 452b, a planet somewhat larger than Earth but within the habitable zone of its star. Its year is almost identical to that of our own planet, and the amount of energy received from its sun is near identical as well– meaning if there’s life out there similar to our own, this is the kind of place where it’s... Read more
Culture has a tendency to quietly whisper in our ear that independence is a beautiful thing– but we were made for so much more than being independent. We value the concept of being self-made, culture tells us that we must be primarily true to ourselves, and having an independent personality is generally seen as a strength. Culture tells us these things…but the message of Jesus does not. With the powerful waters of culture surrounding us from the moment of birth, we unintentionally end... Read more
While the word “Christianity” ought refer to a single religion, the reality is that many cultures have succumbed to a process of syncretism where there are actually many, many forms of Christianity that look nothing like the original picture on the outside of the box. Pointing this out is painful for many, as it often pulls the rug out from some of our deeply held beliefs– things we thought were Christian beliefs and values, but ultimately turn out to be just cultural... Read more
In recent months Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, has been in a downward spiral that continually seems to generate a lot of buzz around the internet. The progressively intolerant rhetoric recently cumulated with his call to ban the immigration of all Muslims to the United States– even though US wars and policy supported by Graham have left the Middle East in shambles and resulted in countless Muslims needing to be granted refugee status away from their homeland. Graham’s downward spiral has... Read more
If I were a betting man, I’d bet that this week your social newsfeeds has been full of stories regarding the now infamous Planned Parenthood video. While there have been plenty of articles dissecting and critiquing the video on both sides (each with valid points), in the end, it was still disturbing for me. I am pro-life. I have always been pro-life. I will always be pro-life. I am also a progressive who has been quite public in my critique of... Read more
This weekend activist Bree Newsome (along with co-conspirator in doing good, Jimmy James Tyson) made an unannounced appearance at a gathering of Progressive Christians called the Wild Goose Festival, which is held annually in Hot Springs, North Carolina. Just days after my own niece rode her bike in an Independence Day parade with a golf cart decked out in a Confederate flag riding behind her (a violent symbol that stood for the enslavement of her ancestors regardless of how some... Read more
The other day I was eating dinner with my wife in a restaurant located in Gallup New Mexico, a border town to the Navajo reservation. Gallup was recently named “Most Patriotic Small Town in America” in a nationwide contest. Soon after sitting down I noticed that we were seated at a table directly facing a framed poster of the Declaration of Independence. The irony almost made me laugh. When our server, who was also native, came to the table, I... Read more
A reader recently asked how we- the people of Jesus- ought to approach the celebration of America’s independence on the 4th of July. This is an excellent question, so I decided to answer it here on the blog publicly instead of in a private message. First, it is important to remember our calling as the people of Jesus. Scripture tells us that we are not citizens of this world but that we are citizens of God’s other-worldly Kingdom, and that... Read more
Moments ago the US Supreme Court announced that marriage equality is now the law of the land. As our LGBTQ brothers and sisters celebrate civil equality under the law, undoubtedly there will be many conservative brothers and sisters who will warn of God’s pending judgment against the United States. It’s obviously been a common trend over the years- this idea that tornadoes aren’t caused by a collision of unstable air during a thunderstorm but by the legality of same sex marriage... Read more
In the wake of the racist massacre in South Carolina, many in Americanized Christianity are calling on churches and pastors to begin arming themselves with guns. An NRA board member is blaming one of the victims instead of the shooter, stating that this wouldn’t have happened had he voted differently on concealed carry laws. And then of course we have Fox News promoting the idea that churches need to begin arming themselves. It’s not a new discussion, and sadly won’t be... Read more
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