Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. BCP Read more

Paula White on Donald Trump: “If he suddenly came out all religious, that would seem staged to me,” said White, who has known Trump for 14 years. “Donald has never been public about his faith, and when he has tried, it has been futile. It’s not his language, but that doesn’t mean it’s not his heart.” Jesus: Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them.  “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of... Read more

THE END OF PROTESTANTISM By David George Moore. Dave blogs at www.twocities.org and his videos can be seen at www.mooreengaging.com. Jesus made it clear that unity among all Christians was His will. Many of us feel this is a nice sentiment, but not realistic to expect in our present world…at least not in the full sense Jesus spoke of. Striving for greater unity is a Christian duty to be sure, but it seems we must maintain proper expectations. Remember, we... Read more

Dear Whitey, we’re still playin’! My friend at Brentwood Baptist, Mike Glenn, proposes his theory about nones and dones: After a long discussion about the “Nones,” researchers have discovered another category of people leaving the church—the “Dones.” While the Nones are those who claim no religious faith at all, the Dones are those who still claim faith in Christ, but are no longer engaged in the life of local church. They’re DONE. The Dones tell researchers they’re just done with... Read more

Anthony Rizzo, Cubs first baseman, has character and this incident reveals the man for who he is. By Shannan Younger: Even if you aren’t a baseball fan, Chicago Cubs’ first baseman Anthony Rizzo’s apology to an umpire last night is worth paying attention to and sharing with your tweens and teens. The Cubs are battling the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, and the winner heads to the World Series. In last night’s game, Rizzo apologized to home plate... Read more

By John Frye When ministry becomes a job, the pastor/preacher skates on thin ice. Too many pastors lose their souls in the tedious, seemingly endless demands of their calling. Disillusionment is a dark set of lens that distorts life, filtering out all the color. I recall times when I longed for an eight to five job in which I could clock out at five and forget the work for an extended range of blessed hours. Few pastors receive the wisdom... Read more

I have been a reader, appreciator and fan of Larry Hurtado for a long long time and one of my earliest books — A Light among the Gentiles — got published by Fortress because Larry spoke enough on my behalf to John Hollar. My favorite of his book is the mammoth Lord Jesus Christ but his newest book, Destroyer of the gods — well, it might just take his reputation to a new level. Destroyer of the gods is in the running for Jesus... Read more

Neuroscience and psychology are fast developing fields with a proliferation of sub-disciplines and degrees offered. Our scientific understanding of what it means to be human is undergoing rapid evolution. In many respects this is the battle front in any active war between science and religion. Once upon a time the front involved the form of the earth – for example, Augustine considered it plausible that “the earth is suspended within the concavity of the heavens” although he also appeared to... Read more

Increasingly theology is taking a narrative turn, a shift as perceptible as it is transformative, and its key notes are not abstracted ideas (God, man, Christ, sin, salvation, ecclesiology, eschatology) but the narrative itself. A number of scholars have pointed the way and carved some paths, including Craig Bartholomew, N.T. Wright and John Nugent. One of the impacts of a narratival/storied approach to theology is what it looks like in practice so Part Three of Nugent’s Endangered Gospel concerns “A Better Place... Read more