It’s a cathartic experience, really. Fear, exhiliration, anticipation, dread all mixed up into one neat little ball, sitting in my stomach as I approach the mother of four. “Excuse, me Ma’am, could I give you some information about the church I attend?” Such a simple question. Seemingly harmless. And yet in this college town, the mention of church, particularly when coupled with “Baptist,” sets off bells loud enough to wake neighbors in this woman’s mind. Tersely, hurriedly, almost fearfully, she... Read more

For young Americans interested in social issues, this in perhaps the defining moment of our lives. Everyone knows the effects of Roe v. Wade; we live with them like we do a disease inside us, its poison simultaneously killing us and rendering us helpless in its wake. Over thirty years passed, and millions upon millions of babies killed. The statistics, as statistics always do, leave us unmoved, after awhile. Who really can picture 40 million babies dead? And when you’ve... Read more

The last few blogs have gone long; I hope you’ve found them helpful. Deep issues require deep thinking. This one, however, is neither deep nor long. It’s just to tell my readership, all four of you, that I won’t be able to post pictures for awhile. The computer I’m now using simply won’t allow it. So, in a small drama representing the greater battle of the ages between man and computer, I’m not posting pics. Enjoy this new text-driven portion... Read more

Why do Christians place anyone in peril by outrightly rejecting rap? That might seem a bit alarmist, and it is (the whole preceding post is written under the influence of a heavy dose of glibness, so please note that; the whole matter is humorous to me, cause we evangelicals can make a huge deal of small things). That concession aside, any time Christians write off a whole category of anything, they threaten to rob themselves and their charges of material... Read more

Contrary to what your average middle-aged classical music listener may wish, rap music is here for good. It rose up in the 80s as a mode of expressing urban anger and passion, migrated to the suburban middle class in the 90s, and now dominates the pop charts. Signifying its broad-based appeal, rappers collaborate with everyone these days. You’ve got rap with rock; rap with country; rap with ska; rap with blues; rap with Vegas lounge (just kidding on that one).... Read more

Position Two: Cautious But Active EngagementStrengths: 1) The congregation gains a judicious understanding from the man they trust to lead them of ways in which to politically engage. This has potentially great ramifications, particularly in contemporary days, when every cultural inch won or lost can significantly impact life for Christians. (Hate-speech laws today, no evangelizing tomorrow, and the like). The average church member, who does not know The Weekly Standard exists and never will, nonetheless knows how to vote on... Read more

Having just laid out two contrasting models for local church involvement in politics, let’s proceed to an ever-so-brief critique of each, assessing their strengths and weaknesses. We’re using everyone’s favorite intellectual 2×4 here, the generalization, but only of necessity. Position One: Limited InvolvementStrengths: 1) This model helps to avoid embittering Christians over the non-essentials. Sure, one might prefer one’s fellow member believe thus-and-so on economic policy or support enviromental causes more (or less), but at the end of the day,... Read more

Several recent experiences have brought to mind the classic debate: how is the church as an entity to be involved in politics? Much has been said, much more has been thought over, and little consensus has been formed. I’m not guessing this particular blog is the answer to all that, but let’s go through two of the main positions on the issue and mull them over. Position One: Limited InvolvementRight off the bat, let me say that we’re into heavy... Read more

Can you believe how good this movie–and its soundtrack–are? With Gladiator and LOTR, this one contends for most inspiring film ever made. The cinematography is breathtaking. The writing is crisp and stirring. Mel Gibson’s character leads the viewer on the emotional rollercoaster the story provides. He captures well the rapture of first love, the horror of the death of a loved one, the ruthlessness of vengeance, the power of a motivating principle. Watching this movie, you can’t help but wish... Read more

Was interested a few days back that the Supreme Court struck down Morpheus, a popular file-sharing program. I’ve been mystified since the days Napster first nipped at the industry’s ankles over the response of conscionable Christians to file-sharing. Many did so with impugnity, often arguing from the viewpoint that since no rules explicitly forbade the practice, it was acceptable. Being an amateur artist myself, I struggled to understand the logic behind this argument. In non-sanctioned transfers, one simply takes what... Read more