Do You Know the Parent of an LGBT Kid?

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:50 pm By Tony Jones

If so, my good friend Andy Marin needs your help: Over the years The Marin Foundation has received numerous requests for help, guidance, and advice from the parents and families of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and questioning children. Many of these parents identify as Christian and are struggling to reconcile their faith and the sexuality of their child. Although many resources exist for the parents and families of LGBT children, few of these resources offer a framework for exploring... Read more

Growing Up in the 70s: Cipher in the Snow

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:50 pm By Tony Jones

My friend Jim and I are going to see Rush in concert in September. That’s been a lifelong dream of mine (yes, I’m a man of big dreams). In tribute to all the wonderful aspects of coming of age in the 1970s and 80s, I’m going to run an occasional series on some of the cultural touchstones for those of us who are proudly GenX. First, a movie that was shown every year in my elementary school. It’s called Cipher... Read more

Has Zondervan Jumped the Shark?

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:50 pm By Tony Jones

I’ve got a few books with Zondervan, so I’ve got some skin in this game. Also, I’ll admit that every publisher has books in their catalog of which they’re embarrassed (here’s one from my current employer). But this one from Zondervan speaks for itself: Playful Puppies Bible Release Date: 07/02/2012 – Price: $24.99 Synopsis: If you love dogs and puppies, you’ll love the Playful Puppies Bible! Inside this compact Bible you will find 12 color pages of adorable puppy photos with inspirational... Read more

My Black Brother, Part Two

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:50 pm By Tony Jones

A while back, I wrote about Cavonte Johnson, who was taken in by my parents a few years ago. Today, Cavonte will give the speech at his high school commencement, graduating with honors from Edina High School. He’s also been awarded the Gates Millennium Scholarship and several other scholarships, meaning that his education will be fully funded all the way through a Ph.D., should he choose to pursue one. Over the weekend, the StarTribune published a wonderful article on Cavonte... Read more

Evangelicals Can’t Be Peaceful

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:50 pm By Tony Jones

To the younger evangelicals like Jonathan Merritt and Rachel Held Evans, who are begging their fellow evangelicals to disengage from the culture wars so as to not lose the the younger generation, Mark Tooley* has a message: Forget it. Evangelicalism, he notes, was birthed in conflict, and thrives on conflict. Conflict is, as it were, the gas in the engine that drives the evangelical car down the road: Evangelical Left icon Jim Wallis, who often appeals to young evangelicals with... Read more

A Better Atonement: Free Today!

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:50 pm By Tony Jones

For today only, I’m running a Just Because Sale on my book, A Better Atonement: Beyond the Depraved Doctrine of Original Sin. In fact, it’s not just on sale — it’s free! It’s only available for the Kindle — but even if you don’t own a Kindle, you can read Kindle books on just about any device. Go here to download the Kindle software for your device. And stay tuned, because I’m going to release a revised and updated version... Read more

There Are No Thin Places

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:50 pm By Tony Jones

Thin Places – Chapter 2: Submerging from The House Studio on Vimeo. So, I said something at a conference a few weeks ago, and Steve Knight captured it in his notes and blogged about it. For years, I’ve been talking about the fallacy of the “sacred-secular” divide. It’s made up. It doesn’t actually exist. I say this because God is ever-present, everywhere. God isn’t more some places and less in other places. God is, in the classic sense, omnipresent. Now,... Read more

Bringing Minnesota and Texas Together

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:50 pm By Tony Jones

As you may recall, the marriage of Tony and Courtney united the two states on either end of I-35. To commemorate that, Courtney made a pillow that symbolizes that union. If you ever visit our house, you will betray your allegiances. Read more

How Do You Get Rid of a Bishop?

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:50 pm By Tony Jones

Well, it seems that the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church decided to “involuntarily retire” their bishop, Earl Bledsoe. The problem is, Bledsoe has decided not to go. Now they’ve got a kerfuffle on their hands. PLANO, TEXAS – Bishop Earl Bledsoe announced last Friday that he was retiring voluntarily, but late Tuesday afternoon reversed the decision in dramatic fashion, telling members of the North Texas Conference that he was being pushed out and had decided not to... Read more

What’s at Stake in the Doctrine of Creation

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:50 pm By Tony Jones

A week from now, I’ll be canoeing through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness with ten Fuller DMin students, Brian McLaren, Courtney, and a couple guides from Boundary Waters Experience. Our conversations will center on Christian Spirituality and the Doctrine of Creation. I’ve been doing a lot of reading and thinking about the doctrine of creation in preparation, and I’ve come to the conclusion that the doctrine of creation is like an onion: you peel away one layer, and you... Read more