Category Archives: Uncategorized

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Why Christians favor small government

In a recent article in the Washington Post, Professor of Philosophy John Mark Reynolds offers some balanced and thoughtful reasons why Christians favor small government.

“….We reject the utopian delusions of no state and of an omni-competent state. American Christians reject any king, but King Jesus. We reject any theocracy before King Jesus returns, because humans would have to run it. We long for justice tempered with mercy and we will vote for the man or woman who will give us a government small enough to allow liberty, but big enough to preserve it.”

Read the rest here.
Other resources on Christians engaging the public square in the arena of politics, click here.
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Courageous the Movie Opens Tonight – Honor Begins at Home

Here is a great opportunity for our culture to talk about what it means to step up to manhood and fatherhood. Opening weekend matters a lot when it comes to movies. If you can go see it, support the film. Here is the trailer:

Here is the movie website. Here are resources on exploring biblical manhood as a follow up for watching the movie.
Excellent book on biblical manhood by Dennis Rainey – Stepping Up: A Call to Courageous Manhood (highly recommended!)
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How to Make College Count

I am passionate about college students making the most of those strategic years. I have written on the subject and speak on it often. But I am so glad that there are many other voices out there helping encourage and equip the next generation. It’s a team effort! That is why I want to tell you about a recent book by Derek Melleby called Make College Count. It is a quick read that is packed with vision and helpful tips for succeeding in college. Here is more information, check it out!

(From the Back Cover)
Discover the way to true success at college–and beyond

There’s more to college than classes, credits, and a nonstop social life. It’s more than getting a degree to improve your job prospects. College is a time where you develop into the person you will be for the rest of your life. Make College Count will help you make the most of your time in college. It encourages you to ask the big questions, like

Why am I going to college?
What kind of person do I want to be?
How do I want my life to influence others?
With whom will I surround myself?
What do I believe?

You want your college years to count. This book shows you how to make that a reality.

“For years I have been looking for the right book to give to Christian high school grads: readable, real, honest, grace-focused, Christ-centered, and practical. Finally, I’ve found just the ticket–Make College Count is that book.”–Chap Clark, author of Hurt: Inside the World of Today’s Teenagers; professor of youth, family, and culture, Fuller Theological Seminary

“Christian college students hear a lot about what to avoid during their college years. So it’s refreshing to encounter a book that explains what students should embrace in college. It’s clear that Derek Melleby understands the world of today’s students.”–Joseph M. Stowell, president of Cornerstone University

“Make College Count is just right! What Derek Melleby has done is find a way to come alongside someone on the way to college and offer guidance about things that matter most.”–Steven Garber, director of The Washington Institute for Faith, Vocation & Culture; author of The Fabric of Faithfulness

“Make College Count offers an accurate preview of college life and encourages and equips students to thoughtfully make the most of college (and the rest of their lives) by embracing a real and vibrant faith that’s not an extracurricular add-on but a foundation for all of life. This could be the most important book students read during their college years.”―Walt Mueller, president, Center for Parent/Youth Understanding

Derek Melleby is the director of the College Transition Initiative, a ministry of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding and the Coalition for Christian Outreach. He is the coauthor of The Outrageous Idea of Academic Faithfulness.

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He’s not God

My friend John Stonestreet of Summit Ministries and worldview commentator for thepointradio.org offers a very important reminder (regardless of your political party) as we get into the election cycle–The President is not God.

“Recently on The Gospel Coalition blog, Kevin DeYoung offered a blunt reminder: “the President is not God.” This sounds like stating the obvious, but DeYoung’s reminder is a timely one as we enter another election.

Americans, even Christians who should know better, have a tendency to want our President to “right every wrong, solve every problem, fix every pothole, provide health and prosperity for all, and on top of that be a likeable, fatherly, dignified, fun-loving, brilliant, down-home, urbane, humorous, serious, athletic, good looking, poet-warrior-manager man…”

No one can live up to that! But because we expect these things, candidates end up making promises that far exceed their capacity and voters have their misplaced hopes dashed time and time again.

That doesn’t mean we should abandon the political process as some have suggested. No way. Be informed and be involved. We need competent, morally sound leadership like never before. But let’s keep our hope in the right place….” (read more)

As Christians, we should know that utopia will not be ushered in by any sitting president. Now to be sure, there can be good and bad presidents who either promote the public good or undermine it–but they are limited. And as we think Christianly about politics, this is a first principle we need to operate with.

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New Think Christianly Podcast: Does the Bible Encourage Blind Faith? (Part 1)

Do Christians know anything? Or is Christianity the kind of thing one must simply confess by blind faith? Our culture is having this conversation, so it is important that we know what the Bible has to say about faith. In part 1 of this podcast we will take a snapshot of how both the culture and the church misunderstand biblical faith.

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