Links to other sites, shared for thought and entertainment———
Palm Sunday, Partisan Politics & the Power of the Cross
In the days ahead, I pray we return to, or simply be reminded of, the basic beliefs and practices of our faith, and what it means to be faithful aliens and exiles in a foreign land. Let us live in active obedience to Christ, and not in fearful reaction to the mess around us.
Understanding White Privilege As A Poor White Girl
But you know what? It never once occurred to me to be afraid. It never occurred to me that I had to “Yes sir” and “No sir” (though I typically do because that’s how my momma raised me) to overcompensate for my race. It never occurred to me that while I was slamming around in my console and glovebox looking for my registration and insurance to be cautious lest he think I was pulling out a gun. It never, ever occurred to me to fear him. And that’s when it hit me. White privilege. It may not make sense. It may not be “right.” But there is no denying it. I have the privilege of being pulled over and acting like a complete snot without fear of being arrested, injured, or killed. I finally get it.
How Kasich’s Religion Is Hurting Him With Conservatives
But in other ways, Kasich’s religious beliefs appear to have put him at odds with Republican Party dogma. Over the years, he has spoken enough about his faith and quoted Scripture often enough, that it is possible to tie many of his political decisions to tenets of his faith—especially the ones that deviate from GOP orthodoxy.
It is clear that evangelical support for Donald Trump serves as a humbling rebuke that we cannot ignore, but what is less clear is what needs rebuking. The easy answer is our doctrine and conviction, but the better answer is our loves. Indeed, Donald Trump is a clear indication that the evangelical Church is ignoring the Apostle John’s simple command, “Do not love the world or anything in the world.” Evangelicals in our day are in love with the world and things of this world, and that is why evangelicals in our day are in love with Donald Trump.
The man who was caged in a zoo
The black clergymen who had been summoned to Harlem’s Mount Olivet Baptist Church for an emergency meeting on the morning of Monday 10 September 1906, arrived in a state of outrage. A day earlier, the New York Times had reported that a young African man – a so-called “pygmy” – had been put on display in the monkey house of the city’s largest zoo. Under the headline “Bushman Shares a Cage With Bronx Park Apes”, the paper reported that crowds of up to 500 people at a time had gathered around the cage to gawk at the diminutive Ota Benga – just under 5ft tall, weighing 103lb – while he preoccupied himself with a pet parrot, deftly shot his bow and arrow, or wove a mat and hammock from bundles of twine placed in the cage. Children giggled and hooted with delight while adults laughed, many uneasily, at the sight.
Are Millennials Selfish and Entitled?
Is it a temptation for every generation to ignore the wisdom of the past, as Rehoboam did (1 Kings 12:8)? Certainly. But it’s also a perpetual temptation for older generations to react to the younger with envy, seeing in them a sign of coming irrelevance and mortality. It is much easier, like Saul, to throw spears at the next generation than it is, like Paul, to pour one’s life into the next generation.
Are Church Buildings Helping or Hurting Kingdom Growth?
And now most churches do not do Sunday night at the building. Give it 10 more years and I doubt many do Wednesday night at the building. Some would argue that our churches are much healthier spiritually away from the building. So there may be a number of great reasons to have fewer activities at our buildings. But at the same time, that just makes it harder to justify the incredible expense.
Thousands upon thousands (if not millions) spent for auditoriums used at most 2 or 3 hours per week. Classrooms used maybe one hour per week.
I acknowledge that many churches try to be good stewards with their physical resources but it seems harder and harder to justify. So I have been trying really hard to come up with some reasons why we should continue building buildings in the name of Jesus.
6 Warning Signs Your Church Culture is Toxic
So how do you know if your church culture is toxic? Believe it or not, the Bible gives incredible practical advice. The longer I lead, the more I use Galatians 5: 16-23 as a health check for me personally and for anything I lead. It describes what’s healthy and what’s not, for me as a leader and for the church.
Think about how much time you and your family spend in the car. Then think about how you use that time. Whatever you typically do, I challenge you to use your time to pray as you drive – even to pray aloud as a family as you go.
20 Truths from Bound to be Free by D.A. Horton
Imagine the freedom they will have as you share God’s work through your life story and how you left the performance trap in order to find rest in Christ. Show them the trap of His grace.
I hear women talking about wanting to go deeper with God, so they buy books written by women who talk about their experiences of God. To me, that is robbing ourselves of a much richer treasure. If you want to go deeper with God, go to the source: the Bible. That is where you will see God, high and lifted up, exalted, in His glory. That will change you.
Parents, It’s Time To Stop Undermining Our Kids’ Teachers
When a teacher tells you about something, don’t turn to your child and ask if what their teacher is saying is true. You may think you are involving your child in the discussion, but what you have actually done is to question that teacher’s reliability to their face. Think of it from the teacher’s perspective. You have essentially told them that you won’t believe what they just told you until your child confirms it.
Baylor professor welcomes mother’s infant to class
Katy walked into class, while holding Millie in her baby carrier and taking the first open seat. Her only hope being that Millie wouldn’t disturb the class.
But the professor, Dr. Darryn Willoughby, said at first Millie wasn’t too happy about being in class.
“Within the first five minutes Millie got fussy. So I just went over, picked her up, carried her back, and went right back to lecturing without missing a beat,” Willoughby said.
Apple’s Brief Hits the FBI with a Withering Fact Check
Apple’s latest brief in its battle with the FBI over the San Bernardino iPhone offered the tech company an opportunity to school the Feds over their misinterpretation and misquotations of a number of statutes and legal cases they cited as precedent in their own brief last week. Many viewed Apple’s arguments as a withering commentary on the government’s poor legal acumen.