“Against this backdrop, it’s difficult not to see this attack as having a deeply political purpose: to encourage the exodus of Christian Egyptians from their homeland. Through attacks like these, the perpetrators appear to be indicating that they don’t simply want to make life difficult for Christians—they want Egypt to be Christian-free.”   Friday is... Continue Reading

As I studied Romans, wrestling with some of its great truths, struggling with some of its tough passages (surely it is to them that 2 Peter 3:14–16 refers!), it became clear that countless feet had walked this way before. I had only just begun to join them in discovering the mind-renewing, life-changing power of what... Continue Reading

According to the data, the two most “churched” areas in the United States are Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Salt Lake City, Utah, which are both 59 percent churched. The areas of Augusta-Aiken, Georgia, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, ranked as the third and fourth most churched cities, being 57 percent churched.   As trends show that church... Continue Reading

“There’s no denying the decline of America’s largest Protestant denomination any longer. The SBC lost almost 78,000 members in the past year, according to the Annual Church Profile (ACP) released ahead of its upcoming annual meeting. Southern Baptists have now lost a million members since their peak of 16.3 million in 2003.”   Southern Baptists... Continue Reading

“We are created in God’s image. Because of that, we are commanded to rest. God rested on the seventh day. He ceased from his labors and enjoyed the work of his hands. We are commanded to rest and to enjoy the work of our hands. So often we are going all the time and never... Continue Reading

“Christians were harassed by governments or social groups in a total of 128 countries in 2015 – more countries than any other religious group, according to the report. But there also were 2.3 billion Christians in 2015, more than any other religious group. Large populations of Christians are present in all but a few parts... Continue Reading

“By their statements, Sanders and Van Hollen are expressing their support for a modern understanding of tolerance. In this manner, being tolerant means you cannot make exclusive religious claims. It is hateful to Muslims to say they will not spend eternity with God because of their beliefs.”   Is it intolerant and bigoted to say... Continue Reading

While it is impossible to sum up all that goes wrong in the heart of a ministry leader who has been called “exceptional” or “an amazing leader,” here are three dangers “talented” ministry leaders face, three dangers we all must guard our hearts against.   I am over 40, so no longer young, and I... Continue Reading

America in 1944 was hardly perfect, with its still-segregated military and a variety of other problems. But that prayer for God to help the Allies conquer the Nazis, the “apostles of racial arrogancies,” speaks to the clarity of purpose behind the D-Day invasion.   When the Allies at long last launched the invasion of France... Continue Reading

“From the reader’s perspective, it is not hard to see how these dark shadows over the history God’s people on earth seem to fill our horizons. But, as we have noted already, there is another thread that not only runs in parallel, but actually runs right through that of the recurring failures of the church... Continue Reading