Miscellaneous

C.S. Lewis, who was no stranger to tragedies in his life once wrote “Grief is like a long valley, a winding valley where any bend may reveal a totally new… Read More

Listen to the podcast (13 minutes) and learn about the three original tongues of the scriptures. To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or… Read More

Natural Law: An Introduction By Nicholas K. Meriwether JAN 9 SAVE ▷  LISTEN “Well, the rules of the road have been lodged, it’s only people’s games you got to dodge.” —Bob… Read More

Gordon Fee once told his students on the first day of a New Testament class at Wheaton College that they would—someday—come across a headline saying “Gordon Fee Is Dead.” “Do… Read More

Discipling through Life Stages My PowerPoint notes from World Discipleship Summit workshop with fellow teachers Robert Carrillo and Saji Alex.

Premium subscribers save 15% on purchases in my online store on everything EXCEPT gift cards. There’s no minimum purchase and take 15% off as many times as you like. Use… Read More

To access my March 2022 interview with Kyle Spears, of Truth Trauma Theology, simply click his Patreon link (https://www.patreon.com/kylespears) and confirm that you are a subscriber to my newsletter. Then request… Read More

“The Good, the Bad the Ugly”—this isn’t only the title of a 1966 Clint Eastwood film. It’s also the story of our personal lives (if we’re honest). There are some… Read More

From Mike: GratitudeSeveral new donors have joined us. Thank you!  ActivitiesIn November, the majority of my work involved editing a chapter I wrote, “Did Jesus think he was God?” that… Read More

1095 Pope Urban II orders first Crusade On November 27, 1095, Pope Urban II makes perhaps the most influential speech of the Middle Ages, giving rise to the Crusades by… Read More

Feast on God’s Word Jesus insists, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4, quoting Deut. 8:3). As bodies… Read More

Christians must reclaim Jesus from his church. By Peter Wehner, Oct 24, 2021 About the author: Peter Wehner is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy… Read More

Most adult US Christians don’t believe Holy Spirit is real: study By Leonardo Blair, Christian Post Reporter Parishioners of Lakewood Church led by Pastor Joel Osteen pray together during a service… Read More

A Medical Account of the Crucifixion Simplified & Amended [1] Hanging, electrocution, knee-capping, gas chamber: these punishments are feared. They all happen today, and we shudder as we think of… Read More

It’s Not Where you Travel, But How Just Published, Now Available! Crossing Boundaries: A Traveler’s Guide to World Peace Buy Now! Join me in forming a community of travelers that… Read More

  Is there a message in the – tragic – mayhem? Access the podcast version of the newsletter by clicking here I have two things in my mind this week…. Read More

Shawn Patterson | Bio Friday, May 8, would have been Ahmaud Arbery’s 26th birthday. On Sunday, February 23, Ahmaud, a 25-year-old African American male, was jogging through Satilla Shores, Georgia. After seeing… Read More

Four lessons for members of Churches of Christ — black and white — outraged by George Floyd’s death. Cheryl Mann Bacon Columnist ‘We lose connection with the heart of God,… Read More

It’s fair to say our country finds itself in the heat of a reopened wound stemming from police violence and racial tensions. As we see our cities in turmoil, we… Read More

A website that may be of interest to you: Unity Draws People to Jesus Our mission is to promote and pray for unity within the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement through the… Read More

The Twisted Scriptures? Sometimes my intent is well-meaning, and yet, my conclusions, actions, and/or attitudes are misguided. Someone said, “any logical deduction taken to its extreme becomes absurd.” For years,… Read More

Drew Theological School Apr 2 · 9 min read Dear Ones, Particularly, in this letter, ones who claim some seriously biblical, or explicitly theological, orientation. Amidst this pandemic, ones who may be wondering……. Read More

Helping a Friend with… Anxiety or Depression Part 2 Last week I shared three ways to help your friend (or yourself) when you struggle with anxiety or depression. They were:… Read More

NEWS Why Do Pastors Keep Getting Rehired After Abuse? Victims’ advocates caution institutions against plans to “restore” fallen leaders. Kate Shellnutt   Another case of a leader with an abusive… Read More

A Strength in Weakness Member’s Weekly Update New Perspectives From Strength in Weakness Ministries Volume 7; April 30, 2020 A SIW Member’s Weekly Update   Coming Up: How to Break… Read More

But not until the COVID-19 crisis hit did I learn about the global influenza pandemic of 1918 — known colloquially as the Spanish flu — and my family’s connection to… Read More

Thank you for attending QCC2020! Quarantine Church Con 2020 Summary What an incredible time we had together last week! God brought together over 1,000 of his people to be equipped… Read More

Voices only: Virtual choirs are a hit

How not to ‘sink’ Access the podcast version of the newsletter by clicking here Thank you so much to everyone who gave me feedback on the topic of loneliness, especially… Read More

DISCIPLESHIP Some of us were lonely well before the pandemic. How do we find God’s comfort now? Clarissa Moll This past Sunday, I took my children for a walk in… Read More

Two Christian bioethicists on life or death issues that American doctors may soon face. INTERVIEW BY KARA BETTIS March 31, 2020 Medical professionals across the US are preparing COVID-19 units… Read More

Compassion or Judgment? Choose Today! You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. – John 8:15 ​ Compassion or Judgment? Facing loss is never easy and suicide in particular, is… Read More

Many congregations canceled services, and some Christians focused on feeding and nursing the poor. By John Mark Hicks NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville saw its first case of the “Spanish flu” in… Read More

I saw this on the BBC News App and thought you should see it: From environmental improvements to acts of kindness, there are glimmers of light amid the crisis. Continue… Read More

Viral Christianity by Rob Kranz The beauty of a blog is that you are in full control of what you write about. Most of the time, I write about things I… Read More

LESSONS FOR YOU AND ME: Don’t over-react Trust the Lord Beware the real virus: sin Be excellent stewards of the time Don’t overanalyze Care deeply about others, not just ourselves… Read More

Can Your Church Thrive in Exile? A Conversation with Randy Gariss Randy Gariss was minister of Joplin’s College Heights Christian Church when a mile-wide F5 tornado mowed into Joplin. Randy… Read More

Five Years in the Making & Nominated for Best Documentary & Best Director at the 2018 International Christian Film Festival in Miami Learn More

I find it very significant that on the last night of His life Jesus talked a lot about joy. Not exactly the topic you would expect from somebody about to… Read More

Christian theologian Dr. William Lane Craig during debate at Purdue University, Feb. 1, 2013. | (Photo: Nicole Byrd) It’s true – time really does fly. Eight years ago, I wrote an article… Read More

Mental Health in the Church Setting Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. – 2 Thessalonians 1:4 I’ve… Read More

CT PASTORS Polyamory: Pastors’ Next Sexual Frontier These once-taboo relationships are showing up in churches across the US. Preston Sprinkle and Branson Parler   A pastor recently told me (Preston)… Read More

“Caring for Creation” Click here for the newsletter podcast version – with extra ‘bits’ We have seen what I would call “proper weather” this last week. Flights cancelled, trees felled,… Read More

Bookmark the list for Bible study, reference, and sharing with others. Top 100 Bible Verses on Money and Wealth Also see the Topical Index of Money and Wealth Scriptures The latest… Read More

SBC President J. D. Greear speaks at the ERLC’s Caring Well Conference on October 3.Southern Baptist Convention President J. D. Greear acknowledged that while sexual abuse survivors have pleaded with… Read More

“. . . members together of one body and sharers together . . .”  (Eph. 3:6) Shared Church aims to encourage Christians and churches to practice participatory body life—the one-anothering… Read More

Kidogo – Christian Practicals 2.67K subscribers Guy Hammond used to live a gay life before he became a Christian. Now, as Christian minister, he runs an international ministry dedicated to… Read More

Social Media – A powerful tool https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k_G_h41ZaQ  

CHICK-FIL-A GIVING. San Antonio, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, have kicked Chick-fil-A out of their airports for “aiding and abetting Christian organizations.” What is especially ironic is that it is the charity work of… Read More

Don’t Be Fooled Into Believing These Final Two GRIEF MYTHS You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them. I am confined and cannot… Read More

FORT WORTH, Texas — Dr. Kent Brantly sat on his counselor’s couch and wept. The tears came last summer as the Christian physician visited with Dottie Schulz, a missionary care volunteer… Read More

Two New AMAZING Videos From SIW! P.S. Put your seat belt on! #1. What Does the Bible Say bout Being Transgender? By Brandon Redler 3.3 min #2. Why I Left My Transgender Life Behind … Read More

History — We Are Church A Brief History of We Are Church. Excerpt from Letters to the Church, by Francis Chan. Why I Left My Megachurch In 1994, when I… Read More

Two twin boys were raised by an alcoholic father. One grew up to be an alcoholic and when asked what happened he said “I watched my father”. The other grew… Read More

With over 150 titles, Penguin’s Who Was? series tells the incredible stories of trailblazers, legends, innovators, and creators. Play the Who Was Adventure game! Download the Who Was series app… Read More

Televangelist Todd Coontz has a well-worn routine: he dresses in a suit, pulls out a Bible and urges viewers to pledge a very specific amount of money. “Don’t delay, don’t… Read More

Is the Holy Land the Promised Land? Leading evangelical supporters of President Trump tout the modern state of Israel as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Scholars in Churches of Christ… Read More

(UPDATED) Assemblies of God pastor preferred to “die for his faith rather than leave the village” he served for decades.  Kate Shellnutt [Updated May 3 with further remarks from Assemblies… Read More

A List of All Scriptures that Proves God Condones Homosexuality By Guy Hammond Executive Director; Strength in Weakness Ministries Does God love homosexuals? Of course, God loves everyone! But where… Read More

Greg explains the importance of listening and encourages Christians to remember that the one who makes the claim bears the burden. Play the 3-minute video by clicking here, and/or read… Read More

“… so that by all possible means I might save some.” 1 Cor 9:22  Does your church have an integrated and compelling online presence to impact your community? Your church leader needs to focus… Read More

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” That statement, attributed to the most influential management guru of our time, Peter Drucker, describes a reality church leaders must face in the pursuit of… Read More

Weary of attacks by Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen, Christians in Nigeria ask how long they’re supposed to “count it all joy.” JEREMY WEBER IN JOS| OCTOBER 19, 2018 Image:… Read More

Local couple help empower women in Nicaragua, one knitted blanket at a time By: Lorena Inclan Jacksonville, FL March 1, 2019 For Steve and Sandy Jacoby a trip to Nicaragua… Read More

As abuse awareness grows, pastors are searching for ways to protect the vulnerable and care for survivors. MORGAN LEE @Mepaynl Image: Davide Bonazzi / Salzmanart Last summer Stephanie Lobdell, co-lead pastor… Read More

Deaf communities around the world are still waiting to experience God’s Word in their first language. How much longer will it be? Donations from the 40,000 attendees at this year’s… Read More

Young adults are dropping out of church in large numbers, survey finds. This is why. www.usatoday.com 3 mins read ASHVILLE, Tenn. —Large numbers of young adults who frequently attended Protestant worship services in… Read More

Christian churches still struggle with race, how to discuss it, what to do www.usatoday.com 10 mins read CINCINNATI — On a Wednesday night at Crossroads Church in the Cincinnati neighborhood Corryville,… Read More

Two Common Mistakes Preachers Make: Searching for Reality in Sermons John Piper takes one simple verse in Romans and shows two major and prevalent mistakes preachers make today. www.desiringgod.org

Note: the smaller navy blue text is Michael Burns’s response. Recently a group of American evangelical leaders signed and released a statement on social justice to voice concerns that they have over… Read More

By Becka A. Alper, www.pewresearch.org A growing share of Americans are religiously unaffiliated. We recently asked a representative sample of more than 1,300 of these “nones” why they choose not to identify with a religion. Out… Read More

How We Worship the Queen of Heaven What must God think of a society that has made child sacrifice normal for the sake of elective infertility? Read here.

Christian Ray Flores tells the story of Max Agapitov – weightlifting world champion. Watch video here.

MASTER DOCUMENT: iFaith Bible Project 0622 In this series we will proceed more or less chronologically through the New Testament and the Old Testament. There are 119 video messages, being recorded… Read More

Used with permission from John Clayton and Does God Exist? (Vol. 45, no. 1, 2018) FRANCE ERASES CHRISTIANITY FROM PUBLIC VIEW If you remember studying the history of France, you… Read More

Researchers in the field have uncovered related messages ranging from “Lasius is a pervert” to “Good luck in your resurrection.” Read more here.

Attached is the latest newsletter about what’s happening in Nicaragua, including all the Sheep Dreamzzz blankets being made and the breakfasts for the elderly that are held in Malpaisillo every Thursday morning…. Read More

“The concluding verses of the book indicate the wholeness and completeness of the prophet’s vision and ministry as a whole. From one perspective, it is a sad book; it begins… Read More

Article by Tony Reinke, Senior writer, desiringGod.org My generation was raised on The Simpsons. The popular cartoon is postmodern TV at its finest: liberated from prolonged storylines, a series of jests… Read More

    Dear friend of the Hammonds and the Strength in Weakness ministry, Many have asked about my wife’s health, thank you. Cathy remains seriously ill. In spite of the… Read More

Artificial Intelligence and its role in society, by Brad Smith and Harry Shum. Read the article here.

‘I wish you bad luck,” said the chief justice of the United States. He meant for those words, delivered last spring, to express encouragement and optimism. The year now ending… Read More

In this interview with Tim Mackie, co-founder of The Bible Project, we discuss the origins of The Bible Project and how two friends threw some videos up on Youtube that have now become a… Read More

No verse is in a vacuum, and it is important to always read a passage as part of the larger story. Why Have Americans Stopped Reading the Bible? By KATHLEEN COOKE | October… Read More

At 50, African Christian College strives for self-sustainability — in its students and its campus. Continue reading here. Note: Douglas has taught at the African Christian College (first-, second-, and… Read More

The Boston Globe Spotlight team did a series on it that is getting a lot of attention.  Seems it may be a scandal even bigger that the clergy abuse issue…. Read More

Last week, Nepal enacted a law to curb evangelism by criminalizing religious conversion, joining neighboring countries like India and Pakistan, where the region’s small-but-growing Christian minority faces government threats to… Read More

Class taught by Douglas during the continuing midweek series called ‘Sharpening the Sword’ at the North River Church of Christ on Wednesday, October 18, 2017. Watch the video here.

I’m pleased to announce the release of a new FREE eBook from the Discipleship.org eBook series:Beyond Accountability by Nate Larkin. DOWNLOAD FREE NOW Beyond Accountability tells an important story about pornography and… Read More

Chuck Colson on Dr. Paul McHugh Back in June I [Colson] told you about renowned psychiatrist Paul McHugh. He’s won numerous international awards for his work, but he’s recently been… Read More

Children being Experimented on and Scientist speak out against this … http://www.christianpost.com/news/gender-confused-kids-are-being-experimented-on-with-hormone-therapy-experts-188757/?utm_source=newsletter Johns Hopkins Researcher finds no conclusive evidence people are born gay or transgender … http://www.christianpost.com/news/no-scientific-evidence-that-people-are-born-gay-or-transgender-johns-hopkins-researchers-say-168263/page1.html Here’s the full… Read More

In April, at the Unboxed Conference in Orlando, Florida, Guy Hammond, Executive Director of Strength in Weakness (SIW), spoke on the topic of “Crossing Denominational Lines” and our SIW volunteer,… Read More

Elon Musk is widely regarded as one of the most influential entrepreneurs working today. He’s one of the founders of PayPal and the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. He wants… Read More

I recently had a fascinating conversation with a sharp young leader, who had just returned from an amazing vacation in the Caribbean. The food, the scenery, the weather, the company;… Read More

In 1974 Burger King made a bold move to take market share from McDonald’s. At the time, McDonald’s made burgers en masse. If you wanted a special order, you had… Read More

In Misquoting Jesus, the New York Times bestseller subtitled The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why, author Bart Ehrman fires a shot meant to sink the ship of… Read More

59 Percent of Millennials Raised in a Church Have Dropped Out—And They’re Trying to Tell Us Why Only 4 percent of the Millennial Generation are Bible-Based Believers. This means that… Read More

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/walls-jesus-tomb-exposed-first-time-centuries-180960953/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&no-ist

https://jointhebibleproject.com/about/ This is an animated audiovisual Bible. One episode typically summarizes a book of the Bible—in part or in whole—in 6-8 minutes. It’s very well done.

If you are traveling (anywhere in the world) and would like to stay with devoted disciples of Christ, consider supporting the creation a brand new platform: Come & Stay. Hundreds… Read More

I asked a French brother how he felt about the terror attack on Nice, 14 July 2016 (Bastille Day). His response: While I’m truly grateful that no one I know… Read More

Guy Hammond’s ‘Strength in Weakness’ ministry is not without opposition. Click here to see some of the backlash.

What Can We Learn From Deadliest Mass Shooting in U.S. History? June 12, 2016, by Jon Sherwood In what has become a far too common occurrence in recent American history,… Read More

For an excellent article by David Instone-Brewer on the topic of Divorce & Remarriage, click here.

To read this article, please click here.

Here are two links containing schools, colleges and universities affiliated with Churches of Christ and the Christian Churches: http://kingstonchurchofchrist.com/christian-education/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_universities_and_colleges_affiliated_with_the_Christian_churches_and_churches_of_Christ

“How Wide the Divide: Sexuality at the Forefront, Culture at the Crossroads”, by Ravi Zacharias on July 15, 2015. http://rzim.org/global-blog/how-wide-the-divide-sexuality-at-the-forefront-culture-at-the-crossroads

http://rethinkinghell.com/2015/05/rethinking-hells-second-book/

Since the King is the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6), the kingdom is not about power or coercion, but about love and service. Christians are forbidden to lord it over… Read More

It Doesn’t Look Like Church to Me, Dr. Kent Smith Published on Oct 8, 2014 Dr. Kent Smith, Abilene Christian University’s Missionary Coordinator for North America, speaks at the 2014… Read More

Listen to Business Ethics (22 minutes). Click here to download. Consequences of breakdown of of ethics The breakdown of ethics in the workplace has dire social and personal consequences: Resentment and… Read More

ESCAPE, Lesson 1 of 4: Douglas Jacoby and Steve Brand have joined forces to teach a series called ESCAPE. Steve Brand is a professional counselor and expert on addictive behaviors. The series explores addictive substances and behaviors and… Read More

Think biblically about how we are to relate to our enemies. Who has the stronger position: those who advocate “just war” or those who teach that Christians are forbidden to… Read More

Watch a lively debate between yours truly and Rabbi Shmuley. Click here to get your own copy of the DVD.

In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. — George Orwell I believe that I may understand (Credo ut intelligam). — Anselm (1033-1093) When I… Read More

Q&A 1333 – What about the Gospel of Jesus’ Wife? I am wondering if you have any thoughts on this new finding? In 2012 an ancient papyrus fragment, about the… Read More

Using cell phones in church? This Youtube video (90 seconds) speaks to our modern techno-generation.

Empty Nesters In Nicaragua  We are early-50s empty-nesters who for some time had wanted to find ways to serve the poor in a more consistent and hands-on manner.  We sought… Read More

To listen to Ecology (19 minutes), click on the play button: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as” and you… Read More

To hear Parenting (35 minutes), click on the play button: To download the podcast, right click here and you can listen to it later. Parenting isn’t just for current (or new)… Read More

Here are a podcast plus notes on Communication in Relationships (18 minutes). The speaker is Cristian Paduraru, of Romania. To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link… Read More

Here are a podcast and notes for What God Has Taught Me Through the School of Experience, by David Bercot (33 minutes). To download the podcast, right click on “download”… Read More

Here are a podcast and notes on Homosexuality (15 minutes). To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as” and you can download… Read More

Listen to the podcast “Who’s Fat?” (17 minutes). To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as” and you can download the… Read More

Here you can listen to chapter 2 of my 2010 release Compelling Evidence: Finding Truth in an Age of Doubt. The file is 32 minutes in length. This is an… Read More

Here are a podcast and notes on Tattoos & Piercings (37 minutes). To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as” and you can… Read More

To hear the podcast (30 minutes), click on the play button below: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as” and you… Read More

ORIGINAL LINK: http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/126/116380.htm Age-Old Procedure Could Avert Millions of New Infections Worldwide By Charlene Laino WebMD Medical News Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD Aug. 17, 2006 (Toronto) — A practice… Read More

This article is from Fred Faller. It appears in a series that can be found at www.immerland.com. “Money to Burn” Herm Foley drummed the fingers of his left hand on the table top. Before him on the Formica surface lay a single… Read More