Applied Theology
So far, my family and I have traveled more than 6,000 miles. We still have hundreds of miles to go on this great American road trip that at one point hugged the border with Mexico through west Texas, and, now, has ascended over a mile high into the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. From the red... Continue Reading →
As we crowded into the square area designated as the living room, our group of Christian believers talked mostly of our families and of news and events in the Christian world. This was a reunion of sorts, as the people gathered here had not been together in one place for more than a year. It... Continue Reading →
So, in part one of this post, we saw that prayer was the first response of the Italian Bishops to the crisis of Christian persecution in Iraq and Nigeria. While not exactly endorsing their view of invoking the Virgin Mary in their prayers (I’m Protestant!), I still commend the bishops for a biblical recourse to... Continue Reading →
The people of God seem always to struggle with exactly how to relate to powerful governments. Israel hated her slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh, but promptly wanted to go back to Egypt after landing in the wilderness. At least in Egypt she could have melons. This longing to go back to Egypt and trust in... Continue Reading →
I don’t remember what I was doing on June 10th. It was a regular work week for me. Since then, I have done some planning for the Fall 2014 semester, and I have made a couple of trips to the airport so my kids could travel to see family. All in all, nothing much has... Continue Reading →
Thank you all so much for your willingness to stand with our brothers and sisters in Iraq. Many of you have been using the Arabic “N” symbol below on your Facebook or Twitter profile to show your concern for Christians being targeted for extortion and/or extinction by soldiers of the Islamic State of Iraq and... Continue Reading →
Maybe you have seen this little wine-cup looking symbol on your friend's Facebook page and wondered what it means. It means Christians are being targeted for death in Mosul, Iraq. I am so thankful that someone thought to create symbol sent through Social Media to call attention to the plight of Christians suffering genocide in... Continue Reading →
No one needs to ponder whether Christians in Palestinian territories are suffering terribly. They are. Who’s to blame? There are very strong voices in the media and in political circles who point out that Israel is the country doing all the killing. Sure, Hamas is firing hundreds of missiles into Israel, but they don’t end... Continue Reading →
Our van was nothing fancy. No one would have mistaken it for a limousine. It was plain, boxy, kind of like a Volkswagen cargo van in which someone bolted a couple of seats to the floor. Nothing about the van stood out in the bustling African streets of Addis Ababa. Like everyone else in town... Continue Reading →
There are two traditions that have recently ended. The contrast between them is astounding. Traditions are interesting things. Our traditions anchor us to the past while guiding us toward the future. They act as handrails along our paths, offering us both security and a sense of affirmation as we continue walking life’s road. Too often,... Continue Reading →
There is no spiritual equivalent to the Academy Awards. Could you imagine a gala event in Nashville where Billy Bob Johnson from Plano, TX, wins this year’s Golden Bible for “Best Supporting Evangelist”? John MacArthur and Mark Driscoll could slug it out for “Best Argument over Spiritual Gifting.” Admittedly, the concept is mildly grotesque. But... Continue Reading →
I have a close brother in the ministry who sent a text to me last night asking me to pray for him as he ministered to a family in need. Another brother needs me to pray for his daughter who is recovering from a complicated surgery. Yet another friend needs prayer because she is struggling... Continue Reading →
The following article was originally POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2012. I Re-post it now because a decision from the Supreme Court is imminent: There are two major stories whose trajectories are coalescing toward a permanent loss of religious liberty in the United States. The first story is the on-going saga known affectionately as Obamacare. The second... Continue Reading →
Well, this isn't exactly from the 2014 Fifa World Cup, but it is related to soccer and, more importantly, to our persecuted family. Originally POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2012 Before the game, our team took note of the size of the goalie. He was at least 6’3” and weighed in at a solid 280. He was... Continue Reading →
In my previous post, I sought to show why it is important for Christians to fight for religious liberty. What are some simple ways Christians can do this without selling out to a political agenda? I thought of 3 simple ways to get the conversation going: Learn. Disciples are learners. Primarily, this learning must be... Continue Reading →
Gregory C. Cochran 