Applied Theology
After a missions meeting this morning, I am heading out to the KY State Fair with the family. However, even as we enjoy seeing jugglers and giant pumpkins, our brothers and sisters around the world are facing harsh conditions. As I have written about before, the so-called Arab Spring is actually a winter... Continue Reading →
Has the Nigerian government gone bad? According to a news report, officials in the Nigerian government have been arrested and are being questioned in relation to the killing of Christians in Kogi state, Nigeria. I am reminded of 1 Samuel 22 and the story of Saul turning against Ahimelech and the priests because they had... Continue Reading →
(The following blog first appeared under the title Savior Siblings and Septic Sons.) “Unto Us, a Savior Is Born in France,” such is the triumphant tone of the science headlinesfrom across the pond in France, where the latest “savior sibling” has arrived. He is a healthy baby boy, weighing in at just over 8 lbs. The... Continue Reading →
Once upon a time, our laws were based on justice: “With liberty and justice for all.” Now, it seems there is a sense of “fairness” encroaching upon our liberty and overtaking justice for all. Many folks equate one term with the other, thinking that fairness and justice are equally compelling concepts of liberty, but they... Continue Reading →
The news out of North Korea does not appear good for Christians, but that doesn’t mean good can’t come from it. Our God redeems what otherwise appears lost and hopeless. Encouragement might result (see here).
I recently read a story concerning the state of Christians in North Korea. As expected, the situation for Christians there is grim. Though some reports state that new leader Kim Jong Un is easing some restrictions which made North Korea infamous in the first place, leading them to the #1 spot for the persecution of Christians on Open Doors annual watch list, the truth of the matter is that there are still tens of thousands of Christians in prisons in North Korea.
In the story, Ryan Morgan, an analyst with International Christian Concern (Asia), says this about recent reports of reform:
“We have not heard any reports of improvement for Christians in the country and have no reason to believe anything has changed. The regime still has up to 70,000 Christians locked away in virtual concentration camps.”
Oddly, the Lord has used reports such as these in an unexpected…
View original post 464 more words
Edmundo saved the day! No, there wasn’t a real life or death threat, but we felt like it was an emergency. We five Americans were stuck on a rural Asian island with no internet and no wi-fi accessibility. What in the world were we supposed to do—not update Facebook? But our hotel had pink... Continue Reading →
Politically, it would be easy to find fault with some of the decisions being made in our foreign policy. Many politicians have in fact been critical of President Obama, calling for more serious action to be taken in Assyria (Joe Lieberman and John McCain are but two examples). Indeed, many websites are quickly seizing on... Continue Reading →
When it comes to music, I got stuck in the ‘70’s. In my mind, very little compares favorably to Carole King or James Taylor—or Gordon Lightfoot, America, or Seals and Crofts. My favorite Spotify playlist is called “Dad’s Groovy Music” because since the ‘70’s, I have been groovy—the way a 33LP ought to be. So... Continue Reading →
On a day when cultural crusaders are appreciating Chick-fil-A for the statement made by Dan Cathy in support of traditional marriage, other concerned Americans are heartily bemoaning the implementation of the HHS mandate in Obamacare. Whereas many see the swelling support for Chick-fil-a as a ray of hope for the future of freedom, a few... Continue Reading →
Prefixes are fascinating little pre-words. Kids studying for the National Spelling Bee learn prefixes in order to quickly unlock the meaning of words. The prefix para can help a contestant unlock the meaning of the more than 11,000 English words which employ it. The only problem is that English is notorious for its exceptions. Not... Continue Reading →
Stay tuned. My hiatus has not been in vain. My fresh new site is about to launch. My pledge is to offer you regular updates on persecution around the world and weekly articles to encourage your journey in the narrow way. Thank you so much for keeping in touch. In the meantime, enjoy these 4... Continue Reading →
Presently, a small group of Southern Baptists have stirred a mini-controversy over the issue of Calvinism (just in time for the convention). This group (mostly affiliated with the seminaries in New Orleans and Fort Worth) have undertaken an effort to exclude or diminish the impact of Calvinism from "traditional Baptist soteriology." I have strong opinions... Continue Reading →
Apparently, Ronnie Spriggs, pastor of Hager Hills Freewill Baptist Church in Eastern Kentucky, has Barry Lynn all in an uproar. Lynn told on Spriggs, reporting him to the IRS because Pastor Spriggs doesn't like President Obama's stance on gay marriage. You can read my take on this case over at Project 13:3. There are sure... Continue Reading →
A few days ago, I reluctantly re-entered the gay marriage debate. Believe me, I don’t enjoy this debate. I feel the brunt of all the “hate” language it saddles me with, and I am burdened by the weight of the discrimination label, as though I am in the camp of George Wallace, the Democrat governor... Continue Reading →
There is a growing consensus among the cultural commentariat that gay marriage is inevitable: Given time, a majority of Americans will embrace gay marriage as the norm. This position is not the sole property of liberals. There is no small number of conservatives parroting the same meme (as this post illustrates). The argument rests on... Continue Reading →
Gregory C. Cochran 