“we asked individuals whether they ‘conceal their religious beliefs at work for fear of others’ perceptions.’ Nineteen percent of Jewish workers, 51% of Hindus, 29% of Muslims and 28% of Buddhists said they did…. 9% of evangelical Protestants, 15% of nonevangelical Protestants and 13% of Catholics reported that they conceal their faith at work.” - The Conversation

Through nearly 40 years in the conservative evangelical world, I’ve heard many sermons about America. Often the point is to compare America with ancient Israel.

The problem is the Bible explicitly tells us that there is no other nation that is comparable to God’s chosen people and nation of Israel (see 2 Sam. 7:23; Ps. 147:19-20; Amos 3:2). In that regard, she is entirely unique—a direct creation of God, fashioned through Abraham out of the chaos and godlessness at Babel (see Isa. 43:1-15).

“Society is not going to be saved through any political process or candidate. Rather, the gospel will prevail no matter what human government is in power…. Yet, I still think that there is a strong rationale… for taking part in our nation’s democratic process, and even for believing men and women to seek political office.” - Theology in 3D

“While biblical doctrine will always offend some, the bulk of church perception problems are self-imposed, self-inflicted, and largely fixable.” - ChurchAnswers

“As part of its anniversary, GRACE held an online panel, bringing together the original GRACE visionaries to discuss its mission and impact over the last two decades.” - MinistryWatch

“Freedom of thought is our most basic and precious of rights – and has long been recognised in British law and every major human rights document from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights onwards.” - ADF

“There does exist a general definition of his Christian realism. It’s a political theory based on three Christian ideas: that we are basically sinful, that we are free because made in the image of God, and that we are called to love God and our neighbor.” - Acton

“most misleading election rumors stem not from false or manipulated evidence but from misinterpretations and mischaracterizations…. the problem is not just about bad facts but also faulty frames, or the mental structures people rely on to interpret those facts.” - The Conversation

“Andy Stanley is in the headlines once again…. He began a new series with the question, ‘Do you have to believe in miracles to be a Christian?’ His answer? Yes, but only two foundational miracles—’the miracle of the universe’ and ‘the miracle of the resurrection.’” - AiG

“…52% saying they plan to pray before they vote, and 58% saying that religion will play an essential or important role in whom they support for president. Nearly a quarter (21%) say it will play an essential role.” - RNS

“On the calendar, Halloween always falls on October 31. But we Christians are often confused about which cultural moment we’re currently in: Are we back in the era where we condemn the day as an evil, pagan practice? Or are we in the stage where it’s seen as (mostly) harmless fun?” - TGC

“Around 2 in 5 say they have agnostic (44 percent), Jewish (41 percent) or atheist friends (39 percent). More than a quarter (28 percent) have Muslim friends.” - Baptist Press

From Lectures to My Students: A Selection from Addresses Delivered to the Students of The Pastors’ College, Metropolitan Tabernacle

First Series, Lecture IX
By C.H. Spurgeon

As a rule, do not make the introduction too long. It is always a pity to build a great porch to a little house. An excellent Christian woman once heard John Howe, and, as he took up an hour in his preface, her observation was, that the dear good man was so long a time in laying the cloth, that she lost her appetite: she did not think there would be any dinner after all. Spread your table quickly, and have done with the clatter of the knives and the plates.

“Sometimes the target of these critics of Christian nationalism are folk religionists who conflate God and country….These folk religionists typically aren’t aware they are Christian nationalists…. The self-identified Christian nationalists have an agenda that fulfills the worst nightmares of many secular progressives.” - Mark Tooley

“The fact that some, and maybe most, of my clients have committed some wrong isn’t a barrier to them receiving my help; it’s the starting point for why they need it.” - TGC

“…what the church really said was, ‘Pastor, we’re dying on the vine. We need somebody who is old and can help us make changes without blowing it apart.’” - GARBC

“At least once a month, walk through your buildings, review your worship and educational services, consider different elements of church life and ask yourself: ‘How would this hit me if I were a guest?’” - The Baptist Paper

“You have a psychologist and a scientist, an emphasis on myths and symbols versus an emphasis on facts and data” - Gavin Ortlund

There was nothing remarkable about that day in October, 1517, when a Roman Catholic priest by the name of Martin Luther fastened his now famous ninety-five theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenburg, Germany. He certainly did not expect to ignite a religious revolution. As a loyal son of the established church, Luther merely wished to engage his university town in theological discussion about certain church doctrines that troubled him. His goal was to try to rein in some of the most grievous abuses of the Church by discussing them openly.

Little did he know that his theses would be copied, printed, and distributed across Europe within days. In the providence of God, Luther’s modest debate propositions ignited a fire that is still burning today. On this five-hundredth anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, it is fitting to remember how it all began, and more importantly, why.

There are some today who question the validity of this great schism with Rome. They believe that the Reformation, though probably warranted in its day, is no longer necessary. They assure us that the abuses of Luther’s day have been addressed, and it’s time to acknowledge the mistakes of the past and join hands as fellow members of Christ’s body.

“Win or lose, it’s easy to blame, castigate, jump to unfounded conclusions, and even villainize. What if we curate a different tone in our workplaces, neighborhoods, family gatherings, and communities?” - IFWE

“though the divide between mainstream American life and traditional Christianity is growing, we are not at the point where the Early Church started. Cultural hostility and social media cancellation campaigns aren’t the same as systematic persecution.” - 9 Marks

“Of all these 95 affirmations and concerns, the main point was simple: you can’t buy God’s grace and you can’t trump the Bible. The Church missed this, and that’s a dangerous place to be.” - Credo

“Weekly church attendees who are white largely favor Donald Trump, while Black churchgoers tend to back Vice President Kamala Harris, according to a new survey.” - Axios

“ ‘As physicians, we see a dire need to correct the record on induced abortion, abortion laws, and life-affirming care,’ said Dr. Christina Francis, a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist, and CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life OBGYNs” - Baptist Press

Read the series.

“Outside of work, I found myself planning astronomy outings to the desert, tracking news on space programs, and reading books on what the intelligent design community had learned in relation to astronomy and God’s amazing and necessary involvement in developing our universe.” - IFWE

Mark Ward debates Dan Haifley on the topic of KJV readabilitiy. - YouTube

“When I first read about a large language model called “ChatGPT” from OpenAI, I knew that my life as the dean of the School of Theology at Colorado Christian University had forever changed.” - Word by Word

“When Bunyan personified despair in The Pilgrim’s Progress, he depicted it as a giant who battered his prisoners mercilessly. After the first round of beatings, Giant Despair visits his captives… and finds them ‘still alive, though barely alive at that. They could do little but breathe.’” - Desiring God

“I just would love to explore for a few minutes some of the joys of ministry, because I think it’s easy, amid the hardships, to lose sight of the joys.” - TGC