Reposted from Rooted Thinking.

William Borden was famous.¹ His parents were millionaires. They were prominent members of the Moody Church in Chicago. The newspapers of the early 1900s reported on young Borden’s activities. Every door of opportunity swung open for this privileged youth.

“There are fewer atheists around the world today (147 million) than in 1970 (165 million), according to the 2022 Status of Global Christianity report.” - Lifeway

“Although some earlier writers had viewed miracles as beyond laws of nature, Hume treated them as ‘violations’ of laws of nature. Once he adopted this definition, he insisted that miracles are miracles only if they violate natural law. Then he argued that natural law cannot be violated, so therefore miracles do not happen.” - C.Today

” a mother in Oregon is suing… arguing that their respective applications have caused her fourteen-year-old daughter to become so addicted to her phone that ‘she would get very physical, violent, verbal with me’ when the mother attempted to take her daughter’s phone away.” - Denison Forum

“In spite of the Great Resignation, these organizations have engaged their employees, nurtured healthy teams, and inspired their staff to do great work. These results are based on exemplary ratings provided by employees who completed BCWI’s Employee Engagement Survey.” - RNS

“In his book God Reforms Hearts: Rethinking Free Will and the Problem of Evil, [Thaddeus Williams] reexamines the place that libertarian free will has taken in Christian responses to the problem of evil, and more particularly whether authentic human love requires libertarian free will.” - TGC

Read the series.

False Christ’s and the True Christ

Jesus continues His answer to the disciples’ second question by repeating that although there will be many false Christ’s and false prophets, and many attention-grabbing supernatural happenings, one should not be fooled (Matt. 24:23-24). We should take note that contra the scientistic naturalism so prevalent among “intellectuals” in our day, the Tribulation will be charged with spectacular supernatural manifestations and calls to worship. It will be an extremely “spiritual” time, with no room for cool rationalism.

“McLaurin served on the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board for 15 years before joining the Executive Committee in January 2020” - C.Post

Related:

“The First Amendment appears to be under assault from the strangest places, including enclaves of Christians and Christian celebrities who believe power is their only hope.” - Acton

“Sometimes I hear my boss promise things I know we can’t deliver. I know he’s just trying to reassure the client and land the sale…. I want to correct him, but I also want to respect him—especially in front of our clients. Is there a way to correct someone so gently it won’t be embarrassing?” - TGC

“To counteract vaccine hesitancy, we must strike a delicate balance. As a hospital physician, I see firsthand the vastly increased risk of severe COVID illness, ICU admission, and death among the unvaccinated. …Yet we must resist the temptation to heap scorn on those who, for whatever reason, opt not to be vaccinated.” - Law & Liberty

“…in just that way, social media can be used for such good and such ill. It can display human beings at their best and worst, their most gracious and most condescending, their most humble and most prideful.” - Challies

Read Part 1.

If God has ordained my suffering, what can I do about it? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Well, nothing about my circumstances, but I can do something about my heart.

I only have three choices. First, I can cry out to God like the psalmists and cling to what I know to be true about God’s character and promises. I can, in great weakness and desperation cling to the sure and steadfast anchor (Heb. 6:19), the shepherd and overseer of my soul (1 Pet. 2:25) who has promised to never leave me or forsake me (Heb. 13:5).

“Increasingly, however, skepticism has been replaced by cynicism and is expressed in an immediate distrust anytime anyone tells us anything to think or do. This is not healthy or sustainable, nor is it a biblical way of thinking about authority.” - Breakpoint

“I went to social media to listen to pastors….My question was simple: What are some do’s and don’ts for preaching funerals? Several hundred pastors responded.” - Rainer

“…we analyzed the occupational aspirations of nearly half a million 15- and 16-year-olds across 80 developing and developed nations that participated in the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) of mathematics, science, and reading competencies.” - IFS

“Without leaving his home in Richmond, Virginia, he was soon floating in a 3D outer-space wonderland of pastures, rocky cliffs and rivers, as the avatar of a pastor guided him and others through computer-generated illustrations of Biblical passages that seemed to come to life as they prayed.” - RNS

“he demonstrates conclusively that the ancient church fathers—from Irenaeus to Augustine (and he could have gone further) believed in and taught substitutionary atonement. It is simply a myth that they taught the Christus Victor or ransom theories instead.” - Roger Olson

“…over the years I’ve developed a routine I follow almost every time I preach. This is in addition to the process of studying and writing my sermon notes. It includes steps between finishing my main sermon preparation and actually preaching the sermon” - Dean Taylor

“Founder takes leave of absence for 2022 in order to prepare for trial on charges that he concealed alleged child abuse by his father.” - C.Today

Also at RNS: Facing trial, Brian Houston steps aside as global senior pastor of Hillsong

On the Vanity Fair interview: “Among the revelations is Falwell’s admission that he’s not ‘a religious person.’ People think that “because of my last name … but I’m not. My goal was to make them realize I was not my dad.” - C.Leaders

Related:

“We are told that being pro-life requires us to adopt very particular views on contestable issues like environmental, criminal justice, social welfare or immigration policies. This argument often fails at a basic logical level, but worse, it often neuters the moral case against abortion and is used by enemies of the church to prove the church’s purported hypocrisy.” - American Reformer

“Most often, we grow by listening, not by talking. Consider nine ways to become a better listener.” - TGC

“Two fundamental laws of physics clash if we try to explain the universe’s origin without a Creator.” - AiG

“This conspiracy theory suggests that welcoming immigrants is part of a plan to replace the political power and culture of white people living in Western countries.” - The Dispatch

A study by LifeWay Research several years ago found that 75% of the general population agreed with the statement, “There is an ultimate purpose and plan for every person’s life.” That number still seems surprisingly high to me. The same study found that 50% of those who never attend church services said there is no purpose or plan for human lives.

Though Christians are usually clear that there is purpose and meaning in life, many seem confused as to what exactly that purpose is. So my aim here is to answer what is really a pretty simple question:

What is the meaning of life?

“The first VBS materials rolled off the presses in 1971 for use in 1972. The theme was “The Bible: Your Answer” and answered questions about creation, sin, salvation, Christian living, and Heaven.” - RBP

“In our age of solitary, do-it-yourself forms of spirituality, research indicates, regular in-person attendance at worship services is central to the well-being of children, adults and society.” - GetReligion

“Men are most likely to say they were the most influential person in their partner’s decision to have an abortion. …(38%) say they had the most influence. Fewer point to a medical professional (18%), the woman’s mother (14%), her friends (7%), an abortion provider (4%)” - LifeWay

“…if God does view the instruments in his hands as fitting recipients of his own commendation and rewards and praise, then what should our attitude and response toward those human instruments be?” - Desiring God