From Metro Weekly: Contemporary Christian music isn’t a format where one might think to look for vocal supporters of same-sex marriage, but as with anything else times are changing. Dan Haseltine, front-man for the popular Christian band Jars of Clay, yesterday took to his Twitter account in a series of posts supportive of same-sex marriage, posting “Not meaning to stir things up BUT… is there a non-speculative or non ‘slippery slope’ reason why gays shouldn’t marry? I don’t hear one.” He went on to write “I’m trying to make sense of the conservative argument. But it doesn’t hold up to basic scrutiny. Feels akin to women’s suffrage. I just don’t see a…
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Another Reflection on Piper’s T4G Message
About a week and a half ago, I shared about John Piper’s final message at T4G and about how powerfully the word landed on me. I was not alone in that. It was very clear in Albert Mohler’s closing remarks after the message that the sermon had had a similar effect on him. He was visibly moved. Mohler shares about his response today in a blog post for Desiring God, and it is really well done. It is short, and I recommend it to you. Also, the video above is an excerpt showing what he, I, and so many others were responding to.
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Jesus or Nothing
Dan Dewitt has a brand new book out titled Jesus or Nothing. It’s a book that talks about the clash between theism and nihilism, and it’s very well done and accessible. I was pleased to write an endorsement of this book, which I will share below along with some others. “Jesus or Nothing is a little book about a big God. If you are a skeptic or a minister to skeptics, you should read this book about the God who is conspicuously there and who aims to reconcile sinners to himself through Christ.”—Denny Burk, author, What Is the Meaning of Sex? “To be alive today is to be at the intersection of worldviews.…
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God and the Gay Christian? A Response to Matthew Vines
Matthew Vines is a young author who has just released a new book trying to disprove that the Bible condemns homosexuality, God and the Gay Christian. Against a 2,000-year old consensus within the Christian church, Vines contends that key biblical texts do not mean what they appear to mean—that homosexuality is fallen and sinful and completely incompatible with following Christ. Vines argues that if the Bible were properly understood, everyone would see that there’s nothing inherently sinful about homosexual orientation or behavior. Thus there is no biblical reason to prevent gay “Christians” from entering into the covenant of marriage with a same-sex partner. Gay couples can fulfill the marital norms…
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Russell Moore, Franklin Graham, and Ralph Reed on ABC News
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First-born from among the dead!
O Jesus, Savior of my life,My hope, my joy, my sacrifice,I’ve searched and found no other oneWho loves me more than you have done. So I denounce my lingering sinWhose power You have broke withinMy ever weak and faithless frame.Its vigor’s crushed in Jesus name. For your death did at once proclaim,The Father’s glory and my shame.And you did seize my cup of guiltAnd drank all that the chalice spilled. No condemnation now I dreadBecause you went for me insteadTo bear the Father’s hell-bent rage,To pay the debt I would have paid. Yet your work finished not with death,Nor with your final murdered breath.For death’s blows could not ever quellThe…
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Rise up, O you sleeper, awake! The light of the dawn is upon you!
ALL THINGS NEW Come broken and weary Come battered and bruised My Jesus makes all things new All things new Come lost and abandoned Come blown by the wind He’ll bring you back home again Home again Rise up, oh you sleeper Awake, the light of the dawn is upon you Rise up, oh you sleeper Awake, he makes all things new Come frozen with shame Come burning with guilt My Jesus, he loves you still He loves you still Rise up, oh you sleeper Awake, the light of the dawn is upon you Rise up, oh you sleeper Awake, he makes all things new The world was good The…
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9-year old boy sings gospel music during kidnapping
From NBC News Atlanta: ATLANTA — A young boy’s love of gospel music may have saved his life. Earlier this month, police say a man kidnapped then nine-year-old Willie Myrick from his southwest Atlanta driveway. He allegedly drove the boy around for some time before dropping him off unharmed in East Point. But Willie’s actions during those terrifying three hours are inspiring people around the country. Willie says he sang the gospel song “Every Praise” until the man let him go. Read the rest here.
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Russell Moore on CBS News’ morning show
Russell Moore did a great job earlier today on CBS News’ morning show. You will note that Danny Akin, Daniel Patterson, Jon Akin and some others make cameos in this one. Watch it above. I was struck near the end of the interview by something the reporter says. After noting the positive message that Moore brings to the job, she says, “But a different tone only goes so far.” She goes on to say that a new tone doesn’t remove the offense of Christianity’s sexual ethic, and in particular, its stance against gay marriage.
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Michael Bloomberg: “I’ve earned my place in heaven.”
Former Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg is an activist for a number of causes. As a result, he believes that he is a shoe-in for heaven. The New York Times reports: But if he senses that he may not have as much time left as he would like, he has little doubt about what would await him at a Judgment Day. Pointing to his work on gun safety, obesity and smoking cessation, he said with a grin: “I am telling you if there is a God, when I get to heaven I’m not stopping to be interviewed. I am heading straight in. I have earned my place in heaven.…