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Anne Rice: Love Christ, Not His Bride
Using today’s news medium of choice, novelist Anne Rice announced July 28 on Facebook that she has quit being a Christian. Rice, the famed author of Interview with a Vampire, says she still loves Christ. But it’s the rest of us she can’t stand. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being [...]
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Audio and Video for D. A. Carson’s The God Who Is There
On February 20-21 and 27-28, 2009, Don Carson presented a 14-part seminar entitled “The God Who Is There” at Bethlehem Baptist Church’s North Campus in Minneapolis. This series will serve the church well because it simultaneously evangelizes non-Christians and edifies Christians by explaining the Bible’s storyline in a non-reductionistic way. The series is geared toward [...]
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Strength Depending on Weakness
We have heard people say, “Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Both believers and unbelievers alike cling to this proverbial life principle that gives us a sense of comfort and hope in the midst of our daily anxieties, miseries, and afflictions. This is a universally understood truth that Scripture itself teaches (Rom. 5:3-5; Jam. 1:2-4, 12; 1 Pet. 4:12-19). Trials do indeed make us stronger and more steadfast in our faith. Trials mature us. They help us to grow up. However, this is only one part of the biblical equation.
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TGC on 9Marks
Jonathan Leeman, 9Marks director of communications, kindly asked me a few questions about my role as editorial director for The Gospel Coalition. I appreciate Jonathan for giving me the opportunity to lay out TGC’s unique contribution and share a few of the things we have in store for this site in the future. Just don’t [...]
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Devaluing Dads, Discrediting the Father
Stan Guthrie, a wise columnist and father of three, responded today to Pamela Paul’s provocative Atlantic article, “Are Fathers Necessary?” Guthrie cites research that reveals the vital contributions of fathers. But there is significant motivation today to devalue the father’s role, due to homosexuality, artificial insemination, out-of-wedlock births, and other developments. Guthrie identifies the spiritual [...]
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Why Christians Might Back Mosque Construction
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin merely fanned the already raging flames when she urged New York City to prevent Muslims from building a community center two blocks from the former World Trade Center site.
"Peace-seeking Muslims, pls understand, Ground Zero mosque is UNNECESSARY provocation; it stabs hearts," Palin Tweeted on July 18. "Pls reject it in interest of healing."
Developer Sharif El-Gamal rejects descriptions of the new facility as a mosque. But plans for the $100 million building, rising at least 13 stories high, do include room for corporate prayer led by an imam. And the lecture hall and 500-seat auditorium could be used for teaching Islam. Whatever you want to call the building, emotions run high on both sides. Elaborting on her Tweet in a Facebook post that has garnered more than 5,000 comments so far, Palin quoted the sister of a victim who died in the September 11 attack on the Pentagon.
“This is a place which is 600 feet from where almost 3,000 people were torn to pieces by Islamic extremists," Debra Burlingame said. "I think that it is incredibly insensitive and audacious really for them to build a mosque, not only on that site, but to do it specifically so that they could be in proximity to where that atrocity happened."
Proximity to Ground Zero only escalates the conflict over Muslim building projects that is taking place all over America right now. Many residents of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, oppose plans to build an Islamic community center in the town of more than 100,000. About 600 people turned out for a county commission meeting in June to debate the plans. Critics of the plan cited America's founding, Islamic beliefs, and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as reasons to decline permission.
"We have a duty to investigate anyone under the banner of Islam," said Allen Jackson, the pastor of World Outreach Church.
Nevertheless, county leaders announced that the Murfreesboro project would proceed as planned. After all, the community center violates no zoning ordinances. And county officials would risk a costly lawsuit if they singled out Muslims by rejecting their building plan. According to legal observers, these two issues guide Christian response to the growing number of mosques and facilities for other religions popping up in towns all over America. Certainly, a new mosque is no cause for celebration from Christians who believe salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone. Yet the costs to opposing new mosques are high.
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Ministry Movements
The word "movement" is often used to describe a kind of vital, dynamic human organization, in order to distinguish it from what are called "institutions." Both of these words can have broader meanings, but for the sake of this discussion let us define them in the following ways.
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The Essential Edwards Collection
At TGC we love to commend great books which is why we’re glad to join many others around the blogosphere today in announcing Westminster Bookstore’s dramatically discounted offer for The Essential Edwards Collection by Doug Sweeney and Owen Strachan. Today through August 2 Westminster will be selling all five volumes at 50% off the cover [...]
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