Unbelievable. First of all, it was the biggest horsefly-looking thing I’d ever seen. Was it a bird? A pterodactyl maybe? More horse than fly, really. I think I could’ve saddled it. We’re talking about a horrifyingly large horsefly here. I read somewhere that the lifespan of the average horsefly is only a few days. If that’s true then this one had been alive for about four years. But in addition to being huge, it was scary-strong. The thing stayed on the windshield of my moving vehicle for … [Read more...]
Forward with the gospel
There is a passion burning in the heart of Missouri Baptists of every generation to make a difference in Jesus’ name. We are commissioned to take the gospel to our communities, the nation, and to the ends of the earth. Acting on that commission is a deliberate step of faith we make daily. One observant Missouri Baptist pastor noted recently that Satan doesn’t need to attack a ministry sitting still; he attacks those making an impact for Christ. Recent attacks on the churches, our … [Read more...]
A message to government concerning baby body parts
“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.” – Psalm 127:3 We have all been shocked and angered over Planned Parenthood selling body parts of aborted babies, thanks to the videos by the Center for Medical Progress. We ought to be outraged that our tax dollars – more than $500 million worth – are funding Planned Parenthood’s barbaric activity. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees that every American can assemble peacefully to protest … [Read more...]
The four best family-friendly movies of 2015
Each year movie studios save the good stuff (well, comparatively) until the winter season, having bombarded us the first three months with product they have no faith in, then jamming the theaters during summertime with countless cape-wearing crusaders who battle nemeses for 140 minutes. True, the Marvel extravaganzas are all distracting enough, but without their computer-generated magic we’re usually left with weak storylines and colorless portrayals. I keep hoping we’re going to see the … [Read more...]
A look at Sodom and Gomorrah
This is the fourth in a series of columns about same-sex attraction, adapted from the new MBC resource, “What Every Christian Should Know About Same-Sex Attraction,” available in print at mobaptist.org/apologetics and on Kindle at Amazon.com. Six passages of Scripture speak directly to the issue of same-sex conduct. This column offers a brief survey of Gen. 19:5: “They [the men of Sodom] called out to Lot and said, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Send them out to us so we can … [Read more...]
Training church members as missionaries
Jesus began His earthly ministry with laity from a variety of backgrounds. By the time the Holy Spirit indwelled them permanently in Acts 2, most of the disciples exhibited mission-specific transformations. If Peter, who began with no missions training—and was likely illiterate—had jumped straight into ministry, he would have likely gone into humanitarian work doing something like helping people learn to fish. However, after being with Jesus and the Twelve, Peter developed speaking and … [Read more...]
Broken pencils, burned clothes
“…this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” – 2 Thessalonians 3:10 How sad to see a child show up at school in the fall with little to work with and inadequate clothing! How good it feels when we can do something to prevent this from happening. It is heartening to see so many things being done to “help” children succeed in school, but perhaps we should take a closer look at the results of our efforts. Many times I have seen pencils in classrooms that … [Read more...]
Duty to the innocent
Unless you have been on a long, disconnected vacation, you have either heard about or seen the videos recently released by the Center for Medical Progress concerning the grotesque, holocaustic activity of Planned Parenthood. To be blunt, ever since knowing about this series of horrific videos, my emotions have run the gamut from nausea to significant righteous indignation. A friend of mine from another state, Gene Mills, wrote some poignant insights: “Whatever comes of the revelations … [Read more...]
A prophetic letter to Sen. McCaskill
One of the ways we can exercise our faithfulness to God is by engaging those who are in positions of public service. One way to do so is by writing them by letter or email. When we do that, we must always be respectful, showing honor to those whom deserve honor while also expressing our view – and most importantly God’s view. Frank DeVenuto is a friend who exchanges posts with me on my Facebook page. If you visit, you will find articles on issues, my comments, cartoons as well as friendly … [Read more...]
Its time for the ACP
Most Missouri Baptist churches are accustomed to the Annual Church Profile (ACP) showing up in late summer. It is a simple form for sharing with us a few things trending in your congregation. There are plenty of reasons to fill out the ACP: It helps with research. Researchers like Ed Stetzer and Micah Fries of LifeWay Christian Resources use this data to understand the myriad of changes taking place in churches in our state and nation. In recent years we have noticed a … [Read more...]
Bear-slayers, blanket-bearers and not going it alone
Anytime I find myself with no electricity—no working AC or hairdryer or microwave or fridge—I call that a catastrophic event. Some other people call that “camping.” Same thing, right? My friends—many of you—know that I’m an extremely indoorsy kind of gal. My spirit animal is a Snuggie. Someone once told me that enjoying the outdoors is really about having the right tools. Like maybe a Swiss Army knife. I should make it clear here that if a Swiss Army knife would ever be wasted on … [Read more...]
Planned Parenthood’s lengthy ‘rap sheet’
There have been 27 botched abortions at Planned Parenthood’s St. Louis clinic in the past five years. It is considered among the most dangerous abortion facilities in our land. The clinic may have been involved in Planned Parenthood’s latest scandal: selling body parts of aborted babies. None of this should surprise us. Planned Parenthood, the nation’s leading provider of abortions, has a “rap sheet” longer than your arm – all the while benefiting from millions of our tax dollars. Consider … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 95
- 96
- 97
- 98
- 99
- …
- 123
- Next Page »