Licensing battle may mean zero abortion clinics in Missouri JEFFERSON CITY – Gov. Mike Parson called for Planned Parenthood to comply with state law as the lone abortion provider in the state is asking for a restraining order that would keep its license from expiring at the end of the month. If it expires, Missouri will become the first state since 1974 ­– the year after Roe v. Wade was decided – with no licensed abortion facilities. Attorneys for Planned Parenthood are expected argue … [Read more...]

When it comes to fiction, few authors can stir Christians’ (and non-Christians’) imagination like J.R.R. Tolkien. His Lord of the Rings (LOTR) books are rightfully 20th-century classics. While there is zero doubt Tolkien’s deep faith influenced his work – you can’t ignore the themes of temptation, sin, redemption and sacrifice in LOTR – I’ve always appreciated that his writings were substantially subtler than that of his contemporary and friend, C.S. Lewis. Where Lewis’s symbols were … [Read more...]

ST. PETERS – I’m a sucker for a true story. “Breakthrough,” the latest faith-based movie to hit theaters, is worth your time and attention precisely because it is the story of a true miracle. The fact that some of the setting will feel familiar to you is a bonus. It’s based on the real-life case of John Smith, a 15-year-old boy from St. Peters, Mo. who fell through the ice on a frozen lake in 2015. He was submerged for nearly 15 minutes before paramedics found him and pulled him from the … [Read more...]

When my dad was a little boy, his favorite bedtime story was John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress. I’m told he would gasp and cheer as my grandmother read each chapter of the second most-read book of all time (The Bible still holds the top spot). He was riveted by the tale of Christian, his heavy burden, and his journey along the Narrow Way from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City. All while the ultimate enemy tries everything in his power to distract him. But even though I’ve … [Read more...]

“Unplanned” is not particularly enjoyable. That’s not the point, however. It’s the true story of Abby Johnson, a pro-life activist who used to be one of the youngest Planned Parenthood clinic directors in the nation. Over a span of eight years, she was involved in 22,000 abortions and counseled countless women on their “reproductive choices.” In advocating for abortion, Johnson believed she truly was helping women and herself. She and her colleagues were “doing God’s work.” Her … [Read more...]

I’ll get straight to the point. “Run the Race” is probably the best Christian movie I’ve ever seen. Is it really better than “I Can Only Imagine,” a movie which represented a huge artistic leap forward in the genre? Yes. Yes, it is. It’s hard to describe how happy it makes me to say that. Don’t be put off if you watch the trailer on YouTube and aren’t impressed. It’s far better than the trailer or its generic-looking poster. This is a good movie, and one you and your family will enjoy. … [Read more...]

Movies can be a great tool for instruction, but they also have a tremendous ability to throw a monkey wrench into the complex workings of history and honest debate when drama is taken for reality. Such is the case with 1960’s “Inherit the Wind,” a story which is based on but bears only a passing resemblance to the famed “Scopes Monkey Trial.” (Click for further background of the trial and its legacy for the SBC.) In his book, Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America’s Continuing … [Read more...]

ATLANTA (BP) - For Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Brandin Cooks, Sunday's Super Bowl is an opportunity for redemption. Cooks was part of the New England Patriots in last year's Super Bowl but left the game prematurely in the second quarter with a concussion. He never returned to the game, which the Patriots lost 41-33 to the Philadelphia Eagles. After an offseason trade that sent him to the Rams, Cooks is thankful for another Super Bowl appearance. "I've asked God to redeem me since … [Read more...]

WAYLAND – Seven girls between second and sixth grades learned table etiquette in a Christmas dinner Dec. 8 at Southern Baptist Fellowship Church, here. The dinner was the brainchild of church member Tara Toops, 16, who coordinated the event, contacting several schools and another church in recruiting girls. “We had done a formal dinner at a school (Keokuk Iowa Christian Academy) and we liked to dress up formally. I was thinking of ways to impact the girls and be role models for them.” In … [Read more...]