There are still places where Christians are persecuted, dispossessed, tortured, or killed for their faith. Here are the four last countries from 2024's Most Dangerous Countries for Christians, as ranked by the Open Doors World Watch List. Quick Note: Before taking offense at my gallows humor, know I’m not demeaning anyone, belittling their situation, or exploiting their victimhood. I’m not above that kind of writing. I'm just not doing it now.  4. Eritrea The Good Hey, I didn't expect to find anything, either. But apparently, Eritrea recognizes three Christian denominations: E ..read more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9eVThBXQWI Christianity is the world’s largest religion, but there are still places where Christians are persecuted, dispossessed, tortured, or killed for their faith. Submitted for your disapproval are three more countries from 2024's Most Dangerous Countries for Christians, as ranked by the Open Doors World Watch List. Quick Note: Before you take offense at my gallows humor, know that I’m not demeaning anyone, belittling their situation, or exploiting their victimhood. I’m not above that kind of writing –I am a blogger after all–  I'm just not doing ..read more

Please allow me to steal from some 2011 dude a bit (plagiarism is so in style these days). Sadly, I can steal almost verbatim from List Boy. "Some think Christianity’s flawed past and modern emphasis on grace and forgiveness make it an easy (perhaps deserving) target for criticism, even reverse discrimination. Scathing rhetoric is part of any healthy debate, but should it go so far as to turn a blind eye to persecution? Christianity is one of the world’s predominant religions, but there are still many places where Christians are persecuted, dispossessed, tortured, or killed for their faith. Of ..read more

The following is a recap of the problems with the devotional, Jesus Calling, and some suggestions for an alternative. (Originally published on 9/24/2018) Ah! The morning comes, the smell of coffee is in the air, and still in your pajamas you reach for your devotional to begin the day with some spiritual nourishment. Rather than reading the Bible, a friend turned you on to a popular devotional: Jesus Calling. It's a popular book, no doubt. Published by Thomas Nelson originally in 2004, Jesus Calling has sold over 15 million copies. Written by Sarah Young, the devotional captures the words ..read more

Biblical literacy lets you have more in common with other believers. This common knowledge helps Christians communicate, work, play, and live together, ultimately forming a community of individuals that can - given time - become a vibrant Christian culture. Fractious on theology maybe, but united in values, so no one has doubts about what the definition of "is" is. E.D. Hirsch makes this point (much better) on a secular level in Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know. In it, he lamented the loss of common knowledge that unites us as Americans. "Unlike expert knowledge (Cultural L ..read more

"This too, shall pass". - My Best Friend's Wedding, 1997. "You SHALL NOT PASS!" - Gandalf, The Fellowship of the Ring, 200l. - My pre-Cal professor, 1985. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIgD4x5VnkM "This too shall pass" certainly sounds Biblical, but like my Pre-Cal answers and My Best Friend's Wedding, sounding true doesn't make something true, much less Biblical. "This too shall pass" likely came from useful but non-divine Jewish folklore. My non-true Pre-Cal answers were only useful for fertilizer. Which is why Biblical Literacy is so important. While you probably suspected from context th ..read more

"The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and goodwill, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee." - Jules Winnfield, Pulp Fiction ( ,inaccurate but he's trying, Ringo. He's trying REAL HARD.) https://www.youtu ..read more

A quick examination of the Pharisee's response to Jesus' miracles reveal a lot about the nature of self-righteousness, and we all can learn from it. I've always loved the arts. While in the fourth grade, I was introduced to classical music through a program called Music Memory. We listened to a selection of well-known classical compositions, were told the composer's name, and expected to remember them. I had an easy time remembering them, but there was one piece that especially stood out to me: Trumpet Voluntary by Henry Purcell. At that same time, I was learning to play the (dreaded) Recorde ..read more

"My Mom's boyfriend says Christmas is when Frosty the Snowman fights the Devil." - Unaccompanied Minors, 2006. As the #1 Bestseller in the world, it's safe to say Bible ownership in the United States is super high. According to the American Bible Society, who really should know about these kinds of things, 9/10 American households own at least one Bible, and the average household has three of'em. You know, somewhere in all this mess. But owning something and using it are two different things. One word: Soloflex. How bad is the problem? The United Kingdom Bible Society surveyed British children ..read more

"Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." - Mike Tyson Relax. Almost no churches punch you in the mouth. The quote is instructive because catching hands with Iron Mike is a fearful undertaking. But his opponents bolstered their confidence with a good plan and stepped into the ring. Some even won. For us introverts, social interaction is fatiguing and sometimes a little scary. To avoid these feelings, we often isolate ourselves and contribute greatly to today's Loneliness Crisis. Our fear is as real as what Tyson's opponents felt, and for some, just as intense. Don't believe m ..read more