In Part 1 of this blog (if you haven’t read it, please stop and read it here before you continue), I summarized quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ journey out of the faith of his youth. It’s a cautionary tale of the impact of postmodern, progressive Christianity and its influence on people who are struggling with faith. In July 2019 the UK web magazine premierchristianity.com ran a story called “Deconstructing faith: Meet the evangelicals who are questioning everything.”…
According to People Magazine, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers expounded on his religious views last month during an interview on the Pretty Intense podcast with his girlfriend Danica Patrick. Rodgers told Patrick that he has gone down a path to a “different type of spirituality” that is more meaningful to him than what he experienced as a child. What was he talking about? Raised in a Christian home, Rodgers once said he trusted Christ as his Savior when…
For me, I was around 50. I suddenly realized that more highway was behind me than out front, more life lived than yet to go. Maybe I had just been running too fast to notice how far I had traveled, but nevertheless, I paused the pace and soaked it in. This realization is so common, we have a name for it—a mid-life crisis. Dartmouth College professor David Blanchflower conducted an extensive study that suggests that…
You hear it often. God can do anything. But is that true? Actually, no. There is at least one thing that God can never do. When the apostle Paul wrote to his young friend Titus, a pastor in a raucous place called Crete, he instructed him on personal matters and on how to be a better pastor. And because the people of Crete were known for playing fast and loose with the truth, and considered…
In study after study, psychologists have echoed a biblical truth: Gratitude is good for you. For instance, a 2018 exploringyourmind.com article declared, “Gratitude is good for you — amazingly healthy for those who practice it. Being grateful not only helps us cultivate emotional well-being and regulate stress, but also has a positive impact on our physical health.” According to the article, some of the benefits of cultivating gratitude include lowering your stress, increasing the desire…
In November Beto O’Rourke dropped out of the Democratic field without much fanfare. But not before swiping aggressively at some of America’s most revered and protected Constitutional rights, including religious liberty. You’ll recall that at an October 10 LGBTQ town hall, CNN anchor Don Lemon asked O’Rourke if churches should be stripped of their tax-exempt status if they refuse to support same-sex marriage. O’Rourke immediately responded, “Yes.” The crowd applauded, and O’Rourke elaborated, explaining that…
Americans love celebrities. And Christians are no different. So we are smitten when a secular celebrity says they have been saved. We jostle to be the first in line to herald their salvation, have them on Christian talk shows, offer them book deals, let them lead worship, invite them to preach. But what’s the rush? Should we put newly converted celebrities in the spotlight so fast? Kanye West has professed faith in Christ, and his…
Who would think that a hug would go viral? This one did. And for good reason. On October 1 Amber Guyger was convicted of killing Botham Jean as he sat in his apartment watching a football game. At the time of the shooting, Guyger was an off-duty Dallas police office, and she claimed that she did not know she was in the wrong apartment when she walked into Botham’s home and shot him. Convicted of…
It’s been a week since Greta Thunberg made her impassioned plea at the UN, jabbing her finger at the leaders, blaming them for her “lost childhood,” and declaring “how dare you!” She immediately gained some atta-girls and some criticism. And in the passing week she has been vilified by some and nearly sainted by others. But in all of that, I have noticed that there hasn’t been much said about the thing that, it seems…
Whenever Christians object to certain books, it seems to be big news. Especially if that means we prefer that those books not be available to kids in school. Earlier this month Rev. Dan Reehil removed the Harry Potter books from the St. Edward Catholic School’s library in Nashville, TN. That made the news, but it was slanted to reinforce the narrative that Christians are all legalistic prudes who won’t let kids read fun stuff. But…