A few years ago, when I was a pastor, I had a hard time explaining to a rather cranky member why we, as a church, had to pay for a license to use Christian music in our worship services. “They should give it away freely. Why do I have to pay for it? I thought…

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It’s hard to believe, but that moment the every author dreams of is here. My fifth book, Activist Faith, is releasing next week with Navpress. This is unique of all my books for several reasons, not the least is that its my first collaboration. I cowrote Activist Faith with my two friends, Dan King and…

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We live in a generally uncivil world (because we are fallen creatures) and we are in the midst of an uncivil season (Campaign 2012). I don’t buy the idea that this is the “most negative campaign we’ve ever had.” One only needs to read biographies of the American founders (unless written by David Barton) to…

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So now the primaries are officially over and we have a contest between President Obama and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney for the Presidency of the United States. Inevitably, American Christians will fall on one side or the other in what will likely be a long, divisive, tough campaign to the end. So, how should…

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So another Presidential campaign season is upon us and Christians are engaged at all levels and on both sides of most debates. As a recovering political junkie, I realize how easily my time, my energy, my attitudes can get sucked into the life force of Presidential politics. So here are a few attitudes that we…

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Dr. Amy Black is Associate Professor of Political Science and chair of the department of Politics & International Relations at Wheaton College (IL). Amy is a specialist in American Government, her research interests include religion and politics and Congress. Her latest books include Beyond Left and Right: Helping Christians Make Sense of American Politics and her…

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I’ve been watching some of the news reports regarding the accusations made against Republican Presidential candidate Herman Cain. I have no idea if the charges against him or true. Only God, Herman Cain, and the accusers do. When the first accuser came out I thought perhaps it might be a political dirty trick, an opposing…

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Today I’m privileged to feature my friend, Dave Zimmerman. Dave is longtime editor for Intervarsity Press and a columnist at Burnside Writers Collective. His books include Deliver Us from Me-Ville and the devotional compilation My Heart–Christ’s Home Through the Year.

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Sometimes the best opportunity to demonstrate the gospel to those who do not know Jesus is quite simply not being a jerk when you have the opportunity. I’m talking about those times when you’ve been wronged and most people would excuse you for flipping your lid and taking your frustrations out on the next person…

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How often have you heard, in the last year, some alarming statistics that “prove” young kids are sprinting away from the church, that Christianity in the West will die in the next generation, and that the world thinks Christians are idiots? If so, then today’s Friday Five will challenge some of those statistical assumptions. I’m delighted…

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We’ve been studying the book of James on Sunday Mornings at Gages Lake. We just finished the third chapter on Sunday. The last section of this chapter gives a very specific definition of spiritual maturity. James tells us what it isn’t and what it is. I found it interesting that James was very specific in…

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