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Peter Elliott: Nigeria violence should be a concern
Ask most Americans what the United States’ top international focuses are and Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan are likely answers. While recent Iraqi elections and U.S. troops pushing into Taliban strongholds in Afghanistan, those responses are understandable. … Read more
Dani Nichols: American Idol Kris Allen sings for Haiti relief
American Idol winner Kris Allen traveled to Haiti last month as a part of the Idol Gives Back program, a charitable organization founded by American Idol. Allen’s quiet demeanor made him a bit of an enigma … Read more
Abbie Stancato: Sanctus Real is the real deal in Christian music
Sanctus Real has produced seven number one hits on the Christian charts and earned a Grammy Award nomination in 2009. Despite their great music and repeated success, this band does not have the name recognition it … Read more
Dani Nichols: Health care vote nears, what is our response?
On December 23, 1776, Thomas Paine wrote “The Crisis” which famously begins: “These are the times that try men's souls.” What most people don’t recall is the profound stuff that follows: “The summer soldier and the … Read more
Recent Blog Posts
Ministry in the digital age
Posted: 2:03 pm on March 17, 2010
By Peter Elliott
Going online and finding information about a church or interesting ministry near where you live is as easy as picking up a cheeseburger at the drive-thru. This is not only reflective of the growth of the Internet but how competition and a consumer mentality is so ingrained in our culture whether . . .
Read full posttags: technology, Facebook, Twitter, pastors, social networking
John Day, Oregon residents resist Aryan Nation group
Posted: 9:53 am on March 17, 2010
By Dani Nichols
Small towns are unassuming, off-the-beaten path places, perfect for raising kids or raising Cain, depending on your motives. Unfortunately for one Nazi group, the citizens of tiny John Day, Oregon, aren’t going to take this Aryan Nation infiltration sitting down.
According to Oregonlive.com, . . .
Read full posttags: racism, Aryan Nation, Oregon, John Day
Tiger Woods returning to golf at The Masters - now what?
Posted: 1:52 pm on March 16, 2010
By Peter Elliott
Tiger Woods isn’t going for an official tune-up before returning to championship golf.
Woods announced late this morning that he will return to play at The Masters – the first major of the year – April 8-11 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. The Washington Post points outs that Augusta . . .
Read full posttags: sports, Tiger Woods, marriage, golf, The Masters, Augusta
Tim Tebow’s pro-life Super Bowl ad lives on in health care debate
Posted: 7:20 am on March 16, 2010
By Dani Nichols
Let’s admit it – many of us just watch the Super Bowl for the ads, and this year was no different, especially with a much-talked-about pro-life commercial funded by Focus on the Family and featuring the true story of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow and his mother, Pam.
Now Life News, a pro-life . . .
Read full posttags: health care reform, abortion, Focus on the Family, Tim Tebow
Easter definition increasingly hazy for many Americans
Posted: 4:21 pm on March 15, 2010
By Peter Elliott
With Easter Sunday a little less than three weeks away, the Barna Group found that most Americans still affiliated the holiday with Christianity but there was a wide variety of responses of what it means.
About two-thirds of the 1,005 respondents in the free-response query described Easter as a . . .
Read full posttags: Easter, survey, Barna Group, church attendance, resurrection, evangelism
Lacey Brown reaches ‘American Idol’ Top 12 as latest contestant with deep Christian roots
Posted: 10:50 pm on March 14, 2010
By Peter Elliott
“American Idol” has no shortage of connections to Christian music and Christian musicians.
Over the past eight seasons a number of singers who grew up performing at church or continued to do so as young adults have made enormous impacts. Last year, of course, featured worship musicians at the . . .
Read full posttags: American Idol, Christian music, television, Kris Allen, Danny Gokey, Lacey Brown
Americans willing, and should be, to donate to help poor children internationally
Posted: 1:59 pm on March 12, 2010
By Peter Elliott
The story of Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:1-26) famously tells of Cain asking God, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” trying hide the fact he has already killed his sibling.
If that question is asked of Americans in the context of caring for poor children in other parts of the world, the answer according to . . .
Read full posttags: Haiti, survey, giving, poverty, Chile, ChildFund International
What are the top Christian movies of all time?
Posted: 11:24 am on March 09, 2010
By Peter Elliott
The Oscars have come and gone for another year leaving behind them discussions of snubs and upsets -- particularly if you’re really tall, blue and have a long tail.
It also is an annual exercise in looking at movies from a bird’s eye view, as Belief.net blogger Kris Rasmussen did in examining what . . .
Read full posttags: movies, To Save a Life, Oscars, Field of Dreams, The Shawshank Redemption, Schindlers List
A service model for young Christians
Posted: 11:03 am on March 08, 2010
By Peter Elliott
In USA Today last week, Oliver Thomas penned an interesting editorial discussing the challenges for mainline Protestants in the coming decades.
I won’t steal the author’s thunder if you would like to read the entire piece, but in a nutshell Thomas summarizes what many of us already know – that . . .
Read full posttags: ministry, church attendance, service
Two large quakes shake Chile, Indonesia
Posted: 2:24 pm on March 05, 2010
By Peter Elliott
A 6.6 magnitude aftershock shook Chile earlier today, sending people in the streets and forcing hospital evacuations.
The quake was the largest since last Saturday’s 8.8 magnitude quake severely damaged the city of Concepcion. Doctors at a Concepcion hospital were forced to remove some patients . . .
Read full posttags: earthquake, Indonesia, Chile, tsunami, aftershock, Sumatra
Christian dating site Marry Well puts focus squarely on marriage
Posted: 1:31 pm on March 05, 2010
By Peter Elliott
Even if you’ve been married a long time, you’re undoubtedly aware that online dating has progressed well beyond fad status.
Singles trying to find alternatives to office romance scenarios, the bar scene or friends’ connections to find a date are increasingly turning to Internet services in the . . .
Read full posttags: marriage, dating, Bible, family, Marry Well, Steve Watters
Secretary Clinton encourages Brazilians to legalize abortion
Posted: 7:58 am on March 05, 2010
By Karyn Brownlee
This past Wednesday in an interview with Brazil’s Globo Network in Sao Paulo, Secretary Hillary Clinton encouraged Brazilians to consider legalizing abortions. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. After all, she has always been a pro-choice politician like many in her party. But it just sends shivers . . .
Read full posttags: abortion, murder, Brazil, Hillary Clinton
