http://everydaychristian.com Biblical truth for everyday life en definedbyfaith@gmail.com Copyright 2013 2013-04-20T18:13:33+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/devotions/post/11132/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/devotions/post/11132/#When:09:00:11Z You know the old saying, “First you eat to live, and then you live to eat”? Well, it may be true that the body is only a temporary thing, but that’s no excuse for … 2013-05-23T09:00:11+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/devotions/post/11131/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/devotions/post/11131/#When:09:00:34Z Whenever I finish a new quilt or publish another book, I proudly display the results. People admire the finished product but they would not do the same for several yards of uncut fabric or … 2013-05-22T09:00:34+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/devotions/post/11130/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/devotions/post/11130/#When:09:00:48Z Canned foods are nutritionally equal or better than most ‘fresh’ foods. Canned foods are less likely to carry illnesses, are cheaper and now are available in low salt or low sugar varieties. Even when … 2013-05-21T09:00:48+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/devotions/post/11129/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/devotions/post/11129/#When:09:00:39Z Think about it. Pull a carrot some 1500 miles away. Put it on a truck for three days. Place it on a shelf and wait a week for someone to buy it. What we … 2013-05-20T09:00:39+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/devotions/post/11128/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/devotions/post/11128/#When:12:50:03Z A procaffeinator is one who spends their time procaffeinating, that is, one who drinks coffee while procrastinating. Now it’s bad enough that we procrastinate but to enjoy ourselves while we do? Let’s work on … 2013-05-19T12:50:03+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/11096/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/11096/#When:18:13:33Z Whenever an invite, opportunity, obligation, or something similar comes up – I go through quite the mental battle in my head if it’s something I really don’t want to do or dread doing. You … Christian Living 2013-04-20T18:13:33+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/11095/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/11095/#When:09:26:18Z Sometimes in life, there are relationships that we hold very dear to us – especially family relationships. They seem to go along smoothly and we can’t ever imagine things being different. Changing. But they … Family and Relationships 2013-04-18T09:26:18+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/11080/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/11080/#When:15:30:06Z I have long contemplated this question. I have even developed a bit of a pet peeve out of it. Recently it seems to have exploded into my world, and has led me to examine … Christian Living 2013-04-03T15:30:06+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/11068/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/11068/#When:20:30:11Z "There is no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still." -- Corrie ten Boom Ever feel like God is just too far away to help you? Or that your sin is … Christian Living 2013-03-21T20:30:11+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/11067/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/11067/#When:23:29:22Z 'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.' (Matthew 11:28) I have made lots of mistakes in the past. I have hurt people, I have assumed things that … Christian Living 2013-03-19T23:29:22+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/11045/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/11045/#When:01:51:45Z Engaging with someone in the middle of a trial is difficult and at best, a learned skill. It is uncomfortable when we engage in others painful lives. Not everyone has experienced difficult times, so … Christian Living 2013-03-03T01:51:45+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/11037/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/11037/#When:11:19:57Z I knew my grandpa was getting older, but I still wasn’t ready to hear that he had cancer and I would lose him in just three weeks time. I wasn’t ready to wake up … Christian Living 2013-02-25T11:19:57+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/11012/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/11012/#When:03:01:52Z "Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord." (Joel 1:14)    … Christian Living, Health and Fitness 2013-02-01T03:01:52+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/11011/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/11011/#When:16:21:18Z “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18) “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2) “A man’s pride brings him low, but the humble … News, Sports 2013-01-28T16:21:18+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/10995/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/10995/#When:11:37:43Z Choices. We all make them hundreds of times a day. Should I go here or there? Should I say this or that? Do I react, respond, or pray? Do I get involved? Do I … Christian Living 2013-01-25T11:37:43+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/10994/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/10994/#When:23:32:42Z We’d all like to think we are kind people. Thoughtful. Generous. We give to charities, we volunteer, and we appreciate other people’s way of living – as long as it works for them. For … Christian Living 2013-01-22T23:32:42+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/10949/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/10949/#When:12:35:34Z It’s that time of year—at the end of each year I list my top recommendations for the most important books related to biblical counseling. They may be books about biblical counselor or by biblical … Christian Living 2012-12-16T12:35:34+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/9214/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/9214/#When:10:45:27Z Little, sweet baby feet. Mary will soon cover them with her hand, warming them against the nighttime chill. She has treasured in her heart all the words spoken about her first-born Son. Things like, … Christian Living 2012-12-13T10:45:27+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/10896/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/10896/#When:01:34:54Z If you have been alive for longer than five minutes, you will know what I mean when I say, “Don’t Worry! Be Happy!” Growing up in the ‘80s and ‘90s, that seemed to be … Christian Living, Family and Relationships 2012-11-14T01:34:54+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/8683/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/8683/#When:09:44:38Z While Christians may differ in opinion about whether or not it is appropriate to celebrate Halloween, there is still one overriding issue.  How should Christians, who choose not to celebrate Halloween, handle it?  Is … Christian Living 2012-10-29T09:44:38+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/10824/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/10824/#When:23:47:20Z A friend of mine posted this quote below on his Facebook page. I liked it so much that I decided to use it as a springboard to a new post. I tracked it down … Christian Living 2012-09-27T23:47:20+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/10815/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/10815/#When:14:10:01Z Linking you to the top 5 Christian blog posts of the week—posts that provide robust, rich, and relevant insights for living. Praying for Your Pastor Joe Thorn lists several practical ways to focus your … Christian Living, Entertainment 2012-09-21T14:10:01+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/10814/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/10814/#When:12:19:31Z I’m a big-time fan of the Chicago Bears. In fact, I’m a big-time sports fan. Not only do I find watching and participating in sports activities fun, I often find them instructive for life. … Christian Living, Sports 2012-09-18T12:19:31+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/10691/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/10691/#When:13:45:52Z “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14 (NIV) What does it mean to be fearfully and wonderfully made? When we … Christian Living 2012-09-17T13:45:52+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/10794/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/10794/#When:12:41:18Z Going at life “solo” is dangerous. I’ve seen it happen time and time again. You grow frustrated with your church and so you stop going. You drop out of your ladies Bible Study or … Christian Living, Family and Relationships 2012-09-06T12:41:18+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/causes/post/9946/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/causes/post/9946/#When:09:29:44Z Minnesota-based JSAW uses skating-based action sports such as skateboarding, snowboarding and wakeboarding to connect youth with Christ. 2011-04-25T09:29:44+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/causes/post/9329/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/causes/post/9329/#When:19:37:27Z The American Bible Society has been engaging people with the life-changing message of God's Word for nearly 200 years. Its Armed Services Ministry is one example of the organization's many approaches to reaching and engaging people with the Bible. 2011-01-04T19:37:27+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/causes/post/8948/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/causes/post/8948/#When:18:07:04Z The sons of murdered Iranian bishop Haik Hovsepian continue to support the underground church in Iran through their filmmaking and television ministry 2010-12-14T18:07:04+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/11028/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/11028/#When:14:59:42Z Mississippi remains America's most religious state, according to the results of Gallup research released Wednesday. Eight of the 10 most religious states were in the South. The second-most religious state-Utah-has a vast Mormon population. Overall, 40% of Americans nationwide were classified as "very religious." Gallup defines very religious people as those who say religion is an important part of their daily life and attend religious services almost every week. Thirty-one percent of Americans are "nonreligious"--religion is not an important part of their daily life and they seldom or never attend religious services. The remaining 29% of the population is moderately religious-religion is important but they do not attend services regularly, or that religion is not important but  they still attend services. The results of the 2012 survey were similar to those in 2011. Gallup identified 58% of Mississippi residents as very religious. On the other end of the spectrum, Vermont was the least religious state with only 19% of its residents identifying themselves as "very religious." Rounding out the top 10 religious states after Mississippi and Utah were Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia and Oklahoma. For complete results of the survey, visit Gallup.com. News 2013-02-14T14:59:42+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/11007/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/11007/#When:15:48:16Z (WNS)--Imaginary waves toss three men from one side of the church stage to the other. The audience in the pews hear the wind blowing and water crashing as the men—depicting the Apostle Paul; Julius, his prison guard; and the captain of the ship—grip the wall, yelling and praying they’ll make it to Rome in one piece. In Acts the 3-Man Show, actors Bryce Lenon, J.D. Jackson, and Vinicius Machado play every major character in the book of Acts, switching from apostle to narrator to Jewish leader by throwing on a vest or picking up a sword. Condensing the 28 chapters of Acts plus Peter and Paul’s martyrdom in Rome into a two-hour performance that captures the heart of the biblical narrative was no easy feat for Lenon, who is also the play’s writer, director, and co-producer. Besides writing an accurate script, Lenon had to find Christian performers who shared his vision, create a mobile show that can be performed on any church stage, and make the show financially feasible. Lenon first came up with the play’s idea 14 years ago while listening to a sermon by Scottish pastor Sinclair Ferguson, who now fills the pulpit of First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, S.C. In the sermon Ferguson described the despair and confusion the disciples felt watching the Jewish leaders stone bold young Stephen, a deacon in the early church. But unknown to them, one of Stephen’s murderers would become the greatest missionary on earth. Lenon remembers getting chills picturing Saul standing over Stephen’s beaten and bruised body. He decided then that the story had to be made into a film or a play: “There’s so much drama in the Bible … it actually defies why they haven’t been done before, and we thought we really need to make this come alive.” For the next decade, Acts took a backseat as Lenon worked in film, in the theater, and on television shows, including Cold Case, 24, and Lie to Me. In 2008, he started tiring of the Hollywood roles available to Christians and how much of the secular work forced him to compromise his values. He also observed how Christian producers often tried to pull off big productions they didn’t have the money or training to carry out. He then decided to move forward with an Acts production that would feature sound doctrine and artistic integrity. Lenon began to pore over different Bible translations, deciding to rely mainly on the New King James Version for its Shakespearean quality. To make sure his script was accurate, Lenon scoured Bible commentaries, researched the lives of Nero and Herod, and prayed over what he wrote. Still he realized he had to take some creative license with scenes and lines that aren’t in the Bible. “I’m not a pastor,” Lenon said. “I’m not preaching on these verses. I’m dramatizing them.” He recruited classical composer Gustav Hoyer to join the project as a co-producer and composer of the play’s score. Hoyer wrote an original musical score that sets scenes with instruments like the wailing Armenian duduk flute. The music ties the scenes together, which span time and location as the Apostle Paul travels on his missionary journeys. For the final (extra-biblical) scenes when Peter and Paul face their deaths in Rome, Hoyer composed and recorded the choir piece “Miserere,” which is Psalm 51 sung in Latin. Hoyer said that by having the song in Latin, the piece represents the Roman Empire’s eventual acceptance of Christianity as its official religion. As Paul is beheaded, the lights dim and bells peal, which Hoyer said represents the beginning of the church age. Once Lenon and Hoyer completed the script and score, they had to find two more trained actors who were also strong believers. The demanding show required experienced professionals: The three actors are onstage for the entire two hours, meaning they have no time to rest or look over lines between scenes. Through connections in the Hollywood Christian community, Lenon found actor Vinicius Machado to play the roles of Nero, Stephen, and Mark, and J.D. Jackson to play Peter, Julius, and Barnabas. Lenon took on the roles of Paul, Caiaphas, and Herod. In 2011, they performed their first show at a church in Glendale, Calif., where Lenon’s pastor, John MacArthur of Grace Community Church in nearby Sun Valley, watched a dress rehearsal and asked them to perform at Grace Community’s Shepherds’ Conference in 2012. Since then, Lenon and crew have taken Acts on the road to churches as far away as Michigan, Alabama, and Texas. While typical theaters have a standard level of lighting and sound equipment to work with, most churches do not. Plus, the available stages vary in size. That’s why Lenon designed the play to require a minimal set-up and scene setting, using projected images to display a map and the year, and a simple chair as a throne. Audience members fill in the rest with their imaginations. “If the artists are strong enough,” Lenon said, “people will get drawn in.” One scene shows the human side of Paul as he argues with Barnabas about letting Mark join them on a second missionary journey after he had deserted them earlier. Paul accuses Barnabas of allegiance to his nephew while Barnabas accuses Paul of preaching forgiveness but not demonstrating it. The tension is heavy as voices rise and the two part ways. “They were flesh and blood,” Hoyer said of the apostles. “They lived a life as utterly real as anything we experience, in every sense, and they did some of the most audacious things humanly imaginable.” The troupe plans to continue traveling this year to churches in states such as Alabama, Louisiana, and California (visit the production’s website for a list of upcoming shows). With Machado currently working on a project in Brazil, actor Reggie Austen is filling in, with the two men alternating performances in upcoming shows. At the end of the day, Lenon and Hoyer want to do more than just create a moving performance. “I want to make sure when [the audience is] done with this they go, ‘I want to go read Acts,’ because the conviction will come there,” Hoyer said. “Our play, if done correctly, will promote an emotional response, but we can’t promote a convicting response. Only the Word can.” Entertainment 2013-01-28T15:48:16+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/11010/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/11010/#When:16:00:24Z (WNS)--A recent study concludes children whose parents divorce when they are young are less likely to be religious later in life. According to the study, two-thirds of young adults who grew up in a home with married parents are more religious than young adults who grew up in families with divorced parents. In an op-edin The Washington Post, study authors Elizabeth Marquardt and two fellows from the Center for Faith and Marriage say churches should work harder to address divorce and childbearing outside of wedlock. “Churches have not done enough to confront the impact of family breakdown on the spiritual lives of young people," the researchers wrote. "We urge faith leaders to renew family ministries with an eye to all that we are learning about the religious lives of children of divorce." Drawing a connection between high numbers of divorce and the future of the church, they warned: “How these younger generations approach questions of spiritual meaning and religious involvement will influence broader trends in the churches for years to come.” The study echoes a general trend in church attendance overall. According to a Pew Research Study, more young people today consider themselves spiritual but not religious or as “noners”—those who have no religious affiliation. According to Pew, one third of U.S. adults under the age of 30 are noners. Marquardt’s study urged churches to incorporate more social sciences and story-based liturgy in their services. Doing so will make churches seem more authentic, they wrote: “In other words, if we are real, they will come.” But Greg Brown who pastors Western Heights Baptist Church in LaGrange, Ga., insists church attendance should not be the priority. "Is ‘showing them that the church has something to offer’ the proper nomenclature here?," he wrote in an email to me. "Jargon like this is another painful reminder that the modern church has still not grasped the mission of going, serving, giving, loving for no other good that that single good alone." Brown said his church has several "going out" ministries, including a marriage counseling service, crisis pregnancy support center, and a sports outreach program that helps young, fatherless athletes get recruited. Last year, his church sponsored 150 children to attend its WinShape for Communities Camp. "Few of those children come to church," he said. "But we share the gospel in this way...we have enriched these kids with social capital." Family and Relationships 2013-01-27T16:00:24+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/11009/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/11009/#When:15:56:41Z (WNS)--The Associated Press declares that NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who leads the San Francisco 49ers in next Sunday's Super Bowl, “is quickly becoming a household name, and his touchdown celebration—flexing his right arm and kissing his biceps—is trending all over social media. Tebowing? No, call it Kaepernicking.” Tim Tebow’s thanks-be-to-God posture after touchdowns is out, Kaepernick’s thanks-be-to-self demonstration is in. Tebow deflected genuflections to him and said all credit goes to God. AP quoted San Francisco running back LaMichael James saying about Kaepernick, “All the credit goes to him.” I have nothing against Kaepernick, who has strong legs and a strong right arm: He played a great game. Tebow also has strong legs but not that strong and accurate an arm—but he led Denver to some great comebacks last year. Now, after a year in which the New York Jets acquired him and then weirdly left him on the shelf, “Tebow is on the side of the road holding a ‘Will QB for Food’ sign.” That’s how AOL columnist David Whitley put it, adding, “Millions love to love him. Millions love to hate him. … I never got why people so resented such a clean-living prince of a young man. But they did, and the cultural divide made Tebow perfect cannon fodder for today’s media machine.” ESPN’s James Walker similarly asked, “Will Tim Tebow be out of the NFL entirely next season? That notion isn’t as far-fetched as you might think. The Jacksonville Jaguars, a team reportedly linked to Tebow, said this week that they have no interest in acquiring the hometown favorite. That does not bode well for Tebow’s NFL future.” Is Tebow good enough to be a long-term NFL quarterback? I have no expertise here, and the answer may be no, but former New York Jets special teams coach Mike Westhoff put it this way during an interview with WQAM in South Florida: “If you incorporate him in different facets of your offense, I think he can be a factor. That’s what I felt we were going to do, but we never did it.” Teams are apparently concerned that Tebow’s fame will be a “distraction,” but—let’s face it—sports teams are in the circus business. Normally, they want publicity: The 49ers are already making Kaepernick the face of the franchise. Why not Tebow? And as far as his football skills, he was not long ago a first-round draft choice. Both in college and in the NFL he has shown the ability to come through in the clutch. Two caveats: First, I’m not saying that Tebow is a model for all Christian athletes—many love and honor God without being publicly demonstrative. Second, I don’t want to say the lack of interest in Tebow among NFL teams indicates a general anti-Christian bias, because the prime theology among many owners and coaches is a desire to win. I am saying that an anti-distraction bias by itself doesn’t explain Tebow’s exile: It will be a great mystery if none of the 32 NFL teams wants him. I’m also saying that worship of Man rather than God is now our national religion: Kissing your own biceps is more acceptable than bowing before our Creator.  Marvin Olasky is the editor-in-chief of WORLD Magazine. Sports 2013-01-27T15:56:41+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/11008/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/11008/#When:15:51:47Z (WNS)--A recent story in U.K. newspaper The Telegraph claims a new study proves religion does not make people love their neighbors more. But a closer look at the study raises questions about its conclusion. The study, done by economists at Nottingham University Business School, took Malaysians of different religions–Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, and non-religious–and placed them in scenarios known as prisoner’s dilemmas to judge their cooperation and generosity. In one task, researchers gave participants an imaginary sum of money. The participants could either choose to give some to another participant or keep the money for themselves. The other participant could then chose to send some of it back, and the sum would be tripled. The study found that when participants knew the other person was of a different religion or ethnicity, they cooperated about the same amount as when they did not know anything about the other participant.  When two participants were of the same religion or ethnicity, they were more likely to help each other out. From this, researchers concluded religion does not impact everyday behavior unless people share the same faith.  “This leads us to the sobering conclusion that religion doesn’t affect people’s behavior in general terms,” said Robert Hoffmann, an associate professor of economics and co-author of the report. “Rather, it affects how they relate to different individuals.” But the study only uses participants from Malaysia, a country where religion and ethnicity are strongly tied together. Most ethnic Malays are Muslim, while many Chinese are Christians and Buddhists, and many Indians are Hindus. Ethnicity could just as easily have affected the level of trust as religion.  Other studies have repeatedly found that religious people are more generous, donating more on average than nonreligious people. In America, those in the most religious fifth of Americans donate about $3,000 to charity, while the most secular fifth give about $1,000, according to David Campbell and Robert Putnam, co-authors of “American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us.” Most religious Americans give even more to secular causes than secular Americans. But even looking on the ground in Malaysia shows Christians loving and caring for those in and outside of their religious and ethnic backgrounds. Christian organization Malaysian Care started in the late 1970s helping children in the Sungai Buloh Leprosy Settlement. Today the organization continues to reach out to the marginalized in society: people in prison, dealing with drug addictions, special needs, and AIDS. In a letter on the group’s website, Executive Director Wong Young Soon said Christians care because God cares, despite our unbelief and weakness: “To render care or social services to the marginalized is something we do because it is in the character of the God we follow to lift up the poor and needy.” News 2013-01-27T15:51:47+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/11006/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/11006/#When:15:46:52Z (WNS)--Christian singer-songwriter Chris Tomlin’s latest album hit number one on the Billboard 200 charts earlier this month, only the fourth time a Christian CD has ever reached that milestone. Tomlin’s Burning Lights sold 72,000 copies during its first week, which is small compared to the several hundred thousand sold by mega popstars like Taylor Swift or Bruno Mars a few months ago. But Tomlin managed to snag the top spot during the slower, post-holiday release week.  This is the second time in less than a year a Christian album has made it to the top. In September, former DC Talk member tobyMac hit number one with Eye On It. Before that, the last Christian album to make it to number one was LeAnn Rimes’ You Light Up My Life–Inspirational Songs in 1997. The first Christian number one was Bob Carlisle’s Butterfly Kisses (Shades of Grace) also in 1997. In Burning Lights, Tomlin showcases what made him a staple in churches around the world. His lyrics stay grounded in the gospel and musically he mixes traditional hymns with contemporary guitar riffs and soaring melodies. While Tomlin mainly sticks with ballads and pop/rock worship songs, he also experiments with a dance-infused “God’s Great Dance Floor,” and a collaboration with Christian rapper Lecrae.  This is Tomlin’s 9th album since he came onto the Christian music scene in 2001. Since then, the Atlanta worship leader has created well-known worship songs like “Indescribable,” “How Great Is Our God,” and “Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone).”  Burning Lights also is the second-highest selling Christian album after Casting Crowns’ Come to the Well sold 99,000 during its first week release in 2011.  Billboard said Tomlin’s first-week sales were helped by this month’s Passion conference in Atlanta, where Tomlin has performed since 1997. Sales from Passion-related purchases and church sales made up 40 percent of the album’s numbers. Comparing the song titles in Burning Lights with Billboard’s runner-up, heavy-metal band Hollywood Undead’s Notes from the Underground, show a completely different worldview. It’s a battle between “Thank You God for Saving Me” and “Kill Everyone.” Entertainment 2013-01-27T15:46:52+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/10998/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/10998/#When:01:22:29Z A new study by the American Bible Society ranks Knoxville, Tennessee as the most Bible-minded city in the U.S. The rankings, released Tuesday, analyze 96 geographic markets in the U.S. Following Knoxville as the most Bible-minded city were Shreveport, Louisiana; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Birmingham, Alabama; and Jackson, Mississippi. The least Bible-minded city, according to the study, was Providence, Rhode Island/Bedford, Massachusetts. "We are continuously evaluating interaction with and views of the Bible among Americans," said Geoffrey Morin, chief communications officer at American Bible Society. "Knowing the Bible landscape across the U.S. is key to helping people engage with the most-translated, best-selling book of all time. Whether you are living in the Bible Belt, the Midwest, New England or the Great Lakes, the Bible speaks to the needs, concerns and challenges of every American." The study, conducted by the Barna Group, surveyed more than 40,000 adults nationwide over a seven-year period. Respondents who reported reading the Bible within the past seven days and who agree strongly with the accuracy of the Bible were classified as "Bible-minded". Most Bible-Minded Cities: Knoxville, Tenn. Shreveport, La. Chattanooga, Tenn. Birmingham, Ala. Jackson, Miss. Springfield, Mo. Charlotte, N.C. Roanoke/Lynchburg, Va. Huntsville, Ala. Charleston, W.Va. Least Bible-Minded Cities: Providence, R.I./ New Bedford, Mass. Albany, N.Y. Burlington, Vt. Portland, Maine Hartford/New Haven, Conn. Boston, Mass. San Francisco Phoenix, Ariz. Cedar Rapids, Iowa Buffalo, N.Y. For a complete list of city rankings, visit BibleMindedCities.com. News 2013-01-24T01:22:29+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/10985/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/10985/#When:12:52:41Z (WNS)--For the 11th straight year, Christians in North Korea suffered the most persecution in the world, according to 2012 rankings released Jan. 8 by Open Doors International, a U.S.-based group that keeps track of worldwide persecution of believers. Its annual World Watch List revealed persecution is on the rise worldwide, especially in Arab Spring countries and areas around the Sahel belt of Africa. “All of the Arab Spring countries are going to get worse for the church for the next five to 10 years,” Ron Boyd-MacMillan, Open Doors’ chief strategy officer, told me after announcing the report at a press conference Tuesday at the National Press Club. Boyd-MacMillan said the one exception is Egypt, which dropped from No. 15 to No. 25 on the list of 50 because “while the [Muslim] Brotherhood is still maneuvering, the church is fairly free.” The reporting period ended in October, so rankings do not include violence sparked by Egypt’s new constitution. North Korea’s No. 1 ranking came as no surprise, since between 50,000 and 70,000 Christians continue to suffer in brutal labor camps. Not only has the situation not improved under new leader Kim Jong Un, Boyd-McMillan said the conditions for Christians may have even worsened. The African country of Mali presented the biggest surprise of the list, jumping from unranked last year to No. 7—one of 11 countries where Open Doors reports “extreme persecution.” Islamic extremism accounts for the deteriorating conditions after Sharia law was instituted last year in the northern part of the country. In Syria, where 40,000 people have reportedly died, civil war has pushed the country from No. 36 to No. 11 on the list. Ethiopia jumped from No 38 to No. 15 after members of the Muslim group al-Shabaab came from neighboring Somalia to establish “enclaves of Islam” that wreak havoc on Christians. Clashes are increasingly occurring around the Sahel belt of Africa as Christianity pushes up from the south, and Islam pushes down from the north. One of those battlegrounds is northern Nigeria, which, despite sustained violence against Christians, remained at No. 13 because conditions also deteriorated in other countries. Christians are technically free to practice their religion in Nigeria, although attacks from the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram have killed tens of thousands over the last decade. Boyd-McMillan said the Nigerian city of Jos is the “taproot of evangelization” in Africa, leading him to wonder if extremists have strategically targeted the area because they realize its significance to the rest of the continent. Nigerians “are good at taking the gospel around the world,” he said. “But if the taproot gets turned off in northern Nigeria, that would be very significant for world evangelization.” China, ranked in the top 10 five years ago, represented the most significant improved country in the rankings, dropping from No. 21 to No. 37. The fall is due primarily to intensifying persecution elsewhere, but conditions are also improving for Christians in the world’s most populous country. Other countries making big drops were Bhutan (No. 17 to No. 28) and Comoros (No. 24 to No. 41). News 2013-01-12T12:52:41+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/10984/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/10984/#When:12:48:26Z (WNS)--The Christian conservative movement may be dwindling in other parts of the country, but in Indiana politics it has matured into a dominant influence in state government. The handoff from Gov. Mitch Daniels to his successor, former U.S. Rep. Mike Pence, on Jan. 7 illustrates the trend. Pence is more vocal than Daniels about his personal faith in Jesus Christ and has been a favorite of Tea Party conservatives for his fiscal conservatism during his time in the U.S. House of Representatives. Daniels shares the same faith in Christ as Pence but has a more Presbyterian reticence in how he expresses his commitment. And during his years in the governor’s mansion, Daniels has come across as more of a fiscal conservative than a social one. Together the two Republican politicians provide an intriguing opportunity to compare and contrast how Christians carry their faith into the public arena. For Indiana Republicans, Daniels has been the state’s strongest governor since Oliver P. Morton, who served during the Civil War. Facing a big deficit when he took office in 2005, Daniels moved quickly to cut spending and balance the budget. He leased the state toll road, unleashing $2.5 billion worth of road and highway improvements that his predecessors had drawn up on paper but never could figure out how to finance. He got the General Assembly to put the state on daylight savings time—a big deal that had divided the state for years. He shortened the waiting time at Bureau of Motor Vehicle license branch facilities. The big and small stuff added up, and Daniels won a second term in 2008, even as Barack Obama became the first Democrat to carry the state in a presidential election since the Lyndon Johnson landslide of 1964. In his second term, Daniels pushed through the state’s biggest education changes in history: more charter schools, private school scholarships for poor children to escape public schools, and merit pay for teachers. His fiscal conservatism came in handy during the recession, as the state suffered less than neighbors such as Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio. Like former President Ronald Reagan, Daniels had lots of liberal critics, but even some of his critics came to appreciate parts of his second-term record. He’s leaving the state with a AAA credit rating and a $1 billion surplus. Daniels’ emphasis on the economy tended to obscure a solid record as a social conservative. Quiet about how his faith drives him, he prefers Bible passages such as James 1:22, to be a doer of a Word rather than a talker about it. Before he was governor, Daniels helped start an inner-city private school in Indianapolis, Oaks Academy, with a remarkable 50-50 racial balance mixed with classical and Christian emphases. Daniels is a no-nonsense manager and doesn’t cry for the cameras the way former President Bill Clinton could. But he could break down emotionally in speaking to smaller audiences about the faith side of this educational endeavor, remembering the prayer meetings late at night when the school was about to run out of money in its early years. Oaks Academy also became an anchor in a neighborhood transformation of what had been one of the worst crime sections of the city. It also indirectly laid the groundwork for education reform in the state, by showing how high expectations could lead to better education in a low-income part of town. Daniels also gave eloquent speeches about the crying need for each child to have a father and mother staying committed to each other, for the sake of the children. He had practiced what he preached, both in deepening his faith in Christ and reuniting with his wife, Cheri, after a divorce in the 1990s. Yet, in contrast to Pence, Daniels was never a big favorite of Christian conservative groups in Indiana or nationally. He once called for a truce on social issues debate, trying to make the point that a nation that literally runs out of cash cannot pay for military defense or anything else. Economists explaining dismal truths are seldom popular. Even so, for a time in 2011 Daniels could have jumped into the GOP presidential race and perhaps could have offered a stronger challenge to Barack Obama than Mitt Romney. Instead he’ll be president of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., and try his reform-minded hand on higher education. His successor in the governor’s mansion doesn’t have the same hard-nosed managerial style. Like Daniels, Pence was a conservative presidential hope in 2011, but his advisers realized he should seek executive branch experience rather than try to be the first person to go from the U.S. House of Representatives to the White House since James Garfield in 1881. Pence talks about taking the state from good to great. A former radio talk show host, he’s more of a cheerleader than Daniels. He’s been a favorite among Christian conservatives in Indiana and nationally. His family is a part of the nondenominational Community Church of Greenwood, Ind., whereas Daniels has been a long-time member of Tabernacle Presbyterian Church, with its history of inner-city mission in Indianapolis. What’s surprising is how two Christian conservatives, of different styles but very similar views of the world, have come to dominate Indiana in recent years, even as Barack Obama worked his electioneering magic on the state in 2008 over John McCain. Timing may be a factor. Daniels was an influential behind-the-scenes political player for 30 years in Indiana circles. When he decided to run for governor in 2004 and try to end 16 years of Democratic dominance of the governor’s mansion, other potential GOP rivals stepped out of his way. Daniels never identified himself as a conservative-movement candidate in the first place, and he wasn’t especially public about his faith. But he had keen grasp of market economics and he applied it at the state level with unusual success. Pence, 53, a decade younger than Daniels, 63, had run for the U.S. House in 1988 and 1990, losing both times. He put his Christian faith to work in the aftermath, repenting publicly of negative campaigning and befriending Democrats as he spent the 1990s in the political wilderness of Indiana talk radio. Coming back into politics in a 2000 race for the House, he quickly became a leader of conservatives in Congress and helped them enlarge their numbers and influence until he ran for governor. The Religious Right movement may not be so much dead or dwindling as it is evolving in states such as Indiana. Politically, the movement is not only strong in the governor’s office, but also in Indiana’s General Assembly, with a number of younger Christian conservatives working their way into leadership positions. The era of top-down national leadership of a Pat Robertson or a James Dobson has faded. But a voter hunger for leaders of faith and limited government is still available for the harvest by competent candidates like Daniels and Pence. News 2013-01-12T12:48:26+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/10983/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/news/weblink/10983/#When:12:41:49Z (WNS)--As the United States approaches Roe v. Wade’s 40th anniversary, pro-life advocates have gained ground in restricting the number of abortions taking place every year. In 2012, 43 pro-life provisions went into effect in 19 states, the second highest number after states enacted 92 pro-life laws in 2011.  The numbers come from a report published by pro-abortion group Guttmacher Institute, which calculated the number of pro-life provisions rather than bills or laws, since bills often have multiple provisions.  And while the Guttmacher Instituted bemoaned the number of states restricting abortions, pro-life advocates rejoiced over lives saved. “For those who have been in the pro-life trenches for years, the remarkable passage of so many pro-life pieces of legislation should give these faithful warriors much hope and encouragement,” bioethics analyst Dawn McBane wrote on CitizenLink.  Arizona led the number of pro-life laws, with seven, followed by Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, which all enacted three or more laws. Most of the provisions focused on banning late-term abortions, limiting abortion coverage under Obamacare, and medication abortions, Guttmacher said. Late-term abortions are described as abortions after 20 weeks, which studies found is the time when preborn babies feel pain. Currently seven states ban abortions at 20 weeks, while similar laws in Arizona and Georgia are facing court challenges. Four states enacted provisions to counter President Obama’s healthcare law by banning abortion coverage in insurance exchanges, except in cases of life endangerment. Three states prohibited the use of telemedicine, which allows physicians to dispense abortion drugs through webcams. The practice has killed dozens and injured thousands more. Many provisions also require pregnant women to have an ultrasound before having an abortion. In Virginia, women are given the option of hearing the fetal heartbeat, while Louisiana and Oklahoma required making the heartbeat audible. According to Option Ultrasound, when a women sees an ultrasound of her baby, she is 60 percent more likely to proceed with the pregnancy. Some states also increased regulation on abortion providers so that they follow the same safety laws as other medical centers that perform outpatient surgeries. Other provisions included securing admitting privileges at hospitals near abortion centers in the case of botched abortions. And the trend looks like it will continue: Texas lawmakers plan to introduce six pro-life bills in 2013, with the support of Gov. Rick Perry. The bills range from banning late-term abortions to banning abortion insurance coverage to end-of-life care.  “Now, to be clear, my goal, and the goal of many of those joining me here today, is to make abortion, at any stage, a thing of the past,” Perry said in December. “We cannot, and we will not, stand idly by while the unborn are going through the agony of having their lives ended.” News 2013-01-12T12:41:49+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/books/post/10024/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/books/post/10024/#When:10:07:15Z Christian colleges took a test on their faith and the final exam is in. Christian Living, Book Reviews 2011-05-18T10:07:15+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/books/post/9975/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/books/post/9975/#When:10:17:31Z Sunday is the most segregated day of the week. Be part of the powerful movement to make everyone welcome in God's house 2011-05-02T10:17:31+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/books/post/9910/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/books/post/9910/#When:16:32:54Z Bestselling author Ray Comfort has collected some of the toughest questions believers face in defending their faith and offers sound biblical responses in his new book The Defender's Guide for Life's Toughest Questions 2011-04-23T16:32:54+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/announcements/post/10037/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/announcements/post/10037/#When:10:11:39Z 2011-05-25T10:11:39+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/announcements/post/9988/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/announcements/post/9988/#When:09:41:28Z 2011-05-06T09:41:28+00:00 http://www.everydaychristian.com/announcements/post/9912/ http://www.everydaychristian.com/announcements/post/9912/#When:10:05:29Z 2011-04-18T10:05:29+00:00