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"Carlin's Gutter Humor Was No Joke" By: Gary Hardaway. Posted 6/27/08 (700 words)  On a June night long ago, as our high school class lined up to march into our graduation ceremony, the guy behind me kept a bunch of us in stitches doing a comedy routine he had picked up somewhere, something about a “hippy-dippy weather man.”  The bumbling prognosticator ruefully admitted that a lot of people were shoveling about two feet of “partly cloudy” off their driveways that morning....

"Socialism Goes By Many Names" By: Gary Hardaway. Posted 6/27/08 (700 words)  If you were born in 1933 – and if my math is right – you’re seventy-five years old, or pretty close. Your memory of the world radically exceeds that of the average citizen with much less history. That blankness looms large in 2008, especially because of the upcoming election.  In 1933 two world leaders appeared on the scene. Hitler came to power in Germany; Franklin Roosevelt was elected president of the United States. They joined two others....

"An Example For The Ages" By: Debbie Thurman. Posted 6/27/08 (670 words)  In the course of research for a forthcoming book and ongoing preparation for the commentaries I write—often with “fear and trembling” as I consider the grave responsibility of ministry to real human beings—I have found myself at the intersection of two great pastors and their legacy. I am speaking of Rick Warren and the late Jerry Falwell. While I have yet to meet Warren in person, I was privileged to know “Doc” Falwell. My journey through this purpose-driven life took me...

"America, Land of the Free and Home of the Blessed!" By: James J. Jackson. Posted 6/25/08 (700 words)  Happy Birthday, America.  God has truly showered His grace upon you as a nation.  Many people today take delight in attacking America.  Many people castigate the U.S. regularly, spewing hate-filled epithets about our nation.  The problem is, the leading America-haters are American citizens.  We have so much to be thankful for, yet so many of us strive to dwell upon the negative....

"Russert Remained True to the Author of his Beliefs" By: Kendall Wingrove. Posted 6/25/08 (700 words)  Sister Lucille Socciarelli had her hands full when a precocious 13-year-old entered her seventh grade classroom at St. Bonaventure Elementary School. The young man was gifted in many ways and as the days progressed, the sister quickly realized that he was intelligent, witty, and a math whiz...  Sister Lucille taught in Buffalo, New York.  It was 1963 and the boy was Timothy John Russert, Jr....

"Guard Your Heart" By: James J. Jackson. Posted 6/20/08 (610 words) 

Jordan, my little four-year-old grandson sat in our family room one Sunday afternoon, playing with a toy and singing a song, “...Don’t let the devil steal your joy.…”  The song went on to express how you should ask Jesus for His joy, and you will be happy in the joy of the Lord.  After listening for a while, I asked him what the song meant.  He responded that in Sunday school, he learned that the devil wants to make him sad, but that Jesus wants him to be happy.  It was amazing to me that a simple little child’s song...

"The Most Sacred of Vows" By: Debbie Thurman. Posted 6/20/08 (620 words)  June is the month when, traditionally, the most brides are given in marriage. Right on cue, my husband and I followed that tradition recently by presenting our own precious firstborn daughter to her new husband.  As much as we had anticipated the event, and for all the tears shed in advance in attempts to drain the emotional well we feared would swamp us on The Big Day, we simply could not have known in advance how full and tender our hearts would be...

"Restraint Important Lesson In Life" By: Jan White  Posted 6/19/08 (460 words)  The first thing I do when I get in my car is reach over my left shoulder, pull the seat belt across my body and fasten the metal clip in the slot.  I don’t want to drive until the click tells me I’m secure.  I admit I haven’t always buckled up.  Like others who don’t wear them, I had my excuses.  I used to say seat belts were uncomfortable and too confining.  They wrinkle my clothes, I’d complain.  Or...

"The Bible:  Greater Value Than Einstein's Words" By: Jan White  Posted 6/18/08 (515 words)  In London recently, a letter written by Albert Einstein sold at auction for $404,000.   The handwritten letter, dated January 1954, was addressed to philosopher Eric Gutkind.  The auction house verified the letter’s authenticity.  Einstein, the famous physicist known for developing the theory of relativity, shared his thoughts about God and the Bible in this personal letter....

"Molding Young Minds Is Not Child's Play" By: James J. Jackson. Posted 6/10/08 (700 words)  It is intriguing to watch a young child play with Play-Doh or clay. He or she carefully examines the blob of material, and uses his or her imagination and their tiny hands to form what their mind’s eye sees.  When the child’s ‘masterpiece’ is done, he or she fully expects others to see the ‘kitten’ or ‘doggie’ they have fashioned from the ball of clay....

"It's Time for Fathers to Take Back Their Rightful Place" By: Jill Darling. Posted 6/04/08 (700 words)   As a youngster I enjoyed watching Father Knows Best, My Three Sons and Leave it to Beaver. As an adult, these beloved shows became the target of ridicule. With women’s lib, increasing divorce rates and unruly kids, families didn’t act like those in the black-and-white sitcoms of yesteryear....

"Another Shameful Performance at Trinity Church" By: Gary Hardaway. Posted 6/04/08 (575 words)  When Catholic priest Michael Phleger used the pulpit of Trinity United Church of Christ to mock Hillary Clinton and inflame black hatred of whites, he, like Jeremiah Wright before him, disgraced his office and his calling. Worse, he performed this disgusting behavior in the name of Jesus Christ. Remember Christ? The one who taught us to love one another, not mock one another?...

"Government Fails the 'Father Test'" By: James J. Jackson. Posted 6/04/08 (700 words)  We are often told nearly one third of young Black men are either in jail or on parole/probation and are more likely to become involved in drugs and crime than other ethnicities.  The school drop out rate for Blacks is triple that of Whites.  Blacks are more likely to live in poverty.  What sad statistics!  Where are the leaders?   Where are the fathers?...

"Remembering Robert F. Kennedy's 'Ripple of Hope'" By: Kendall Wingrove. Posted 6/04/08 (680 words)  These are uncertain times.  The political, social and economic orders that governed for generations now seem jeopardized by bad decisions and overwhelming events. Everyone is asking how to address these problems.  Some thought-provoking answers can be found in a book written four decades ago.  While preparing for the 1968 presidential campaign, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy issued "To Seek a Newer World."...

"Graduation More Than A Ceremony" By: Jan White  Posted 6/2/08 (510 words)  Congratulations to the young people receiving their diplomas!  It may seem for the moment that you’ve completed your education; however, there’s something you need to know.  Your schooling may be over, but your education will continue....  In other words, learning is a lifelong journey....

"Home Foreclosure's Emotional Toll" By: Rusty Wright. Posted 6/2/08 (590 words)  Has someone you know lost their home to foreclosure or struggled near the brink?  Have you?  The psychological effects can be devastating.  How to cope?   (Short op-ed)

"'Star Spangled Banner' Still Reflects National Character"  By: Don Lindman. Posted 5/23/08 (635 words)  After September 11, 2001, Americans became engulfed in a wave of patriotism.  Among the changes that occurred was a new appreciation for our national anthem.  In 1814 the United States was involved in a war with England that threatened to bring an early end to the noble experiment in freedom and democracy that had begun in 1776.  The young nation’s destiny hinged...

"John Paul II:  Amazing Religious Leader"  By: Don Lindman. Posted 5/23/08 (530 words)   He was Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Christ, Patriarch of the West, Primate of Italy, and Sovereign of Vatican City.  TIME magazine’s Man of the Year, he was referred to by some as the most influential person of the 20th century.  He was Karol Wojtyla, better known as Pope John Paul II.  A compromise selection, chosen in the eighth round of voting, he ended up having the second longest reign in papal history....

"Israel:  The Miracle Country Turns 60" By: Tom Flannery  Posted 5/19/08 (740 words)   When Israel celebrated her 60th anniversary recently, it was nothing short of a testament to the faithfulness of God and the trustworthiness of His Word.  You see, all of Israel's history — her future history — was recorded in precise detail in Scripture thousands of years before it ever happened.  God foretold through the prophets...

"The Church At A Critical Crossroad" By: Debbie Thurman. Posted 5/19/08 (680 words)  Is it any real surprise that California’s Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision, has overturned the state’s ban on same-sex marriage? Serious observers and activists on both sides of the gay culture war have seen this coming for some time.  We have glimpsed the country’s future through the crystal ball of its infamous bellwether state. Pro-family advocates are heartened, at least, by the near-establishment of a November ballot initiative to amend California’s constitution, defining marriage as only between one man and one woman....

"Songwriter's Words Touched Many Hearts" By: Jan White  Posted 5/19/08 (500 words)  Gospel singer/songwriter Dottie Rambo, age 74, died early last Sunday morning when strong winds blew her tour bus off a Missouri highway and into an embankment.  Seven others traveling with her were injured – two of them seriously. Some may not know the name, Dottie Rambo, but anyone who knows Gospel music...

"Sins, Whatever We Call Them, Are Deadly" By: Jan White  Posted 5/19/08 (490 words)  The seven deadly sins made the news in recent weeks because a new list of seven deadly sins was announced by the Vatican.  Around the year 600, the original seven deadly sins – pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy and sloth - were compiled by Pope Gregory I.  You won’t find this list in one verse, but there’s Scripture in the Bible concerning each one....

"Hymnology - Can You Name That Tune?" By: Jan White  Posted 5/19/08 (500 words)  If there were a game show called “Name That Hymn,” I could make it to the final round and probably win the game.  Growing up in church and having a mother who plays the piano and organ created a musical memory bank in my brain.  Off the top of my head, I would guess I could name most hymns in less than five notes....

"Remembering Mr. Smith and the Importance of Lost Causes" By: Kendall Wingrove. Posted 5/19/08 (780 words)  Where have you gone, Jefferson Smith?  A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.  This month marks the 100th anniversary of Jimmy Stewart’s birth and provides an opportunity to remember the late actor and the fictional characters he created in classics like “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.”  Stewart’s life speaks volumes about an America that used to be and the country it has become.  “Mr. Smith” and “It’s a Wonderful Life” are two defining moments...

"Ending Abuse the Only Moral Option" By: Mike Mirakian.  Posted 5/8/08 (600 words)  Sometimes nobody wins.  That seems to be the case in West Texas as state authorities sort through the mess of abuse allegations and child custody hearings related to over 400 children taken from the polygamous community.  The children will carry the trauma of the past several weeks for the rest of their lives. No child wants to be separated from her mother or to be cared for by strangers....

"Past Treasures Still Teach Today"  By: Don Lindman. Posted 5/7/08 (500 words)  Each year that passes into the history books leaves us with memories.  The older we get, the greater the collection—the record of our investment in the present and the future.  Our 10-year old granddaughter recently discovered Grandma and Grandpa’s attic....

"Carving Wood and Carving a Life"  By: Don Lindman. Posted 5/7/08 (520 words)  One of the perks of retirement is the opportunity to do some of the things you’ve always wanted to do but had neither time nor opportunity.  For me, this has meant the opportunity to learn woodcarving.  Two of the men in the retirement community where I live are very experienced and very good carvers, and they’ve taken on seven or eight of us novices and given us both encouragement and instruction.  It’s been a lot of fun....

"Expel Coercive Ideology from School" By: Gary Hardaway. Posted 5/01/08 (700 words)  As a former long-time resident of California, I was appalled – but not surprised -- by a recent court edict that home-schooling parents must be state-certified to teach their own children.  Especially pernicious was Justice  H. Walter Croskey’s opinion that “Parents do not have a constitutional right to home school their children.” To which one must shout back, “O yes they do!” We’re talking here about unalienable parental rights....

"Two Mothers' Prayers Are Answered" By: James J. Jackson. Posted 5/01/08 (700 words)  Bessie faced the concept of “Guess who’s coming to dinner?” long before the movie was made.  In the movie, two parents were surprised that their daughter’s suitor was of a different ethnicity.  Bessie’s surprise ‘guests’ were ten orphans who would stay far longer than one evening.  Bessie Lannier, a deeply devoted wife and mother, was raised in the Jim Crow South in the early 1900s, ...

"What is an "Evangelical?"  By: Don Lindman. Posted 4/28/08 (600 words)  “What is an evangelical?” a reader asked me recently.  “You use the term frequently, but what do you mean by it?”  Interesting question…and one I have difficulty answering.  My intuition knows what I mean; my brain has a more difficult time defining it.  This is especially true in today’s climate.  Originally “evangelical” was a theological term....

"Global Food Crisis Hits Home" By: Rusty Wright. Posted 4/28/08 (585 words)  Some Westerners might react with detached shock to stories of food riots in places like Haiti, India, and Cameroon.  But when your local Costco and Sam's Club start limiting rice purchases, reality creeps in.  What should you do?  (Short op-ed)

"Earth Day Every Day" By: Greg Asimakoupoulos  Posted 4/21/08 (700 words)   So you missed celebrating Earth Day last month right? But don’t despair—there’s always next year, or maybe even next month. What about today? Let me explain. I remember when Earth Day was first established. It coincided with my eighteenth birthday. As my high school graduation drew near, our senior class of 1970 was invited to contemplate the sacred nature of creation in an outdoor assembly. Crowded against the backdrop of the Vietnam war, the Kent State shootings, and other antiestablishment protests, Earth Day mattered little to me. It was lost in the plethora of politically-charged initiatives....

"Truth-Seeking Scientists Getting "Expelled" By: Tom Flannery  Posted 4/21/08 (715 words)   The theory of evolution is a proven fact.  Evolution answers such critical questions as how life emerged from non-living materials.  And evolutionists are true scientists interested in free inquiry and open debate.  These three absolute falsehoods are just a few of the popularly-held beliefs that are completely annihilated in Ben Stein's brilliant new documentary "Expelled."  And I do mean annihilated....

"Remembering Mom and Praising God" By: Tom Flannery  Posted 4/16/08 (700 words)   When Mom gasped suddenly and took her final breath in this life earlier this month, succumbing to the insidious disease of Alzheimer's, we were there with her.  My brother Jimmy, sister Kelly, our aunt Kathryn and uncle Reggie (Mom's brother and sister), and I were gathered at her bedside and watched her pass from this world.  Then we said a final prayer...

"Pastor Flunks Qualifications for Spiritual Leadership" By: Gary Hardaway. Posted 4/16/08 (580 words)  Though much loud clamor has recently surrounded Chicago “Pastor,” Jeremiah Wright, most of the noise concerns his political significance. How will he affect the presidential election? I think its time to change the key questions.  Is Jeremiah Wright actually a pastor? What does a pastor do? How does a pastor lead? What sort of person should a pastor be?...

"Trashing Verboten" By: Jill Darling. Posted 3/28/08 (720 words) 

 Neighbors will help you or hound you if you don’t comply and the mayor will pay an unkindly visit to your home if you don’t obey the unspoken rules....

"A Doctor's Journey with Cancer" By: Rusty Wright. Posted 3/28/08 (640 words)  When you suddenly learn you might have only 18 months to live, it's a good time to sort out what really matters in life.  If I'm ever in Dr. Yang Chen’s position, I hope I can display the serenity and trust I observe in him.  (Short op-ed)

"To Whom Much is Given, Much is Required" By: Gregory J. Rummo.  Posted 3/14/08 (620 words)   Franklin Delano Roosevelt once commented that “the presidency is not merely an administrative office. That’s the least of it…It is preeminently a place of moral leadership.” The same could be said of any office served by an elected official. . . This week’s revelations of New York State’s governor Eliot Spitzer’s alleged involvement...

"Campus Slaughter A Product of Our Cultural Decline"  By: William Cripe Sr.   Posted 3/06/08 (600 words)   This past Valentine's Day, a gunman on the Northern Illinois University Campus opened fire on students in Cole Hall, hitting 21 people killing five.   The scenario was all too familiar with lockdowns; screaming students, wide spread panic and crowds meandering around hours later in a stupor wondering "what just happened?"... 

"The Real 'Course in Miracles' " By: Debbie Thurman. Posted 3/06/08 (690 words)  In 1954, two girls were born into very different Southern families. One, a white girl, lived in a middle-class, rural Virginia home while the other arrived to an unwed mother in poor, rural Mississippi. Both girls...

"Young William Buckley:  God's Man Vs. Yale" By: Gary Hardaway. Posted 2/29/08 (660 words)   In his lifetime, the prolific William Buckley, not known as a practitioner of brevity, published many millions of words: fifty books, plus  thousands of columns, articles, and interviews. It will take more millions of words to sum up his life and work, which ended last week....

"Reversing Sexual Suicide:  A Simple Proposal" By: Gary Hardaway. Posted 2/22/08 (680 words)   Why do they do it? Young actors, like Heath Ledger, overdose on dozens of pills.  Young kids accidentally hang themselves trying to get an oxygen-deprivation high.  Speed demons crash into a tree at a hundred miles an hour. Such senseless, tragic self-destruction. Another kind of tragic tale unfolds in a recent syndicated advice column....

"Castro's Staying Power" By: Rusty Wright. Posted 2/22/08 (600 words)  Nearly 50 years after the Revolution, Fidel Castro has relinquished Cuba's presidency.  His survival has been legendary.   As the ailing, aging leader nears life's finish line, might his thoughts return to spiritual leanings of earlier years?  (Short op-ed)

"And the Father Laughed!" By: Greg Asimakoupoulos  Posted 2/21/08 (700 words)   Several years ago while planning my spring preaching schedule, I noticed that Good Friday fell on April Fool’s Day. My initial reaction was “You’ve got to be kidding! How inappropriate. The most somber day of the church year overlapping a day for practical jokes? No way!” But the more I thought about it, the less paradoxical it seemed....

"Courts Uphold Another Case of Public Indoctrination"  By: William Cripe Sr.   Posted 2/21/08 (550 words)  Need another reason to pull your children out of the institutions of indoctrination formerly called public education?  Parents in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts protested the addition of two books, King and King and Who's In a Family, to the curriculum of Lexington's youngest students....

"Life is Always the Most Beautiful Choice" By: Jan White  Posted 2/21/08 (500 words)  Though the missionary couple had four children, they began asking God for another child.  They even prayed for “Timmy” by name.  Bob and Pam and their family had moved to the Philippines in 1985 to take the Gospel to those who have never heard and plant Bible-believing churches where there were no churches.  Just before she became pregnant, Pam contracted amoebic dysentery, transmitted through contaminated drinking water, and fell into a coma....

"An NFL Moral Tale" By: Debbie Thurman. Posted 2/12/08 (670 words) 

The much-anticipated super showdown between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants will go down in sports lore as one of the greatest ever. Too bad its lessons were drowned out by the other Super event of February, Super Tuesday....

"Evangelicals Don't Get Enough Respect" By: Gary Hardaway. Posted 2/08/08 (520 words)   During Super Tuesday election coverage, the PBS News Hour focused considerable -- and justifiable – attention on the pivotal Missouri races. Due to its special demographics and voting history, Missouri is regarded as a bellwether state, a strong predictor of national trends and preferences....

"Time To Practice Art of Contentment" By: Mike Mirakian.  Posted 2/05/08 (670 words)  Imagine what people in the world’s most impoverished communities would think if they heard the news. What if the Darfur refugees or the poorest of the poor in the streets of Calcutta saw the headlines. The American economy shows signs of a slowdown, so the government plans to send out money to every household in the nation....

"Winners and Those Who Think They Are" By: Debbie Thurman. Posted 2/05/08 (630 words)  The barely noticeable drama of Punxsutawney Phil’s annual winter weather prognostication notwithstanding, all eyes at the beginning of February were focused on the two American Super days — Super Bowl Sunday and Super Tuesday. Someone had to win (how about those Giants!)  and someone had to lose, gamblers and pundicratic prognosticators included....

"'Moment of Truth' Reveals Just How Sick We Are"  By: William Cripe Sr. Posted 1/25/08 (520 words)  The debut of Fox's new "reality" show was everything I thought it might be.  Weeks before it aired, I determined I would watch the first episode, or as much as I could take, knowing it would reveal the depths to which we are descending as a culture....

"The Fall Of A Rising Star"  By: William Cripe Sr. Posted 1/25/08 (600 words)  Another wildly successful, rich, handsome, popular, got-it-all celebrity is dead after less than three decades on this earth.  My first recollection of Heath Ledger is from the movie The Patriot where he played the brave son of Mel Gibson defying his father's wishes and joining the American Revolution.  He dies as the tragic hero...

"India's Missing Girls and the Right to Choose" By: Rusty Wright and Meg Korpi. Posted 1/22/08 (600 words)  Female infanticide and feticide in India's patriarchal culture stir passions for equality and fairness but raise troubling questions.  Does favoring a woman's right to choose logically imply that one supports her right to terminate a fetus simply because it is female?

"Keeping Your Word - Even When the Rules Change" By: James J. Jackson. Posted 1/18/08 (700 words)  I once heard a man say, “I know I gave my word, but the rules changed, so I’m off the hook.”  His words had a profound effect upon me, because I am who I am because of someone who didn’t abandon his promise when the rules changed....

"Integrity Is Road To True Success" By: Mike Mirakian.  Posted 1/10/08 (610 words)  Most boys dream of growing up to be an NFL player and winning the Super Bowl (and more than a few men secretly carry that dream into their late 30’s), but few make it to the big game. Instead most men live out quiet, relatively anonymous lives as husbands, fathers, employees and citizens.  It is ironic...

"St. Arbucks Is My Kind of Place" By: Greg Asimakoupoulos  Posted 1/09/08 (480 words)   Okay, I'll admit it. I'm a big Starbucks fan. It's not just because I live in Seattle, either. While I like the bold (somewhat bitter) flavor associated with the world’s most successful coffee chain, it’s not just their signature taste that has me hooked....

"Let's Hear It For Life" By: Greg Asimakoupoulos  Posted 1/09/08 (770 words)   In my fifty-five years of life, I’m sure I’ve come across someone who chose to have an abortion sometime in their past, but I’d be hard-pressed to identify them. In all honesty, I don’t recall anyone in my sphere of influence who entrusted me with knowledge of that gut-wrenching choice. But I do know someone who is alive today because his mother chose to carry him to term rather than choosing...

"Clueless Experts Sabotage Strugging Parents" By: Gary Hardaway. Posted 1/09/08 (720 words)  As a relic from the Bill Cosby era, I'm often astounded these days by the clueless mutterings of "experts" telling parents days how to relate to their teenage kids. Pity the parents who trust these blind guides. And pity the teenagers who will wake up someday and realize that their parents were about as effective as Homer Simpson....

"Dr. King:  Both Human and Great" By: Don Lindman. Posted 1/09/08 (560 words)  Great men (and perhaps women as well) often have feet of clay—faults of which neither we nor they are proud and which threaten to tarnish their memory....

"Poverty Is Different When It Has A Face" By: Don Lindman. Posted 1/09/08 (540 words)  Poverty is different when it has a face.  I discovered that early on a bitterly cold February evening when I was one of four pastors who left a restaurant on Chicago’s northside and headed back to a convention we were attending near O’Hare Airport.  Our car, a compact barely big enough for the four of us, was parked two blocks away....

"Fear the Bible but Only When Conservatives Quote It" By: Gregory J. Rummo.  Posted 1/09/08 (700 words)   The biggest story in politics right now is the role of religion. More specifically, from the Republican side is the media’s focus on Evangelical Christian voters. Credit Mike Huckabee’s recent stratospheric rise from among the sea of mediocre cultural conservatives as the catalyst....

"It's A Wonderful Life Because Every Life Is Special" By: Jan White  Posted 1/09/08 (500 words)  Who can forget Jimmy Stewart’s portrayal of George Bailey in the movie classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life?”  Every time I watch it, I get a lump in my throat at the end of the movie when George comes running into his house and joyfully embraces his wife and children.  He’s a changed man who has come back from the depths of despair....

"Let's Keep Christmas Throughout the Year" By: Jan White  Posted 1/09/08 (460 words)  The miniature stable comes out of the storage room every Christmas.  Inside the box, wise men and their camels, shepherds and their sheep, along with angels come out the darkness for their annual display during the holidays.  All these figurines take their places surrounding Mary and Joseph, who are looking at Baby Jesus, lying in the manger....

"Taking the Hitchens Challenge" By: Tom Flannery  Posted 12/11/07 (700 words)   In his introduction to the new book "The Portable Atheist," Christopher Hitchens issues his now-familiar challenge to theists:  "Name me an ethical statement made or an action performed by a believer that could not have been made or performed by a non-believer."  He obviously sees this challenge as the silver bullet that finshes off....

"The World AIDS Day Sham" By: Debbie Thurman. Posted 12/11/07 (720 words)  Another World AIDS Day has come and gone, and with it goes a lengthening litany of politically expedient rhetoric about what is or isn’t happening. What does such an observance accomplish? It enriches organizations that purport to fund useful research and effective education.  It provides lip service to prevention ...

"The Golden Compass:  A Harmless Film, or A Hidden Agenda?" By: James J. Jackson. Posted 12/5/07 (700 words)  Beware of the soon to be released movie, The Golden Compass.  This film rendition of the first of a trilogy of books, by author Phillip Pullman is presented as an animated fantasy movie, not unlike children’s films that are typically released during this time of year.  But, parents beware!  There is much more to this movie and its author than meets the eye....

"Bethlehem and the Boeing 747" By: Don Lindman. Posted 12/4/07 (575 words)  The date was December 16, 1969, and I was on an airplane taxiing to an O’Hare Airport terminal when in the distance I spotted one of the very first of the jumbo jets, an original Boeing 747, parked at another terminal next to some 707’s.  Even at a distance the plane was awesome....

"Can Western-style Education Transform the Middle East?" By: Rusty Wright. Posted 12/4/07 (600 words)  King's Academy, Jordan's new prep school, emphasizes critical thinking over rote learning, teaching students not what to think but how to think.  Could it become a model to train a new generation of Middle Eastern leaders to shake hands with each other and the West?

"Don't Waste Time Worrying About Doomsday" By: James J. Jackson. Posted 11/30/07 (700 words)  Mankind has forever been fascinated with the notion of doomsday.  Hundreds of end times scenarios have been played out in books and movies over the years.  One common thread that runs through the doomsday stories is that mankind somehow manages to destroy the earth by war, disease, neglect, etc....

"Don't Miss the News of the Greatest Event in History" By: Jan White  Posted 11/30/07 (515 words)  Bishop Milton Wright and his wife, Susan, raised four sons and a daughter.  The minister would bring home souvenirs and trinkets to his boys that he found while traveling to churches.  Once he gave them a toy - a helicopter-like spinning top - that sparked the boys’ interest in flying.  Two of their sons eventually opened a bicycle shop in 1892 in Dayton, Ohio.  Reading about....

"Stand Up For Christ's Sake" By: Greg Asimakoupoulos  Posted 11/28/07 (590 words)  It happened two years ago, but it is still fresh in my mind. My wife and I were at a local Christmas concert presented by our local community girls chorus. The female choir, dressed in holiday apparel, stood in formation ready to sing Handel’s unforgettable “Hallelujah Chorus” from Messiah. As the instrumental introduction anticipated....

"Atheists' Untenable Arguments" By: Tom Flannery  Posted 11/26/07 (700 words)   When an atheist conference features as guest speakers no less than four prominent authors of recent best-selling books attacking God (Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris and Daniel Dennett), you might think that the evidence and arguments presented would be enough to make even a devout believer rethink his religious orientation....

"Living Life One Angel Short" By: Don Lindman. Posted 11/26/07 (525 words)  An angel announced the conception of Jesus to Mary and to Joseph.  There was a choir of angels when the shepherds heard the news on a Bethlehem hillside.  The magi had a special star to guide them to “the place where the child lay.”  But in the frustration and inconvenience....

"Ethical Cloud Over Stem Cells Lifting" By: Gregory J. Rummo.  Posted 11/26/07 (860 words)   In the movie The Matrix, man does himself in through the arrogance of his scientific achievements. It is a story of Artificial Intelligence run amuck. A race of machines man has designed turns on him and wages global warfare. The machines win, subjugating humans into a macabre symbiosis. They clone humans, raising them in artificial wombs solely to....

"Which Way Are You Headed?" By: Ken Lottis  Posted 11/21/07 (675 words)   Rose Bowl, January 1, 1929.  California Golden Bears vs Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.  The game was a scoreless tie in the second quarter when a Tech running back fumbled on his own 36 yard line. A mad scramble ensued. A California player, Roy Riegels, grabbed the ball and headed for the goal line. Then, only 30 yards from a touchdown, he spun around to get away from a tackler....

"The Irrationality of Atheism" By: Tom Flannery  Posted 11/20/07 (700 words)   When Christopher Hitchens and Dinesh D'Souza, two best-selling authors and intellectual heavyweights, squared off against each other in a spirited debate at The King's College last month, many of those in attendance were probably expecting something quite different...

"Quid Est Veritas? (What Is Truth?)" By: Debbie Thurman. Posted 11/20/07 (700 words)  An unsettling and widening shadow is moving across the storied landscape of this country as it seeks to elect a 44th President. Peevish and downright ugly debates have sprung up everywhere, as is the usual course in these times.  Bear with me. I disdain politics and I have some other concrete place to go with this....

"Jordan's Experiment in Social Acceptance, Renouncing Extremism" By: Rusty Wright. Posted 11/20/07 (600 words)  Westerners who criticize Muslims for “never condemning Islamic extremism” would do well to consider Jordan's denunciation of religious violence and its experiment in social acceptance.  (Short op-ed)

"When Trust Defies Logic" By: James J. Jackson. Posted 11/14/07 (695 words)  My wife, Donna recently provided me with a great lesson in faith.  After resisting jumping into the cell phone craze for quite some time, we both purchased cellular phones, figuring that, in these times of changing social mores, it might be a good idea to get cell phones for peace of mind and convenience....

"Give Thanks to the Lord" By: James J. Jackson. Posted 11/13/07 (705 words)  Thanksgiving Day brings fond memories of family gatherings, food, fun and many happy times.  The tradition of giving thanks to God for harvest goes back hundred of years, even  before the United States existed.   The most famous Thanksgiving celebration took place in 1621 when the Indians and pilgrims joined together, exchanging food and customs; eating together in peace. In 1789, George Washing declared Thanksgiving Day a national holiday; a time to give thanks to God for our many blessings....

"America.  Bless God." By: Jan Merop. Posted 11/13/07 (550 words) 

God bless America.   A sentence we sing, say, and with which we implore God.  Men, women and children from every walk of life pray it.  Politicians tack it onto the end of speeches.  It’s a righteous prayer.  It’s a good desire.  It’s a noble sentiment.  But, has the phrase also created an attitude of entitlement?  Do we somehow expect that God should bless America because…well, because....

"Is Anybody Listening?" By: Debbie Thurman. Posted 11/9/07 (685 words)  Perhaps the more appropriate question is “To whom are we listening?”  It¹s not our sense of hearing that is impaired. The channel we always were meant to tune in is still there, its broadcast loud and clear. In our busyness with the myriad things that have become indispensable to us, we fail to partake of its timeless wisdom and words of life....

"Find Direction for Life with G.P.S." By: Jan White  Posted 11/9/07 (505 words)  Our family discovered a helpful electronic device earlier this year while traveling in Lansing, Michigan.  Never having been there, we found our way around the city with a GPS device.  We would type our destination into the handheld device....

"You and I Can Be Adopted into the Family of God" By: Jan White  Posted 11/9/07 (500 words)  What do Alexander the Great, Richard Burton, George Washington Carver, President Gerald Ford, John Lennon and Mark Twain have in common?  All of them were adopted.  Authors Louisa May Alcott, Charles Dickens, Edgar Allen Poe, James Michener, and Leo Tolstoy were adoptees.  You’ll find their names on a list of famous adoptees, ...

"Living Above Reproach" By: James J. Jackson. Posted 10/26/07 (700 words)  Remember the comedic line, "The devil made me do it!"?  It seems that most people today are quick to claim victim hood.  Few seem willing to take responsibility for their own actions.  People accuse others of leading them into illegal or immoral acts.  Few seem willing to behave in a manner that is above reproach.  What does it really mean to live beyond reproach?...

"Rudy Giuliani:  Flawed but aren't we all" By: Gregory J. Rummo.  Posted 10/26/07 (750 words)  With the 2008 presidential election almost a year away, the front runners appear to be former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani and Hillary Clinton. Both of them have been characterized as social liberals; Mrs. Clinton extremely so, and therefore, at first glance there would seem to be little real choice between the two of them for the true social conservative; many of whom are evangelical Christians....

"Biblical Values Trump Political Loyalties for Evangelicals" By: Mike Mirakian.  Posted 10/25/07 (620 words)  Tiger Woods was once asked what his goals were for the upcoming PGA Tour season. He answered with one word: “Win.” Apparently there are no moral victories on the golf course. But what about areas of life that truly matter? Is doing what you believe to be right as important, or even more important, than winning?...

"Don't Let the Grinch Steal Thanksgiving" By: Greg Asimakoupoulos  Posted 10/24/07 (700 words)  In Whoville the Grinch was quite greedy and mean. The envy within him caused him to turn green. Ungrateful and jealous, this monster-like grouch spent Thanksgiving morning curled up on the couch. No holiday baking. No holiday fun. The number of chairs at his table was one....

"Our Veterans and Their Sacred Duty" By: Debbie Thurman. Posted 10/24/07 (660 words)  On Nov. 11, many Americans will pause to thank and honor our veterans, the men and women who at some point in their lives took an oath to “support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”   At the cost of their lives, if necessary....

"Moderate Muslim Leaders Build Bridges to Christians" By: Rusty Wright. Posted 10/23/07 (580 words)  Do all Muslims threaten Western life?  138 prominent Muslim leaders of diverse stripes and nationalities extend the hand of friendship to Christians, stressing common ground as a basis for peace.

"Lose the Game, Boy" By: Ken Lottis  Posted 10/10/07 (695 words)  

It’s F season.  F meaning Football.  It’s that time of year when much of the male population (note: also a growing percentage of the female population) in our nation can be found in front of a television set, totally disconnected from the rest of reality, watching a football game....

"Baseball's Influence on Everyday Life" By: Jan White  Posted 10/8/07 (500 words)  “Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball, the rules and realities of the game,” an historian once said.  This popular sport, also called the “national pastime,” does have an influence on....

"Take Me Out to the Ballgame" By: Greg Asimakoupoulos  Posted 10/4/07 (640 words)  With the World Series upon us, I’ve been contemplating why I love baseball so much. I’ve also been taking time to meditate on the lyrics to the song I sing at every game....

"Springsteen's Lost Magic" By: Tom Flannery  Posted 10/4/07 (715 words) Bruce Springsteen is at it again.  Yes, he's released a new CD, "Magic," his first with the E Street Band in five years.  And, yes, he has a new hit song, "Radio Nowhere."  And, yes, he's also kicked off a tour this week.  But I'm not talking about any of that...

"Running Toward the Roar" By: James J. Jackson. Posted 10/4/07 (700 words)  The great lion’s roar shook the jungle floor, scattering animals large and small.  As the thunderous growling closed in , the frightened animals pick up the scent of this hungry king of beasts, and instinctually flee away from the noise and scent.  Little do the prey realize that their chances of survival might be much better if they ran toward the roar!...

"Painting a False and Dangerous Picture" By: Debbie Thurman. Posted 10/1/07 (660 words)  Here in my boring little Virginia town, the most exciting thing I did on Sunday, Sept. 30, was attend church. Across this continent in a city that's anything but boring -- San Francisco -- people woke that day to a Sunday that saw blasphemy and debauchery....

"Planned Parenthood and 'the Least of These'" By: Debbie Thurman. Posted 9/26/07 (700 words)  The Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) appears bent on a course of self-destruction. Maybe PPFA operatives now can relate to the pain of an unwanted, aborted infant....

"God's Questions For the Skeptics" By: Tom Flannery  Posted 9/17/07 (700 words) With so many devout atheists stepping forward these days to ask where the evidence is for the existence of God and the veracity of the Bible, it seems to me that God might respond by asking a few questions of His own.  Here are a few of them...

"Giving Can Improve Your Health;  Science Says So" By: Rusty Wright. Posted 9/17/07 (590 words)  Want happiness and fulfillment in life?  Then practice giving, advises an influential medical professor.  Insights from Dr. Stephen Post's book, Why Good Things Happen to Good People.

"A Job Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant" By: James J. Jackson. Posted 9/13/07 (700 words)  Steadfast Christians are often called ‘prayer warriors’.  One great warrior was Dr. D. James Kennedy. He triumphantly entered Heaven on September 5, 2007, not because he killed his enemies or performed good works, but because he trusted in Jesus Christ alone for his salvation.  He now has the free gift of eternal life because...

"God's Challenge to the Skeptics" By: Tom Flannery  Posted 9/11/07 (700 words) According to several authors of current best-sellers, the answer to that question is a resounding, "No!"  These authors -- Richard Dawkins ("The God Delusion"), Christopher Hitchens ("God Is Not Great"), etc. -- make the same fundamental argument.  In short, they say the non-existence of God can be proven by the absence of evidence for His existence.  Or, as Hitchens puts it, "the absence of evidence is evidence of absence."...

"Parents:  Sometimes You Have To Say 'No' " By: Gary Hardaway. Posted 9/11/07 (635 words)  A few months ago, during morning rush hour, two local high school kids peeled out of their high school parking lot, and, seconds later, turned onto one of the busiest arteries in the area. In a flash they were racing through heavy traffic at horrific speeds. Dodging and weaving, they miraculously covered four miles before the inevitable crash.....

"Is Integrity the Missing Ingredient?" By: James J. Jackson. Posted 9/06/07 (700 words)  Today, people like to categorize and rate misbehavior, (Is what Michael Vick did as bad as what Larry Craig did? Is Louisiana Congressman Jefferson having $90,000 in marked money in his freezer as bad as Senator Vitter’s name showing up in the telephone records of a Washington madam?), etc....

"Vick's Confession - Good for the Soul" By: Debbie Thurman. Posted 8/306/07 (600 words)  Here in Central Virginia, signs of the storied football rivalry between Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia are popping up again. Soon, we will see the familiar caravans of vehicles sporting orange-and-maroon or orange-and-blue flags, winding their way either to Blacksburg or Charlottesville for those thrilling home games....

"Can You Forgive Michael Vick?" By: Rusty Wright. Posted 8/30/07 (600 words)  Public reaction to the football star's confession and apology for dog fighting has been passionate and polarized.  Was he sincere?  Or just trying to rehabilitate his image and financial future?  And should we forgive him? 

"Remembering a 9/11 Hero" By: Greg Asimakoupoulos  Posted 8/28/07 (700 words)   This month marks the sixth anniversary of that tragic Tuesday we simply refer to as 9/11. It’s a day that lives in infamy associated with such phrases as Ground Zero, War on Terror and “Let’s Roll.” Ironically, this month September 11 also lands on a Tuesday.  Shortly after the heartbreaking cost of September 11th....

"Tackling Stress" By: Greg Asimakoupoulos  Posted 8/28/07 (630 words)   Summer is that time of year when most of us are reminded how stressful our lives really are. Vacation breaks and more relaxed routines are such a contrast to the work-related schedules that fuel our frenzy most the year. The lives of most people in the community in which I live are defined by stressful lifestyles....

"Surprised by Hitchens' Success?" By: Tom Flannery  Posted 8/22/07 (700 words)   To hear Christopher Hitchens tell it, God is not great (the title of his new book), religion poisons everything (its subtitle), and there are a surprising number of people who hold to these beliefs.  That's the word that keeps coming up in media coverage of Hitchens' recent broadsides against God -- surprise....

"Mother Teresa Gave Dignity to Life and Death" By: Kendall Wingrove. Posted 8/22/07 (605 words)  When Janet Good, founder of the Hemlock Society's Michigan chapter, died on Aug. 26, 1997, the world was preparing to observe Mother Teresa’s 87th birthday.  Later that week, at Good's funeral, Jack Kevorkian said his ally had surpassed even Mother Teresa in her humanity....

"The Atheists are Getting Restless -- And Militant" By: Gary Hardaway. Posted 8/17/07 (690 words)  For the past three centuries or so, Western Civilization has spawned a small but steady stream of outspoken atheists, complaining about Christianity, railing against God, or, occasionally, marshaling whatever arguments they can muster in support of their godless view of the universe....

"Time to Snitch on a Dangerous Concept" By: James J. Jackson. Posted 8/17/07 (700 words)  Almost daily, alarming new social trends pop up. Sadly, the most destructive of these seem to quickly find acceptance within the Black community. Worst yet, many of these self-defeating behaviors and fads originate within the prison and hip-hop cultures...

"Bridge Heroes Showed God's Unconditional Love" By: James J. Jackson. Posted 8/08/07 (705 words)  What makes a hero?  Some of the words used to describe such a person are “brave person,” “superman,” “champion” and “conqueror.” True heroes are those people who simply go through life doing the best they can without looking for notoriety or fame, but who rise to the occasion when dire need or circumstances confront them...

"Why Is The World Going So Badly?" By: Don Lindman. Posted 8/08/07 (605 words)  The human race has taken a beating in the past few weeks.  Barry Bonds, poised to become the most prolific home run hitter in American history, is accused of using chemical assistance, and in the wake of his power boat the doping accusations against former stars Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa are resurfacing.  According to golfing legend Gary Player, some professional golfers are also using steroids....

"When "I Do" Is Not Enough" By: Gary Hardaway. Posted 8/03/07 (645 words)  What does "for better, for worse" really mean? What does "love" mean? Pastors teach that "love" is not an exciting feeling (which can change as easily as a thermometer) but a daily discipline of choosing to respect and cherish one's partner, especially when one doesn't feel like it....

"Dreading the Next 'Train Wreck'" By: James J. Jackson. Posted 7/26/07 (700 words)  We’ve all watched movie scenes in which an out of control train crashes, in slow motion,  into a vehicle, a train station wall, another train, etc.  Such imagery is often used to describe the self-destructive actions of a person, such as a celebrity, who makes choices...

"Your Money or Your Life!. . . or Your Wine?" By: Rusty Wright. Posted 7/23/07 (560 words)  An armed gunman at a Washington, DC, party threatened to start shooting unless guests gave him their money.  Ten minutes later, he had apologized and asked for a group hug.  What brought this dramatic change?

"Confidence in Organized Religion Continues Decline" By: William E. Cripe, Sr. Posted 7/18/07 (500 words)  According to a recent Gallup poll, Americans' confidence in organized religion and other institutions is down. Only 46 percent said they have a "great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in church or organized religion. That's just a single point away from being the lowest in Gallup's history since 1973....

"Pope's Proclamation A Defective Theology" By: Tom Flannery  Posted 7/18/07 (655 words)   Well, at least now we know what Roman Catholic Church leaders mean when they talk about "unity."  They are demanding that "defective" Protestant denominations accept Catholicism as the "one true church."  How else to interpret Pope Benedict XVI approving a document saying...

"Why Does The Cross Offend But Depravity Is Accepted?"  By: Tina Krause. Posted 7/11/07 (565 words)  Six-year-old Jessica strolled with her mom through Wicker Park in a small Indiana town, when she noticed several men lowering the park crucifix that was erected in 1955 as a war memorial to World War II veterans.  "Why are they taking Jesus down?" Jessica asked...

"Looking for Answers With Their Heads in the Clouds" By: David Sable. Posted 7/6/07 (455 words)  Forty years ago, the Beatles completed their move from mop-top to psychedelic attire with the release of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. This work showcased Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, which the Beatles insisted was not....

"Checking the Pulse of America" By: Debbie Thurman. Posted 7/6/07 (680 words)  As America begins her 232nd year, it is fitting to reflect on what she represents and why we celebrate each birthday. Lady Liberty’s heart beats somewhat erratically as she is carrying so much extra weight and anxiety these days....

"Veep Logic?" By: Rusty Wright. Posted 7/6/07 (600 words)  When you're the Vice President of the United States and your office uses farfetched arguments to defend your policies, maybe it's time to review your logic. 

"Read the Fine Print" By: Tina Krause. Posted 6/29/07 (565 words) 

"Rocking the Cradle and Touching the World" By: Jan Merop. Posted 6/29/07 (500 words)  I’ve been thinking about the recent home-going of Ruth Bell Graham, wife of well-known evangelist, Billy Graham.  She beautifully fulfilled the calling God placed on her life....

"Requiem For A Great Woman" By: Gary Hardaway. Posted 6/20/07 (610 words)  About ten years ago two internationally celebrated women, adored by billions, died within a few days of each other. Could two lives – and deaths – be more unlike one another? I thought of this stark contrast a couple of weeks ago as Ruth Graham lay dying....

"Leaving A Family Legacy" By: Jan Merop. Posted 6/20/07 (530 words) 

Mother’s Day and Father’s Day celebrate the family and remind me of when we built our house.   First, we partnered with a reputable builder.  We put our heads together to draw up the blueprint.  But, a financial glitch forced us to change the blueprint.  Eventually,...

"An Oft-Repeated Misconception About Jerry Falwell" By: Debbie Thurman. Posted 6/20/07 (635 words)  While the initial storm of words that followed the passing of Jerry Falwell has subsided to intermittent showers, the man and his legacy will continue to be debated until Christ comes back....

"Clinton May Be Able To Leave Her Religion At Home, But I Can't" By: Shaunna Howat. Posted 6/14/07 (615 words)  Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, interviewed recently about her religious beliefs, stated that she relies on her faith during the hard times. As an able politician, though, she countered that by saying she keeps her religion very private and leaves it behind when it’s time to make political or leadership decisions. She expressed disdain....

"Is U.S. Facing 'Death By A Thousand Cuts?'" By: James J. Jackson. Posted 6/14/07 (685 words)  The alarming increase in social problems such as violence by kids, character lapses in our leaders, increased illegal drug use, etc., have launched a multitude of “experts,” each of whom believes they have the answer to our problems.  They blame bad parenting, weapons, spanking, bad toilet training—the list is endless....

"When A Young Earth Looks Old" By: David Sable. Posted 6/14/07 (635 words)  A physics professor at the local University confessed his dilemma to me.  If you add up the chronology of the Bible and stopwatch the creation story as exactly seven days or 604,800 seconds, the earth looks very young – somewhere between six and ten thousand years....

"Would You Like To Buy A Can Of Hope?" By: David Sable. Posted 6/14/07 (635 words)  I allowed myself to be dragged into one of those multi-level-marketing home businesses.  A bubbly friend’s testimony intersected with my chronic low energy, and I bought some vitamin powder from him.  Then, a few Tuesdays later, I went to the company business meeting and was surrounded with bubbly people like my friend....

"Opportunities to Share Faith Abound As We Travel" By: James J. Jackson. Posted 6/07/07 (600 words)  I have had the opportunity to travel much of the world over the past twenty five years, and it is amazing how often I have encountered opportunities to share my faith with others as I travel....

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