Think Christianly

Of Course God Doesn't Exist...Now What? Introducing Atheism 2.0

2012-01-26T14:30:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine recommended this TED video on Atheism 2.0 and I found it to be fascinating (wrongheaded...but fascinating nonetheless). Atheism 1.0 is about the angry atheists - he singles out Richard Dawkins - who think religion is dangerous and the intellectual equivalent of believing in the tooth fairy. I have written a book responding to this brand of atheism and am convinced that Christianity is not only true, but there are good reasons to believe its true. But I will let the reader decide if that was successful. I mention that because in Atheism 2.0, Botton starts by asserting (not arguing) "of course God doesn't exist. But let's not throw out religion, let's learn from it." There are things we can pick and choose and assemble. We can have mystery and spiritual experiences without the existence of anything spiritual. Romanticism meets atheism. There is no purpose so we must create our own. Culture must replace Scripture. Why? Because no one is teaching us how to live. Secularism simply gives us information and data. But what people long for is human flourishing and community (BTW - the Christian worldview really sparkles here). So Botton suggests there is much to learn from religion even if we don't believe any of it.

There is much that can be said, but I want to suggest the main reason the project of Atheism 2.0 will fail: It's not aiming at truth. Transcendence without truth will lead to despair in the end. Truth is not an "open source" kind of thing. It's not a wiki project.

In response to this video, I want to recommend two resources. First the book I wrote with Sean McDowell Is God Just a Human Invention? which largely deals with Atheism 1.0. If you would like a thoughtful response to the themes of Atheism 2.0, I would recommend Saving Leonardo by Nancy Pearcey.

The teachable moment from a video like this is that people are hungry for meaning, purpose, and a vision for human flourishing. But that must be grounded in an objective answer to the question - what is a human being for? And Christianity of course has much to offer here. Humans are created by God for an everlasting relationship with Him and each other.

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(Part 6) Answering the Toughest Questions About Homosexuality with Alan Shlemon

2012-01-25T11:01:00.002-06:00

How do you respond to the claim that "Homosexuals Are Born That Way?"

Lady Gaga’s mega-hit song “Born this Way” sold millions ofcopies affirming what many people believe: homosexuality is hardwired. In fact,people think that’s as axiomatic as saying the earth revolves around the sun. Norational person rejects the idea. The only hold-outs, it is said, are eitherignorant of science, homophobic, or bigots (read: Christians). But before I explainwhy this view is beset with problems, let me make a tactical suggestion.

Many Christians get defensive when someone says homosexualityis inborn. I understand the temptation to argue against this claim. But it’s amistake to try to show it’s false, at least initially. That’s because the claimis not an argument. It’s just an opinion and, therefore, not necessarily true.In order for their claim to become a bona fide argument, it must be supportedwith evidence or reasons.

So, instead of defending your convictions,make them defend their claim. Simply ask, “What evidence doyou have that homosexuals are born that way?” Then wait and listen. This istotally appropriate and not just a rhetorical trick. It’s how the burden ofproof works. Whoever makes the claim bears the burden to show it’s true. Since they’vemade the claim, it’s their job toback it up, not your job to prove them wrong.

If they don’t have evidence for their claim, then it’s fairto graciously explain that their viewis unreasonable – that they don’t hold their view for good reason. Ifthey do offer evidence for their view, only then is it appropriate to respondwith a counter-argument.

With that tactic in mind, let’s look at three problems withthe born-that-way theory. The first is the most egregious. A simple scientificfact-check demonstrates that no study has proven that homosexuality isbiologically determined.

Decades of research to discover a “gay gene” have beenunsuccessful. It’s now uncommon for scientists to think that homosexuality is solelygenetic. Perhaps the most powerful line of evidence is found in twin studies.Since identical twins have identical genetics, it would follow that if one twinwas homosexual, the other would also have to be homosexual 100% of the time.But both twins are homosexual in less than 15% of the cases.[i]

It was also speculated that homosexuality had a biologicalbasis. But research that correlates brain anatomy/physiology withhomosexual behavior doesn’t prove causation. In other words, evenif the brains of homosexuals have structural differences from those ofheterosexuals, that might suggest their behavior changes their brain, notnecessarily the other way around. This is possible due to neuroplasticity– thelifelong ability of the brain to change in response to the environment, behavior,brain injury, or even acquiring knowledge. For example, blind people’s brainshave a different neurologic structure because reading braille using fingers isa different behavior than using eyes to read.

What’s surprising is that pro-gay researchers andorganizations acknowledge the dearth of evidence for a biological cause tohomosexuality. The American Psychological Association (APA), for example, onceheld the position in 1998 that, there is “evidence to suggest that biology,including genetic or inborn hormonal factors, play a significant role in aperson’s sexuality.” However, a decade of scientific research debunked thisidea and caused the APA to revise their view in 2009. Their new position reads:“Although much research has examined the possible genetic, hormonal,developmental, social, and cultural influences on sexual orientation, nofindings have emerged that permit scientists to conclude that sexualorientation is determined by any particular factor or factors”[ii][emphasis mine]. A pro-gay group like the APA wouldn’t revise their statement unlessthere was overwhelming evidence that necessitated a position change.

A second problem with the born-that-way theory is that evenif true, it wouldn’t prove that homosexual behavior is moral. Consider that scientificresearch has discovered genes they believe contribute to alcoholism,unfaithfulness, violence, and even many diseases. Are we to believe thatbecause there is a genetic contribution to these behaviors (or even if they weregenetically determined) that they should be regarded as morallyappropriate? Of course not. So, proving homosexual behavior is appropriate byappealing to a genetic determinant is equally spurious.

This mistake in thinking is known as the naturalisticfallacy. You can’t get an “ought” from an “is.” Even if homosexuality is natural, it doesn’t prove it ought to be. And scientists who areattempting to prove homosexuality is inborn agree. Harvard geneticist DeanHamer, himself a homosexual, says, “Biology is amoral; it offers no help indistinguishing between right and wrong. Only people guided by their values andbeliefs can decide what is moral and what is not.” Simon LeVay, a Harvardtrained neuroscientist and also openly gay, concurs: “First, science itselfcannot render judgments about human worth or about what constitutes normalityor disease. These are value judgments that individuals must make forthemselves, while taking scientific findings into account.”

A third problem stems from the mere existence of the “ex-gay”community. If homosexuality is, as many pro-gay advocates state, as inescapableas eye color, then how do they explain former homosexuals? Eye color is genetic,something that one is born with and can’t change. But sexual orientation isfluid, as evidenced by the changed lives of thousands of men and women.

There are women who have had long-term, lesbian relationshipswith other women and then changed and became attracted to men. There are alsomen who have had same-sex attractions since puberty, spent a decade in gayrelationships, and then developed attractions to the opposite sex. Many ofthese people have gone through some form of counseling or therapy, but manyhave not.

The fact that even one person has changed is evidence thathomosexuality is not hard-wired. But that there are thousands of individualswho share this experience is significant counter-evidence against theborn-that-way theory. I know many of these people. They can’t all be lyingabout their life.

Instead, what they offer is hope. Since many people aredissatisfied with their same-sex attractions, these changed lives represent an opposingvoice to the cultural chorus that claims homosexuals are born that way.

[i] Bailey JM,Dunne MP, Martin NG. 2000. Genetic and Environmental influences on sexualorientation and its correlates in an Australian twin sample. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology78:524-36.

[ii] http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/sexual-orientation.aspx

For other posts by Alan in this important series, click here. You can also find out more about him at www.str.org. Please use the share buttons below to help others understand this emotionally charged topic.

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Giving reasons for your faith is not optional...according to the Bible anyway

2012-01-24T11:36:00.000-06:00

Love one another and giving reasons for the hope within you are commands from the same Bible (John 13:34 & 1 Peter 3:15). One isn't more "spiritual" than the other. In fact, I would suggest you can't really love someone unless you are willing to tell them the truth at some point in that relationship or dialogue. Below is an excerpt from Lee Strobel's recent interview. But let me say that I agree and resonate with the points he makes and as a graduate of Biola University / Talbot School of Theology, I am proud to be a part of this movement for the next generation. God is at work!

According to Strobel: "Christianity in general and the Bible in particular are under widespread and vociferous attack by militant atheists, radical scholars, critical authors, skeptical professors, misguided documentaries, and a proliferation of online spiritual confusion. Books by the so-called New Atheists have received a lot of media attention, which has emboldened cynics to become even more outspoken. The Internet has helped atheists and agnostics coalesce as never before.

Skeptics are becoming more determined to proselytize. In public high schools and colleges, the Secular Student Alliance, an umbrella for atheist organizations, has doubled in size in two years, with 250 chapters in the U.S. Not long ago, the American Humanist Association launched the largest national multi-media campaign ever by an atheist organization, preaching that the Bible advocates "fear, intolerance, hate, and ignorance."

And we're seeing the country drift toward skepticism. Among 18-to-29-year-olds, nearly one in four now claims no religion, which has doubled since 1990. Recent books have said that young people are dropping out of church at five or six times the historic rate, many because of intellectual doubts.

All of these trends have awakened a sleeping giant – Christian apologetics, or the defense of the faith. We're seeing apologetics books on the New York Times bestsellers list. Schools like Biola University and its Talbot School of Theology, which are leaders in apologetics, are filled to capacity." (more)

If you are looking for a place to start, you might enjoy the book I co-wrote with Sean McDowell answering the 18 toughest questions the "new atheists" raise against God.

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The Internet is on fire about SOPA, free speech, and intellectual property rights

2012-01-20T16:23:00.001-06:00

Gina Dalfonzo has written a helpful post that is worth reading. Here is an excerpt:

"I don't know if you've noticed it, but the Internet is on fire. It started with the now-infamous SOPA and PIPA bills. The bills would grant the government unprecedented power to go after any websites accused of copyright infringement. Here's a pretty comprehensive explanation of SOPA, the House version. A huge storm of protest this week, including a 24-hour Wikipedia blackout, split various factions and parties right down the middle (the President came out against it, probably so that the public would still love him, only to find that Hollywood no longer loved him), and led to the bill's being shelved. At least for now.

But things have hardly quieted down. When the government shut down the popular content-sharing site Megaupload yesterday and charged several members of the company with online piracy, the action was widely interpreted as the beginning of government crackdowns on the Web. Angry hackers retaliated accordingly, with attacks on the Department of Justice site, the Motion Picture Association of America site, and the sites of other groups that supported SOPA.

All this raises a lot of questions, some of them fairly murky. As freedom of speech is a fundamental right, how far is it permissible to go to defend it? Since intellectual property belongs to someone, how far should the government go in enforcing that person or corporation's ownership rights? Is it okay to use...." (read the rest of her post here)

Al Mohler offers some helpful analysis from a Christian perspective on ethics and the legal issues here.

How should Christians engage our culture? Click here for further analysis and suggestions.

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(Part 5) Answering the Toughest Questions About Homosexuality with Alan Shlemon

2012-01-18T09:24:00.002-06:00

This week's question: “Christians should not try to imposetheir moral standards on the rest of society.” (if you want to catch up on this excellent series, you can read the previous 4 questions by Alan here)

There aretwo separate, but related, implications to this challenge. The first is that it’swrong to impose any moral rules onsociety. The second is that it’s wrong for Christiansto impose their morality.

The firstimplication is a common myth that needs to be debunked. It’s perfectlyacceptable to legislate morality. When you think about it, morals are the onlything you can legislate. For example, we have laws against stealing for onereason: it’s immoral to take someone’sproperty. So, we take that moral rule and establish it in law.

The same istrue for laws against murder. The reason they exist is because we think it’simmoral to kill an innocent human being. So, we take that moral rule and makeit against the law to break it. By legislating that rule, we are legislatingmorality.

In fact,it’s the moral rule that legitimizes the law’s power to limit freedom. Withouta moral grounding, laws would be unjust. They would be the raw use of power toget what someone wants, not to do what’s right. That’s called tyranny.

Therefore,all laws reflect a moral viewpoint. The only question is whose morals will be legislated and which viewpoint will beadvanced.

The secondimplication of this challenge is that it’s wrong for Christians (or religiouspeople for that matter) to impose their morality (i.e. views on homosexuality)on society. Because their policies are motivated by religion, they shouldn’t beallowed to inform the political process.

But why areonly Christians limited from imposing their moral views? Why can’t we restrictother people? Homosexuals want to impose their moral standards on society.Let’s make them keep their private beliefs out of the public square. Does thatsound fair? It doesn’t because our country endows all citizens with theprivilege to participate in the political process. No one is excluded, not evenChristians or homosexuals.

Some willrespond by saying that Christian morals should be excluded because they are religiousand that violates the separation of church and state. But the words,“separation of church and state” are neither in the Declaration of Independencenor the Constitution. Even the First Amendment protects religious expression,it doesn’t silence it: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishmentof religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedomof speech...” Notice who and what is restricted: the government is restricted from establishinga state religion. The people arefree to exercise their religious beliefs.

People whoare motivated by religion are free to advocate for public policy. Yet theestablishment clause is often read as restricting religious people, when inreality its purpose is the exact opposite. Every citizen enjoys the freedom tolegislate their morality. You can’t be disqualified because of yourmotivations.

Finally, thinkingour laws restrict religiously motivated people leads to absurd conclusions. Mostof the framers of the Constitution, for example, were practicing Christians. Itdoesn’t make sense that they would willfully write into the Constitution andBill of Rights a system of law that they knew would disqualify them frompolitical involvement.

Not onlythat, but it would also mean that if an ordinary American was against theftbecause the New Testament (Ephesians 4:28) forbade it, then they wouldn’t be permittedto legislate against larceny. Every person with a religious view would have toremain silent on public policy. This would disenfranchise massive portions ofUnited States population.

Christianshave the right, as well as any citizen, to impose their morals on society. Totry to limit their role in public policy is an illegitimate attempt to silencedissent. It’s a group’s way of saying, “Just go away,” while at the same timeimposing their own moral vision on society. It’s not only unlawful, it’sun-American.

*Find out more about Alan Shlemon's excellent work here.

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It's Okay to Expect a Miracle

2012-01-17T10:41:00.001-06:00

The Bible is full of them and they are still happening today. Here is a fascinating Christianity Today interview with New Testament Scholar Craig Keener. Enjoy!

"Craig Keener has the brain of a scholar and the hands of an activist. The New Testament professor at Asbury Theological Seminary has authored 15 books, 70 journal articles, and more than 100 articles for religious and general interest publications. He and his wife, Médine Moussounga Keener, are deeply involved in ethnic reconciliation ministry.

In his New Testament commentaries, Keener has investigated biblical miracles. But his newest volume—Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts (Baker Academic)—focuses on contemporary miracle accounts, citing hundreds of recent occurrences.

Keener is ordained in a historic African American church and served as an associate minister before moving to Asbury's campus in Wilmore, Kentucky. Christianity Today senior writer Tim Stafford interviewed Keener this fall.

Miracles are an unusual subject for a New Testament scholar. What led you to it?

I was going to write a footnote in my commentary on Acts, and was dealing with questions of historical reliability. Many scholars dismiss miracle stories as not historically plausible, arguing that they arose as legendary accretions.

I was familiar with [contemporary] reports of miracles taking place. There must be thousands of such reports. It was inconceivable to me that people would say eyewitnesses can't claim to have seen such things.

What do you want to accomplish with this book?

Primarily, to challenge scholars who dismiss miracles in the Gospels as legends and not historically plausible. Eyewitnesses say these kinds of things all the time. I also want to challenge the bias that says these things can't be supernatural. I believe God does miracles, and I don't see why we scholars are not allowed to talk about it.

You're trying to break open the naturalistic tradition of writing history that scholars have followed for centuries.

I understand the historical paradigms within which we work, and I'm able to work within those by bracketing out certain questions. But I wonder who made up the rule that we have to bracket out those questions, and why we are obligated to follow such rules. The way the discipline of historiography has been defined, such questions get punted to philosophy or theology.

How is the world today different from philosopher David Hume's world, or theologian Rudolf Bultmann's, who said that a modern man who turns on an electric light can't possibly believe in a miracle?

In Hume's day, nobody he knew had experienced a miracle. But there were miracle accounts...." Read the rest (click here)

Check out the book:

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An Inspiring Video Story of Two Brothers Made In the Image of God

2012-01-15T21:44:00.001-06:00

This is pretty amazing...

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What are FACEBOOK and GOOGLE hiding from the world?

2012-01-12T13:49:00.000-06:00

Perhaps more than you think...The internet opens up the whole world of ideas to you right? Maybe not. This video underscores why you need to be aware of what doesn't show up in your Facebook feed and Google searches.

"The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him."--Prov.18:17

(H/T Kevin Perry)

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(Part 4) Answering the Toughest Questions About Homosexuality with Alan Shlemon

2012-01-11T09:30:00.000-06:00

Our Blog series with Alan continues. This week's challenge: “You can’thave gay friends if you think homosexual behavior is a sin.”

A youth leader wrote me: “I would say that the issue of homosexuality is THE #1 BARRIER forteenagers…that keeps them from believing the gospel.” I can see why he said that.It’s a simple cost-benefit analysis. You can keep your faith or you can keep yourfriends and family. You pick. Well, the answer for many people is obvious:relationships are more important than a theological idiosyncrasy. So, theyeither compromise on the Bible’s teaching on homosexuality or they ditch theirfaith altogether. Part of the problem stems from thebelief that if you keep your convictions about homosexuality, then you can’t stayin relationship with your friends and family who say they’re gay. But thisisn’t the biblical view.

The New Testament doesn’t prohibit Christians from friending(I know, I know…that’s so Facebook-ish) homosexuals. Paul, writing about asexually immoral man in 1 Corinthians 5:9-10, tells Christians that they are “notto associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people ofthis world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. Inthat case you would have to leave this world.” Notice how Paul clarifies that wedon’t have to avoid relationships with non-believers (who he calls “people ofthis world”). After all, we can’t influence them if we’re not involved at all.

There is a group ofpeople that Paul warns Christians to avoid. Continuing his discussion on sexualimmorality in 1 Corinthians 5:11, Paul explains, “But now I am writing to younot to associate with anyone who bears the name of a brother if he is guilty ofsexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, orswindler—not even to eat with such a one.” The people Paul warns us to avoidare Christians who engage in sexualimmorality. Why? Because sin left unchecked within a body of believers is likecancer. It spreads and harms those around them (1 Corinthians 5:6-7).

That doesn’t mean we are to end all relationships withChristians who have committed sexual sin. Paul is talking about unrepentant Christians. People who knowthe biblical standard but thumb their nose at it and continue in the illicit behavior.That’s the context of 1 Corinthians 5.

It does mean that people who claim to be Christian and engagein willful, unrepentant homosexual behavior fall under the jurisdiction of thiscommand. Friends like that can influence us and other believers in negativeways. But this rule applies to any sexual sin, not just homosexuality.

In all other circumstances, there’s no reason to choosebetween your faith and your friends. Keep them both so you have a chance to bea positive influence in your relationships. That’s the point of being anambassador for Christ.

Alan Shlemon is a speaker, trainer, and author for Stand to Reason. You’ll find morearticles on clear-thinking Christianity at www.str.org and www.strplace.org.

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Epigenetics and the Image of God

2012-01-10T09:30:00.000-06:00

I recently came across an article in the Huffington post that caught my eye. It dealt with genetics and the image of God. To be honest, I was expecting the typical reductionism that seeks to reduce humanity to our genetic information. But I was pleasantly surprised to find something else going on. Here is an excerpt:

"The reality is that recent genetics research has continued to move steadily away from any notion of genetic fatalism, highlighting the sheer complexity of the genome, and providing some fascinating examples of the ways in which our choices impact upon our own genomes. There is no gene "for" any complex human trait because in fact genes encode proteins or other types of information-containing molecules, and thousands of genes collaborate together during human development in interaction with the environment to generate the unique human individual that each person represents....Epigenetics adds further layers of variation and complexity. This refers to the chemical modifications of the DNA that cause genes to be switched on or off. It is such epigenetic modifications that generate the 220 specialized tissues of our bodies."

Now there are many things to comment on in this article, but let me just make two brief but crucial observations.

First, DNA is not destiny. Dr. Francis Collins (former head of the human genome project) has said as much. Genes don't tell our whole story--environment and our choices matter. Genetic Fatalism is false.

Second, the mention of Epigenetics is important. There must be something beyond (epi = over) DNA that is doing the work that is programmed with the design-plan or body-plan of organisms. DNA is the paintbrush. But the epigenes (which don't seem to be a physical substance) serve as the painter. It will be very interesting to watch this field develop. Some sort of organizing principle is necessary to arrange the DNA and turn the genes on and off at the "right" times. In my view, this is yet another example of design at work. Teleology was banished from biology thanks to Charles Darwin. But could these epigenes indicate that there is a design plan after all? Stay tuned...

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The gospel is never heard in isolation

2012-01-09T09:30:00.000-06:00

"The gospel is never heard in isolation. It is always heard against the backdrop of the cultural milieu in which one lives. A person reared in a cultural milieu in which Christianity is still seen as an intellectually viable option will display an openness to the gospel that a person who is secularized will not . . . It is for this reason that Christians who depreciate the value of apologetics because “no one comes to Christ through arguments” are so short sighted. For the value of apologetics extends far beyond one’s immediate evangelistic contact. It is a broader task of Christian apologetics to help create and sustain a cultural milieu in which the gospel can be heard as an intellectually viable option for thinking men and women. It is not implausible that robust apologetics is a necessary ingredient in fostering a milieu in which evangelization can be most effectively pursued in contemporary Western society and those societies increasingly influenced by it." - William Lane Craig

"...contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints"-Jude 3

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(Part 3) Answering the Toughest Questions About Homosexuality with Alan Shlemon

2012-01-04T09:00:00.000-06:00

This week's Challenge: "If God made peoplegay and they don’t have a choice in the matter because they were born with thatorientation, then isn’t it unfair that he punishes them for just being who theyare?"

I have to agree with pro-gay advocates on this one. Homosexualsare born with an orientation. And it is genetic. This leads to desires thatnot only feel natural, but are considered sinful by God when acted upon.

But it’s not a sexualorientation. It’s a sinfulorientation. The Bible calls it a sin nature. And everyone is born with it –not just homosexuals.

I was born with that orientation too. As early as I canremember, I always felt that way. It felt natural for me to lie to get myselfout of trouble. It seemed normal for me to fantasize about having promiscuoussex with girls. It was easy to think of myself first and others later.

So homosexuals aren’t unique. They’re not the only ones whoget to complain they have a proclivity towards behaviors that God deemsimmoral. It will never be right for me to lie, sleep around, or act selfish. Andalcoholics, some of whom are born with a genetic predisposition towards heavydrinking, don’t get off the hook either. Every person on the planet is facedwith the choice to act morally despite being born with an orientation to do wrong.

Although we’re born that way, it’s not because of God. It’sa genetic problem that we inherited from our ancestors. So God is the wrongperson to blame.

But even though we’re all born that way, God doesn’t punishus for being who we are. We’re punished for our behavior – for acting on our natural orientation. TheBible doesn’t condemn people for experiencing same-sex attractions. Itprohibits homosexual behavior. It’sirrelevant whether you feel you’re born that way, you experiment withhomosexual sex, or you’re stuck in a prison with no heterosexual outlet. It’s yourconduct that matters.

So homosexuals aren’t faced with a unique situation that’sunfair. Everyone is born with an orientation to sin. And it’s a deep, ingrainedtendency that’s impossible to resist. It doesn’t go away with therapy ormedication. You can’t pray away the orientation.

But God doesn’t leave us helpless. Although He punishes sinfulacts – even ones we’re born with a proclivity to commit – He also helps us intwo ways. He grants us a pardon and gives us power.

The first is a pardon for our bad behavior. He offers someoneelse to pay the penalty for our moral crimes. We can accept the pardon and gofree or pay the penalty ourselves. It’s our choice. That means a man can live alifetime of homosexual behavior and still be acquitted. That’s a great offergiven God isn’t even responsible for our sinful desires.

The second is power to overcome our proclivity to sin. He doesthis by replacing our old orientation with a new one. It doesn’t guaranteewe’ll have perfect desires (we’ll still experience external temptations and haveinternal patterns of thought that we’ve habituated), but it does give us the strengthto resist them. Many people who have experienced same-sex attractions have alsoexperienced this new power.

These two offers are great, but we have to agree with thestipulations. Since God’s laws have been violated, He decides the terms of thecontract. Although the pardon and power are free, they require action on ourpart. In exchange for our acquittal and a new orientation, God asks for alifetime of allegiance.

Like living under a monarchy, we become subjects of theKing. Except unlike previous kings, Jesus of Nazareth doesn’t just sit on athrone and rule. He also takes our place when the guilty verdict is renderedand the penalty is served. That’s why He deserves our allegiance.

Granted, it’s no small commitment. But given the alternative,it’s understandable why billions of people throughout history have taken God upon His offer of grace. That offer is good for anyone with any orientation.

Be sure to read Alan’s previous posts in this series atthinkchristianly.org hereor at Stand to Reason’s student site here. If you find these post helpful, please share on Facebook and twitter (see below)

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Christians Have Two Commissions

2012-01-03T07:30:00.000-06:00

Chuck Colson offers some important comments about an oft neglected theological truth: "A few years ago, I spoke to a gathering of pastors about engaging the cultural battles of the day. Afterward, the pastors had a lot of questions — but they were also a little confused. One confessed, “I’d never heard of the Cultural Commission, and will it interfere with fulfilling the Great Commission? Isn't that our job — to win people to Christ?"That people still think this way left me momentarily speechless. "Of course we're called to fulfill the Great Commission," I replied. "We're also called to fulfill the Cultural Commission." Christians are agents of God's saving grace — bringing others to Christ. But we are also agents of His common grace: We're to sustain and renew His creation, defend the created institutions of family and society, and critique false worldviews.

I saw this was an “Aha!” moment for some of the pastors.But the Scriptures are so clear. In Genesis, we're told that for five days, God created the universe. On the sixth day, He created human beings — and ordered them to pick up where He left off. They were to reflect His image and have dominion, but from then on, the development of the creation would be primarily social and cultural: It would be the work humans performed as they obeyed God's command to fill and subdue the earth.The same command binds Christians today. We bear children, plant crops, build cities, form governments, and create works of art. While sin corrupted God's created order, it did not obliterate it. And when we are redeemed, we are both freed from sin and restored to do what God designed us to do: create culture.

Remember, every part of creation came from God's hand, every part was drawn into the mutiny of humanity against God, and every part will someday be redeemed. This means we must care about all of life. In Colossians 1, Paul notes that "everything" was made by and for Christ, and that everything will be reconciled by Christ; it's clear that Christians are saved not only from something (sin) but also to something (Christ's lordship over all of life).This is why Christians must never limit themselves to evangelism alone or to the "feel good" church. We must not stand by while our culture is hijacked by alien philosophies hostile to the created order...." (read the rest)

In my latest book, I seek to apply this idea to our own cultural intersection as we seek to engage well.

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Is Science Our Only Source of Knowledge?

2011-12-29T08:00:00.000-06:00

With the rise and success of modern science (and these advances have been beneficial in many ways), some people have unfortunately come to believe that science, and science alone, offers true knowledge of reality. Famous atheist Bertrand Russell put it this way: “Whatever knowledge is attainable, must be attained by scientific methods; and what science cannot discover, mankind cannot know.” Initially, this sounds sophisticated and intelligent. You will hear variations of this slogan all over the place, and it is implied in most documentaries you see on TV. The only problem is that if it is true, we couldn’t know it to be true. Why? Because the state-ment itself is not testable by the scientific method and is therefore by its own stan- dard unable to be known! It’s self-refuting. It’s a statement that commits suicide.

Contrary to what you may have been lead to believe, science is not capable of providing comprehensive knowledge of reality. It does great with bacteria, supernovas, genes, and gravity, but it falters when trying to discuss virtue and vice, souls, free will, moral responsibility, success, joy, love, forgiveness, wisdom, salvation, redemption, hope, purpose, meaning, and beauty (just to name a few!). The scientism espoused by Russell, which is hand in hand with naturalism, must be resisted by Christians if we are to engage our world with the good news of the kingdom of God. We don’t need to be bullied into thinking that if we can’t examine something with a microscope or telescope, then we can’t know it. For this is a self-evidently false statement.

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The True Story of Christmas

2011-12-24T16:39:00.000-06:00

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ²(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:1-14)

Merry Christmas!

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Chuck Colson and others on the Theology of Christmas Carols and Other Good Stuff

2011-12-22T13:36:00.001-06:00

Don't get me wrong, Frosty has his place. But sometimes we miss out on and forget the richness of truth encoded into the truly great Christmas carols. Listen to a 2-part discussion with Chuck Colson, John Stonestreet, and T.M. Moore (click here to listen).

Also, here is John Mark Reynolds top 10 Christmas songs. Enjoy!

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(Part 2) Answering the Toughest Questions About Homosexuality with Alan Shlemon

2011-12-21T09:35:00.000-06:00

This week's challenge: Is Homosexuality the Worst Sin of All?

This is part 2 of our ongoing series (new posts each wednesday) engaging tough questions about homosexuality with guest blogger Alan Shlemon. If you missed last week's post and to get up to speed on why this series is important, click here.

Is Homosexuality the Worst Sin of All?

Christians define sin as “missing the mark.” It almostsounds cute. Kyle lied so he missed the mark…Oops. Katy gossiped...Shucks, thatwas wrong. Randy was prideful…Yikes, better stop that.

But homosexuality? Whoa! That’s more than missing the mark. That’san abomination! Homosexuals aren’t just sinners. They’re revelers consummatingtheir reprobate mind. Someone please cite one of the Levitical prohibitionsagainst homosexuality (preferably Leviticus 20:13 since it includes the deathpenalty) and say it in the King James Version for rhetorical effect.

And Christians don’t just think homosexuality is the worst sin. We act like it too. Christians who rarely cite scripture suddenlyinvoke Bible verses when the topic comes up. We get uneasy when gay men come tochurch, but we gladly welcome post-abortive women. We’ll move a lesbian who sits next to other females at youthgroup, but we won’t separate girls who gossip.

It’s no wonder the culture thinks Christians hatehomosexuals. We give their behavior a unique status: the worst sin of all. And becausehomosexuals are committing the supreme evil, we treat them like pariahs.

As a result, not only do homosexuals think their sin is theworst, but they are the worst. They’rethe chief of all sinners. That’s why our verbal antidotes like, “God hates thesin, but loves the sinner” are so ineffective. They only hear the word, “hate.”

We shouldn’t be surprised, then, when homosexuals getanxious around Christians. It shouldn’t shock us that they start their own denominations.These men and women still have spiritual yearnings, but because Christians keepthem at arm’s length, they have no choice but to turn to churches with pro-gaytheology that accept them.

Don’t get me wrong: homosexual behavior is a serious sin. I’mnot trying to downplay the gravity of what they do. But the Bible doesn’televate its status above all other sins.

Although homosexual behavior was a capital crime under theMosaic Law, so were blasphemy, false prophecy, adultery, bestiality, and manyother sins. Under today’s New Testament teaching, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 placeshomosexuals among other sinners like thieves, drunks, swindlers, andfornicators. And 1 Timothy 1:8-11 lists them among liars, rebels, slavetraders, and other sinners. There’s no special designation for any of thesesins (although sexual sins are grouped together since they are sins “againstthe body” in 1 Corinthians 6:16-20).

Many homosexuals have come to Christ. But they didn’t do itbecause they believed their sin was the worst. Instead, they recognized theirsin was an obstacle to fellowship with God. Making homosexuality the worst sinisn’t merely a peculiar theological mistake. It has practical ramificationsthat alienate men and women engaged in homosexual behavior. And it createsunnecessary offense to the gospel that’s already offensive.

Be sure to read Alan’spost last week that addressed the claim that Jesus never said anything abouthomosexuality.

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Do All Human Beings Have A Right To Life?

2011-12-20T08:15:00.000-06:00

Where do human rights come from? What makes you the same person from conception to natural death? In this video, Jay Watts of www.prolifetraining.com makes the case that all human beings have a right to life using critical thinking, logic, and philosophy. For more on the philosophical case click here for more on the scientific case for life click here.

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Christianity is not just about believing in Jesus

2011-12-16T09:50:00.001-06:00

Before you get nervous, the key word in that claim is "just" (not just about getting in to heaven when we die). I'm convinced that if Christianity is actually true (and I think there are good reasons to think this), then it speaks to all of life. Here's a short video where Chuck Colson unpacks this important concept on his weekly two-minute warning at breakpoint.

If you are looking to go deeper in exploring how all of life is connected and how our Christian worldview impacts all of life, then you will really enjoy my new book, Think Christianly: Looking at the Intersection of Faith and Culture. Chuck Colson was kind enough to provide this endorsement:

"As someone who has devoted many years of ministry to teaching Christian worldview. I am thrilled to see dynamic and faithful worldview leaders like Jonathan Morrow stepping to the fore. Think Christianly, in a compelling and accessible way, equips Christians young and old to engage the culture winsomely, intelligently, and with confidence.”

Are you ready to engage?

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(Part 1) Answering the Toughest Questions About Homosexuality with Alan Shlemon

2011-12-14T09:15:00.014-06:00

This week's challenge: “Jesus never said anything about homosexuality, so he must not have thought it was a sin.”

From TV sitcoms, politics, and judicial rulings to Facebook conversations, Movies, and the classroom, people have questions about how Christians ought to think about homosexuality and same-sex marriage. What does the Bible actually say? Does making a moral claim on this issue make one a bigot? How do we respond to the tough questions, slogans, and soundbites which can lead to some awkward and uncomfortable conversations?

Many Christians want to have a helpful conversation about what they think is true in this area, but sometimes can't find the words. That's why I'm very excited to announce we will be launching a 12-part guest blog series that will provide brief, but substantive responses to challenges that often leave Christians speechless. (BTW - if you find these responses, please share them on Facebook and twitter so others can benefit).

I've asked my friend and apologist Alan Shlemon to take on these challenges each wednesday. Alan speaks nationally for Stand to Reason on controversial issues like Homosexuality, is the author of the Ambassadors Guide to Islam and contributed a chapter to Apologetics for a New Generation edited by Sean McDowell (if you missed Alan's video responding to Zach Wahls' case for gay marriage you can see it here).

To avoid any potential misunderstanding, let me be very clear from the outset; every human being is made in the image of God and worthy of respect and this includes people who hold different views than our own. Promoting true tolerance is treating others with respect while having candid conversations about questions that really matter. Also, we are all broken by sin and express that brokenness differently and all of us are in need of mercy and grace. So, you will see no self-righteousness here. The Gospel is good news for all of us. The goal of this blog series is to offer clear thinking on a challenging issue that people are passionate about and that has implications for both individuals and our society. Part of loving our neighbor well is caring enough to tell others what we think is true and why. With that said, let's let Alan address this week's challenge:

“Jesus never said anything about homosexuality, so he must not have thought it was a sin.”

I remember driving to a conference about homosexuality and seeing a line of protestors outside the building. A man was holding a large sign that read, “What Jesus said about homosexuality” and the rest was blank. The implication was obvious: since Jesus was silent on homosexuality, he must not have thought it’s wrong. It’s as if Jesus’ silence on the matter trumps all other considerations. Although that sign might have rhetorical power, there are a number of reasons why this argument doesn’t work.

First, it’s not certain that Jesus never said anything about homosexuality. The Gospel writers didn’t record everything that Jesus said – only what they thought was important to their audience. Indeed, most of what Jesus said (and did) was never written down. John 21:25 says, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.” It’s possible Jesus did talk about homosexuality, but the Gospel writers didn’t feel it was necessary to include it in their accounts.

Second, it’s clear what Jesus would have said about homosexuality if asked. Jesus was an observant Jew who, like all Jews living under the Old Covenant, was bound by the Mosaic Law. That’s why He often referenced it (e.g. Jesus references the two greatest commandments of the Law in Matthew 22:37, 39). Therefore, if He was asked what He thought about homosexuality, He would have cited the Levitical prohibitions (Leviticus 18:20 and 20:13) that unequivocally state that homosexual behavior is a sin.

Third, Jesus did not speak about every immoral behavior. Should we infer that drunkenness, child sacrifice, and neglecting the elderly are appropriate since Jesus never said anything about them either? That’s absurd. Jesus addressed moral issues as they arose in conversation with His disciples, the crowds, and his opponents. Since there were no gay pride parades or organizations defending homosexual behavior at the time, it’s reasonable that Jesus wouldn’t be prompted to address the issue. And as mentioned earlier, not every discussion was documented by the Gospel writers.

Fourth, the argument that Jesus never said anything about homosexuality presumes that the words of Jesus are more authoritative than the words of Scripture elsewhere. But it is the Holy Spirit – God Himself – who inspired all of the Bible, including epistles like Romans, 1 Corinthians, and 1 Timothy where homosexuality is addressed. That means the black letters in the Bible are just as authoritative as the red letters. Moreover, Jesus and the Holy Spirit co-exist in the Godhead and have been in perfect and eternal communion from eternity past. Therefore, we can be confident that Jesus agrees with what the Holy Spirit revealed about moral issues in the Bible.

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Did Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John Really Write the Gospels? (video)

2011-12-13T08:55:00.000-06:00

Dr. Kruger makes a solid historical case that they did...

Our First Freedom

2011-12-12T09:16:00.003-06:00

Everyone thinks. We can't help it. Our thoughts deeply shape the contours of our lives. But often we don't cultivate our minds and ultimately leave a resource God has given us untapped.

Dallas Willard shares a helpful insight in this regard from Renovation of the Heart: "The ultimate freedom we have as human beings is the power to select what we will allow or require our minds to dwell upon."

How is your thought life? What do you find your mind dwells on the most often? What do you want to dwell on? Today, take some time to read and reflect upon Romans 12:1-2.

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Answering Zach Wahls' Case for Same-Sex Marriage to the Iowa House of Representatives (You Tube Video)

2011-12-09T08:08:00.003-06:00

This video has received 15 million + views so far and its compelling. But does Zach Wahls succeed in making his case for same-sex marriage based on commitment? Watch his video and then ask yourself how you would respond? Then watch the outstanding response by Alan Shlemon (below) who walks you step by step through Zach's argument / speech in a winsome way and responds with clear thinking.

In the coming weeks Alan, who is an author and national speaker for Stand to Reason, will be guest blogging here at the Think Christianly blog responding to common arguments for homosexuality & same-sex marriage. There will be no hateful rhetoric here--only clear thinking on issues that are really important to our society. Stay tuned and please share this post with your friends and family. We need to engage this issue with clarity and confidence.

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Can Natural Selection Acting On Random Mutation Get The Job Done For Richard Dawkins?

2011-12-08T08:30:00.000-06:00

In this video clip, Dr. Stephen Meyer explains just how improbable Darwinian Evolution really is:

Check out the Darwin's Dilemma website for more information.

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Is the Bible Culturally Outdated? And Other Questions...

2011-12-06T14:57:00.003-06:00

Recently on the Janet Mefferd show I was asked how to respond to the charge that the Bible is culturally outdated...how would you respond? You can listen to how I responded to this and other tough questions in my interview with Janet here.

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Sound Bites and Slogans: Intelligent Design is nothing more than an argument from ignorance

2011-12-05T08:01:00.003-06:00

“Science will eventually explain the gaps in our current knowledge of the physical universe; Intelligent Design is nothing more than an argument from ignorance.”

First of all, let me affirm that humanity has greatly benefited from ethically practiced science. But in this case I think you have misunderstood the claim that proponents of Intelligent Design (ID) are making. ID is not an argument from what we don’t know, but an inference from what we do know. When it comes to explaining any structure or phenomena in the physical world, we have three basic options: (1) Physical Necessity, (2) Chance, or (3) Design. So, for example, if hikers come across Mt. Rushmore they have a choice to make as to how this curious rock formation occurred. Is this pattern here because of some law of nature (i.e., it had to be this way)? No. Could random forces like wind and erosion produce this given enough time? No. The first two options are ruled out because they are not reasonable inferences to draw. But this rock formation has faces on it that correspond to four American presidents. These rock faces fit an independent pattern and indicate design. Just as it is entirely reasonable for an archeologist to distinguish between a rock and an arrowhead using the process above so to the molecular biologist is justified to infer design when looking at the language and information contained in DNA. Our repeated experience tells us that information is always the product of a mind. So ID is not an argument from ignorance, but an argument from evidence.

*The Design Inference I described above was developed by Dr. William Dembski. You can read more about this and ID in his accesible book Intelligent Design Uncensored: An Easy-to-Understand Guide to the Controversy

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The Central Issue in the Pro-Life vs Pro-Choice Debate (Video)

2011-12-01T08:41:00.001-06:00

When it comes to the issue of abortion, there is only one question we need to answer. Watch this short video as Jay Watts of The Life Training Institute teaches you how to simplify this debate.

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Thoughts on God and Culture - New Podcast!

2011-11-29T16:16:00.005-06:00

How should Christians think about culture? Are they for it or against it? What is culture anyway? Check out the new podcast where I have a conversation on God and Culture with Paul Edwards.

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Mindless Accident or Wonderfully Designed? Conception to Birth Visualized (Video)

2011-11-28T14:11:00.004-06:00

Alexander Tsiaras has invited us to witness the wonder and complexity of a developing human being like you have never seen it before. Wow...

Psalm 139 in action.

Make the case for life in 5 minutes or less

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Sound Bites and Slogans: "Why can't we let people believe what they want about Jesus and just get along?"

2011-11-25T10:37:00.009-06:00

Around the holidays, today's response to a popular Sound Bite and Slogan may come in handy. "Why can't we let people believe what they want about Jesus and just get along?"

I agree with you that we should try to get along and certainly not be rude or condescending toward those who believe differently than we do. But we also need to remember that while people are entitled to their own beliefs, they are not entitled to their own truth. Just because we believe something (even sincerely) doesn't make it true. When it comes to really significant questions in life--like is God real? and was jesus who he claimed to be?--the most important question we can ask is this: Is it true? And to answer questions about the identity of Jesus, we must examine the historical evidence which is something I'd love to explore together.

Truth for Today: "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." - 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

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Graciousness in Action - Tim Tebow Interviewed by Skip Bayless on ESPN

2011-11-23T14:48:00.006-06:00

Tim Tebow has people talking. There are haters and lovers. How does Tebow respond to tough questions and criticism? Watch grace and humility in action...here is the interview on ESPN

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Think Christianly on Apologetics 315 (audio interview)

2011-11-22T16:59:00.005-06:00

Recently I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Brian Auten of Apologetics 315 on my new book Think Christianly. Here is the post and the audio. Enjoy and feel free to share on Twitter and Facebook if you find it helpful.

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Sound Bites and Slogans: "Religion is dangerous because it leads to so much violence and conflict"

2011-11-21T10:09:00.000-06:00

When it comes to questions of religion and morality, our culture operates at the level of sound bites and slogans. And we need to be prepared to engage at this level. Now, I'm not suggesting we keep the conversation at the level of sound bites and slogans forever, because after all, these are the biggest questions in life and they deserve-even demand-thoughtful answers.

But we've all been in situations where it would have been great to have something helpful to say regarding our Christian convictions when we are put on the spot. Again, I am the guy who loves reading books just for the footnotes. These answers are not everything that could be said or even should be said. But they are a good and reasonable starting place when you don't have much time.

I hope you find this series helpful to give you confidence that there are good answers to people's questions available and to help you keep important conversations going with friends, family, and co-workers. For as Paul reminds us, we are to be "wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone" (Col. 4:5-6 cf. 1 Pet. 3:15).

"Religion is dangerous because it leads to so much violence and conflict"

I appreciate your concern, but I think the first thing we need to do is clarify which religion you have in mind because they all teach very different things. But beyond that, it doesn't appear to me that religion is the root problem; people are. I think the lesson of history is that almost anything (e.g., politics, science, economics, or religion) can be abused or misused simply because people are involved, and people tend to manipulate, control, or exploit to get what they want. People are the common denominator. This strongly suggests that there's something broken in the human heart. So for Christians at least, we'll want to come back to the example, vision, and teachings of Jesus and ask if we are living consistently with that (e.g., loving our neighbors as ourselves). The teachings of the Bible, properly understood, are our standard. Anywhere Christians are out of line with that, then they are deviating from biblical Christianity. But that's not a religion problem, that's a heart problem. Thankfully, Jesus offers the solution for that.

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My Recent Interview on God and Culture with Paul Edwards

2011-11-19T08:53:00.005-06:00

So how should Christians engage culture? What's the difference between Jesusanity and Christianity? Here is a short 17 minute interview I did this past week on these and other questions.

Listen to the audio here.

See the whole post at God and Culture and listen here.

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Think Christianly by Jonathan Morrow (Book Trailer)

2011-11-17T13:08:00.009-06:00

Every generation of Christ-followers lives at the intersection of faith and culture; now it's our turn...

I'm convinced that the Bible doesn't make us choose between cultivating a thoughtful faith and demonstrating radical love in our world. Yes there is much moral and spiritual confusion today and that brings with it it's own share of challenges. But it also presents us with some amazing opportunities. So let's learn to think Christianly and embrace these cultural moments. Let's engage!

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Barna Has Released Five Myths about Young Adult Church Dropouts

2011-11-16T12:25:00.006-06:00

One thing that stuck out to me was this quote:

"The problem arises from the inadequacy of preparing young Christians for life beyond youth group." Kinnaman pointed to research findings showing that "only a small minority of young Christians has been taught to think about matters of faith, calling, and culture. Fewer than one out of five have any idea how the Bible ought to inform their scholastic and professional interests. And most lack adult mentors or meaningful friendships with older Christians who can guide them through the inevitable questions that arise during the course of their studies. In other words, the university setting does not usually cause the disconnect; it exposes the shallow-faith problem of many young disciples."

Unprepared and a Shallow Faith are something we can do something about. But not if the church continues to parrot pop-culture's "faith as a feeling" mentality and embraces a general "anti-intellectual" posture. (more from Barna)

I go into more detail as to what we can do here.

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Pro-Life Youth Are Turning the Tide for Universal Human Rights

2011-11-13T23:44:00.005-06:00

According to Fred Barnes' article:

"Three pro-life trends have spiked in 2011. The first is the rise in opposition to abortion among young people. The under-30 cohort was the most pro-choice in the 1970s, second most in the 1980s and 1990s. Now they’re “markedly less pro-choice” than any other age group, scholars Clyde Wilcox and Patrick Carr have written. “Clearly, something is distinctive about the abortion attitudes of the Millennial Generation of Americans. Indeed there is. Millennials haven’t grown more religious, politically conservative, or queasy about gay rights. Nor do they go out of their way to vote for pro-life candidates. But they tend to see abortion as a human rights violation. Thus their resistance to abortion is gradually increasing..."

This is an important and hopeful trend. See more helpful analysis at the STR blog, here.

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So....should you let your kids watch Glee?

2011-11-11T10:33:00.006-06:00

We've already talked abou Yoga this week...so why not add Glee to the mix just to keep things interesting (and a little controversial).

Regarding TV shows in general, Jonathan McKee has written a very helpful article on the three buttons every parent needs to use (required reading here). Personally I think that TiVo / DVR are a great ally to parents today.

But considering that Glee 'went all the way' this week featuring two of the show’s teenage couples each losing their virginity, a homosexual couple (Kurt and Blaine), and a heterosexual couple (Finn and Rachel), how should a parent help their kids navigate a really popular show like this?

Time Magazine weighs in with their article, What Teen Sex on "Glee" Really Teaches Kids.

Jonathan McKee has written another helpful article about discernment and the choice he ultimately made for his family with teenagers regarding Glee. (read here)

Other reviews

"Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." - Romans 12:2 (NLT)

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What If Most Everything You've Been Told About the Scopes Trial in 1925 Was a Lie?

2011-11-10T14:11:00.008-06:00

"A New Film, Alleged, Tells the Real Story of the Scopes Trial. It would be hard to underestimate the power that one film, Inherit the Wind, has had in shaping -- and distorting -- the evolution debate. In a comment that would be hilarious if it weren't so pathetic, Judge John E. Jones of Kitzmiller v. Dover fame explained that in getting himself up to speed for the trial he watched ITW to get a sense of the "historical context." What if someone made a dramatic film that actually told the truth about the Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925?"

Someone just did.

Discover the truth, order the DVD today:

Official Movie website

More at evolution news and views (H/T)

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Is Yoga Demonic?

2011-11-09T10:17:00.000-06:00

Now that I have your attention, Should Christians practice yoga? Is there such a thing as 'Christian yoga'? Are Christians overreacting? Seattle Pastor Mark Driscoll has researched and written a provocative article on this very topic--and wherever you land on this issue--it's worth a read. Christians should not just mindlessly accept what everyone else has baptized as normal. We need to exercise theologically informed discernment and wisdom. Here are a few excerpts:

"There is nothing wrong with stretching, exercising, or regulating one’s stress through breathing. But when the tenets of yoga are included, it’s by definition a worship act to spirit beings other than the God of the Bible. By way of analogy, there is nothing inherently wrong with intimacy, sex, and pleasure. But when the tenets of adultery are included, it’s a sinfully idolatrous worship act. A faithful Christian can no more say they are practicing yoga for Jesus than they can say they are committing adultery for Jesus.

A little over a year ago, I said yoga was demonic. My stance hasn’t changed since then, but I thought I’d take this opportunity to provide a much fuller and comprehensive teaching on what yoga is and why it is in fact demonic. By demonic I mean it’s a spiritual act to a being other than the God of the Bible. And, for those unfamiliar with me, I’m no raging Christian fundamentalist. My most vocal critics tend to be from the fundamentalist tribe as I do drink alcohol, have been known to use strong language, and talk very frankly about the joys of married s*x. I’m no prude, but I am a pastor.

Giving sound teaching on yoga is important because there is increasing adoption of yoga by our culture, with over 15.8 million people practicing yoga and nearly every store you go into selling all kinds of yoga products. It’s gone mainstream. As such, Christians are also adopting it as a healthy aspect of exercise and lifestyle—complete with things like “Holy Yoga,” which is an oxymoron. Saying yoga can be Christian because you do it for Jesus is a bit like going into a mosque, going through the worship practices, and then saying you’re not a Muslim because you’re doing it for Jesus. They don’t mix.

When looking at the acceptance of yoga in the Christian church, I find that there are two issues at hand: (1) People simply don’t understand what yoga is, its roots, and its tenants; or (2) People think that they can engage in yoga because it’s just stretching, while ignoring the religious aspects of the practice of yoga.

As one woman who identified herself as a mainline Protestant said in an article about my comments a year ago, “Here we go again with fear-based, black-and-white thinking. . . . It's not fair to say yoga is demonic. In fact, I find it insulting. There are many ways to grow spiritually." To this I would reply, “No. There are not many ways to grow spiritually. There is one way, which is through the power of the Holy Spirit provided through Jesus’ death and resurrection on the cross, as part of God the Father’s plan for salvation.” Comments like this woman’s are the exact reason why it’s important to explore what yoga really is and what it teaches, and to understand that the spiritual elements of yoga make their way into our life and culture in ways we don’t necessarily see overtly.

In this lengthy post, I’ll define what yoga is, give a history of yoga, talk about the various forms of yoga, and take a look at yoga through the “receive, reject, or redeem” matrix that I commonly use.

What Is Yoga? There are many different types of yoga...." (read the rest here)

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Unashamed the Movie - An insider's look into the underground global christian hip hop movement (featuring Lecrae)

2011-11-08T09:15:00.000-06:00

This film will give an insider's look into the underground global christian hip hop movement. The film Stars Lecrae, Trip Lee, Tedashii and Sho Baraka + many more! Find out more.

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The Law of Influence and Christian Public Engagement

2011-11-07T11:07:00.005-06:00

Should Christians be engaged politically? Should they make arguments in the public square? While some are calling for Christians to abandon the political arena due to perceptions that we are “too political,” this would ultimately be unwise and a net loss for everyone because of the moral vacuum it would create. “The alternative isn’t to not do politics,” observes Michael Gerson. “The alternative is to do it better.”

One thing is certain—someone will influence our society. Someone will make laws. Someone will raise the topics for national, judicial, and constitutional debate. So why not labor as faithfully and prudently as we can for the greatest good of others and thus fulfill our role to be salt and light (cf Matt. 5:16)? As Christians, this is one way in which we can love our neighbor as ourselves.

Regardless of the spirit of the age, we are to use whatever tools and opportunities are arranged for us by God for his glory and for the proclaiming of the good news of the kingdom.

To find out more about our biblical responsibility to engage the public square, see my new book Think Christianly: Looking at the Intersection of Faith and Culture

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Break the Spiral of Silence by Chuck Colson

2011-11-03T09:23:00.005-05:00

Chuck Colson has an important message for Christians...be courageous and stand up for truth and the public good.

Learn more here...

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New Video - How Does Media and Pop Culture Affect Us?

2011-11-02T09:08:00.001-05:00

Here is some recent video on the impact media is having on us and why we need to be aware of it as Christians. (cf. Romans 12:2)

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Classic Teaching on the Art of Dating by Tommy Nelson

2011-11-01T10:24:00.006-05:00

How do you have a great dating relationship that will lead to a healthy marriage relationship?Tommy Nelson's whole study on the Song of Solomon (12 sessions) that I went through in college several times, has had a bigger impact on me as a husband and my understanding of marriage than anything else I have ever done. I am so grateful for this mentoring I received. Here is a great talk on how to cultivate a healthy relationship and lay a good foundation for marriage.

You can order it here.

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Some Help For Raising Digital Kids To Use Media Discernment

2011-10-31T11:26:00.006-05:00

CPYU (The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding) is a helpful ministry that is doing important work in the area of raising the digital generation. Here is something you need to know:

"One of the most sweeping and influential changes is the rapid expansion and growth of media technologies and outlets. The most recent research indicates that the average 8 to 18-year-old in America is engaging with media for 7 hours and 38 minutes a day. Much of their media engagement includes time spent engaging with others via social media technologies that didn’t even exist six years ago (Facebook, etc.). Today’s children and teens are a “wired” generation. They are constantly connected to their media and their media is constantly connected to them. Because they are at an impressionable and vulnerable age, children and teens are eager and willing to follow a media world that is attractive, pervasive, convincing, and compelling. Media is increasing in influence. In some cases, media is the main socializing and nurturing influence in a child’s life, shaping their worldviews in powerful ways."

Here is a helpful "family digital covenant of conduct" to help you make clear what everyone's expectations are in this critical area. More from CPYU.

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Prof. John Lennox Talks About His New Book Seven Days That Divide the World

2011-10-28T08:38:00.000-05:00

Lennox discusses ways of interpreting scripture that don't compromise its authority. "I don't want to say anything less than what scripture says, but I don't want to say anything more," says Lennox. Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University and Fellow of Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science at Green Templeton College, Lennox has lectured on science and religion and related themes around the world.

Listen to his interview at ID the Future

John Lennox's Website

Check out his new book. He presents some very important distinctions and observations about the Biblical text, authority, and science.

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Was Jesus a Socialist?

2011-10-27T09:30:00.001-05:00

Recent headlines include words / phrases like: Occupy wall street. Redistribution of wealth. Capitalism. Socialism. And now...Jesus. But what does Jesus have to do with economics? Well, everyone loves to get Jesus on their side of the argument. Here is one of the passages often cited to argue that Jesus would have been in favor of socialism (Acts 4:32-35):

"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need."

Two pieces of advice. First, always read the biblical context. In his helpful Washington Post article, Jay Richards responds to the claim that Jesus was a socialist / marxist:

"No serious biblical scholar, or economist, would mistake the practice of the early Jerusalem church for Marxism. First of all, Marx viewed private property as oppressive, and had a theory of class warfare, in which the workers would revolt against the capitalists-the owners of the means of production-and forcibly take control of private property. After that, Marx thought, private property would be abolished, and the state would own the means of production on behalf of the people. There’s none of this business in the books of Acts. These Christians are selling their possessions and sharing freely.
Second, the state is nowhere in sight. No Roman centurions are breaking down doors and sending Christians to the lions (that was later). No government is confiscating property and collectivizing industry. No one is being coerced. The church in Jerusalem was just that-the church, not the state. The church doesn’t act like the modern communist state." (read the rest of the article)

Second read works / authors who understand the biblical worldview and take the Bible seriously (i.e., in its historical-gramatical-literary context) and who also understand economics. Here are two great options: (1) Money, Greed, and God: Why Capitalism Is the Solution and Not the Problem by Jay Richards and (2) The Virtues of Capitalism: A Moral Case for Free Markets by Scott Rae and Austin Hill. Listen to an insightful interview with Jay Richards here.

Economics is a moral issue. It is critical for Christians to understand that when it comes to economics, good intentions don't necessarily translate into good outcomes. This means that it is actually possible to do harm to people while intending good if we adopt bad economic policy. I interviewed Jay Richards about this and how economics relates to the Christian worldview here.

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I am the 10%

2011-10-26T16:52:00.011-05:00

90% of babies who are diagnosed with Down Syndrome are aborted (or the more clinical phrase is "terminated pregnancy"). This is barbaric and unthinkable and needs to stop.

This little guy is one of the brave ones who is telling a different story. He is one of the 10%.

Here is another story by Gabe Lyons.

This is an excellent booklet - Understanding a Down Syndrome Diagnosis

Train to make the case for the pro life position.

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made"-Ps. 139:14

These are ALL the kinds of things we do as we engage culture as everyday ambassadors. For more ideas, see my new book Think Christianly.

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My interview with Brett Kunkle of Stand to Reason on my new book Think Christianly

2011-10-25T10:59:00.007-05:00

I just returned from speaking at a parent / teen apologetics conference in Anchorage, Alaska with my friend Brett Kunkle of Stand to Reason. While in the frozen northwest, he interviewed me about faith, culture, worldview, apologetics, the local church and the next generation on his Bulletproof podcast. Here is the audio from that interview. Here is Brett's podcast.

More about Think Christianly: Looking at the Intersection of Faith and Culture here.

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Do you really know Tim Tebow?

2011-10-23T10:35:00.000-05:00

Today he makes his much anticipated start as quarterback for the Denver Broncos. Some want him to do well...others are waiting for him to fail. Here is an insightful article into who Tim Tebow really is and what makes him tick as a person. What keeps him grounded and the vision he has for life.

"I was recently doing an interview with a nationally known sports reporter," Tebow said. "She said, 'Now that you've graduated from college, are going to the NFL, will make a lot of money, everybody will know your name and want your autograph ... because of all that, do you count your life as a success?'

"I told her, yes, I count my life as successful," Tebow said. "But not because I'm famous or won two national championships or the Heisman or going to the NFL, it's because I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ."

Read the rest. (H/T @plsconvinceme)

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Have you downloaded the new Think Christianly iPhone app yet? It's free!

2011-10-19T08:30:00.001-05:00

Now you can Think Christianly on your iPhone and iPod touch with our new app. What do Christians believe? Why do they believe it? Why does it matter? How do the latest headlines intersect with the Christian worldview? Check out the latest podcast and more!

Click here for more information and view in the app store. Please spread the word and if you like it, please give us a good review on iTunes!

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Truth for the day....

2011-10-16T15:08:00.002-05:00

“All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.” – Psalm 119:160

God and his everlasting Word are the constant in an ever-changing culture governed be feelings.

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Textbook Example of False Tolerance: Are Mormons Christians?

2011-10-13T10:07:00.009-05:00

Mormonism could be true. Now as a Christian, I don't think there is good evidence that it is true but religions make truth claims and those claims are either true or false. Our culture is having a spirited conversation right now about the nature of Christianity, Mormonism, and religious discourse in general. Is religion merely a private thing that no one can critique, criticize, or investigate? Or is religion both personal and public?

I have blogged on the issue of tolerance before, but this is a textbook example of "false tolerance" where we can make no judgments at all about the truth of others’ beliefs. People are throwing around words like "bigot" and "hate speech." But as Stephen Prothero, professor of religion at Boston University argues, “the ideal of religious tolerance has morphed into the straitjacket of religious agreement.” That is an astute observation. He goes on to say in his provocative book God is Not One:

“No one argues that different economic systems or political regimes are one and the same. Capitalism and socialism are so obviously at odds that their differences hardly bear mentioning. The same goes for democracy and monarchy. Yet scholars continue to claim that religious rivals such as Hinduism and Islam, Judaism and Christianity are, by some miracle of the imagination, essentially the same, and this view resounds in the echo chamber of popular culture.”

Mormonism is not the same thing as Christianity. This shouldn't be a controversial claim. Biblical Christianity teaches that Jesus is the eternal creator of the universe (e.g. Col. 1:16) and is part of the Godhead (i.e., the Trinity cf. Matt. 28:19). Mormonism teaches that Jesus was a created being and deny the Trinity. These are mutually exclusive claims (click here and here for more on the teachings of Mormonism). A civilized society needs to have the ability to talk about these difference without demonizing each other. We need to recover true tolerance, where we allow others the freedom to hold beliefs which we judge to be false. As everyday ambassadors, Christians need be able to intelligently engage the questions our culture is asking and discussing. But we must learn how to do this well and then have the confidence to enter the cultural conversation.

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Should Christians Vote For A Mormon For President?

2011-10-11T13:27:00.004-05:00

The media is all abuzz about the recent comments by pastor Robert Jeffress on Mormonism, Rick Perry, and Mitt Romney. The fallout has been widspread and the labels are flying. Thankfully, theologian Al Mohler offers some sane commentary from an evangelical perspective. The first thing we must do is not try to cram a complex, nuanced discussion into the space of a soundbite or tweet, "There are numerous ways to frame these questions wrongly. Our responsibility as evangelical Christians is to think seriously and biblically about these issues. The first temptation is to reduce all of these issues to one question...." Well said. The rest of the article is worth your time. It can be found here.

More about Mormonism?

Also, here is a helpful website explaining the differences between historic Christianity and Mormonism.

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Steve Jobs, Technology, and the Image of God

2011-10-09T20:54:00.007-05:00

John Dyer (@johndyer) has written an insightful article on Steve Jobs, technology and the image of God which is well worth the read. Here is an excerpt:

"Steve Jobs, the most visionary technology maker of the digital era, died Wednesday at the age of 56.

His death represents the end of the first era of computing when, under his guidance, the computer went from a thing nerds built in their garage to a friend everyone carries in their pocket. Sometimes called the Leonardo Da Vinci of our times, he made the computer personal, the phone smart, and the mouse magical.

He was also famously guarded about his personal life. He kept his family, his illness, and his religious beliefs out of the spotlight in order to focus on the things he made. But as he neared the end of his life, he allowed Walter Isaacson to write a biography, which will be released later this month. But until it comes out is there anything that we might learn from this man's life and work?

Life and Work

A natural starting point can be found in the details we do know about Jobs's life and business decisions. Born to parents who didn't want him and adopted by parents who never attended college, Jobs went on to drop out of the same college where Donald Miller made his famous confessions. He and his friend Steve Wozniak ("the Woz") started Apple in a garage, but years later his own board pushed him out of the company he founded. Undeterred, he started a new computer company (NeXT), and a few years later was invited back to Apple as a kind of savior. Then over the past 14 years, he hit home run after home run---iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad---each of which shaped computing, the music industry, and even the consumer. Are there not lessons here about second chances, redemption, and what can come from a little, unwanted baby?

When he came back as CEO in 1997, Apple was making all kinds of superfluous products like digital cameras, printers, and PDAs. One of Steve's first decisions was to drop the axe on most of those extraneous products and focus the entire company on a single idea: making better computers. Should pastors do the same with the programs at their churches, trimming the fat, and focusing on essentials like the gospel, worship, and community? We could also learn from his treatment of archrival Microsoft. After striking a deal with Bill Gates, Jobs warned Apple loyalists, "We have to let go of this notion that for Apple to win, Microsoft has to lose." Could we not all learn from that in our congregations, ministries, and blogs?

But I think the significance of Steve Jobs's life goes beyond these sorts of sermonettes. It is rather in his approach to technology and creativity that I think we can find a profound warning and hidden testimony of God's grace.

Forbidden Fruit

Though Wozniak was clearly the brains of the operation, much of what made Apple successful was Jobs's ability to market products in such a way that they didn't feel like products, but rather a way of life, something you're either in to or out of.

The company's very name---Apple---is...." (read the rest of the article)

Also see his helpful book From the Garden to the City.

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My new book comes out this month!

2011-10-05T09:31:00.000-05:00

I am both humbled and deeply encouraged by the endorsements I have received for my new book Think Christianly: Looking at the Intersection of Faith and Culture (releasing later this month). Our culture is asking significant questions and Christians need to engage well with solid, thoughtful, and distinctively Christian answers. That is what I hope this book encourages pastors, Christian leaders, and churches to do (more on that later).

"As someone who has devoted many years of ministry to teaching Christian worldview. I am thrilled to see dynamic and faithful worldview leaders like Jonathan Morrow stepping to the fore. Think Christianly, in a compelling and accessible way, equips Christians young and old to engage the culture winsomely, intelligently, and with confidence.”

- Chuck Colson,
Founder, Prison Fellowship and the Colson Center for Christian Worldview

"Think Christianly is a remarkable and important achievement. Written in an interactive and accessible style, it covers an exhaustive range of topics. Indeed, I know of no other book like it in this regard, and it it now the first book to which to turn for learning the specifics of how to think Christianly."

- J. P. Moreland,

Distinguished Professor of Philosophy,

Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, and author of The God Question

"We Christians love to lob rhetorical grenades at the surrounding culture from the safety of our holy huddle. What’s far more difficult—and effective—is to engage the issues of our day with intelligence, moral clarity, and biblical wisdom. That’s exactly what Jonathan Morrow does in Think Christianly. Morrow has a knack for elucidating complex ideas and applying timeless truth to contemporary topics. He’s also done a fine job of gathering top Christian thinkers and presenting their ideas on issues ranging from the role of the Bible to bioethics. Think Christianly is a significant addition to the faith and culture conversation and a readable primer for church leaders. It belongs in the library of every thoughtful Christian."

- Drew Dyck

Managing editor of Leadership Journal and author of Generation Ex-Christian:

Why Young Adults are Leaving the Faith…and How to Bring Them Back (Moody, 2010)

"In a time when truth is distorted and biblical teachings are misunderstood, our commitment to engaging culture must not be compromised. If we are to effectively stand for Christ in a world that is not, we must be equipped. Think Christianly is a much needed resource as we seek to honor God in both what we believe and how we live."

- Jason Hayes,

Author, Speaker, National Young Adult Ministry Specialist,

LifeWay Christian Resources

"In Future Shock, Alvin Toffler wrote, “Change is avalanching upon our heads and most people are grotesquely unprepared to cope with it.” Toffler wrote in 1970, before personal computers, before the Internet, before 100 cable TV channels! The pace and depth of change has only increased several times over since 1970, and still the evangelical church is unprepared to deal with it. The ideas in Morrow’s book offer hope that we can learn how to bring meaning to today’s dangerous intersection of gospel and culture and view the intersection more as an opportunity than a threat."

- Andy Seidel,

Executive director of the Howard Hendricks Center for Christian

Leadership at Dallas Theological Seminary

"For several years, Jonathan Morrow has helped me see where my faith and what I read on blogs intersect. He has been an enormous help to me personally, and I’m glad to see that a broader audience can have access to his insights. If there is one thing I have learned as a pastor who works with twentysomethings, it’s this: If we don’t work hard to show how our message intersects with the issues our culture is facing, then they will assume it to be irrelevant. On a large part, that assumption has already been made. Read this book and help reverse that trend."

- Jonathan Phipps,

Equipping pastor at Fellowship Bible Church, Brentwood, Tennessee

"As a pastor, I know my congregation is both beguiled and beleaguered by Western cultural realities. Neither unthinking assimilation nor unsociable rejection is a biblical option for us. The church must engage culture faithfully, but we must also be shown thoughtful ways how. I welcome any book that helps the church do this, and I am confident my friend Jonathan Morrow’s will."

- Cole Huffman,

Senior pastor of First Evangelical Church, Memphis, Tennessee

For more about the book and some of the interviews with Christian leaders that are included, click here. Stay tuned!

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Why Christians favor small government

2011-10-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

In a recent article in the Washington Post, Professor of Philosophy John Mark Reynolds offers some balanced and thoughtful reasons why Christians favor small government.

"....We reject the utopian delusions of no state and of an omni-competent state. American Christians reject any king, but King Jesus. We reject any theocracy before King Jesus returns, because humans would have to run it. We long for justice tempered with mercy and we will vote for the man or woman who will give us a government small enough to allow liberty, but big enough to preserve it."

Read the rest here.

Other resources on Christians engaging the public square in the arena of politics, click here.

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Courageous the Movie Opens Tonight - Honor Begins at Home

2011-09-30T08:30:00.000-05:00

Here is a great opportunity for our culture to talk about what it means to step up to manhood and fatherhood. Opening weekend matters a lot when it comes to movies. If you can go see it, support the film. Here is the trailer:

Here is the movie website. Here are resources on exploring biblical manhood as a follow up for watching the movie.

Excellent book on biblical manhood by Dennis Rainey - Stepping Up: A Call to Courageous Manhood (highly recommended!)

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The Barna Group Releases Six Reasons Young Christians Leave Church

2011-09-29T10:53:00.011-05:00

These are fleshed out in the new book You Lost Me by David Kinnaman. Here is one of the six reasons:

Reason #5 – They wrestle with the exclusive nature of Christianity.
"Younger Americans have been shaped by a culture that esteems open-mindedness, tolerance and acceptance. Today’s youth and young adults also are the most eclectic generation in American history in terms of race, ethnicity, sexuality, religion, technological tools and sources of authority. Most young adults want to find areas of common ground with each other, sometimes even if that means glossing over real differences. Three out of ten young Christians (29%) said “churches are afraid of the beliefs of other faiths” and an identical proportion felt they are “forced to choose between my faith and my friends.” One-fifth of young adults with a Christian background said “church is like a country club, only for insiders” (22%)."

You can find the other 5 reasons here.

We need to do a better job of talking about truth in our churches. It is not enough to say that this is the right and answer and leave it at that. As Christian leaders we need to model the process of how to arrive at truth. What are the reasons we hold our views? Why are the slogans and soundbites like "that may be true for you but not for me" mistaken? Narrate the difference between false tolerance and true tolerance. We can no longer assume people (even Christians) accept the Bible as an authority; they don't. In our feeling culture, we need to recover the ability to think well--dare I say Think Christianly--about the biggest questions in life. I offer some analysis and suggestions here.

I am grateful for the work of the Barna Group and David Kinnaman for helping clarify the assumptions and questions of this generation. Learn more here.

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How to Make College Count

2011-09-28T16:06:00.005-05:00

I am passionate about college students making the most of those strategic years. I have written on the subject and speak on it often. But I am so glad that there are many other voices out there helping encourage and equip the next generation. It's a team effort! That is why I want to tell you about a recent book by Derek Melleby called Make College Count. It is a quick read that is packed with vision and helpful tips for succeeding in college. Here is more information, check it out!

(From the Back Cover)
Discover the way to true success at college--and beyond

There's more to college than classes, credits, and a nonstop social life. It's more than getting a degree to improve your job prospects. College is a time where you develop into the person you will be for the rest of your life. Make College Count will help you make the most of your time in college. It encourages you to ask the big questions, like

Why am I going to college?
What kind of person do I want to be?
How do I want my life to influence others?
With whom will I surround myself?
What do I believe?

You want your college years to count. This book shows you how to make that a reality.

"For years I have been looking for the right book to give to Christian high school grads: readable, real, honest, grace-focused, Christ-centered, and practical. Finally, I've found just the ticket--Make College Count is that book."--Chap Clark, author of Hurt: Inside the World of Today's Teenagers; professor of youth, family, and culture, Fuller Theological Seminary

"Christian college students hear a lot about what to avoid during their college years. So it's refreshing to encounter a book that explains what students should embrace in college. It's clear that Derek Melleby understands the world of today's students."--Joseph M. Stowell, president of Cornerstone University

"Make College Count is just right! What Derek Melleby has done is find a way to come alongside someone on the way to college and offer guidance about things that matter most."--Steven Garber, director of The Washington Institute for Faith, Vocation & Culture; author of The Fabric of Faithfulness

"Make College Count offers an accurate preview of college life and encourages and equips students to thoughtfully make the most of college (and the rest of their lives) by embracing a real and vibrant faith that's not an extracurricular add-on but a foundation for all of life. This could be the most important book students read during their college years."―Walt Mueller, president, Center for Parent/Youth Understanding

Derek Melleby is the director of the College Transition Initiative, a ministry of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding and the Coalition for Christian Outreach. He is the coauthor of The Outrageous Idea of Academic Faithfulness.

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He's not God

2011-09-26T14:57:00.005-05:00

My friend John Stonestreet of Summit Ministries and worldview commentator for thepointradio.org offers a very important reminder (regardless of your political party) as we get into the election cycle--The President is not God.

"Recently on The Gospel Coalition blog, Kevin DeYoung offered a blunt reminder: “the President is not God.” This sounds like stating the obvious, but DeYoung’s reminder is a timely one as we enter another election.

Americans, even Christians who should know better, have a tendency to want our President to “right every wrong, solve every problem, fix every pothole, provide health and prosperity for all, and on top of that be a likeable, fatherly, dignified, fun-loving, brilliant, down-home, urbane, humorous, serious, athletic, good looking, poet-warrior-manager man…”

No one can live up to that! But because we expect these things, candidates end up making promises that far exceed their capacity and voters have their misplaced hopes dashed time and time again.

That doesn’t mean we should abandon the political process as some have suggested. No way. Be informed and be involved. We need competent, morally sound leadership like never before. But let’s keep our hope in the right place...." (read more)

As Christians, we should know that utopia will not be ushered in by any sitting president. Now to be sure, there can be good and bad presidents who either promote the public good or undermine it--but they are limited. And as we think Christianly about politics, this is a first principle we need to operate with.

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Religion And Science Can Coexist, Scientists Say In New Survey...Should We Be Surprised?

2011-09-22T15:50:00.014-05:00

Are science and faith really in conflict? Huffington Post writer Jaweed Kaleem has posted an interesting article discussing a new survey that has been released on how scientists view religion. Here's a portion of the article:

"A majority of scientists say religion and science don't always conflict, according to new survey results released by Rice University.
The study, conducted over five years through in-depth interviews with scientists at universities whose fields range from biology and chemistry to social sciences like political science and economics, dispels the widely held notion that religion and science are incompatible.
“When it comes to questions about the meaning of life, ways of understanding reality, origins of Earth and how life developed on it, many have seenreligion and science as being at odds and even in irreconcilable conflict,” said Rice sociologist Elaine Ecklund. Yet, a majority of the scientists Ecklund and her colleagues interviewed saw both religion and science as “valid avenues of knowledge” she said.
Ecklund and her team interviewed 275 tenured and tenure-track faculty members from 21 research universities in the United States. Only 15 percent of respondents said religion and science were always in conflict, while 15 percent said the two were never in conflict. The majority, 70 percent, said religion and science are only sometimes in conflict....(read the rest)

Science is not the issue; worldviews and philosophies are the issue. Everybody works with the same facts. What makes all the difference is which interpretations are allowed to compete (in principle), what counts as knowledge (only scientism?), and which worldview best explains all the relevant data. (Notice again that these are all philosophical questions and not scientific ones.)

As Sean McDowell and I point out in our book, Is God Just a Human Invention? And Seventeen Other Questions Raised by the New Atheists, Naturalism is a scientifically oriented worldview that denies the existence of God and the soul. Richard Dawkins put it this way: “An atheist in this sense of philosophical naturalist is somebody who believes there is nothing beyond the natural, physical world, no supernatural creative intelligence lurking be- hind the observable universe, no soul that outlasts the body and no miracles—except in the sense of natural phenomena that we don’t understand yet.”

Theism holds that there is a personal creator and sustainer of the universe who is omnipotent, omniscient, essentially good, omnipresent, and eternal. Christianity believes that the Creator has revealed himself to humankind in the person of Jesus Christ, a member of the Trinity, who was resurrected from the dead in confirmation of his deity. Thus, Christians believe in the supernatural world, including God, the soul, angels, and miracles.

There is no inherent conflict between Christianity and science. Defining these two worldviews shows us the root problem: naturalism and theism are at odds, not science and Christianity. Naturalism is intrinsically atheistic because it sees nothing outside the natural or material world. Here is what’s interesting about the foundational beliefs of naturalists: naturalists place enormous trust in nature’s order and their powers of reason, but their worldview ultimately undermines any basis for such confidence. Science is only possible if the world is ordered and if we can trust our senses and reason.

You can learn more about the history of the relationship between science and Christianity by reading The Soul of Science.

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The God Quest DVD Curriculum by Sean McDowell

2011-09-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am excited to tell you about (and endorse!) a new DVD curriculum for youth by author, apologist, and teacher Sean McDowell. Having had the pleasure of co-writing a book with Sean defending the existence of the Christian God, I know his heart is to reach this generation with the good news of Jesus Christ. And this top notch, accesible video study will be a great tool for youth pastors and parents to use to engage today's students. Sean invites students on a God Quest and offers six signposts (six 15 minute sessions) that point down a path where if a person is seeking God...they will find him. The message of the God Quest is intellectually satisfying and emotionally compelling. It answers the biggest questions in life. The kit is affordable and comes with a well designed guide that students can use during the week as they explore these critical questions. I hope you will consider taking your students on a God Quest!

To find out more about the God Quest and to purchase a copy for your church, click here. "Like" the God Quest Facebook page and share it with others here.

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Why college students leave church - @washingtonpost @stickyfaith

2011-09-16T08:30:00.001-05:00

Last friday I was interviewed for an article by Piet Levy that ran in the Washington Post. We had a great conversation about this important topic and I was grateful for the opportunity to share my thoughts. Students walking away from their faith was a big reason that I wrote Welcome to College: A Christ-follower's Guide for the Journey and it also prompted Sean McDowell and I to write Is God Just a Human Invention? to deal with the toughest intellectual objections to the Christian faith raised by the New Atheists. We must do a better job equipping the next generation so that they are prepared for the opportunities and challenges of college life and beyond.

"Millions of college freshmen are overwhelmed right now trying to make new friends, adjusting to more rigorous school work and learning to live away from home. Whether they also find time for church during their first two weeks on campus will set the mold for the rest of their college years, according to new research.

These findings come from a six-year study of approximately 500 Christian youth group members, conducted by Fuller Theological Seminary’s Fuller Youth Institute in Pasadena, Calif.

The study’s results will be released Sept. 17 in “Sticky Faith: Everyday Ideas to Build Lasting Faith in Your Kids.” The book examines why, according to a 2006 report by Christian research firm Barna Group, 61 percent of 20-somethings who regularly attended church as teenagers later left the pews...." (Read the rest of this article)

In my forthcoming book Think Christianly: Looking at the Intersection of Faith and Culture (October with Zondervan) I offer suggestions as to what we can do to reverse this trend among students and help them cultivate a mature faith. One thing we must do is help students realize that Christianity actually rises to the level of being of true or false. It is capable of being rationally investigated and defended (1 Pet. 3:15 cf. Jude 3).

To read more on the new research this article is based, see Sticky Faith by Kara Powell and Chap Clark:

When all is said and done, may we be like the Psalmist who prayed, “O God, You have taught me from my youth, And I still declare Your wondrous deeds. And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come” (Psalm 71:17-18). That's as missional as it gets.

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New Think Christianly Podcast: Does the Bible Encourage Blind Faith? (Part 1)

2011-09-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

Do Christians know anything? Or is Christianity the kind of thing one must simply confess by blind faith? Our culture is having this conversation, so it is important that we know what the Bible has to say about faith. In part 1 of this podcast we will take a snapshot of how both the culture and the church misunderstand biblical faith.

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Seven Days in Utopia - A Movie You (And Your Family) Need To See

2011-09-12T11:28:00.008-05:00

My wife and I were on a date night the other night and decided to see if anything was worth watching at the movies and we stumbled across Seven Days in Utopia starring Robert Duvall among others. It was excellent and here is why. It painted a redemptive picture that included some important truths about relationships, fears, insecurities, and identity. Some may call this movie too predictable, perhaps, but that's not a reason not to watch something. To be sure, there need to be movies that accurately show the darker side of life (we live in a fallen world after all), but not all movies have to be dark and offer no hope. This movie offers hope, is inspiring, and has a great message. Moreover, it is rated G...Which means you can engage the whole family. This would be an ideal father / son date for kids around 8 or 9 or older (depending on maturity level). The cynic may dismiss this movie as "too cliche." But to do so has missed the point. There are some messages that ring true for a reason and this movie found the mark. Go see it and spread the word!

Official Website

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Christians are for Truth wherever it is found

2011-09-07T14:38:00.006-05:00

All truth is God's truth. John Calvin provides us with a good reminder that engaging our minds matters because truth matters: "It is superstitious to refuse to make use of any secular authors. For since all truth is of God, if any ungodly man has said anything true, we should not reject it, for it has also come from God. Besides, since all things are from God, what could be wrong with employing to His glory everything that can be rightly used in that way?” Application: Think hard and think Christianly for the glory of God! (1 Cor. 14:20)

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How Do We Know That Jesus Is Who He Claimed To Be? - Jonathan Morrow (Video)

2011-09-05T11:57:00.007-05:00

This is the central issue when it comes to examining the claims of Christianity. Here are 2 powerful reasons that support Jesus's radical claims.

How Do We Know That Jesus Is Who He Claimed To Be? - Jonathan Morrow from Think Christianly on Vimeo.

Here is a link to the Think Christianly podcast with a talk I did on the historical evidence for the resurrection that goes into more detail.

I have a chapter on it here:

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Mind Your Faith by David Horner Is a GREAT Read!

2011-09-02T13:55:00.009-05:00

Recently I was honored to have the opportunity to endorse a great new book by Dr. David Horner of Biola University. Here is what I wrote:

"Many Christians heading off to college are simply unprepared for the intellectual, spiritual and moral challenges that await them. Confronted with new ideas, strong desires and relational pressures, it's not surprising that so many drift away from their childhood faith. But it doesn't have to be this way! In this timely book, David Horner offers students a compelling vision of what it means to follow Jesus Christ with a mature faith during the college years and beyond. High school graduates need to read this book!" (Jonathan Morrow, author of Welcome to College and founder of www.thinkchristianly.org)

Dave Horner is a topnotch (Oxford trained) Christian thinker. I had the privilege to study under him at Talbot School of Theology while doing Master's work in Philosophy of Religion and I count myself lucky to call him a friend today. This is a GREAT book that will help you think and live well and flourish as a human being as God intended. My hope is that many adults will read it and then invest in the next generation.

Here is the book:

Here is an interview with Dave Horner on the Frank Pastore show in L.A.

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Ross Douthat of the New York Times Corrects Ryan Lizza of The New Yorker About Francis Schaeffer

2011-08-30T15:32:00.011-05:00

I was encouraged to come across this post by Ross Douthat (New York Times) setting some of the record straight on the swirling controversy about Michele Bachmann and Dominionism Paranoia stirred up by Ryan Lizza's article in the New Yorker (who apparently told his fact-checker to take the day off). Here is an excerpt:

"Schaeffer’s major contribution to American public life wasn’t any sort of sinister “dominionist” master plan, but rather a much more defensible blueprint for Christian political action: He argued that Christian values were under assault in contemporary American life, that the idea of secular “neutrality” was something of a sham, and that believers had an obligation to be 1) engaged with the culture rather than bunkered against it, and 2) engaged politically on issues (abortion, especially) where fundamental moral truths were at stake. One can dislike this blueprint and disagree with its premises, but its perspective on American politics is no more illiberal than the perspective of, say, the civil rights movement. And the fact that Schaeffer influenced a prominent evangelical politician like Bachmann isn’t nearly as surprising, strange or scary as Lizza’s piece often makes it sound."

Read the rest of Douthat's article.

Joe Carter of First Things offers "A Journalism Lesson for the New Yorker"

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Does the Bible Encourage Blind Faith? - Jonathan Morrow (Video)

2011-08-29T13:49:00.009-05:00

The short answer is no. In this video I talk more about why. Sincerity is not enough. A person's faith is only as good as the object in which its placed. Moreover, thinking is very important in the Christian life. Paul makes that abundantly clear: “Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults” (1 Cor. 14:20).

Does the Bible Encourage Blind Faith? - Jonathan Morrow from Think Christianly on Vimeo.

I go into more detail here and here.

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Evolution is all over the news, so how should Christians think about evolution?

2011-08-25T12:14:00.009-05:00

From Rick Perry to Richard Dawkins...evolution is quite the conversation piece! Unfortunately, there is still a lot of confusion about what the main issue really is. In this video I suggest how Christians should think about evolution after carefully defining our terms:

How Should Christians Think About Evolution? - Jonathan Morrow from Think Christianly on Vimeo.

Other helpful stuff:

Should evangelicals move on from the evolution debate? (one of my previous posts)

Excellent book: God and Evolution edited by Jay Richards

Great website on God, faith, and evolution

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More Compelling Evidence For Intelligent Design...

2011-08-24T08:01:00.001-05:00

I highly recommend this truly remarkable documentary exploring the breathtaking beauty and design of butterflies. Here is the video preview and product description of Metamorphosis (available on Blue Ray and DVD):

"Throughout history butterflies have fascinated artists and philosophers, scientists and schoolchildren with their profound mystery and beauty. In Metamorphosis you will explore their remarkable world as few ever have before. Spectacular photography, computer animation and magnetic resonance imaging open once hidden doors to every stage of a butterfly's life-cycle. From an egg the size of a pinhead to a magnificent flying insect. It is a transformation so incredible biologists have called it "butterfly magic." The superbly engineered body of a butterfly is magnified hundreds of times to reveal compound eyes made of thousands of individual lenses, wings covered with microscopic solar panels that warm the insect's muscles for flight, and navigational systems that unerringly guide Monarch butterflies on their annual migration from Canada to Mexico. How did these extraordinary creatures come into being? Are they the products of a blind, undirected process? Or, were they designed by an intelligence that transcends the material world? Filmed in the rain forests of Ecuador, Mexico's Trans-Volcanic mountain range, and leading research centers, Metamorphosis is an unforgettable documentary filled with the joys of discovery and wonder."

Enjoy!

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Is Christianity True, False, or Other?

2011-08-20T16:54:00.008-05:00

One of my favorite writers is Nancy Pearcey because she has a way of capturing the essence of big ideas in clear writing. In Total Truth she correctly observes that "When Christians are willing to reduce religion to noncognitive categories, unconnected to questions of truth or evidence, then we have already lost the battle." Please reread that last sentence.

You see, if Christianity does not rise to the level of being true or false then it has been removed completely from the cognitive realm. If something can't be false, then it can't be true either. And rational investigation or justification fly out the window too. If we in the American church don't get this and teach it to the next generation, then Christians will be increasingly marginalized in a secular culture. But worse still, this unbiblical notion will sap us of our confidence to live as if Christianity were actually true because confidence and knowledge go hand and hand. If you have not done so already, I highly recommend reading Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey.

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Everyone answers the question of God and every answer matters

2011-08-19T11:07:00.006-05:00

Mortimer Adler wisely observed that “More consequences for thought and action follow from the affirmation or denial of God than from answering any other basic question. They follow for those who regard the question as answerable only by faith or only by reason, and even for those who insist upon suspending judgment entirely.”

The question of God is no mere ivory tower proposition! It works its way down into all the crevices of thought and life. The evidence for God, contrary to what you may have heard, is actually quite strong. Have you ever rationally considered it? Do your students have more than just a "blind faith and love Jesus" approach to the Christian life? It is critical that we understand that faith in God is a reasonable position to hold and help the next generation come to understand this. The stakes are way too high.

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Chuck Colson On Seeing Sin through Cinema and the New Movie "The Help"

2011-08-18T08:03:00.000-05:00

Chuck Colson on the new movie The Help:

"Sometimes we Christians don't see the sin right in front of our faces; our culture, upbringing, or personal attitudes seem to block it. And that's where the arts can help us -- whether the sin is deep in the past, or very much in the present.

Last week a film opened that beautifully illustrates my point. It's called The Help, and it’s based on the bestselling novel by Kathryn Stockett. The story is set in the early 1960s, in Jackson, Mississippi, when the fight for civil rights was gaining international attention. The film tells the story of a young, socially prominent white girl named Skeeter who's just graduated from college. Skeeter wants to be a writer, and comes up with a dangerous idea: To secretly interview the black maids who raise the white children of Jackson, Mississippi, and find out how they really feel about their employers.

Their answers are a revelation. Skeeter's eyes are opened to the irony of white employers who depend on their maids to raise their children -- and yet won't allow them to use the same bathrooms. If a piece of silver goes missing, a maid can be blamed, based on no evidence whatsoever, and arrested. When a maid named Yule May asks her employer for a loan to help her sons attend college, she's....(more)"

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Moral neutrality and relativism are not how you build a good society says UK Prime Minister

2011-08-15T13:57:00.010-05:00

Prime Minister David Cameron has vowed to address the “moral collapse” that led to widespread looting and violence across English cities last week; "moral neutrality, this relativism – it’s not going to cut it anymore." He further adds, “politicians shying away from speaking the truth about behavior, about morality” has “actually helped to cause the social problems we see around us....We have been too unwilling for too long to talk about what is right and what is wrong. We have too often avoided saying what needs to be said – about everything from marriage to welfare to common courtesy.” That is both well said and refreshing to hear. (read the rest of this article)

As I see it, here's the bottom line: A society cannot long survive if they elevate personal autonomy and freedom above virtue and personal responsibility; including the United States of America. True freedom is not doing whatever you want, but doing that which is good.

For more reasons why moral relativism is a really bad idea, see chapter 7 in my book Welcome to College.

For more information on the excellent Doing the Right Thing six part DVD (Chuck Colson, Robert George, Britt Hume, etc.) and Church Simulcast on September 24th click here.

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Bart Ehrman and Darrell Bock Debate the Authorship of the Early Writings of the New Testament on Unbelievable (Audio)

2011-08-10T08:01:00.000-05:00

"Skeptical Bible scholar Bart Ehrman's latest book "Forged" claims that many of the writings of the New Testament are falsely attributed to apostles such as Peter and Paul. He claims that they were not written by them and that a deliberate deception was taking place. Darrell Bock of Dallas Theological Seminary responds, saying that the case for forgery is not as conclusive as Bart claims. They examine the evidence for whether 1 and 2 Peter were written by Peter as well as letters attributed to Paul such as Ephesians and 2 Thessolonians." (Unbelievable Radio)

Listen here

Also, see The Ehrman Project for videos and articles.

An important review of Forged by Dr. Kruger, click here.

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Should pastors be concerned with apologetics?

2011-08-09T08:01:00.000-05:00

Should pastors be concerned with apologetics? Absolutely! Aside from being thoroughly biblical (1 Pet. 3:15; Jude 3; 2 Cor. 10:3-5), it provides great confident to everyday Christians. Here is what one of Evangelicalism's most eminent theologians has to say:

“I think the pastor does play a very critical role here. And, apologetics is not simply about reaching outside the church and helping people realize why Christianity makes so much sense. There are many people inside church congregations who are wrestling with apologetic questions; who come to faith but haven’t had all of their questions answered. I think the pastor, the preacher, needs to realize if they want their people to be good and minister to the faith, apologists and evangelists, they’ve got to be equipped. They’ve got to be reassured about their faith. They’ve got to be helped to be able to explain it and defend it in the secular marketplace. Now maybe many pastors and preachers say, ‘You know, I couldn’t do this.’ In which case, you need to bring somebody in who can. But there’s a real need for the local church to see this kind of ministry as a priority in our present cultural situation.”- Alister McGrath

(H/T Apologetics 315)

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Want to love your neighbor today? Then stand against false tolerance

2011-08-01T15:01:00.005-05:00

We live in an interesting, ever-changing, and challenging day. As Christians, learning to navigate such a reality can be very confusing and intimidating. In one of Jesus’ central teachings, he commands us to love our neighbor (cf. Mark 12:31). And while we can and should often do this by meeting physical needs, there is another vital, but often overlooked, application of this passage. We need to stand up for the possibility of truth. We need to protect the endangered species of honest disagreement concerning the nature of reality. Today a not so subtle battle is raging from newspapers columns to college classrooms concerning the nature of tolerance. There are 2 competing definitions:

False Tolerance: We can make no judgments at all about the truth of others’ beliefs.
True Tolerance: We allow others the freedom to hold beliefs which we judge to be false.

If we cannot tell our neighbors or ourselves the truth about reality, then we cannot really love them. Because love involves seeking another’s highest good, and goodness is anchored in reality (after all, the truth sets us free). We must fight the false tolerance that seeks to intellectually bully our culture into agreeing that every viewpoint (especially when it comes to religion and morality) is equally valid. We must speak up in love for the possibility of truth. Loving our neighbor requires this.

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Parents: Are You Plugged-In Online?

2011-07-27T10:48:00.015-05:00

Do you know what your kids, preteens, and teens are watching, texting, and sharing online? At the movies? Listening to? Now you can with minimal effort each week by visiting a very helpful website called "Plugged-In." where you will find reviews of the latest video games, music, shows, and movies. They have an iPhone and Droid app and there is also a new book out called Plugged-IN Parenting: How to Raise Media-Savvy Kids with Love, Not War by Bob Waliszewski.

Parents: Are there any technology / media boundaries in place? Any accountability? Have you said no to any movies this summer? Yes there will be conflict with your children as you discuss what media is worth consuming and what isn't and why you need all of their social media usernames and passwords etc.; but what's the alternative? Allowing your child to be mindlessly shaped by a culture that is embedded with ideas and images that lead them AWAY from life with God? We need to reject passivity and engage! There are great resources available to help you, Plugged In is one of the best. For filtering and internet accountability sites Bsecure and Covenant Eyes are great options. I am not supporting running for the hills and saying no to all technology etc., but we must be active in our media consumption and learn to think Christianly about our entertainment choices and then teach our kids to do the same.

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Theologian Wayne Grudem on God, the Christian, and Politics

2011-07-22T16:14:00.005-05:00

This is a hot topic these days, so how do we think Christianly about Government and Politics? Should God and Politics even mix? Theologian Wayne Grudem answers these and other questions in this interview with the Acton Institute:

R&L: Why did you write Politics According to the Bible and how will it help Christians engage the political culture?

Grudem: I found that there were many Christians concerned about the direction of our nation. But they were unsure what the Bible taught about various political topics. I had taught ethics for nearly 30 years at the seminary level, and I realized that many of the topics that I was teaching had direct implications for political questions. I taught material related to abortion, euthanasia, just war theory, capital punishment, the rich and the poor, the role of government, and environmental stewardship. The more I thought about these things, the more I realized that there were very sound biblical principles that had direct implications for political questions.

Another reason is that I realized that many Christians thought it was unspiritual to get involved in politics and government. However, I found that in the Bible there were many examples of God's people influencing secular governments. I am arguing in the book that it is a spiritually good thing and it is pleasing to God when Christians can influence government for good.

What do you think are the biggest mistakes many evangelicals make when it comes to their approach to policy debates in the public square?

I actually list five mistakes that people make about Christian influence on government in the first chapter of my book. The first one is that government should compel religion. But I argue that government power should not be used to try to force people to support a particular religious viewpoint. I don't think very many evangelicals hold that first wrong view today, but in past history, both Catholic and Protestant believers have fallen prey to the temptation of trying to use the immense power of government to force compliance with certain beliefs. The mistake there is a failure to understand that genuine religious faith cannot be forced.

The second mistake is that government should exclude religion, and that is of course seen in many of the decisions of secular courts today, where they're trying to keep Christians out of the public square and keep Christians from expressing their faith publicly or influencing government at all. That denies freedom of religion.

The third mistake is the pacifist tradition that says government use of power is evil and demonic, and Christians should not have any part in it. They should not participate in military or police forces, using superior force to restrain and punish evil, because that is the work of Satan. I do not think the New Testament views government that way. Romans 13:4 says the government authority is "God's servant for your good." When the government authority carries the sword to punish wrongdoing, it is acting as God's servant, as the agent of God to execute His wrath on the wrongdoer.

The fourth mistake is very common today. It tends to be held by more conservative Christians, and that is the idea that Christians should do evangelism and not politics.

I have to say first that the center of the gospel, of course, is belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. It salutes the gospel of salvation by faith alone, in Christ alone. Nevertheless, there are broader implications of the gospel, because the gospel, when it is truly proclaimed, will result in changed lives. And I think Jesus wants us to have changed marriages and changed ideas of parenting and changed schools and changed neighborhoods and changed businesses and workplaces, and certainly, that would include changed governments as well.

I think that pastors have an obligation to explain to their congregations how Biblical teachings impact the government. In addition to that, there are many passages in the Bible that talk about God's purpose for government. Another answer to this view that says we should do evangelism and not politics is that it fails to understand the great influence that Christians have had on governments since the early history of the Church. Early in the Roman Empire, it was Christian influence that led to outlawing infanticide, child abandonment and abortion in the Roman Empire. Christian influence led to outlawing the gladiatorial contests in 404 A.D. Christian influence led to granting property rights and other protections to women at various times through history. Christian influence led to a law prohibiting the burning alive of widows with their dead husbands in India in 1829. Moreover, Christian influence led to the outlawing of the cruel practice of binding young women's feet in China in 1912. One can also look to the heroic campaigns of England's William Wilberforce or the Christian abolitionists in our own history. Alvin Schmidt in How Christianity Changed the World points this out very well.

Dr. Wayne Grudem giving a lecture at Phoenix Seminary.

All of those changes happened because Christians realized that if they could influence laws and governments for good, they would be loving their neighbors as themselves, and they would be doing what Jesus said in Matthew 5:16 when He said, "Let your light so shine before others, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven."

The last mistake, the fifth one, is that Christians should do politics, not evangelism. My book seeks to warn Christians away from the temptation of thinking if we just elect the right leaders and pass the right laws, we will have a good nation. That fails to understand that a genuine transformation of a nation will not come about unless peoples' hearts are changed so that they have a desire to do what is right and live in obedience to good laws.....

Read the rest here.

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