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A Happy Pointer in a World of Defeat
Two items came across my desk this morning leading me to opposite emotional responses. First, I felt beaten down and depressed; yet another critical cultural value is being challenged by the administration who is not committed to the fundamental principles on which our country was founded. And this time – it involves children. Robert George a Princeton law professor, bioethicist and one of my favorite writers called my attention to his campaign to oust Kevin Jennings from the Department of Education: Children don’t need to be learning about homosexual pr

5 Reasons Christians Should Buy Pastured Eggs
What does seeking out locally available, sustainably raised, organic chicken eggs have to do with being a Christian? If you read that line and thought, “Oh no, she’s going green, next the theological ground under her feet will slip down the liberal slippery slope.” Well, you can be the judge of that; but let me give you 5 reasons why it is good to seek out locally available, sustainably raised, organic eggs if they are available in your area. God has given us dominion over all creatures for our good and His glory. Genesis 1:28-31 This does not mean supporting chicken cruelty, e.g. debeaking,

Of Grape Juice and Swinging Chickens
My friend Melanie linked to an interesting post about Orthodox Jews swinging chickens on Yom Kippur. The story is set in Brooklyn, NY where an Orthodox Jew can buy a chicken in the days before Yom Kippur, hold it by their wings and wave it three times above his head. While doing this he’s says the prayer of Kapparot. This prayer asks that his sins will be transferred to the bird and he will escape the divine punishment that he deserves. But,… “The main part of the service,” he

Are there too many women in the church?
Are there too many women in the church? Is it possible that the very presence of women and their kingdom activity are deterrents for men to respond to the gospel or get involved in ministry? Carolyn James asks these question in a provocative post that recaps her conversation with John Piper about women’s involvement in their local church. John Piper responded expressing his concern abou the feminization of the church. Like Carolyn said in her post, this express

God Art
I’m Presbyterian. My faith fathers include Calvin and Zwingli. These reformation saints were known as ‘men of the word’. Through the ordinary means of preaching the word and the sacraments, we receive the grace of God. We do not need the mediation of saints, priests or icons. But what about art? Can the grace of God be revealed to us through art? Zwingli zealots were famous for going into churches, stripping the walls and floors of sculptures and paintings, then white washing the walls. The church was to remain bare – the focus on the Word of God and the simplicity of the Lord’s Supper (wooden cups and plates). Direct access to God through our mediato