Image credit:www.genwhymovement.com Right now is a great time to be an apologist. We are living in a period of time where apologetics is booming, both in academic and everyday life. It's never been easier to get your hands on material that can strengthen your faith and empower your evangelism, and the time to utilize these resources has never been more urgent. With the rise … [Read more...]
UnWholly
In Unwind, Neil Shusterman gave us a brilliantly disturbing look at a culture in which parents can have teenage children “unwound” – a process which kills them as every part of their physical body is separated and given to someone else. Shusterman introduced some weighty concepts in Unwind: Do we have souls? Do people have intrinsic worth? What makes human life … [Read more...]
Apologetics and Missions Go Hand in Hand?
Recently, in response to my blog, "What is Christianity without Apologetics and Missions?", I was asked why I believe churches are not able to connect apologetics and missions. My initial thought was how could churches not connect apologetics and missions and fulfill their purpose as the bride of Christ? Let me explain. … [Read more...]
Neil Shusterman's Unwind: Cutting The Baby in Half
“In a perfect world mothers would all want their babies, and strangers would open up their homes to the unloved. In a perfect world everything would be either black or white, right or wrong, and everyone would know the difference. But this isn’t a perfect world.” Unwind is the first book in Neal Shusterman's critically acclaimed trilogy. The story takes place in a dystopic … [Read more...]
Worldviews and Culture: YA Entertainment in 2013
As a father of three who has worked with youth for 20 years, I've had a front row seat from which to observe the cultural saturation of America's young adults, particularly when it comes to entertainment. A good story is powerful, and some great storytellers are teaching the next generation a lot about life - for better or worse. Unfortunately, the current blend of … [Read more...]
Black 'Heart' Friday Shopping!
Thanksgiving is a wonderful tradition where we are able to give thanks (to God) for all that we have been blessed with, especially family and friends. The following day, Black Friday, is an over-excessive nationwide shopping spree in the US, paying homage to the gods of materialism and ourselves, stuffing our lives full of typically unnecessary merchandise with money that we … [Read more...]
Transgender Issues + Euthanasia = Tragedy!
A number of weeks ago, I stumbled across the tragic story of a Belgium transexual, Nathan Verhelst. She was born a female and given the name Nancy. Of Nancy’s birth, her mother said, “When I saw 'Nancy' for the first time, my dream was shattered. She was so ugly. I had a phantom birth.” She supposedly wanted a son. Another article speaks of the mother’s further rejection of … [Read more...]
The Forbidden "L-Word"
Everybody knows there are certain words that we just shouldn’t use. They are filled with hateful connotations and histories that simply cause far too much offense at their mere utterance. One of these, of course, is the “L-word.” What’s that you say? What is the “L-word?” Why, “lifestyle,” of course. According to same-sex marriage advocate and blogger Kimberly Knight, … [Read more...]
Sex and Civilization
With the West massively committed to redefining sex, marriage and the family, it might be fruitful to see if any of these innovations have already been tried and what has been history’s verdict regarding them. Brian Fitzpatrick suggests that the most “definitive work on the rise and fall of civilizations, was published in 1934 by Oxford anthropologist J.D. Unwin." In Sex and … [Read more...]
Sexually Transmitted Unease: How Casual Sex Works Bad Chemistry from Good
"Want a Capri Sun?" Those were the first words he said to her afterwards. Rachel White, age fifteen, had been anticipating this moment for at least a year. She'd sneaked out on a snowy school night, shoes in hand. Then, wearing nothing but her wet socks, Ginuwine playing in the background, it was finally happening! Oh my god, she told herself, this is sex! Just move your hips … [Read more...]