Thursday, June 7, 2012

THE CHRISTIAN POST: Thursday June 07 2012 Sivan 17 5772

Groupon
(Photo: Reuters/Frank Polich)

Groupon Boycott a Success, Says Anti-Porn Group

By Michael Gryboski

The deal-of-the-day website Groupon has decided to discontinue its business association with a California-based torture porn group.

NYC Judge Rules DOMA Unconstitutional and 'an Intrusion' of States' Affairs

By Stoyan Zaimov

In a case brought to court by an 83-year-old widow, a NYC judge has ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional as the federal law denies benefits to partners in same-sex marriages. This is the fifth such decision against DOMA, meant to protect traditional marriage, since it was enacted in 1996.

US

obama

Obama Sees Rise in LGBT Fundraising But Small Donors Stay on Sideline

By Paul Stanley

While many previous donors to President Obama's campaign are choosing to sit on their wallets this time around over a faltering economy and lingering war in Afghanistan, the president has found newly motivated donors within the homosexual community.

The pro-life Live Action group continued its campaign against sex-selective abortions performed in U.S. abortion clinics by releasing a third undercover video Wednesday showing staffers in Arizona suggesting that a woman should avoid revealing her reason for the abortion.

The NAACP's recent announcement supporting President Obama's position on same-sex marriage has led to the resignation of one of its leaders.

Family Research Council and two Republican congressmen strongly condemned a recent same-sex "marriage-like" ceremony conducted for two female soldiers and performed by an Army chaplain at the Fort Polk base in Louisiana.

Church & Ministries

Driscoll Dunn

Seattle-Based Megachurch Launches Mars Hill Music Label

By Alex Murashko

Seattle-based Mars Hill Church has taken its eclectic brand of worship music, led by a variety of band singers and musicians serving at its 14 locations, and formed its own recording label, the megachurch announced earlier this week.

Mars Hill Bible Church is in search for a new full-time preacher to replace Teaching Pastor Shane Hipps, who recently announced his decision to leave the megachurch.

Biblical scholars speaking at the Pastorum Live conference Tuesday shared tips on studying the Old Testament, hoping to make it a less daunting task for pastors and the everyday Christian. Understanding Scripture involves the consideration of two things: the cultural worldview of the author and the structure of biblical text.

A Bible translation organization wants to help bring the Gospel to groups around the world with the smallest number of people whose members speak the same language but have yet to hear God's Word.

Catholic-Owned Crystal Cathedral to Receive New Name

The Orange County, Calif., church known around ...

Exodus Rejects Being Labeled 'Reparative Therapy Organization'

Exodus International issued a clarification ...

Majority of Christians Hate Christian TV, Survey Finds

Chief Executive of DoersTV.com, Pastor David ...

Christian Law Group: ObamaCare Is Worse Than You Think

A Christian-based legal defense alliance is warning Americans who already believe that President Barack Obama's health care plan is a bad idea that the "ObamaCare mandate is worse than you think."

Former President Clinton to Obama: Extend Bush Era Tax Cuts

Former President Bill Clinton took to the ...

Ill. Atheist Fails to Get Court to Cut State Funding for Giant Cross

An appeals court has ruled against an Illinois ...

The Religion of Heroism

One of the greatest legends of Roman civilization ...

More Blogs

Healing The Brokenhearted

Most of us, if we have spent any time at all on ...

Discipleship: More than Information

Many churches equate discipleship with knowledge. ...

How My Personal Prayer Team Is Structured

This week I tweeted, “Meeting with my personal ...

What Is the Purpose of the Church?

Michael Frost is an Australian church planter and ...

Entertainment

Hollywood Sign in Hollywood Hills

Ridley Scott Talks Plan for Moses Film, Calls Religion 'Source of Evil'

By Stoyan Zaimov

Movie director Ridley Scott revealed that he is planning a movie based on the biblical account of Moses, and shared that he is skeptical of religion, calling it "the biggest source of evil."

Manny Pacquiao, 33-year-old Filipino congressman and boxer who currently holds a welterweight championship belt, plans to incorporate the bible and Christian music in upcoming bout on Sunday where he will attempt to defend his title.

"Hardflip" hit theaters on Friday, and Sean Michael Afable, one of the movie's leads, spoke with The Christian Post about his role in the film as well as the work he is doing within his own church. "I want to give back and mentor anyone I can and just be there for them," he explained.

World

A truck carrying victims of a bomb attack is parked in front of a mortuary in Nigeria's northern city of Kano January 21, 2012.

Boko Haram and Nigerian Military Engage in Deadly Shootout

By Stoyan Zaimov

Violence in Nigeria has taken another 19 lives after members of the radical Islamist group Boko Haram engaged in a gunfight with government soldiers Tuesday evening in the cities of Kano and Maiduguri.

Gangs and drug trafficking groups are getting stronger in Latin America according to recent reports. The worrying trend has been blamed on a number of factors that are allowing the groups to expand and become more bold; a weak and flawed law enforcement, overcrowded jails, and poverty within the general population.

The number of violations of Christians' religious rights in Indonesia reached 40 in the first five months of the year, nearly two-thirds the amount of anti-Christian actions in all of last year, according to the Jakarta Christian Communication Forum.

Several Bishops in Bolivia recently released a statement which regarded the pursuit of homosexual marriage by members of the Bolivian government a "threat to the family" and urged the country's lawmakers not to pass a bill that would legalize gay marriage.

Tech & Biz

iphone 4S

iPhone 4S Offered as Pre-Paid Device Through Virgin Mobile

By Vincent Funaro

Sprint is planning to announce its decision to offer the iPhone 4S on its no-contract, prepaid Virgin Mobile carrier this week, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.

The Android 4.0.4, Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade will be rolling out for the Motorola Droid Razr and Razr Maxx around June 12, according to a recent report from CNET.

LinkedIn, the professional networking site, is currently investigating a rumor that a hacker has accessed company information and leaked over 6.5 million users' passwords.

Christine Burger, founder of Noodle & Boo body products for babies, never expected to be doing what she is now. Burger spoke with The Christian Post about her life purpose to help children and the faith it took to venture into an unknown business.

Southern Baptists and Salvation: It's Time to Talk

By R. Albert Mohler, Jr.

A recent statement on the doctrine of salvation has received a good bit of attention in recent days. It is no small matter that Southern Baptists are discussing how best to speak of God's salvation, even as we are fully engaged in the task of reaching the nations with the Gospel of Christ.

OPINION

No Such Thing as Ex-Gay

By Eric Metaxas

new york gay marriage

Should Christians try to help homosexuals who want to change their sexual orientation? Why is that even a question?

COLUMN

Two Things to Keep in Mind When Evangelicals Turn Catholic

By Kevin DeYoung

Catholic Church

I want to remind of us two points that we can easily forget when a somewhat high profile evangelical converts (or seems about to convert) to Rome. Let's remember that the traffic across the Tiber is not one way, not by a long shot.

OPINION

Can Christians Use Birth Control?

By R. Albert Mohler, Jr.

pill

The effective separation of sex from procreation may be one of the most important defining marks of our age–and one of the most ominous. This awareness is spreading among American evangelicals, and it threatens to set loose a firestorm.

CHURCH

Snake-Handling Christians: Faith, Prophecy and Obedience

By Nicola Menzie

snake handling file photo

The recent death of a Christian minister from West Virginia who believed that the Bible instructs the faithful to handle snakes and drink poison has put into question a doctrine many believe is unbiblical and dangerous but that its adherents, biblical literalists, say they are compelled to obey.

OPINIONS

Planned Parenthood: Using Our Money to Oppose Our Freedom

By Doug H. Napier

Planned Parenthood

On June 12, North Dakotans will have the opportunity to freely decide the fate of that state's Religious Liberty Freedom Amendment…unless, of course, Planned Parenthood dumps another half a million dollars into state coffers from places as distant as California and New York, to confuse voters in what will or won't be the status of religious liberty in North Dakota.

LIVING

Getting Off the Treadmill of Guilt

By Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer

Guilt is a dangerous emotion because it can shut us down spiritually if we let it. We make mistakes and then start wondering where we stand in our relationship with God.

COUNSELING CORNER

Parenting and Setting Boundaries: The 2 'Rs' Kids Need to Understand

By June Hunt

June Hunt

Parenting is demanding work. Those who raise children are required to wear many hats (CEO and janitor, nutritionist and nurse, counselor and cook, plumber and many others). So, how can parents guide their children into successful adulthood? One of the essential requirements is learning how to establish healthy boundaries.

OPINIONS

America's Moral Schizophrenia

By Ken Connor

flag

We find ourselves living in a society where our elected officials see nothing strange about using the power of government to impose a morality of nutrition while shying away from using that power to protect the lives of innocent unborn children.

THEOLOGY

Is It Sin for Me Not to Like the Doctrine of Election?

By John Piper

John Piper

It's sin not to like the true doctrine of election. It's sin not to like what God likes. I want to say it like that because many people have conceptions of doctrines—all kinds of doctrines—that are inaccurate.

PASTOR

Five Secrets Pastors Refuse to Tell

By Thom S. Rainer

Thom Rainer

By their very nature, pastors are a confidential lot. But most people don't realize pastors have their own secrets. These spiritual leaders refuse to share their thoughts or pains for fear that their own ministries will be damaged. So they keep the secrets.

OPINIONS

Hugging Homosexuals: An Evangelical Epidemic

By Ken Hutcherson and James Hansen

Va. Tech

Maybe you're suffering with this disorder. From what we've been reading and hearing, a number of Christians are showing these symptoms across the country. Case in point, The Christian Post recently ran a three part series of articles suggesting ways in which the Evangelical community should love homosexual couples who come into the church. What we would like to know, though, is why all the preferential treatment?

PARENTING

Thoughts on Homosexual Comic Book Characters

By Jim Daly

jim daly

There was a time when comic book themes, however fantastical, were still pretty much tame and moral fare. They tended to champion good vs. evil. But now that both comic book lines have committed to plowing this new ground regarding homosexuality, what's a parent of a teenager (both the Marvel and DC series in question have an age-15-and-up rating) who reads the comics to do?

ECUMENICAL

Evangelicals and Catholics Together Getting Born Again

By Dan Delzell

Dan Delzell

It has been nearly 20 years since leading Evangelical and Roman Catholic scholars in the United States signed an ecumenical document to deliver a common witness to the modern world. One affirmation in that document stated: "All who accept Christ as Lord and Savior are brothers and sisters in Christ." This is most certainly true.

SERIES

Inside Church Planting: From Church Plant to Megachurch Plant (Part 5)

By Jeff Schapiro

Mars Hill West Seattle

While some church planters struggle to get their ministries up and running, others have seen their church plants grow from nothing more than a vision to megachurches that are attended by thousands of people every weekend.

MARRIAGE

The Seduction of Pornography and the Integrity of Christian Marriage, Part 2

By R. Albert Mohler, Jr.

rings

Marriage is not merely the arena for sexual activity, it is presented in Scripture as the divinely-designed arena for the display of God's glory on earth as a man and a wife come together in a one-flesh relationship within the marriage covenant.

COLUMN

What Makes You Beautiful?

By Lane Palmer

one direction

"What Makes You Beautiful" is much more than an internet splash with over 140 million views and rising like the tide. And I may be mistaken, but it feels like "beautiful" is mainly equated with physical appearance.

PARENTING

Parental Discipline Without Provocation

By Kevin DeYoung

parents

In Ephesians 6:4, God tells fathers (though I think the application is fair for both parents) to raise children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. He also warns against provoking our children to anger. So how do we do one without the other?

MINISTRY

'Joni and Friends' Celebrates Three Decades of Radio Ministry

By Jeff Schapiro

Joni Eareckson Tada is a radio host and the founder of the Joni and Friends International Disability Center.

The month of May marked the 30th anniversary of Joni Eareckson Tada's award-winning radio program, "Joni and Friends Radio," which has inspired listeners around the world and educated them about people with disabilities.

OPINIONS

Dictators and Baby Girls

By Eric Metaxas

newborn

In the newly released film, "The Dictator," the title character is played by shock comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. In one scene, the dictator is informed by his wife that she is pregnant; to which he replies: "Are you having a boy or an abortion?" Yikes!

EDITORIALS

America's Moral Temperature: Is Pornography the Next Battleground?

By Dr. Richard D. Land

Richard Land

A newly released Gallup poll taking America's moral temperature finds strong support for fidelity in marriage and increasing respect for unborn life, but in other key areas – specifically sex outside of marriage and homosexuality – Americans may have lost their biblical compass. And, unless all people of faith unite in opposition, pornography may be next.

CONNECT

Get Free Breaking News Alerts!

Daily News

Weekly News

Preview:  Daily » | Weekly »