Gospel.com Blog

In a new interview today with the Words of Hope ministry, Mission Network News talks about the current religious environment in the tiny Himalayan country of Bhutan, where recent government crackdowns are making life difficult and dangerous for Christians. The audio of the interview is available at MNN’s interview page.

(Words of Hope happens to be another ministry in the Gospelcom Alliance. You can find more information about their outreach to Asia and the Arab world at their website.)

It seems that everybody is blogging these days–so it should come as no surprise that the Bible is the subject of a blog as well! The publishers of the English Standard Version (ESV) Bible have set up the ESV Blog to offer news and commentary on the ESV and the process of Bible translation in general.

The blog’s been up and running for almost a year now, so there’s plenty of material to read there. You might start with this recent post on the trials of hand-copying Greek Bible texts (hey, that’s the way ancient scribes did it!), or this older piece about defining “archaic” and “obsolete” language (who hasn’t been tripped up at some point by an obscure vocabulary word in their Bible?) All in all, it looks like a great blog to add to your bookmarks or feed reader.

The Da Vinci Code movie is coming soon–and fans and critics alike are watching closely as for news and details about the controversial film. Greg Wright has set up a blog focused specifically on The Da Vinci Code to track news and issues surrounding the film and book.

Recent posts have addressed Christian outreach efforts and various media pieces about the film. Worth bookmarking, whether you’re eagerly anticipating or dreading The Da Vinci Code’s silver screen debut!

IVPress’ Small Group Idea Center offers a new idea for your small group or Bible study each week. (This week’s idea is to put together care packages for people who could use some encouragement or support during a difficult time.) Check back each week–you’re sure to find something worth incorporating into your small group meetings.

Easter will be here before you know it–so it’s a good time to give some thought to the evangelism opportunities presented by the holiday. The American Tract Society has unveiled its lineup of Easter-themed tracts, which you can buy individually or in larger packs. If you’re just looking for some inspirational reading, you can actually read the full text of the tracts online–for starters, try these tracts:

• Christ is Alive, written by Billy Graham
• Jesus’ Resurrection: Where’s the Evidence? written by internet evangelist Rusty Wright
• So, Who is This Jesus Anyway? by chaplain Don Anderson

Whether you’re looking to stock up on tracts to hand out, or are just interested in reading some solid Easter evangelism pieces, take a few minutes and read through ATS’ offerings.

Have you had an abortion? Are you struggling emotionally or spiritually with your decision to have an abortion? The Project Grace ministry wants you to know one important thing: you’re not alone.

Project Grace’s goal is not to judge or belittle, but to help you find peace of mind and spirit. They can put you in touch with support groups with others going through the same struggles, they’ve got free music and other media to help you process your emotions, and they’re actively involved with a variety of abortion-related ministries. If you or somebody you know is considering an abortion or has had an abortion, let Project Grace help you through your questions and doubts.

At the MOPS website, Melissa Blanco talks about how she and her kids weathered a year-long separation from her military husband during his deployment to Iraq.

Have you ever found yourself saying certain things that you never imagined you would repeat–”Clean up your room” or “eat all of your vegetables or no dessert”? Matthew Schultz identifies five phrases that church and youth ministries often repeat without thinking about them… phrases that he thinks should be abandoned for good, because they’re misleading, inappropriate, or downright incorrect.

Have you ever caught yourself repeating one of these phrases? What might you add to his list of no-no phrases?

We’ve all heard of diets designed to improve our physical health. But have you ever thought of going on a “diet” to make your spiritual life healthier?

Al Menconi’s ministry is focused on helping people make wise choices about the entertainment and media they “consume” each day. His Full Tilt Media Challenge is an excellent way to see for yourself how your entertainment choices impact your spiritual life:

The Full Tilt Media Challenge will challenge you. For the next thirty days, eliminate all music, television, videos, and motion pictures that are against biblical values and listen only to Christian music. It will be like washing your brain with God’s truth. When you do, I believe you will have a clearer understanding of what kind of entertainment is healthy for your spiritual life.

For some, that might sound easy, but for others, giving up ungodly entertainment might be a major lifestyle challenge! It’s free, lasts for 30 days, and includes a daily Bible verse and article to help you stick to your pledge. According to Menconi, the point is not to make the Challenge into a legalistic rule, but to get you thinking about the entertainment to which you’re exposed each day.

Think you’re up for the challenge?

Does growing older make you angry?

Peter Newhouse, writing at the Winning at Home website, shares some interesting reflections on health and lifestyle changes as we grow older. As we age, certain lifestyle changes are forced upon us–we must adjust our diets, activities, and social lives to remain healthy. Should we be resentful of the aging process? Newhouse writes about his own frustration with aging:

Despite how good these new behaviors were, I was mad and felt cheated because I had to adopt a new lifestyle. It didn’t seem fair that I would have to make changes to my diet when everybody else still got to eat burgers and fries. As time went on and I got more comfortable with my new dietary regimen, my attitude changed and I developed a superiority complex of sorts. (On one instance, I went to a restaurant for dinner and looked around with disgust over what ”those people” around me were willing to eat - even though I had eaten the same things only a few weeks prior.)

There’s a better way to live, Newhouse suggests–an attitude that is neither obsessed with aging and death, nor in denial of them. Read the full article to find out how he adjusted his own way of thinking about growing older.