Gospel.com Blog

“What is God’s will for my life?”

“What does God let bad things happen to me and my family?”

“Why should I trust the Bible?”

If you have kids or work with young people, chances are you’ve heard countless variations of these basic spiritual questions. Unfortunately, it’s often all too easy to respond with pat answers that don’t really address the heart of the question—and sometimes, even without realizing it, we can send the message to young people that it’s not OK to ask and think through tough spiritual questions.

Dale Fincher of Soulation has some thoughtful and inspiring words on the topic in a new audio message about apologetics questions that young people ask. Fincher challenges Christians not to run from young people’s “tough questions,” and not to minimize their importance. Rather, we should encourage kids to think critically through difficult spiritual issues.

This is one of several new audio resources at Soulation; see also a new audio message asking “why would a good God send people to hell?” and another about issues of identity and body image. If you’re looking for a fresh and direct approach to Christian apologetics, Dale and Jonalyn Fincher’s ministry has a lot to offer.

We’re well into the Advent season, the period of time leading up to the Christmas celebration. But isn’t there something odd about commemorating Advent (which means “coming”) thousands of years after the event it leads up to? If Advent is meant to lead up to Christ’s birth, and Christ has already arrived… does that make Advent a simple exercise in nostalgia?

Betsy Childs writes about the strange season of Advent at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries:

Is this a flaw in the whole concept of the Advent season? Not at all. In Advent, we don’t simply look back and pretend that we are waiting, imagining what it would have been like to wait for the Messiah prior to the Incarnation. We are also meant to truly and sincerely look forward to Christ’s second coming.

We don’t celebrate Advent just to commemorate an ancient event. Rather, it challenges us to look forward to Christ’s second coming the same way that early believers looked forward to his initial coming. Read Childs’ essay for more.

Steve Argue over at the Intersect Community blog recently linked to an advent Bible reading guide put out by Mars Hill Bible Church. Advent is already a few weeks in, but it’s never too late to jump in if you’re looking for a good reading plan!

Additionally, the Mars Hill community is keeping a blog during the month of December where artists are reflecting on the themes the readings explore.

(more…)

Mission Network News reports on the recent turmoil in Mumbai. It seems that despite the uncertainty, Christian organizations are committed to preaching the gospel as a message of peace:

Gypsy Meadows with Worldwide Christian Schools says their team in the region is safe, but they are rattled. “There’s a palpable and real fear factor in the hearts and minds of the common man in Mumbai, so that rumors and stray and small incidents, practically anything, seems to unsettle the average Mumbai resident.”

Their schools continue to operate, but the tension in the region is likely to push change on the government levels. “They ask for prayer for the city, particularly that the Christians of the city will be able to reach out with the Gospel, which is the message of peace and hope.”

In the face of investigations and terror warnings, Meadows says, “We could pray that Christians can be influential in reforming and reshaping a stronger and healthier government in India. That would do so much for creating a better environment for India as a whole, as a place that we can continue to reach out to.”

Read the whole article, or head over to their main page to listen to their daily audio coverage of the latest headlines and news.

The Christmas story contains some of the most memorable characters of all time: the virgin Mary, Joseph the carpenter, jealous king Herod, the mysterious wise men, the frightened shepherds, and many others. Bringing each of those characters to life is one of our favorite Christmas features—Back to the Bible’s Twelve Voices of Christmas. It’s a well-produced, twelve-part audio drama (written by Woodrow Kroll) that tells the story of Christmas from the perspective of twelve famous Bible characters.

It’d make a great short Christmas devotional series if you listened to a few parts each week. (You can also read a text transcript for each part, if you prefer.)

Many theological issues and questions within Christianity have sparked debate and argument over the centuries, but few bits of theology have as much of a practical, everyday effect on our relationships as the Bible’s teaching on the respective social roles of men and women. At the Been Thinking About blog, Mart De Haan has posted his reflections on what the Bible tells us about gender roles. Does the Bible dictate that women should submit to male authority? Mart notes that “the Bible has slowly developed a reputation for being on the side of men who want to treat women as sexual property and assistants rather than as equals”:

As in the case of so many political and social issues, there are scholars, and studied opinions on both sides. Some believe that the most important statement the Bible makes about gender is found in the words of the Apostle Paul when he writes that, in Christ, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

Others argue just as emphatically that the same Apostle Paul encouraged wives to learn quietly in church (1Cor 14:34), and at home, to be submissive to their husbands, as unto the Lord (Eph 5:22). In another letter Paul adds, “I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God” (1Cor 11:2).

The post generated quite a bit of reader discussion, so De Haan followed up with second post reflecting further on the topic. If the famous Bible passage about submission to one’s husband has you wondering about the Bible’s teachings on gender roles, these posts and the discussions offer a lot of good food for thought.

Now that December is here, one cultural event commands our attention above all else: Christmas! Christmas is still several weeks away, but it’s not too early to start thinking about it. And I don’t mean thinking about how many Christmas gifts you have yet to purchase—I’m referring to the Christian tradition of Advent.

Advent is the season leading up to Christmas, and the church has traditionally used it as a time to ponder the mystery and meaning of Christ’s birth. To help you mark the Advent season, Scripture Union USA provides a free Bible reading guide for Advent (available in PDF or via email). Each day, it gives you a short Scripture passage and a few life-application questions to ponder.

Celebrating Advent is a great way to get into the true spirit of Christmas amidst all the usual holiday busy-ness. Challenge yourself to spend just a few minutes each day for the next month pondering the wonder of Christmas!

Those of us in the United States will celebrate Thanksgiving in just a few days. Unlike Christmas or Easter, Thanksgiving isn’t a commemoration of a specific Biblical event—but it’s a holiday with an obvious link to the Christian call to give thanks in all things.

We’ve got a number of Thanksgiving resources to share this week, but it makes sense to start with the very basics of the Thanksgiving holiday: when was it started? Why do we celebrate it today?

The Christian History Institute explains the history of Thanksgiving. If you thought the idea of a Thanksgiving holiday started with the Pilgrims in New England, you might be surprised to learn that the famous Pilgrims-and-Indians feast was not technically the first Thanksgiving holiday!

That covers the historical fact of Thanksgiving—but why do we still celebrate this holiday today, hundreds of years after the events of the first Thanksgiving? Max Frazier’s essay Why Celebrate Thanksgiving? A Study in Psalm 100 explores the importance of gratitude, and the value of the Thanksgiving holiday.

So even as you plan out your Thanksgiving get-togethers and short vacation from work, take a few moments to read up on the “when” and “why” of Thanksgiving.

[image by Ben Franske under a Creative Commons license]

Back in January, InterVarsity reported on a panel discussion held at the University of Washington where the participants responded to the question, If Christians would listen, what would you say?:

Three atheists, one agnostic and one Christian volunteered for a panel discussion to consider the question, “If Christians would listen, what would you say?” Well, they did have a lot to say—and the InterVarsity students who sponsored the event humbly listened. The honest dialogue turned into a riveting evening that engaged the hearts and minds of believers and non-believers—to the benefit of all.

Often Christians are perceived as being close-minded and judgmental, especially on certain topics.

The panel said some sobering things like, “Where are the real Christians who live out what Jesus taught?” You can read the full story at StudentSoul.org. Student Soul is a division of InterVarsity’s web ministry devoted to bringing readers and writers together for conversation about faith, real relationships and and life on college campuses.

Is anger a sin? The standard Christian answer is that there are two types of anger: “good” anger, which is used for positive purposes, and “bad” anger, which is sinful. But in his latest Nehemiah Notes article, Blaine Smith argues that this isn’t necessarily a Biblical way to understand anger:

Scripture, though, never makes this distinction, which ignores the nature of human motivation. Pride and hurt feelings can run as deeply in righteous indignation as in any other type of anger. Anger is the same emotion, whether evoked by a righteous concern or a dishonorable one. I frankly wish we would throw the term righteous indignation out of our Christian vocabulary; far too much self-righteousness is encouraged by it.

So what does the Bible say about anger—is it a sin or not? Read the full article to learn Smith’s perspective.