Recommendations, Church, Evangelism, Finance, Nature, Sexuality, Science
John Beeson
This Week's Recommendations

  1. A scientist produced a monogamy study, including us: The most monogamous animal will likely surprise you (six animals rank higher than humans!). But this won’t surprise you, “Overall, less than 10% of mammals are monogamous, according to Dyble.”

  2. Don’t overthink your problems: Wyatt Graham begins, “When we face criticism or feel uncertain about our actions, our natural tendency is to analyze every detail, replay every conversation, and search for what we might have done wrong. But Scripture offers us a surprisingly liberating approach: acknowledge clear sin, but don’t lose yourself in endless rumination over unclear accusations. Instead, trust that God knows your heart better than you do.”

This Week's Recommendations
Christian Living, Prayer, Spiritual Growth
John Beeson
The Questions Jesus Asked

We ask God a lot of questions.

·        “Why do bad things happen?”

·        “Why is there only one way to heaven?”

·        “Why are some people who follow you hypocrites?”

·        “Why don’t you make it more obvious that you are God?”

God invites questions. These questions haunt some. For others, the questions create confusion and stall their faith journey. For others, these questions deepen their faith as they wrestle them through with God.

But the line between us and heaven is not one way.

Did you ever consider that God might have questions for you?

The Questions Jesus Asked
Recommendations, Culture, Evangelism, Family, Parenting, Relationships, Vocation
John Beeson
This Week's Recommendations

  1. How the West became pagan—again: Derek Rishmawy says, “When you think about your average non-Christian today... It’s far more likely to be someone who never went to church, checks her astrology chart, likes nature, takes an interest in breathwork because it connects her to reality, and maybe believes in the simulation theory.

  2. Our sorrows keep getting more sorrowful and joys keep getting more joyful: Christopher Ash says, “ Far from the life of faith, gradually steadying to some calm mid-point between sorrow and joy, the sorrows deepen, and yet are infused with stronger joys. It gets, if I may put it loosely, both worse and better.”

This Week's Recommendations
Counseling, Identity, Sexuality, Suffering
John Beeson
When Trauma Turns to Wickedness

Trauma is everywhere. One in four women and one in six men will be sexually abused. At least one in seven children have experienced abuse or neglect in the past year. More than one in four abused and neglected children will later abuse their own children.

Psychological research continues to demonstrate the tentacle-like nature of the impact of trauma. Effects include dissociation, panic attacks, hyperarousal, loss of sleep, low self-esteem, grief, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and substance abuse.

We tend to associate trauma with those who were assaulted or were involved in military combat,

When Trauma Turns to Wickedness
Recommendations, Christian Living, Culture, History, Prayer, Religion
John Beeson
This Week's Recommendations

  1. Soul is making a comeback: Wyatt Graham begins, “Everything seems to suppress soul. We live to catalyze efficient products. Our labour is counted, quantified, and measured. Human resource departments view us as human resources. They measure our performance by mechanical standards, and our salary relies on whether or not we have added value to a corporation. Work commodifies humans as resources; it is why HR departments exist. You are coal to be mined.”

  2. Gen Z women struggle to find their way in Christian faith and community: A recent Barna study reports, “Currently, young adult women report the lowest rates of Bible reading, prayer and church attendance among their peers.”

This Week's Recommendations

Ricky Bobby

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Hark! Born to Raise

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Hark! Born to Raise

What kind of immortality do you dream of?

At just 19 years old, an ambitious commissioned officer of the French Royal Army faced a life-defining moment. As a revolution swept through France, would he support the people or the monarchy? His decision was based, as many would be throughout his life, more on strategy than belief. Which side would further his ambitions? As he would many times in his life, Napoleon Bonaparte backed the right side. Seven years later, Napoleon was commander of the French forces. He led an ambitious military campaign against the Austrians and their allies.

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Hark! Veiled in Flesh

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Hark! Veiled in Flesh

In Talladega Nights, Ricky Bobby (Will Farrell) offers up an irreverent prayer to baby Jesus,

“Dear Tiny Infant Jesus...” Ricky prays. His wife interjects, “Hey, um... you know, sweetie, Jesus did grow up. You don't always have to call him baby. It's a bit odd and off puttin' to pray to a baby.” Ricky responds, “Well, look, I like the Christmas Jesus best when I'm sayin' grace.”

Some of us are more comfortable with baby Jesus as well. He can feel more approachable than the suffering Jesus on the cross or the reigning Jesus on the throne.

Throughout this Christmas season, we are examining profound truths in four lines from Charles Wesley’s (brother of John Wesley) popular hymn and Christmas carol “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”

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The Four Villains of Christmas: the Baby Jesus

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The Four Villains of Christmas: the Baby Jesus

Merry Christmas!

One of the most cringe-worthy prayers ever prayed on the big screen is prayed by Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) in Talladega Nights. In his prayer, the immature Ricky Bobby keeps referring to Jesus as “baby Jesus.” At one point his wife interrupts him, “You know, sweetie, Jesus did grow up. You don’t always have to call him baby. It’s a bit odd and off-puttin’ to pray to a baby.” Ricky Bobby responds, “Well, I like the Christmas Jesus best.”

The final villain this Christmas, baby Jesus, might be as alarming to you as Ricky Bobby’s prayer. “Baby Jesus is no villain!” you might retort. Before the mob forms, allow me to explain what I mean by saying that the baby Jesus can be a villain of Christmas.

How many of us also “like the Christmas Jesus best”? We might not say it out loud, we might not pray to “baby Jesus,” but in reality, we keep the Jesus of our faith small and contained. How many of us happily maintain a childish, trivial faith? How many of us effectively keep Jesus in the manger?

,

The Villains of Christmas: the Baby Jesus

,
The Villains of Christmas: the Baby Jesus

Merry Christmas!

One of the most cringe-worthy prayers ever prayed on the big screen is prayed by Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) in Talladega Nights. In his prayer, the immature Ricky Bobby keeps referring to Jesus as “baby Jesus.” At one point his wife interrupts him, “You know, sweetie, Jesus did grow up. You don’t always have to call him baby. It’s a bit odd and off-puttin’ to pray to a baby.” Ricky Bobby responds, “Well, I like the Christmas Jesus best.”

The final villain this Christmas, baby Jesus, might be as alarming to you as Ricky Bobby’s prayer. Before the mob forms, allow me to explain what I mean by saying that the baby Jesus can be a villain of Christmas.

How many of us also “like the Christmas Jesus best”? We might not say it out loud, we might not pray to “baby Jesus,” but in reality, we keep the Jesus of our faith small and contained. How many of us happily maintain a childish, trivial faith? How many of us effectively keep Jesus in the manger?

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