The UmBlog

• book report: Unbroken by Hillenbrand (2010)
  I read Unbroken in two days. I will summarize the story, mention the author's effect on the story, and then discuss the effect on me the reader. If I didn't have family responsibilities I would have finished it on Saturday, but this book was hard to…
  - 7 days ago, 30 Jan 12, 2:00pm -
• another cheaper house idea
  Here is my latest crazy idea. Well, it's an enhanced earlier idea.I think thick walls are helpful no matter what. I think two different layers are important as well for airsealing as well as insulation and thermal mass. I'm also into quick and cheape…
  - 8 days ago, 30 Jan 12, 1:14am -
• book report: Keep Your Head Up, A. Bradley, ed. (2011)
  When Crossway was offering books to bloggers for review, I was eager and tentative at the same time to take on this book, Keep Your Head Up: America's New Black Christian Leaders, Social Consciousness, and the Cosby Conversation, edited by Anthony B.…
  - 15 days ago, 22 Jan 12, 8:18pm -
• Building arched roof without concrete or steel
  First of all, credit goes to Owen Geiger for finding this and putting it on his blog.Timbrel vaults, aka Catalan vaults, seem like magic to me, method and history here. But they work really well in massive European cathedrals (and have lasted for 100…
  - 18 days ago, 19 Jan 12, 3:11pm -
• book report: Terror by Night by Terry Caffey (2009)
  I picked up Terror by Night by Terry Caffey in the Kindle store when it was available for free. It was set aside until I had an interlude between big books. This autobiography is hard to put down. Terry tells his story with all it's rawness. Although…
  - 19 days ago, 18 Jan 12, 7:20pm -
• Theodicy solved in Cameron's movie Avatar (2009)
  Last night I revisited Avatar, which I did not review favorably, with my teen aged son and sole control of the DVD remote so I could skip the alien intercourse scene. I still agree with all my earlier criticisms of the movie, however, I thought Camer…
  - 25 days ago, 12 Jan 12, 1:39pm -
• more trash to buildings
  Eichelberger Architects - Innovative MaterialsInstead of buliding with hay bales, how about building with 6'x6'x3' bales of waste paper and waste plastic? I love this thinking, and I love thick walls covered with plaster. It might be the simplest way…
  - 26 days ago, 11 Jan 12, 7:58pm -
• a proposal to remove the word "marriage" from our legal discussions
  I'm a conservative, born-again Christian. I do believe the Bible forbids homosexual expression, and I've written many times about that contention, but I don't think those prohibitions can be legislated in a multi-cultural society such as America's. I…
  - 27 days ago, 10 Jan 12, 3:43pm -
• book report: Over Fields of Fire by Egorova (2010)
  I enjoy autobiographies, and the story of the Russian communist ground attack pilot, Anna Alexandrovna Timofeeva-Egorova, who helped repel the Germans from the USSR is better than any work of fiction I've read recently. Over Fields of Fire reads like…
  - 29 days ago, 9 Jan 12, 1:23am -
• Jesus's resurrection and the Law of the Pressurized Conspirator
  I re-read an old book, among many, over the Christmas break,Cover via Amazon God in the Pits by Mark A. Ritchie. I highly recommend it. The section I want to transcribe here is the same argument I made a year ago, to start off 2011 at the UmBlog. No…
  - 35 days ago, 3 Jan 12, 12:06pm -

Apologetics 315

• newScholar Interview: Craig Keener
  Today's interview is with Dr. Craig Keener, professor of the New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary. He is especially known for his work as a New Testament scholar on Bible background. He is also author of Miracles: The Credibility of the…
  - 17 hours ago, 6 Feb 12, 7:30am -
• John Lennox on the Definition of Faith
  "Faith is not a leap in the dark; it’s the exact opposite. It’s a commitment based on evidence… It is irrational to reduce all faith to blind faith and then subject it to ridicule. That provides a very anti-intellectual and convenient way of av…
  - 2 days ago, 5 Feb 12, 7:30am -
• Book Review: Imaginative Apologetics
  Christian apologists are fighting on several fronts. The New Atheists are garnering plenty of press – and frustratingly so. Why are they being taken seriously when their arguments are, quite frankly, so weak much of the time? A distressingly l…
  - 3 days ago, 4 Feb 12, 7:30am -
• Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (01/27 - 02/03)
  Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.• Joe Boot at Heritage• Who Wrote the Gospels?• Is John's gospel historical?• The Modal Ontological Argument• NPR Interviews Alvin Plantinga• Francis Schaeffer, January 30,…
  - 3 days ago, 3 Feb 12, 5:00pm -
• Read Along: Christian Apologetics Ch21
  Today we continue with chapter twenty-one of Read Along with Apologetics315, a weekly chapter-by-chapter study through Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Christianity by Douglas Groothuis. Please leave a comment on your read…
  - 4 days ago, 3 Feb 12, 7:30am -
• 10 Reference Books for the Apologist
  There are books that you read once, learn from, and never read again. There are books that you read once, they change your life, and you count them as your favorites. Then there are books that are worthy to sit on your shelf close by, because you use…
  - 5 days ago, 2 Feb 12, 7:30am -
• Debate: Craig Evans & Bart Ehrman 2012
  On January 19 & 20, 2012, New Testament scholars Craig Evans and Bart Ehrman took part in two debate/dialogues on the topic: Does the New Testament present a reliable portrait of the Historical Jesus? Both videos are available on YouTube (night…
  - 6 days ago, 1 Feb 12, 7:30am -
• Terminology Tuesday: Counterfactuals
  Counterfactuals: A conditional proposition (usually expressed in the form "if p, then q") in which the antecedent (p) is false. Examples include such propositions as "If the moon was made of green cheese, then it would be tasty" and "If Abraham Lin…
  - 7 days ago, 31 Jan 12, 7:30am -
• Scholar Interview: Peter J. Williams
  Today's interview is with Peter J. Williams, Warden of Tyndale House, Cambridge. He talks about his work and background in biblical languages, the reliability of the Gospels, internal vs. external evidences, the genre of the Gospels, the authorship…
  - 8 days ago, 30 Jan 12, 7:30am -
• C.S. Lewis on Motivation
  "I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of my life to press on to that other country and to help othe…
  - 9 days ago, 29 Jan 12, 7:30am -

Apologetics Index

• T.D. Jakes says he has embraced doctrine of the Trinity, but has he?
  T.D. Jakes says he has moved away from a "Oneness" view of the Godhead to embrace an orthodox definition of the Trinity. Yet he still considers modalists -- people who embrace the heretical Oneness theology -- to be Christians.Read the full article:…
  - 8 days ago, 30 Jan 12, 9:23am -
• Cults: Dangerous Devotion
  The dark and dangerous world of cults has long been a source of both fascination and fear. What attracts followers to cults and, more importantly, what makes them stay? Watch the documentary, Cults: Dangerous Devotion.Read the full article: Cults: Da…
  - 38 days ago, 30 Dec 11, 4:21pm -
• Pakistan's Blasphemy Laws
  Pakistan’s Islamic blasphemy laws have been widely condemned. False accusations of blasphemy are often used by Muslims in disputes not only with Christians and followers of other faiths, but also with fellow Muslims.Read the full article: Pakistan'…
  - 41 days ago, 27 Dec 11, 1:23pm -
• Is Mormonism a Cult?
  In recent month there has been much discussion in the media on the question of whether or not Mormonism is a 'cult.' Most people who weighed in on the subject demonstrated a lack knowledge regarding the meaning of the term 'cult,' as well as the dif…
  - 45 days ago, 23 Dec 11, 3:32pm -
• Calvinism and Arminianism
  Few discussions regarding Christian theology bring with them so much heat and so little light than the ones regarding Calvinism versus Arminianism.Read the full article: Calvinism and Arminianism at Apologetics Index
  - 79 days ago, 19 Nov 11, 1:35pm -
• What Calvinism And Arminianism Have In Common
  Lost in a thicket of Arminian and Calvinist debate, we sometimes lose sight of the grand truths we hold in common... Christian author and minister Edward Fudge shows what Christians on both sides of the discussion have in common.Read the full articl…
  - 80 days ago, 19 Nov 11, 12:00pm -
• Recognizing Con Artists, Tyrants, and Spiritual Abusers in Leadership
  Many Christians unwittingly get caught up in abusive churches -- or relationships -- in which they are subjected to spiritual abuse. Stephen Martin's book The Heresy of Mind Control helps Christians recognize the warning signs that a group and its l…
  - 82 days ago, 16 Nov 11, 3:47pm -
• Faith Misguided: Exposing the Dangers of Mysticism
  The publishers of Apologetics Index have received permission from Moody Publishers to post online a chapter from the book, Faith Misguided: Exposing the Dangers of Mysticism, by Arthur L. Johnson. The book, first published in 1988, is currently out o…
  - 85 days ago, 14 Nov 11, 4:50am -
• Chapter 1: The Nature of Mysticism
  By revealing Himself through the written Word, God has committed Himself to using rational concepts as a tool for revelation, thereby making human reason absolutely necessary. Yet mystic literature abounds with statements that reject the reasoning ab…
  - 85 days ago, 14 Nov 11, 3:30am -
• Conclusion: Witchcraft, Christianity and Cultural Change
  Witchcraft has gone mainstream. Even though it took the work of thirty years to prepare the way, the public's attitude toward Witchcraft was effectively turned upside down in less than a decade. This is the Conclusion of Witchcraft Goes Mainstream,…
  - 26 Oct 11, 12:54pm -

Midwest Christian Outreach

• Raise the Level of Discourse
  During the 2000 presidential election race between Al Gore and George W. Bush, I was in the post office one morning. A woman at the counter was begging the postal clerk to not vote for Bush. In tears and obvious emotional distress she cried out, “H…
  - 5 days ago, 2 Feb 12, 11:05am -
• How “Christian” of Them
  I sometimes wonder if its strange that I have and really enjoy a great relationship with so many atheist friends.  It might have something to do with being in philosophy. Then I see this quote from a blog: All the vitriol these Christians can spew c…
  - 12 days ago, 26 Jan 12, 11:05am -
• Culturetopia
  A second matter, in this regard, concerns the strong indications that for all the deep belief, the genuine piety, the heroic faith, and the good intention one finds all across American Christianity today, large swaths have been captured by the spirit…
  - 19 days ago, 19 Jan 12, 11:05am -
• Of Paradigms and Priorities
  As I write this the New Hampshire primaries are winding down. CBS gave its Nostradamus like predictions several hours ago, and it looks as if New Hampshirites (?) are backing the guy they dislike the least. Much has been said of about so called “va…
  - 26 days ago, 12 Jan 12, 11:05am -
• ‘Tis the Season to be Political
  Christmas has passed and the New Year has officially been celebrated. Now most of us will have to learn how to date our checks all over again! Most radio and television networks as well as news periodicals have done their obligatory year in review. J…
  - 33 days ago, 5 Jan 12, 11:05am -
• Let’s Hope Its a Good One . . .
  Sometimes an idea or a song rattles around in your subconscious until you just have to wonder, “What are you doing in there?” I have no idea why John Lennon’s Happy Xmas  (War is Over) has been the aforementioned rattle in less interesting par…
  - 40 days ago, 29 Dec 11, 11:05am -
• The Gift (Reprise)
  (We originally printed “The Gift” In the November/December 1996 Issue of the MCOI Journal. It seems apropriate to revist it at this time of year.) What is it about Christmas that draws us every year to celebrations of this holiday? What is so spe…
  - 47 days ago, 22 Dec 11, 11:05am -
• The War on Christmas – Outside AND Inside the Church
  As we tick off the days to the celebration of the incarnation, the war on Christmas can be distracting. My granddaughter has a Jehovah’s Witness girl in her class who has been busy telling the other kindergartners about the evils of Christmas celeb…
  - 54 days ago, 15 Dec 11, 11:05am -
• It’s Just Sex – Get Over It!
  One would have to be living as a hermit to not have heard the extensive news coverage as women have come forth accusing Herman Cain of sexual harassment and adultery. No actual evidence was ever presented but Herman Cain decided to step down from the…
  - 61 days ago, 8 Dec 11, 11:05am -
• After Thanksgiving Thoughts About Thanksgiving
  Is the celebration of the national holiday called Thanksgiving a time of reflection and thanksgiving or merely the sound of the starting pistol in the race for buying stuff? The answers to this question vary and will be wide ranging. For some these d…
  - 68 days ago, 1 Dec 11, 11:05am -

CFAR: African Apologetics

• Russian newspaper profiles the Legio Maria cult of Kenya
  On January 18th, the Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta (Независимая газета) published an unusual first-hand report on the indigenous Legio Maria cult and its “black messiah,” Simeo Melkio Ondetto.You can read the article (in…
  - 15 days ago, 23 Jan 12, 7:08am -
• Wisdom for the New Year
  For all aspiring defenders of the Gospel: Beware of these “Ten Pitfalls of the Foolish Apologist!” They include…• Speaking before listening• Trying to win every point• Pride• Seeking popularity• Neglecting spiritual disciplines• Lac…
  - 30 days ago, 7 Jan 12, 4:19pm -
• Is a doomsday cult reviving in Uganda?
  Reports in Ugandan news sources ranging from the mainstream New Vision to the sensationalistic Red Pepper claim that 52-year-old cult leader Wilson Bushara is now distributing “invitation cards to heaven.”The Eddoboozi news site quotes a Uganda R…
  - 19 Sep 11, 6:13pm -
• VIDEO: How You Can Pray for ACFAR
  A personal word from ACFAR regional coordinator Rodgers Atwebembeire.
  - 12 Sep 11, 7:17pm -
• A special event for ACFAR
  On Saturday, October 22nd the Centers for Apologetics Research will host a special fundraising event in San Juan Capistrano, California to highlight and benefit God’s ongoing work through ACFAR.Featured speakers include…• Acclaimed apologist an…
  - 12 Sep 11, 5:34pm -
• False Prophecy Creates Confusion Across Africa
  Broadcaster Harold Camping is spreading confusion throughout Africa with his unbiblical prediction that Judgment Day will take place on Saturday, May 21st. Billboards warning of the impending rapture have been placed in Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, D…
  - 20 May 11, 7:31pm -
• A message from the East Africa Coordinator
  As floods of western relativistic tendencies and postmodern idealism sweep the region, the church in Africa finds itself ill-equipped to sustain its relevance in an unpredictable, constantly changing society. The most subtle and venomous enemy of…
  - 20 May 11, 6:55pm -
• Still No Justice for Kanungu Killers
  Uganda awaits the capture and trial of those suspected of murdering hundreds through the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God in March of 2000.According to a report in the New Vision newspaper, “arrest warrants for [cult lead…
  - 17 Mar 11, 2:41am -
• More ACFAR Audio Now Online
  We’ve added more messages from our March 2010 conference and the Words of Hope broadcast to the ACFAR iTunes page, including:Understanding and Answering Indigenous Cults by Robby Muhumuza (right)Understanding and Answering Mormonism by Eric Pement…
  - 10 Jan 11, 9:03pm -
• Answering the Prosperity Gospel in Cape Town, South Africa
  The Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in Cape Town, South Africa brought forth much fruit—especially in responses to the devastating errors of the Word-faith movement and “prosperity gospel.”Preparing the way, J. Kwabena Asamoah-G…
  - 9 Dec 10, 2:31am -

Mormon Coffee

Apologetics.com

• Apologetics Canada 2012 Conference
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  - 33 days ago, 5 Jan 12, 4:30am -
• To Convince or Constrain? A Discussion on the Nature of Apologetics in the 21st Century
  {loadposition convinceorconstrain}Panelists exploring the future of apologetics in the 21st Century:Greg Koukl, Founder and President of Stand to Reason, author and radio hostSean McDowell, Worldview Ministries, founder and presidentDr. Todd Bat…
  - 86 days ago, 12 Nov 11, 4:38pm -
• Sodom and Gomorrah Discovered: An interview with Dr. Steven Collins
  Sodom and Gomorrah, there are few cities in antiquity as infamous. Their names have become synonymous with sin and God’s judgment, a place so vile that God destroyed not only them, but also all “the cities of the plain”(Gen 18-19). But did the…
  - 10 Oct 11, 2:55pm -
• Apologetic Method Series: Focus on Presuppositionalism, An Interview With Dr. John Frame
  Lindsay Brooks begins a new series focusing on the thinking behind the apologetics we use. This first installment explores Presuppositionalism, the method that is derived from the Reformed Theological principle of Sola Scriptura. To help us get a gr…
  - 10 Oct 11, 1:41pm -
• The Problem Atheists Have With Evil
  Possibly the biggest reason for unbelief in God comes from the problem of evil. It definitely creates the strongest emotional case for unbelief. But intellectually speaking, the famous “problem” has been deliberated in classrooms and streets sin…
  - 26 Jul 11, 2:01pm -
• Think and Live Video (part 1)
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  - 29 Mar 11, 8:19pm -
• Love, Hell and Eternity
  The doctrine of Hell may be the hardest doctrine for the Christian to articulate. Can a loving God eternally punish people for sin? Is that just? Rob Bell, author of Love Wins says no, its not. Here at Apologetics.com, we say yes, it is. In this pod…
  - 27 Mar 11, 9:41pm -
• Purgatory and Protestant Thought: Part One
  There's been a resurgence of purgatorial ambition of late in evangelical thought, many reconsidering the prospect of posthumous sufferings even among the faithful. Protestantism in general was formed with purgatory in mind, as the first generation Pr…
  - 9 Mar 11, 2:35am -
• The Integration of Theology and Psychology to the Glory of God
  Is it possible for theology and psychology to be integrated when Christianity and the discipline of psychology have been at odds with one another currently and in the past? With the naturalistic presuppositions that Carl Rogers and Sigmund Freud set…
  - 23 Feb 11, 4:58am -
• Register To Receive Logon
  Logon is a free periodical produced by Apologetics.com. In it you'll read apologetics-themed articles from our staff, ministry news and other related things. To receive a copy please fill out the form below. Sign up to receive Logon* indicates…
  - 29 Aug 08, 5:09pm -

Ravi Zacharias

• Settling into the Neighborhood
  "We demand windows," said C.S. Lewis speaking of the role of literature in our lives. Why occupy our time and hearts with accounts of characters and events that are not real?  Why enter vicariously into the fictional life of one who behaves in ways…
  - 1 day ago, 6 Feb 12, 12:00am -
• Running With Plan B
  A special report on This American Life follows the lives of several people currently living what they unequivocally call "Plan B." Host Ira Glass expounds his thoughts on an informal poll and a seemingly universal human reality. He asked a room of hu…
  - 4 days ago, 3 Feb 12, 12:00am -
• An Evangelist's Journey
  Having turned thirty-five this year, I am now the age that my parents were when they became Christians. I was a baby and we lived in Australia. My father, a university lecturer, had been asking deep questions about purpose and meaning for a while whe…
  - 5 days ago, 2 Feb 12, 12:00am -
• Christianity Without Christ?
  Paul Tillich, the noted existentialist theologian, traveled to Asia to hold conferences with various Buddhist thinkers. He was studying the significance of religious leaders to the movements they had engendered. Tillich asked a simple question. "What…
  - 6 days ago, 1 Feb 12, 12:00am -
• Leaving the Ninety-Nine
  "You must picture me alone in that room in Magdalen, night after night, feeling, whenever my mind lifted even for a second from my work, the steady, unrelenting approach of Him whom I so earnestly desired not to meet. That which I greatly feared had…
  - 7 days ago, 31 Jan 12, 12:00am -
• For the Weak
  After fifteen years and nearly 17,000 miles, an unlikely fleet was set to make port on the beaches of Britain. On January 29, 1992, three massive containers on a cargo ship from Hong Kong crashed into the Pacific Ocean during a storm. The containers…
  - 8 days ago, 30 Jan 12, 12:00am -
• Dark Though It Is
  "My soul is too cramped for you to enter it," lamented Augustine. Later he would find this cry itself something of an answer from God in the first place. But how familiar these initial attempts to approach God with a dreaded sense of failure seem to…
  - 11 days ago, 27 Jan 12, 12:00am -
• Hopeful Sojourns or Uncertain Journeys
  Three years ago, I traveled to Malaysia for work with our friends Josie and Alan. I was pregnant at the time, and Josie, a warm and generous person, was offering us all kinds of advice, as she herself had recently become a mother to Evan. Less than a…
  - 12 days ago, 26 Jan 12, 12:00am -
• Of Truth and Trees
  India is the largest movie-producing nation in the world, and to grow up in India is to grow up in a culture where anything on the screen brings a crowd. Romance on the screen was, at the time I was growing up, very typical. Yet since kissing was not…
  - 13 days ago, 25 Jan 12, 12:00am -
• The First Shall Be Last
  "Instead of giving a firm foundation for setting the conscience of man at rest forever, Thou didst choose all that is exceptional, vague and enigmatic" rails Ivan Karamazov against God in Dostoyevsky's classic work The Brothers Karamazov.(1) Those wh…
  - 14 days ago, 24 Jan 12, 12:00am -

Pyromaniacs

• new"Innovation" and Irrelevance
  by Phil JohnsonAfter five decades spent obsessing over a warped notion of "relevance," American evangelicalism is overrun with "change agents" who are so steeped in worldly values that they can't distinguish true relevance from mere trendiness. Their…
  - 16 hours ago, 6 Feb 12, 8:01am -
• If You Marry the Spirit of the Age You'll Soon Be a Widower
  Your weekly dose of Spurgeonposted by Phil JohnsonThe PyroManiacs devote some space each weekend to highlights from The Spurgeon Archive. The following excerpt is from "His Own Funeral Sermon." That's a sermon Spurgeon preached on Sunday evening, 19…
  - 1 day ago, 5 Feb 12, 9:48pm -
• A Conversation with Lane Chaplin
  On Evangelicalism's Current Cults of Celebrityby Phil Johnsonhanks to Lane Chaplin for taping and posting this:
  - 3 days ago, 4 Feb 12, 8:01am -
• The Gospel as Performance Art
  by Phil Johnsonf you subscribe to my Twitter feed, you already know that I flew back from Ukraine yesterday. It's great to be home, of course, but it was a remarkable privilege to teach pastors and seminarians at Irpin Biblical Seminary. It was an ev…
  - 4 days ago, 3 Feb 12, 8:01am -
• The mugging: a parable
  by The Pyromaniacs: Dan, Frank and PhilA few people noticed that a mugging was about to happen. There was no doubt. It was unmistakable: an act of violence was about to unfold right in front of their eyes, and it was going to be gruesome.Something ha…
  - 4 days ago, 2 Feb 12, 3:18pm -
• Recommended Books
  by Frank TurkWe don't really do book reviews here at PyroManiacs because, well, you come here for the truly crafty reproaches which we lay out here. And, I might add, you people are hooked on the loads of introspection and honest-to-Gospel repentanc…
  - 5 days ago, 1 Feb 12, 8:01pm -
• Elephantiasis
  James MacDonald Plays the Race Cardby Phil JohnsonI know it's not my day to post, but this:is probably the most blatantly racist presentation I have ever witnessed from an ostensibly "mainstream" evangelical source.The take-away message is this: If y…
  - 6 days ago, 1 Feb 12, 8:01am -
• About any Word from God: basic considerations
  by Dan Phillips [You might expect something on ER2 and, eventually, I may write more about it. Meanwhile, I'd just ask you to re-read Thabiti's eloquent and moving post from October 1 of 2011, and this and this, and ask yourself where we would be to…
  - 6 days ago, 31 Jan 12, 1:10pm -
• The Sword and the Shaving Brush
  by Phil Johnson"Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity" (Ephesians 6:24).'m in Ukraine for the remainder of the week, with a fairly grueling teaching schedule. So this is nothing more than one of those "This Is Where I am…
  - 8 days ago, 30 Jan 12, 8:01am -
• No Doubt as to what we believe and teach
  Your weekly dose of Spurgeonposted by Phil JohnsonThe PyroManiacs devote some space each weekend to highlights from The Spurgeon Archive. The following excerpt is from The Greatest Fight in the World: C. H. Spurgeon's Final Manifesto.e have nowadays…
  - 9 days ago, 29 Jan 12, 6:13am -

Apologetics Information Ministry

• AIM/TCOT News – December Update!
  Videos of each session in our current series, God and Logic series 1, are now available for purchase and download from our online AIM Store. Just $5 per session!
  - 18 Dec 09, 5:50am -
• God and Logic
  If Jesus, God the Son, the second person of the Trinity, used objective evidence to validate His claims, a fortiori, how much more so for you and me! Since God does not contradict Himself, or ask us to believe contradictions orthat which is inhere…
  - 20 Oct 09, 9:05pm -
• 11/09 Update!
  In this months update>>>Our current series on The College of Theology (TCOT) is God and Logic, series 1. The God and Logic series outline is now available, we have new e-mail addresses and new resources for you!
  - 9 Sep 09, 10:45pm -
• Justification
  The teaching or doctrine of justification has rightly been seen by many theologians (see below) as a central, if not the central, doctrine of Christianity. There is much to be said regarding the biblical doctrine of justification--"the justice" or "…
  - 12 Jun 09, 8:12am -
• Faith & Reason
  Faith and Knowledge, Evidence and Reason: Their Role and Relationship to One Another. The Supreme Example of Christ The Use of Objective EvidenceIf Jesus, God the Son, the second person of the Trinity, used objective evidence tovalidate His clai…
  - 11 Jun 09, 9:33pm -
• Reincarnation
  The belief in reincarnation or transmigration, in one form or another, has been around for quite some time. Due to many factors, at least in the so-called Western world, these views appear to be gaining ground--a wider acceptance. Given the increasin…
  - 13 May 09, 7:52am -
• ESSENTIALS OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
  ESSENTIALS OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH Do I have to believe; Do I have to believe in the right--as Opposed to the wrong or false--Jesus or Gospel? Does it really matter?
  - 13 May 09, 6:37am -
• Biblical Hermeneutics
  In Order by Size and Thoroughness: from the Shorter and Simpler to the Larger and More Complex Wright, J. Stafford. Interpreting the Bible. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1977. 34 page booklet. Stott, John R. Culture and the Bible. Downers Gr…
  - 25 Nov 08, 9:09am -
• Bible Authority
  Carson, D.A., and John D. Woodbridge, eds. Hermeneutics, Authority, and Canon. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986. _____. Scripture and Truth. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983. Geisler, Norman, ed. Inerrancy. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1979. _____, ed. Biblica…
  - 25 Nov 08, 9:04am -
• Bible Reliability
  Archeology * Free, Joseph P., and Howard F. Vos. Archaeology and Bible History. Rev. and exp. ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992. * McRay, John. Archaeology & the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1991. * Thompson, J.A. The Bible…
  - 25 Nov 08, 9:03am -

Stand To Reason

• newThe Upper Story Leap
  Host: Greg KouklCommentary: The Upper Story Leap (00:00:00)Commentary: Taking the Roof Off (00:56:11)Commentary: Relativism in Court (01:52:05)Caller/topic:1. How do you know when to stop trying for something you desire? (00:24:27)2. How d…
  - 6 hours ago, 6 Feb 12, 6:16pm -
• Prof. Michael Flannery - Darwin's Heretic
  Host: Greg KouklCommentary: Francis Schaeffer’s Legacy (00:00:00)Commentary: Two Definitions of Science (00:56:05)Guest: Prof. Michael Flannery – “Darwin’s Heretic” (01:53:57)Caller/topic:1. If Jesus is God, how could He not have…
  - 7 days ago, 30 Jan 12, 6:40pm -
• Rights vs. Privileges
  Host: Greg KouklCommentary: Rights vs. Privileges (00:00:00)Commentary: The Logic of the Pro-life Position (00:58:12)Commentary: Proving the Humanity of the Unborn (01:54:06)Caller/topic:1. Are the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim God the same? (…
  - 14 days ago, 23 Jan 12, 6:08pm -
• Hate Religion but Love Jesus?
  Host: Greg KouklCommentary: Hate Religion but Love Jesus? (00:00:00)Commentary: Tim Tebow (00:56:09)Commentary: The Rapture (01:52:04)Caller Topics:1. Are denominational differences significant? (00:30:47)2. Explain the difference between…
  - 22 days ago, 16 Jan 12, 4:59am -
• Rick Schenker – Ratio Christi
  
  - 28 days ago, 9 Jan 12, 5:50pm -
• Dr. Michael L. Brown - Jesus Fulfilled Old Testament Prophecies
  Host: Greg KouklCommentary: Christopher Hitchens (00:00:00)Commentary: The Incarnation Is a Startling Idea (00:56:11)Guest: Dr. Michael L. Brown – Jesus Fulfilled Old Testament Prophecies (01:52:07)Caller Topics:1. What about activities amon…
  - 49 days ago, 19 Dec 11, 6:25pm -
• Vegetarian Spiders before the Fall?
  Host: Greg KouklCommentary: Vegetarian Spiders before the Fall? (00:00:00)Commentary: The Second Time Is Easier (00:56:10)Caller Topics:1. What is a church member’s duty when the denomination starts compromising on the Bible? (00:21:26)2.…
  - 56 days ago, 12 Dec 11, 6:01pm -
• Is Consciousness an Illusion?
  Host: Greg KouklCommentary: Is Consciousness an Illusion? (00:00:00)Commentary: Christmas Card Messages (00:56:13)Caller Topics:1. Is it fair to send people to Hell who never heard the Gospel? (00:27:07)2. What do you think of the apocalypti…
  - 63 days ago, 5 Dec 11, 5:53pm -
• You Can Argue Someone into the Kingdom
  Host: Greg KouklCommentary: Baptism Beliefs (00:00:00)Commentary: You Can Argue Someone into the Kingdom (00:58:09)Caller Topics:1. Is it biblical to use birth control? (00:23:19)2. Hell doesn’t make sense. (00:38:40)3. Do we have to susp…
  - 70 days ago, 28 Nov 11, 6:43pm -
• David Horner - Mind Your Faith
  Guest Host: J. Warner WallaceCommentary: Thanksgiving Is an Evangelistic Opportunity (00:00:00)Commentary: Are the Gospels Suitable Courtroom Evidence? (00:55:49)Guest: David Horner – Mind Your Faith (01:52:53)Caller Topics:1. Was there…
  - 77 days ago, 21 Nov 11, 4:31pm -

Operation 513

• "But Who Created God?"
  It is likely that you have heard atheists say to Christians, "But who created God?" They ask this usually when the Christian has shown that the universe had a beginning, and so in the atheist's mind it's a little like, "If I can't have an eternal uni…
  - 31 Mar 11, 4:18am -
• Why does the Bible mention Unicorns?
  If you've ever been reading some of the Old Testament books of the Bible in the King James Version you might have come across something you found very strange, and that is that it speaks about unicorns. Why does the Bible talk about them? And what i…
  - 23 Feb 11, 7:13am -
• Is the God of Islam Unjust?
  How does divine justice compare in Christianity compared to Islam? Does Allah always act in a way that is just. Or does he sometimes act deceptively? This is what the following video will discuss. It is a snippet from the Operation 513 Gold Coast ou…
  - 23 Nov 10, 2:52am -
• A Muslim asks: Why can't God simply forgive sin?
  On 23rd July 2010, as part of the Gold Coast Operation 513 outreach, there were a few Muslims heckling the preacher, Ryan Hemelaar. One of the questions they asked was: "Why God can't simply forgive sin if someone repents? For that way, Jesus didn't…
  - 18 Nov 10, 2:43pm -
• How Can God Die?
  Muslims often ask the question, "If Jesus is God, how is it that God can die?" This argument is based on a misunderstanding of the incarnation of Jesus, as David Wood explains in the following video:
  - 8 Aug 10, 3:57am -
• Does God Exist? Post-Debate Footage
  On the 28th July 2010, Operation 513 held a debate on the existence of God. It was between Ryan Hemelaar (from Operation 513) and Wayne Cunningham (a former Catholic, now an atheist).Many have wondered what the outcome of the debate was last week. H…
  - 6 Aug 10, 2:55am -
• How is Christianity Different?
  Ever wondered how different Christianity is to all the other religions in the world? Why is it any better? Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason endeavours to answer this question in the following short video.
  - 2 Aug 10, 1:05am -
• Are the passion narratives in the Gospels early and accurate?
  Have you ever wondered why scholars today consider the passion narratives in the Gospels to be early and accurate? The following clip is from an interview with Dr. William Lane Craig on the John Ankerberg show which seeks to answer this question.
  - 29 Jun 10, 8:26am -
• Were Believers the only Witnesses to the Resurrection?
  Often atheists like to dismiss the testimony of the eye-witnesses of Jesus' resurrection by saying that the only people who saw Jesus alive were those who were already believers. But John Warwick Montgomery in this video shows why this is not the ca…
  - 24 Jun 10, 3:38am -
• Are Miracles Unscientific?
  Are miracles inconsistent with science? The philosopher David Hume thought it was. Was he right? John Lennox in this video discusses why David Hume was incorrect about the impossibility of miracles and shows that miracles are not at all incompatible…
  - 22 Jun 10, 3:07am -

Alpha & Omega Ministries

• Steve Ray Thinks Spurgeon was "Dillusional"
  Tur8infanYes, Steve Ray spelled it "Dillusional," though I suspect he meant "Delusional."  But what is the basis for Ray's complaint?  Ray quotes Spurgeon as saying:It seems odd, that certain men who talk so much of what the Holy Spirit reveals t…
  - 72 days ago, 26 Nov 11, 10:47pm -
• Homosexual Uber-Rights...I Told You So
  James WhiteFor years now I have been commenting on the fact that homosexual advocates are not, and will never be, satisfied with mere "tolerance." No, they are demanding uber-rights, supremacy, in-your-face capitulation to the supremacy of their wor…
  - 72 days ago, 26 Nov 11, 2:43pm -
• His Eternal Power and Divine Nature...
  James White...have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse (ἀναπολογήτους, without a rational defense, an answer, an apologetic)." Romans 1:20)In light of the Mississippi disast…
  - 72 days ago, 26 Nov 11, 2:20pm -
• The Deity of Christ/Trinity Debate with Patrick Navas on Chris Date's Theopologetics Podcast
  James WhiteChris Date works fast, and he has already posted the audio from tonight's debate with Patrick Navas on the Deity of Christ. You can download directly, or, as most will probably want to do, you can subscribe to the podcast (like many do wi…
  - 73 days ago, 26 Nov 11, 4:47am -
• Yesterday on the Dividing Line: The Real Reason to be Thankful
  James WhiteYesterday we did a Jumbo edition of the DL, investing 90 minutes primarily focused upon the exegesis of Philippians 2:5-11, and the real reason we should be thankful at all times. Some might call it an overly long sermon, but I hope those…
  - 75 days ago, 23 Nov 11, 2:32pm -
• Wednesday Miscellaneous
  James WhiteThe day before Thanksgiving, a truly unique and Christian holiday (want to guess how long it will be till some group files suit against its celebration---at least publicly?). For Christians who know the One to whom thanks is due, a wonder…
  - 75 days ago, 23 Nov 11, 2:23pm -
• On Finishing Well: Part 2, A Year Later
  James WhiteSome will remember this article I wrote a year ago regarding my failed attempt to finally break the six hour barrier in El Tour de Tucson and get my coveted gold medallion for so doing. I tried to make a spiritual application and bring so…
  - 77 days ago, 21 Nov 11, 6:10pm -
• Government and Church (Frame)
  Jamin HubnerLaws like the ADA cannot succeed in creating ultimate equality. They give special help to many who don't need it and penalize people who, considered on an objective basis, do need help. This is, of course, the nature of government. It can…
  - 79 days ago, 19 Nov 11, 10:25pm -
• Our Children & God's Attributes
  Jeff DownsA new book you parents, grandparents, those who desire to be parents or anyone else for that matter, will want to read is by Joel Beeke titled Parenting by God's Promises: How to Raise Children in the Covenant of Grace. Lest you think I'm…
  - 79 days ago, 19 Nov 11, 1:51pm -
• Today on The Dividing Line - The Deity of Christ in John and an examination of Unitarian Presuppositions
  Micah BurkeYes, there WAS a Dividing Line episode today... and you missed it, didn't you? Well, today Dr. White examined the writings of Patrick Navas a unitarian and countered with the clear teaching of the New Testament regarding the deity of Chri…
  - 81 days ago, 17 Nov 11, 11:49pm -

Got Questions?

• newgotquestions: Published a new article on "What is the Logos?" - http://t.co/o1cPUBhE
  gotquestions: Published a new article on "What is the Logos?" - http://t.co/o1cPUBhE
  - 4 hours ago, 6 Feb 12, 8:35pm -
• newgotquestions: Published a new article on "How will our resurrection body be different from our current body?" - http://t.co/RITzjZBl
  gotquestions: Published a new article on "How will our resurrection body be different from our current body?" - http://t.co/RITzjZBl
  - 4 hours ago, 6 Feb 12, 8:03pm -
• gotquestions: This week's Question of the Week: "What is a Christian worldview?" - http://t.co/Xb6Mzslj
  gotquestions: This week's Question of the Week: "What is a Christian worldview?" - http://t.co/Xb6Mzslj
  - 3 days ago, 3 Feb 12, 5:29pm -
• gotquestions: Published a new article on "What are the five solas?" - http://t.co/wJSbiIEf
  gotquestions: Published a new article on "What are the five solas?" - http://t.co/wJSbiIEf
  - 4 days ago, 2 Feb 12, 10:28pm -
• gotquestions: Published a new article on "Who are the "least of these" in the Bible?" - http://t.co/rSJ9tmRs
  gotquestions: Published a new article on "Who are the "least of these" in the Bible?" - http://t.co/rSJ9tmRs
  - 4 days ago, 2 Feb 12, 9:28pm -
• gotquestions: Jan: the Gospel pages on http://t.co/BcGQp4KL were viewed 133,789 times and resulted in 10,571 professions of new faith in Christ. PTL!
  gotquestions: Jan: the Gospel pages on http://t.co/BcGQp4KL were viewed 133,789 times and resulted in 10,571 professions of new faith in Christ. PTL!
  - 4 days ago, 2 Feb 12, 5:44pm -
• gotquestions: In January 2012, http://t.co/hpbY44lZ received 1,883,617 unique visitors, 2,379,248 total visitors, and 5,531,296 pageviews. PTL!
  gotquestions: In January 2012, http://t.co/hpbY44lZ received 1,883,617 unique visitors, 2,379,248 total visitors, and 5,531,296 pageviews. PTL!
  - 5 days ago, 1 Feb 12, 6:26pm -

BeneDiction Blogs On

• The survivors are weary – an interview with Linda Fossen
  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 NIV This past week, abuse survivors who attended PBI were threatened with a lawsuit … Continue reading →
  - 2 days ago, 4 Feb 12, 6:19pm -
• When communication breaks down – PBI abuse survivors, alumni and the online dance
  I would like to commend Prairie Bible Institute alumni who have been urged to give the public the names of the Survivor Fund Project team. The Survivor Fund Project, which is being funded by money donated by alumni to PBI, … Continue reading →
  - 3 days ago, 4 Feb 12, 7:13am -
• Afshin Javid, Vancouver Christian Fellowship and sexualizing
  In the post below about Afshin Javid, one of the questions commenters are asking is why women who experienced inappropriate sexual contact by this former Vancouver Christian Fellowship staff member have not gone to police. Again, this is a situation…
  - 3 days ago, 3 Feb 12, 9:45pm -
• The truth about Afshin Javid
  When the ghost writer of a book goes public with steps he has taken to warn Christians about the conduct of the named author of the book, and provides a list of ministers who are willing to corroborate , the church … Continue reading →
  - 5 days ago, 2 Feb 12, 4:22am -
• Disgraced New Birth leader Eddie Long crowned king of his church
  Divorced, divorcing, accused of being a sexual predator, being sued for bringing an alleged financial scam into his church, self-appointed, wealthy prosperity preacher… This January 29th spectacle at New Birth Missionary Church in Atlanta is not go…
  - 5 days ago, 1 Feb 12, 11:20pm -
• NAR founder C. Peter Wagner says State of Delaware paid him tribute
  NAR founder C.  Peter Wagner says he has been given a tribute by the State of Delaware. Richard Bartholomew has the details. We’ll have to take C. Pete’s word for it, there is nothing on the State of Delaware General Assembly … Continue readi…
  - 6 days ago, 1 Feb 12, 8:07am -
• PBI alumnist, North Carolina minister threatens to sue PBI abuse survivors
  A US minister is threatening the spokesperson for Prairie Bible Institute abuse survivors, and by extension, PBI survivors with a lawsuit. Fred Whaples,  a church planter in Concord North Carolina, attended Prairie Bible Institute. (1990/1992)  He…
  - 6 days ago, 1 Feb 12, 5:52am -
• How Pastors get rich
  15 ways to be exact. Mark Vrankovich at Cultwatch: How Pastors get rich. Rick just put a post up on Todd Bentley’s latest begging – Australia banned me. Please send money.  Bentley isn’t a pastor so he has to send out … Continue reading →
  - 7 days ago, 31 Jan 12, 9:39am -
• The tax court cometh – Winston Blackmore on trial
  Winston Blackmore may have finally met his match: the taxwomen. It’s money – not polygamy, not a constitutional challenge to religious freedom and not criminal charges – that’s landed Canada’s best known polygamist in federal tax court test…
  - 7 days ago, 31 Jan 12, 9:17am -
• Australia banned me. Please send money
  By Rick Hiebert All rights Reserved. Used by Permission Boy it costs a lot to be an evangelist. Just ask Todd Bentley. Earlier today, he sent an “urgent” e-mail asking his friends for financial support. In February, he plans to … Continue readi…
  - 7 days ago, 31 Jan 12, 2:53am -