Christ via Judaism
"Lauren Winner's spiritual journey is an invaluable—and, to some, unsettling—reminder of where we came from"
Sarah Hinlicky Wilson

Australia's Churches Call On Nation to Acknowledge 'Stolen Generations'
"Country's National Council of Churches demands apology, compensation to Aboriginals"
Margaret Simons

Heart & Soul
Marshall Shelley

Adult Baptisms
Calvin Miller

Infant Baptisms and Dedications
Garth Bolinder

Mastering Ceremonies
Eugene H. Peterson

Oil and Water
"In third-century Rome, baptism was high drama"
Elesha Coffman

Willow Creek's Place in History
It turns out that the church that made seeker-sensitive a part of our vocabulary is not as revolutionary as its critics have said.
By Michael S. Hamilton

Russia: Ready to Stand on Their Own?
In the former Soviet Union, evangelical churches are growing but not yet mature.
By Beverly Nickles in Moscow

Former Episcopal Bishop Challenges Decision to Defrock Him
"Ci Jones says disciplinary case was double jeopardy, and that head of Episcopal Church improperly influenced case"
Chris Herlinger

Oil and Water
"In third-century Rome, baptism was high drama"
Elesha Coffman

The Mennonites' Dirty Little Secret
What Christians could learn from Menno Simons and how he rescued the Anabaptist movement.
John D. Roth

Wind of Terror, Wind of Glory
We cannot know God's majesty without his terrible holiness.
by Daniel Tomberlin

Cockroaches and the Nicene Creed
To an accompaniment of whale songs, the worshippers glory in God's creation; there's no service quite like the annual blessing of the animals at St. John the Divine.
By Jennifer and Edwin Woodruff Tait

Canadian Anglicans Vote on Blessing Gay Unions
"Divorce and annulment cited as likely motives for monk killer, Frontline's Church of the Nativity documentary, and other stories from online sources around the world"
Ted Olsen

Scandalous
The enigmatic folly of the Cross.
by Bruce Ellis Benson

Gracia Burnham: 'I Speak My Mind'
The former hostage talks openly about what she learned about God, her Muslim captors, and herself during her captivity.
An exclusive interview with Gracia Burnham

Gracia Burnham: 'I Speak My Mind'
The former hostage talks openly about what she learned about God, her Muslim captors, and herself during her captivity.

A Clear Invitation

Go Figure
Stats on the true path to God and charitable giving

Salad-Bar Christianity
Too many believers pick and choose their own truths.
By Charles Colson

Scandalous
The enigmatic folly of the Cross.
by Bruce Ellis Benson

Go Figure
Two astronomers determine the time when Jesus died and rose
Ted Olsen

Communicating Easter's Blood, Not Bunnies
The latest on the Burnhams, a patron saint for Harry Potter wannabes, and the expanded territory of Jabez
Ted Olsen

Can We Talk?
A project sponsored by Gordon College's Center for Christian Studies offers models for constructive engagement across lines of division.
By John Wilson

New York's New Hope
From inner-city gardens, to fine-art exhibitions, to political activism, street-smart churches are changing the culture of America's largest and most dynamic city.
By Tony Carnes

Restore All Things in Thomas?
American Catholic intellectuals in the Progressive era.
by Eugene McCarraher

This World Really Is Our Home
We're not just passing through, says theologian Michael Wittmer, author of Heaven Is a Place on Earth.
Ann Byle

Reclaiming Santa
Ed Butchart's year-round mission to recover the true spirit of St. Nicholas.
By Wendy Murray Zoba

In the Word: On the Receiving End
What Jesus really meant about becoming like little children.
By Cornelius Plantinga Jr.

On Foot
The virtues of walking
Paul Willis

Youth: DC/LA Events Let Teens Put Faith on Display
by Mark Moring in Washington, D.C.

TOUGH FAITH
One church leader's experience of living by faith when deprived of virtually everything but life itself.
Benjamin M. Weir with Dennis Benson

Two Iraqi Churches Bombed
Plus: Mr. Bean opposes British religious hate-crime bill, religious summit opens in Indonesia, Vatican condemns 'Christianophobia', Christmas dilemma, praying for the home team, and other articles from online sources around the world.
Compiled by Rob Moll

Terrorizing Ally
Saudi Arabia tortures Christians even as it makes human-rights gestures.
by Jeff M. Sellers

Back to the Basics
Christian-Muslim violence requires a 'new' missions strategy: Forgiveness and love.
By Obed Minchakpu in Jos

Good for the Soul
Frederica Mathewes-Green

A Wretch Like Me
George Verwer

Colson: Cleanliness Is Next to Crimelessness
When I visit prisons where floors are shiny, morale is noticeably higher.
by CHARLES COLSON & Nancy Pearcey

Changed by the Unchanging
A new take on the spiritual disciplines calls for a little more action and a lot more love.
Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

Divine Theater
God's weightiness in worship.
by Sue A. Rozeboom

The Search for Redemption
Confession without remorse.
By Bruce Kuklick

Confirmation
Paul Anderson

Affirmed Foundations
Larry A. Moody

Making Disciples by Sacred Story
Biblical storytelling conveys the realities of our faith better than almost any other form of communication.
By Walter Wangerin Jr.

Lost Tribe Found?
Jewish group seeks return to Israel.
By S. David

Lewis the Letter-Writer
An unconscious autobiography in two volumes of correspondence.
By Michael Ward

Cracking Down on Conversions
Buddhist radicals push tough new laws.
Manpreet Singh

Handling the Hard Side of the Gospel
Steve Brown

Chesterton Today
(Chesterton quotes)

Keeping Christ in Christian Organizations
How do faith-based groups maintain their original focus when rapidly growing in influence, scope, and professionalism?
Todd Hertz

The War Within Continues
Name Withheld

Handling the Hard Side of the Gospel
Steve Brown

The Hymn
How ordinary belivers found their voice through song
Mark Noll

Keys to Forgiving
Lewis B. Smedes

When Sin Reigns
An event like this shows us what humans are capable of becoming—both as children of darkness and of light
Darrell L. Bock

Overcoming the Evil One

Learning English from MTV
Inside Agnieszka Tennant's article on deliverance ministries
David Neff

When God Declares War
The violence of God can only be understood in the shadow of the Cross.
by Daniel G. Reid and Tremper Longman III

Jesus and the Religions
A new paradigm for Christian engagement?
by Gerald R. McDermott

Big-Picture Faith
From the first nanosecond to the final cry of victory, and every divine moment between—all is charged with meaning.
Timothy George

Don't Hate Me Because I'm Arminian
My Reformed friends sometimes treat me like the enemy, but actually we need each other.
Roger E. Olson

Vegetarians in Paradise
Based on Isaiah 11:6-7 and 65:25, will we be vegetarians in the new heaven and earth as Adam and Eve were before the Fall?
Answered by Bill T. Arnold

The Eternal Weight of Glory
If only we could have the positives of earthly life without the negatives
Harry Blamires

Afraid of Heaven
We do not yearn to be near God because we do not find sin utterly repugnant or goodness rapturously attractive.
Kenneth Kantzer

The Disappearance of Punishment
Metaphors, models, and the meaning of the atonement.
Hans Boersma

Violence and the Atonement
Richard J. Mouw

From the Archives: The Gratuitous Love of God

First Things First
Teaching about worship by asking the right questions
Ron Rienstra

Johnny Cash's Song of Redemption
How the coolest man in the music industry became that way while singing about Jesus and the Cross
Ted Olsen

The Smiling Grandfather Clock
"On Father's Day, the Holy Ghost helped me finally connect the dots and glimpse God's character"
Evelyn Bence

Love Your Heavenly Enemy
How are we going to live eternally with those we can't stand now?
Miroslav Volf

Inside Politics: Love the President, Hate the Policy
At Willow Creek conference, President Clinton reviews his moral failures, details his spiritual recovery.
By Corrie Cutrer in South Barrington, Illinois

Exhilarated by Grace
By Harold Myra, Chief Executive Officer

Despite Protestant Growth, Hispanic Catholicism Holds Steady in U.S.
Younger generations leaving for Protestant churches, but immigrants make up difference
Jeff M. Sellers

Incarnating Mystery
Michael Card argues that a proper view of Christ is a key to creativity.
By Wendy Murray Zoba

This World Is Not My Home
What some mainline Protestants are rediscovering about living as exiles in a foreign culture.
By Richard J. Mouw

'Ragamuffin' Author Brennan Manning Dies
The patched-up life and unshabby message of Brennan Manning.
Agnieszka Tennant

A Horseless Carriage?
Letter Regarding Issue 8.2
Rachel Schuchardt

Grace's Third Way
Andy Crouch

Jesus and the Religions
A new paradigm for Christian engagement?
by Gerald R. McDermott

"Editor's Bookshelf: Amazing Myths, How Strange the Sound"
"An interview with Steve Turner, the author of Amazing Grace: The Story of America's Most Beloved Song."
David Neff

Free to Be Creatures Again
How predestination descended like a dove on two unsuspecting seminarians, and why they are so grateful.
Jennifer L. Bayne and Sarah E. Hinlicky

"Happy Birthday, New Christian!"
Gary Olsby

"Editor's Bookshelf: Amazing Myths, How Strange the Sound"
"An interview with Steve Turner, the author of Amazing Grace: The Story of America's Most Beloved Song."
David Neff

What Conversion Is and Is Not
Hint: It's not just about getting people 'saved.
John G. Stackhouse Jr.

The Back Page | Philip Yancey: Lessons from Rock Bottom
The church can learn about grace from the recovery movement.
By Philip Yancey

Thriving with Limitations
A conversation with Joni Eareckson Tada

REFLECTIONS
Classic and contemporary excerpts

Lashed to the Mast
Eugene Peterson

From Ewww ... to Wow!
What a big difference a small spider made.
By Bethany Torode

New York's New Hope
From inner-city gardens, to fine-art exhibitions, to political activism, street-smart churches are changing the culture of America's largest and most dynamic city.
By Tony Carnes

Unwell in a New Way
Eugene Peterson

Holydays and Holidays
John Killinger

Handling Sexual Temptation
Richard Exley

Holydays and Holidays
John Killinger

"Balancing Family, Church, and Personal Time"
Ben Patterson

The Performance Factor
Ben Patterson

Working with Your Emotional Type
Gordon MacDonald

The Two Eliots
To all appearance, a biographer writes, "Eliot was conventional, mild, decorous, yet the hidden character was daring and savage."
Jewel Spears Brooker

Jesus and the Religions
A new paradigm for Christian engagement?
by Gerald R. McDermott

Interview: N.T. Wright on the Resurrection
An interview with N.T. Wright, author of The Resurrection of the Son of God.
David Neff

Ordinary People, Extraordinary Times
The moral complexity of the American Revolution.
Mark Noll

The Lord Our God Is One
Three Christians trace their roots back to the Hebrew Bible-and encounter God's present-day chosen people.
By Steven Gertz

Living by Law, Looking for Intimacy
What Christians can learn from the debates that divide American Jews. This is the first installment in a five-part series.
Lauren F. Winner

A Passionate Passion
Oberammergau's drama not only survives, it thrives.
By Carol R. Thiessen

This Poor Gray Ember of Creation
Marilynne Robinson's Gilead is a novel to savor
Thomas Gardner

Baptism + Fire
Suffering may build character, but ultimately it's not about us.
By Mark Galli

From Ewww ... to Wow!
What a big difference a small spider made.
By Bethany Torode

Darkness Looms for 'Painter of Light'
Economic struggles and criticism smudge Thomas Kinkade's work
Todd Hertz

Seducing the Underworld
Christian's story in Moulin Rouge
Douglas Jones

Conflict Divides Countercult Leaders
A 1994 Christianity Today article reports on the conflict between sociologist Ronald Enroth and JPUSA.
Doug LeBlanc

Good News or Old News?
The Via Negativa as Road to Renewal
Mark D. Filiatreau

Reflected Glory
What does Genesis mean by man being made in the image of God?
J. I. Packer

Justice
Quotations to stir the heart and mind
Richard A. Kauffman

Mutiny and Redemption
The rarely told story of new life after the destruction of the H.M.S. Bounty.
Elesha Coffman

It's Not About You
M. Craig Barnes

Mutiny and Redemption
The rarely told story of new life after the destruction of the H.M.S. Bounty.
Elesha Coffman

Upset with Jesus Statue Indian Villages Start Banning Conversions
Plus: Seeking an end to the death penalty, Peter Deyneka dead at 69, and other stories from around the world.
Compiled by Ted Olsen

The Forgiveness Factor
Social scientists like Robert Enright are discovering the healing power of a Christian virtue.
By Gary Thomas

Currents that shape your soul
Kevin A. Miller

O Come and Dwell in Me
John and Charles disagreed on the measure of holiness a Christian might expect on earth, but both longed for it. From Christian Perfection (Sermon 40)
Charles Wesley

The Making of an Original
Coloring in the lines other Christians drew for me was much easier than the hard, divine work of becoming the person God wants me to be.
By Lee Knapp

Dark Thoughts
Hoping that all will be saved.
Kevin Corcoran

A Distorted Predestination
"Two pastors make a case for universalism, and end up trivializing human freedom"
John Wilson

The People's Prophet
Simon Kimbangu's brief but powerful ministry inspired faith in Central Africans and fear in white authorities. Imprisoned for stirring up the Congolese people, Kimbangu became the catalyst for Africa's largest independent church.
Steve Rabey

What About Purgatory?
The doctrinal grounding of Dante's mysterious mountain.
Dennis Martin

The Bishop at Work
Augustine saw himself not as a saint, but as a pastor with a job to do.
Bruce L. Shelley

The Place of Prayer
What exactly took place in a synagogue service?
John McRay

Love Cookie
Jennifer Ashley

More Than an Empty Bed
J. Todd Billings

The Power of a Clean Heart

A Clear Invitation

Jesus and the Religions
A new paradigm for Christian engagement?
by Gerald R. McDermott

In the Word: On the Receiving End
What Jesus really meant about becoming like little children.
By Cornelius Plantinga Jr.

Baptism + Fire
Suffering may build character, but ultimately it's not about us.
By Mark Galli

Word Become Flesh
Quotations to Stir Heart and Mind
Compiled by Richard A. Kauffman

Theology of the Body
Pope John Paul II on the biblical foundations of marriage and sexuality.
By Laura Merzig Fabrycky

Good News or Old News?
The Via Negativa as Road to Renewal
Mark D. Filiatreau

A Green and Dying Tree
I saw the fruit of healing prayer even as AIDS was taking my husband's life
Margaret Kim Peterson

Don't Hate Me Because I'm Arminian
My Reformed friends sometimes treat me like the enemy, but actually we need each other.
Roger E. Olson

What a Difference a Reign Makes
Eusebius traces the Christian saga: from abuse to esteem in less than a decade.
Taken from Eusebius: The Church History © 1999 by Paul L. Maier. Published by Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI. Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

Reflections

Serving in the Desert
Kathy Callahan-Howell

Desert and Harvest: A Sabbatical Story
Eugene Peterson

Ghosts of Conflicts Past
This church had been stalking its pastors for generations. Now it was time to stop.
Dan Cooley

Pulling Weeds From Your Field of Dreams
David Hansen

The Habits of Highly Effective Bible Readers
What we can learn from the church fathers that will enrich our own Bible study.
A conversation with Christopher A. Hall

Scripture Saturation
To achieve holiness, believed the early monks, you must soak in the moral sense of the Word.
Patrick Henry Reardon

A Discerning Spirit
Making good choices in an era of liturgical change
John D. Witvliet

Cheated by the Affirming Church
Contrary to what some churches teach, it is homosexuality—and not its suppression—that enslaves people like me.
by Anonymous

Slowing Down the Runaway Forgiveness Truck
Is there such a thing as too much mercy?
By Scot McKnight

What Gives Preaching Its Power?
Amid so many forms of communication—multimedia, music, and more—what is it about preaching, even today, that carries life-changing power?
5 leaders respond

Catastrophe at Orthodox Church Camp
"Dean to promote his religion, Stott suffers mild stroke, and the Grand Canyon controversy returns"
Ted Olsen

Twelve Dead in Church Camp Mudslide
"Two, including pastor's 6-month-old son, still missing as rescue hopes fade"
Ted Olsen

Freed Kenyans Thank God For Iraq Rescue
"Franklin Graham defends Iraq ministry, and other stories from online sources around the world."
Ted Olsen

Arthur Andersen Reaches Deal (Again) With Baptist Foundation of Arizona Investors
New TV priests won't be like the Flying Nun, and other stories from online sources around the world
Ted Olsen

Government Decision To Settle Residential School Cases Upsets Churches
Religious leaders complain that the settlement proposal was made without their input.
Ferdy Baglo

Australia's Churches Call On Nation to Acknowledge 'Stolen Generations'
"Country's National Council of Churches demands apology, compensation to Aboriginals"
Margaret Simons

Desert and Harvest: A Sabbatical Story
Eugene Peterson

Restoring a Fallen Colleague
Edward Dobson

After the Fall
Richard Exley

Colson: What Are We Doing Here?

Christ's Kingdom and Paradise
What is the difference between the heavenly 'paradise' that Christ promised the thief on the cross and the kingdom of God?
Christopher A. Hall

The End Is Not Yet
"The president of Dallas Theological Seminary says there will be an increase in wars and rumors of wars before the end times, but date setting should not be a priority for evangelicals."
Mark Bailey

Salt-and-Pepper Politics
Choosing between candidates whose consciences are too clean.
By Andy Crouch

A Calm Answer
… to a critique of "The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration."
Thomas C. Oden

On Oden's Answer
Robert H. Gundry

Can This Institution Be Saved?
A curious alliance of helping professionals is working to rebuild marriage in a culture of divorce.
By Tim Stafford

The Way of Salvation
Quotations to stir heart and mind.
Compiled by Richard A. Kauffman

The Lord Our God Is One
Three Christians trace their roots back to the Hebrew Bible-and encounter God's present-day chosen people.
By Steven Gertz

A Clear Invitation

Jesus and the Religions
A new paradigm for Christian engagement?
by Gerald R. McDermott

A Calm Answer
… to a critique of "The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration."
Thomas C. Oden

Finding Time for God
Wayne Gordon

Jesus and the Religions
A new paradigm for Christian engagement?
by Gerald R. McDermott

Is a Mustard Seed Enough?
Faith and unbelief
Richard P. Hansen

Jesus and the Religions
A new paradigm for Christian engagement?
by Gerald R. McDermott

In the Word: On the Receiving End
What Jesus really meant about becoming like little children.
By Cornelius Plantinga Jr.

SO SKEPTICAL A SALVATION
Majorie Kitchell

Jesus and the Religions
A new paradigm for Christian engagement?
by Gerald R. McDermott

Good for the Soul
Frederica Mathewes-Green

Evangelism that Flows

Good for the Soul
Frederica Mathewes-Green

The Struggle to Love
"If the Holy Spirit is in us, why can't we love one another?"
David P. Gushee

Redirecting the Self-seeking
Alan Nelson

Good for the Soul
Frederica Mathewes-Green

The Sound of God's Voice

What Heresy?
The things Neo-Gnostic seekers find lacking in Christianity-experiential insight, mysticism, a direct link to God-are already there
Frederica Mathewes-Green

Good for the Soul
Frederica Mathewes-Green

Koreans Plan Historic Easter Prayer for Christian Unity
"Taking advantage of calendar anomaly, Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox will celebrate together"
Min Sungsik

"As White House Pushes Ahead on Funding Faith-Based Groups, Senate Wants to Wait a Year"
"Madalyn Murray O'Hair's remains identified, religion and television, and other stories from media sources around the world."
Ted Olsen

New Methodist Leader Will Focus on the Family
General Secretary of the World Methodist Council wants to promote unified church identity.
Chris Herlinger

New Fuel Source

Brown-Out

Currents that shape your soul
Kevin A. Miller

When You Can't Hold On
Mark Galli

My Words in Your Mouth
Ken Ulmer

Rehearsing the Covenant
Adam Hamilton

Testify!
A glimpse inside the world of holiness testimony, through the story of an ex-slave woman evangelist.
By Chris Armstrong

Testimonies in Stereo

A Word from the Pew

Cheated by the Affirming Church
Contrary to what some churches teach, it is homosexuality—and not its suppression—that enslaves people like me.
by Anonymous

The War Within Continues
Name Withheld

Beyond Crisis

Flash: Mother Teresa Was Human
Letters reveal the Catholic nun had doubts about God
Ted Olsen

Mountaintop Spirituality
Quotations to Stir Heart and Mind
Richard A. Kaufman

Civic-Minded and Heavenly Good
How Christians should practice 'right politics.'
James W. Skillen