How a courageous response echoes through eternity In Luke chapter 1, we are presented with a beautiful account of how the angel came to Mary, how she heard him, and how she responded in courage: “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” The words contained here should fill every faithful reader with awe and wonder, but above all with gratitude. These few verses in Luke are one of the great hinges—or momentous turning points—of the whole Bible. They are an answer to that early tragic turning point in Genesis: the moment of Eve’s disobedience. Eve’s…

The plight of Mary and Joseph echoes through generations When my mom was nine months pregnant with me, she and my dad had to flee their country suddenly. A war had broken out and the fighting was spilling out into the streets of the capital where they lived. Because of my dad’s line of work, he was targeted by the guerrilla fighters. Our family wasn’t safe. I can picture my mom all those years ago, belly round with innocent life, and I wonder how she felt. I imagine she was fearful, unsure of how the situation would resolve; I imagine…

As foreign doctors left, funding dropped, and local healthcare improved, Bethesda weighs its future. Growing up in the coastal city of Singkawang in Indonesia’s West Kalimantan province, Samuel Junaedi remembers that whenever he got sick, his parents would drive him to Bethesda Health Ministries, a missionary hospital in the remote village of Serukam. The 30-mile journey could take more than two hours due to the rough and bumpy road. “But when we met with Dr. [Wendell] Geary and his team … we felt as if half of our illnesses were already cured,” the 61-year-old recalls. In a region on the…

Dear Friend, Are you getting ready for Christmas? And if so, what’s involved? Making preparations for food, presents, travel, and festive gatherings are expected and familiar. The joy of family reunions combined with the sights and sounds that bring good cheer provide moments of reflection and wonder. Perhaps, like me, you have to admit just how easy it is to be distracted by what is good and even miss out on what is best. It is one thing to sing, “Let every heart prepare Him room,” while personally failing to make the necessary preparations. This is where I am slightly…

These books can help Christians gain a better understanding of Confucianism and do better in our evangelism. Confucianism is a belief system rather than a religion, a system of ethics rather than a story of the divine. As the former state religion of ancient China, Confucianism serves as the foundation for Chinese culture, shaping its worldview, forming its traditional values, and offering a structure for relationships and the challenges of everyday life. Many of God’s truths, which Chinese people have observed and applied from general revelation, can be understood through Confucianism and acknowledged when Christians share the gospel with people…

Acts 20:35 “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Commentary from the sermon “A Farewell Address” by Alistair Begg: “Giving is better than getting. … The principle is this: it is better for the person who can do so to give to help others rather than to amass further wealth for himself.” 2 Corinthians 5:14–15 “The love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that…

We’ll never see the glory of God if we look only to our own brand. Greek mythology may not be a guide to the Christian life, but I appreciate the clever commentary the ancient stories offer. I was recently reminded of Narcissus, the young man who neglected all other loves and physical needs so he could stare endlessly at his own reflection. In the most common version of the story, Narcissus eventually dies while sitting by the reflection pool—the tragic and ironic conclusion to his selfish love. The old, dark comedy still applies—maybe especially applies—to our modern ego and pride….

A tea date with a Middle Eastern stranger led to friendship with women from nearly 20 countries—and changed my perspective on the world. It’s 5 a.m. and my house is quiet, but the world is loud. Here in the US, we’re preparing for Thanksgiving, and against the glistening backdrop of what we think the holiday ought to be—happy families gathered around abundant tables—is the sometime shabbiness of our ordinary lives: burned gravy, bickering siblings, and empty chairs. Fox News or MSNBC drones on and on in the background at grandma’s house, and anxiety simmers on the back burner of the…

Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” is well-cast, well-made, and without a thought-provoking theory of its subject’s world-changing appeal. After the violent throes of revolution, in a bankrupt French Republic on the brink of collapse, a man captured the hearts of his people and rose to rule. This is the story of Napoleon Bonaparte, the subject of director Ridley Scott’s new movie, Napoleon, in theaters for Thanksgiving. Napoleon was one of the most fascinating people in history. Unfortunately, for all its big-budget set pieces and stars, Scott’s film is underdeveloped and confused—in its basic historical storytelling, but, more importantly, in what it has…

Though Trump remains the frontrunner, poll-watchers say the South Carolina Methodist is having her moment. Veteran Iowa GOP activist Marlys Popma has gotten a call from Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign every other week for months. Popma’s is one of those coveted endorsements among the state’s conservative evangelicals. The 67-year-old served twice as the executive director of the Republican Party of Iowa and twice as president of Iowa Right to Life, and worked for the presidential campaigns of John McCain in 2008 and Ted Cruz in 2016. But until a few days ago, she wasn’t ready to back a candidate. Then,…

My outsider experiences have only strengthened my confidence in God’s goodness and sovereignty. Four years ago, I embarked on a master’s program at a theologically conservative seminary. As a Black, politically liberal woman, I stood out from most of my classmates. I’m toward the lower end of the income scale compared to most of my peers. I’m also in my late 30s and happily unmarried, while my friends have nearly all coupled off. Three years ago, I began suffering from as-yet-undiagnosed health problems. To top it all off, I run in nerd circles, but I’ve never seen any of the…

As China deals with economic woes, religious restrictions, and mass exodus, ministries see an opportunity. Christians in China have had a difficult several years. The Chinese government kicked missionaries out of the country, tightened restrictions on religion, and cut off access to the world with its aggressive “zero COVID” policies. After a growing discontentment prompted unprecedented protests last year, the government finally dropped its pandemic restrictions. Solomon Li, an overseas ministry leader who has served the Chinese church for the past 30 years, finally had a chance to return to China this year for the first time since the pandemic…

Giving Truth For Life: 365 Daily Devotions as a gift during the holiday season is an excellent way to introduce God’s Word and the good news of the Gospel to those who don’t have a lifesaving relationship with Jesus. Both volume one and volume two make it easy for someone new to Christianity or simply exploring what the Bible says to begin learning by investing just a few minutes a day. Each volume presents a passage of Scripture for all 365 days of the year and is followed by commentary from Alistair that explains the passage in more detail, gives…

The hope of union that helps us persevere today The Christmas season isn’t always jolly and merry. In fact, it can be filled with heartache, sorrow, tears, and pain. I understand this intimately. Ever since June 30, 2021, my family’s holidays have been marked by tears and sadness. On that day, our 20-year-old daughter died in a tragic car accident while we traveled home from vacation together. Within seconds, our firstborn child was taken from us. Death is our enemy. I hate death—I am tired of tears. And yet, if that June day is my greatest day of sorrow, then…

Sauls spent a decade leading Christ Presbyterian Church and had been on leave since May. Scott Sauls, an influential pastor and author, has resigned from the Nashville megachurch he had led for the past decade. Members of Christ Presbyterian Church (CPC) voted to accept Sauls’s resignation during a congregational meeting on Sunday night. Sauls had been on an indefinite leave of absence since May after apologizing for an unhealthy leadership style. A group of church leaders known as the session had asked the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) congregation to accept Sauls’s resignation. In addressing the congregation, Sauls apologized to…

The pandemic accelerated retirements, caused resignations, and created leadership crises. The COVID-19 pandemic presented church leaders with one of the most arduous tests of leadership in over a century. The early days of the pandemic were marked by a historical level of uncertainty, anxiety, and fear. The stakes were literally life and death. Churches lost not just members to the virus, but also pastoral staff. At the same time, the pandemic took away the fundamental practices that define the body of Christ, such as worship, communion, and baptism, as well as the building blocks which form and sustain communities within…

More than 300 Christian families have been affected, says a local pastor. Nepali Christians are mourning the loss of many of their own after a series of devastating earthquakes in early November. On Friday, November 3, a 5.6-magnitude earthquake rocked the mountainous Nepali villages of Jajarkot and Rukum West just before midnight, burying people under layers of rubble as they slept. A subsequent earthquake occurred on Monday, November 6, this time measuring 5.2 magnitude. Many rural churches planted in the districts of West Rukum, Jajarkot, and Kalikot were “flattened,” Hanok Tamang, chairman of the National Churches Fellowship of Nepal, told…

Amid rising persecution to Christians in the world, here are some stories that can guide your intercessions. Christians around the world are praying for their 360 million brothers and sisters in Christ who live in countries with high levels of persecution and discrimination, as part of the International Days of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, which fall on Sundays November 5 and 12. One in 7 Christians worldwide—including 1 in 5 believers in Africa, 2 in 5 in Asia, and 1 in 15 in Latin America—suffer greatly for their faith, according to the 2023 World Watch List (WWL). That’s up…

Leaders say “due to history and language” churches use the term for non-ordained ministers and women. The title of pastor is used for women in Chinese Southern Baptist churches because of language, history, and culture, but does not indicate churchwide authority, the Chinese Baptist Fellowship of the USA and Canada (CBFUSA) said in an official statement. Rather, the title of “Reverend” is used to denote authority in the Chinese Southern Baptist church, is given through ordination and is limited to men, the CBFUSA’s board of directors said in its November 3 statement, “Women in Ministry: Roles and Titles in Chinese…

Debate participants appealed to Zionist evangelicals while condemning campus antisemitism. In the first debate since war erupted in the Middle East, candidates in the third GOP presidential primary debate spent over an hour addressing the conflict and coming to Israel’s defense. Israel has become a flashpoint in the campaign over the past month, with Republican presidential candidates mostly seeking to outdo their rivals in showing support for the Jewish state. For many evangelical voters, “Israel is non-negotiable. There is a reflexive support of Israel,” Mark Caleb Smith, a political science professor at Cedarville University, told Christianity Today. “So I’d be…

As faithful Twitter users drop the platform, writers, leaders, and ministries adapt to a new social landscape. Scrolling through our Twitter X feeds over the last several weeks, we’ve seen familiar Christian names, from David French to Sam Allberry, signing off the platform. Many more are wondering aloud whether they want to stay much longer. “Yet another person I really enjoy following left this platform yesterday,” tweeted Bible teacher Beth Moore, who’s amassed almost 1 million followers on the site. “I may not last long on here either. Shoot, I could close my account tomorrow.” Since its acquisition by business…