When life gets knotted, we often ask, ‘How on earth do I unravel this?’ The ancient world called this a Gordian Knot. While knots can be undone with brute force, followers of Jesus have numerous ways to unravel complex situations with scripture and the Holy Spirit's guidance. Here is some advice to help lead you forward.
Legislation passed in the UK to permit pregnancy termination at any point up to birth is dissonant with the public outcry against a paramedic who induced an abortion without his partner's consent. While the value of personal choice as a priority reconciles the two cases, it doesn't satisfy biblical morality. Every abortion is a loss to God, as is every life not surrendered to Jesus. Christians need to uphold human dignity rooted in this truth.
India’s famed Emperor Ashoka was an ancient convert from Hinduism to Buddhism. He demonstrated that a person is NOT forced by others to convert from one religion to another. Today, “religious conversions are forced,” is the flawed premise of all anti-conversion laws of India. Who could have forced mighty Emperor Ashoka to change his religion? The Emperor’s famous religious conversion was his choice.
Something remarkable is unfolding in Bible translation right now. On the one hand, there are decades of foundational work by a family of Bible translation organizations, on the other hand, there’s the vibrant, growing local church movement marked by an enthusiasm and a passion for reaching the unreached, and these two pathways are converging.
Orphanages are no substitute for family, yet institutional care for children persists around the world. One ministry in south eastern Africa was transformed in their thinking from an encounter with a young boy who challenged the assumption that he was better off in the care of others rather than extended family. Changes resulted in a powerful gospel witness and an increase in community well-being.
Religious leaders and communities are being asked by Ukrainian faith leaders to pray for the victory of truth and a just peace for Ukraine, confident in the knowledge that God acts in history and can change everything, including stopping the bloodshed. Ukrainian Independence Day is being tagged as a special opportunity to stand in solidarity with Ukraine.
North America, and much of the Western world, is at a cultural inflection point, and many are hungering for something more humane, expansive, and full of light. Jesus calls his followers to show the way, to make the radical choice to walk his narrow path to meaningful fulfillment, but our churches and missions seem only interested in superficial change. That will not do. We must learn afresh what it means to be exiles and dissidents.
A stranger in a strange land describes a temporary migrant to Seoul, South Korea who over four years learns to navigate its strangeness to gradually find community within the strangeness. Along the way she learned important lessons for us all to heed well—to love the stranger, for in doing so we are blessed.
The Quiet Revival may speak of mostly young and white new Christians, but if revival theories hold true, this movement was prayed into being and more likely than not those prayers were from black, brown, and Pentecostal migrants to the UK. As growth continues, there is an urgent need to provide options for robust theological education to new leaders.
This past Saturday, we witnessed the unfortunate presence of President Javier Milei at the inauguration of the largest evangelical church in the country. It resulted in the sacred space of the pulpit being used by the president to deliver a partisan diatribe filled with false arguments, malicious distortions, and statements entirely contrary to the teachings of the gospel. This has caused much shame.
The situation for Iranian people is more dangerous now than before the recent war with Israel and the United States of America. Even more so for Christians who represent a growing minority religion in the staunchly Shia theocracy. Under threat, the ruling regime has increased its morality terror with brutal force.
Everyone longs for relationships where we can be vulnerable without judgement. TikTok creators use the app in anticipation of non-judgmental response from their viewers, expressing a God-given desire in all of us to be unconditionally loved. We can learn much from non-judgmental listening and loving in the way Jesus taught us to love one another. Perhaps, in this case, "a little child will lead them all" (Isaiah 11:6d)
