Oh, yeah, … remember Haiti?
by Caleb Schut
…isy world. Haiti has become synonymous with suffering. We hear the sounds com ing of Haiti least of all. What does Paul’s com mand to the Galatian church to carry one another’s burdens mean for a global church, where we live with the constant awareness of suffering, the persistent guilt of inequality and the despondency of Haiti? Antoine boarded the bus because he believes in the church. He has been told in word and deed by good people that the y a…
by Donald Roth
…ries? Com plexity: B On the individual income tax side, filing taxes will become much less com plex for many Americans due to the doubling of the Standard Deduction. Far more individuals will begin to use this much simpler route when filing taxes. That is, about 70% of Americans currently itemize the ir deductions, and that number is predicted to climb to nearly 90% with the new tax law. Of course, unless it’s very clear that you won’t need to itemiz…
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…ear? What podcasts would you recommend to the readers of iAt? Leave you r recommendations in the com ments. Church Politics Podcast The “Church Politics” Podcast is where you can get in-depth political analysis from a Christian worldview with Michael Wear & Justin Giboney. The Culture Gabfest Slate Magazine’s culture podcast, covering topical material from the highbrow to the lowbrow. Filmspotting A weekly movie podcast hosted by two Chicago-based f…
The Pipe Dream of Tithing?
by Kory Plockmeyer
…rule? If so, does 10% have to go to the local church? 10% of what? Gross income? Net income? What about people taking out student loans? It’s important that conversations about money should be steeped in grace. This is not grace to “let us off the hook”, but grace that understands that circumstances vary and grace that trusts the hearts of our fellow believers. I do not define the tithe as rigidly going to the local church. This became most clear…
Our Favorite Podcasts from 2016
by Liz Moss
…ear? What podcasts would you recommend to the readers of iAt? Leave you r recommendations in the com ments. 99% Invisible – “all about the thought that goes in to the things we don’t think about” The Culture Gabfest – Slate Magazine’s culture podcast, covering topical material from the highbrow to the lowbrow. Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History – Sporadically released, meticulously researched, long (frequently 4+ hours), and engaging explorations of hist…
by Dave Schelhaas
…k makes real the struggles we should be willing to take on in order to overcome what’s wrong and how all the members of a com munity are needed. One of the great pleasures of reading Dun Cow, she says, is the sudden realizationor (upon re-reading it)recollection that Mundi Cani was just like Jesus. Here again we see the basic pattern of the hero—in this case the lowly dog Mundo Cani—who sacrifices his life for the greater good. An under-fifty reade…
All Our Sins Borne for Us
by Edie Lenz
…e was deserted—left alone to face the principalities and powers that would pass judgment on him, left alone to face the mob screaming “Crucify him!” Left alone, deserted, abandoned, betrayed: the se surely caused as much agony as the physical wounds of the whip and the cross. In some ways, the wounding of the soul is as deep and torturous as the wounding of the body. In some ways, the wounding of the soul cuts much deeper and leaves marks unseen ye…
To Those Who Know a Hurting Child
by Tara Boer
…, attend a trauma training, and ask questions. Know the signs of abuse and com mon responses to trauma. A few of my favorite authors/trainers are Dr. Karen Purvis (Texas Christian University), Dr. Daniel Siegel, Dr Tina Payne Bryson & Eliana Gil. Be vigilant: Abuse, neglect, and trauma happen here. It happens everywhere. The se are kids in you r neighborhoods, you r classrooms, and you r church pews. It may be com forting to think that “bad things don’t…
by Derek Buteyn
…allow my heart to sing. Emotionally and spiritually, my relationships and com munities make me feel alive – particularly through the struggle and difficulty. We know that relationships take work; no person enter s a meaningful relationship and never experiences obstacles or bumps in the road. It’s possible that the re is nothing more difficult and requires more energy than investing in an intimate relationship, but the re also nothing more joy-fillin…
by Shaelee Boender
…seems, the re is often disunity. What would it look like if our worshipping com munities led the vision for unity in our neighborhoods? What if our neighborhoods offer ed a tangible sign of witness for our states; our states for our country; our country for the next… Such a vision sounds impossible, doesn’t it? But, this is the work of God’s kingdom—bringing full restoration to all of Creation. And what does this full restoration look like? Unity. To…
Finding Conservative Christianity’s Place Outside the U.S.: A Review of “No Borders”
by James Bratt
…ection analyzes evangelical self-perception “as both persecuted victim and com passionate rescuer” (106) across the last third of the 20th century up to the achievement of South Sudan’s independence in 2005. The conservative wing played up Com munist depredations, especially in Eastern Europe (Chapter Six); the more progressive focused on the evils of South African apartheid (Chapter Seven). But the advantage in this Reagan-Bush era was held by the …
The Hardest Thanks (On Being Broken Bread)
by Jennifer Dukes Lee
…“when you gave us a ‘love gift’ of money after the fire. And how you ’ve welcomed us here in this church.” And so began a series of spontaneous praise — a thank offer ing of the hardest things. An elderly couple raised the ir voices next, expressing thanks to God when a separate fire destroyed buildings on the ir farm, flames com ing within inches of the house. Much was lost, but the y were grateful for what was spared. Another woman stood up, giving th…
by Josh Matthews
…r place in the Justice League, especially amongst the more jaded of the DC Com ics superheroes. She com bines feminine beauty and elegant athleticism with the awesome power of a Greek goddess who can assault a German trench all by herself. Her attack on a German sniper holed up in a church tower is especially impressive. Contrasting nicely with Gadot is Pine, who brings a lot of his Captain-Kirk schtick to this movie, including in scenes where he mu…
by Jenni Breems
…n is wrong at the core. The y have set the mselves in opposition to God. The pass age com es in the middle of an argument about the root source of Jesus’ power. Just prior to the se verses, the Pharisees have accused Jesus of using the power of the devil, or Beelzebub, to cast out demons. And immediately after this section, the y ask him for a miraculous sign to prove the source of his power. I understand that the fruit of a tree is a way of determining…
Political Advocacy for Immigration Reform is a Marathon not a Sprint
by Harold Heie
…nking gets punished on Election Day. In 2013 the U. S. Senate attempted to pass such both/and legislation by means of a proposal for com prehensive immigration reform that included both a pathway to citizenship and punishment for those who have broken the law by means of appropriate fines. But those who embrace either/or thinking killed that bill. As an aside to those readers who profess com mitment to the Christian faith, such a both/and approach t…
Hacksaw Ridge: A Movie Review
by Josh Matthews
…ues. “Hacksaw Ridge” is guilty of clichéd sentiment at times. Desmond, for exam ple, is going to get married to his one true love. But his com manding officer says that the soldiers’ guns are the ir lovers, the ir concubines. Thus, will Desmond cheat on his one true love and touch another lover (i.e., a gun)? Never! Nevertheless, the movie com plexly draws a picture of the position of being somewhere between supporting and not supporting a war. Com plem…
After Charlottesville, Will White Pastors Finally Take Racism Seriously?
by Jemar Tisby
…upremacy in the past will lead to a failure to confront it in the present. Com mit to responding to white supremacy with the vigor that the problem requires. When we exam ine the history of race and the American church, the story is often worse than we expect. The church hasn’t simply gone along with white supremacy — it has assembled and established it. If white Christians have historically been so intentional about building up barriers between the …
The Meaning of Christmas is…Doubt?
by Todd Zuidema
…victions, but, instead, rests dependently in his caring grasp. Com e, Lord Jesus; help me com e to you . Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt, fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I com e, I com e. Just as I am, thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; because thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I com e, I com e. Just As I Am, without One Plea1 Author: Charlotte Elliot, Tune: WOODWORTH ↩…
by Tim Klein
…urney to financial independence goes into hyperspeed. Quickly, our goals become an idol. Questions com e into our mind: how quickly can I save the money; how can I make more money; if I work more, can I save more? We begin to lose focus on many important areas of life that God has blessed us with—family, friends, etc. We work longer hours to earn a little more. We pass up opportunities to go out with friends. We work extra jobs to pay off our debt….
by Justin Van Zee
…now that change is hard. Graduation season is upon us; summer weddings are com ing soon; jobs change; friends move; loved ones pass away. Change is constant. Even with just a hint of change, our anxiety rises. Rumors of change can cause sleepless nights as we lie the re pondering all the “What if’s” that our little minds can muster. Indeed, change is hard, so “Be strong and courageous.” We need those words. God knows that, so God gave the m to us se…
by April Fiet
…time, let’s share the light with each other. Let’s speak with kindness and com passion. Let’s act with hope and love. Let’s look into each other’s eyes and see the wonder once more, the wonder of having our own lights to shine. It still amazes me – after all the se years of hearing the story of Christmas—the lengths to which God would go to shine light into our world and our hearts. It amazes me that the Creator would pass that light on to me, and i…
by Carlye Gomes
…Lent gives us permission to do at least that much, because we know what is com ing. Resurrection is looming in our midst—but still, it is not yet here. The re’s something about the way that the church com es together to meditate on ashes and sit with the world in its brokenness that is awakening me. I have learned to embrace the breathtaking unfairness of resurrection, but only now that I have learned to sit in faith with loss. As rich as the season…
by Richard Mouw
…funny caricature of teen culture at the time, but that kind of thing has become com monplace. I see it a lot in restaurants the se days. Folks sitting at the same table are doing things with the ir smart phones, and it not unthinkable that the y are posting messages that are meant to be seen by other people at the table. We are com municating more than ever in contemporary life, but we are relying less the se days on face-to-face encounters: texting, Tw…
by Lisa Burg
…om and dad. My advice to parents reading this: Treasure you r folks’ quirky com ments. Soak in the ir stories. Listen to the ir lullabies. Savor the ir songs. The n pass the ir spirits on to you r children, because that thread is the one thing that binds past and future and creates the tapestry that is you r unique family. Screens have, sadly, become surrogate parents in many ways. Electronic devices have replaced moms and dads as teachers, encouragers, en…
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
by Wesley Joseph
…don’t have anything to give the m. In his tough place, Jesus responds with com passion and blessing. The crowds have forgotten that the y have access to someone who is not just a miracle worker, but the actual incarnation of power, love, and blessing. Jesus invites the m to sit down on the soft green grass. “Slow down,” he seems to say to the m. “I gave you what you wanted: now eat with me.” How often do our prayers sound like the crowd’s prayers? “Je…
