by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 09/30/2006
In a world of religious tension, three New York women claim to be making a difference. Their book, The Faith Club, is a memoir of their interfaith dialogue since 9/11. Over coffee and chocolate, Ranya Idliby, a Muslim; Suzanne Oliver, a Christian; and Priscilla Warner, a Jew, celebrate a relationship they claim has overcome religious barriers. Honest interfaith conversation. Sounds positive. Here's the rub. USA Today reports: For anyone who reads the Quran or the Bible literally, rather than metaphorically... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 09/30/2006
The Global Warming Debate I think you will find that a review of the scientific literature -- not a review of ISI v ECI -- will show that there is an overwhelming consensus about the causes of global warming. Of course scientists don't agree 100% but science overwhelmingly favours the ECI, why do you try and deny this? What Christian goal does it achieve not to recognise man's role in global warming? The Scriptures call us to be accountable for... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 09/29/2006
Thought about signing up for our free e-newsletter, but weren't sure what to expect? First, what not to expect: You won't be getting spammed, as we have a strict policy at Boundless and Focus on the Family not to share your e-mail information (or any other information about you) with anyone outside our ministry. You will, however, receive an e-newsletter when we update our site on Thursdays, and a brief reminder when we update our site on Mondays. Below is... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 09/29/2006
I was happy to read a report by Sheryl Blunt in the latest issue of Christianity Today about the efforts of the Interfaith Stewardship Alliance (ISA), a coalition of 130 theologians, scientists and others who oppose the Evangelical Climate Initiative (ECI). Essentially, the ISA say the warnings of the ECI are a bunch of hooey. ECI claims that human emissions are the main cause of global warming and that millions of people could die in this century if we don't... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 09/29/2006
Boundless reader Jessica raised a question about my article, "Marry Her? But What About that Girl over There?" She writes: "I thought we were supposed to pursue a deeper relationship with the Lord, then let Him guide our steps regarding marriage and family. I thought loving God with all of my being came before pursuing marriage and family. Am I wrong in believing that I am supposed to pursue wholeness in God before I pursue becoming one with someone else?"... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 09/28/2006
I need to chime in on this discussion of Christian artists that Ben began and which Suzanne continued. In my involvement in Christian music (I've produced/engineered one album and performed on several, and have played synth/organ/piano in a few bands), I've seen a range of musicianship. Some seem to be practicing their gift thoughtlessly, and their creativity and craft are as a result lacking. Others, however, put a lot of thought into their craft, seeking to write and perform their... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 09/28/2006
The State of Our Unions 2006 report that Roberto talks about in his new article opens with a troubling essay called "Life Without Children." It offers a concerning picture of where family fits into our current (and future) culture. Below, I've excerpted several points from the conclusion of that essay. We are in the midst of a profound change in American life. Demographically, socially and culturally, the nation is shifting from a society of child-rearing families to a society of... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 09/28/2006
As it turns out, the Dallas Cowboys' embattled receiver Terrell Owens' reported suicide attempt was all a big misunderstanding. Apparently, he didn't take 35 pain killers or confess to his publicist that he was depressed. Owens himself said in a news conference the day after the incident that his brush with death was the result of an allergic reaction. Ben's post Love and Death on this strange episode raises some serious questions for us to consider, particularly given that suicide... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 09/28/2006
The Today Show's segment on what men really want in a wife was partly right. Starting with the question "Do men really want wives like June Cleaver?" they said, … men imagined the perfect mate as a passive, docile catering nurturer and women envisioned a giving, sacrificing protector. But these are fantasies! And while it may be fun to imagine — or even play out — these roles at times, they are but one of many fantasies men and women... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 09/27/2006
I found Ben's response concerning Christian artists a bit harsh. True, today's art may not possess the depth or quality of the works of Bach, Tennyson and Lewis, but one must also recognize that we are living in a very different society. Instant art, such as blogs, digital photography and YouTube, is valued over the life's-work novel or concerto. Therefore, it seems unfair to imply Sara Groves is failing as an artist because she isn't Bach. I agree with Ben,... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 09/27/2006
So college students don't know much about history. The Intercollegiate Studies Institute was right to point out that "students don't learn what colleges don't teach." So what, if not history, are colleges teaching? Well at Yale, one of the schools to perform at the bottom on the ISI survey, they're teaching sex. Lots of sex. According to the September 26 edition of the Yale Daily News: Yale may be consistently ranking third in the U.S. News & World Report's list... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 09/27/2006
Cultural observers tell us today's teens and twentysomethings have the potential to be the next great generation. The book Millennials Rising says that "today's kids are on track to become a powerhouse generation, full of technology planners, community shapers, institution builders, and world leaders, perhaps destined to dominate the twenty-first century like today's fading and ennobled G.I. Generation dominated the twentieth." So, how are America's storied institutions of higher learning doing in cultivating all that raw potential? Not so good.... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 09/27/2006
Last week we invited those who subscribe to our free e-newsletter to give us their thoughts about Boundless via an online questionnaire. Now we've opened it up to non-subscribers. We're eager to better understand those who read Boundless, to hear your opinions about how we're doing and how we could be doing better. We do this only once every couple of years, so now's your chance to make your voice heard. Please consider taking a few minutes to complete the... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 09/27/2006
Candice's post reminds me of the first argument my wife and I had during our dating relationship. As funny as it may sound, it was over the Barbie doll and its effect on the body image of pre-teen and teen girls. It was a discussion I engaged for fun but conceded quickly when it devolved into arguing -- sensing from her tone that for women, societal pressure to have a perfect body is no laughing matter. Physical beauty defined by... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 09/26/2006
Blogs and news reports are telling of the upheaval at Madrid's fashion week caused by a new prohibition against the too-skinny. Believe it or not, after decades of pushing an impossible physical standard (for most normal women), some in the fashion industry are trying to put an end to the ever-shrinking size of models. Models under 125 pounds or so were barred from the catwalk after encountering Medics on hand to measure their Body Mass Index, or BMI. Though I'll... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 09/26/2006
In a day when more and more of the benefits of marriage can be found through alternative means, which sex is left more in need of the other? I get the sense it's men. When you look back at the cultural changes of the past 50 years in education, in the workplace, in sexuality and so forth, it's been women who have discovered a higher number of alternatives to benefits once offered by men in marriage. A young female professional... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 09/26/2006
Seems that The Line isn't the only group ministry blog to debut in September. Also joining the blogosphere this month is The Point, a lively group blog sponsored by BreakPoint. For those of you who can't get enough of Boundless author Roberto Rivera y Carlo, click over to The Point where he's one of five regular contributors. Speaking of crafty writing, I had to laugh at Roberto's characterization of author Rod "I'm too crunchy for my shirt" Dreher.... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 09/26/2006
If you are young, restless but not quite sure what "reformed" is, click here to listen to a wonderful debate between Paige Patterson and Albert Mohler on election just posted online. Here's a brief description from the audio on Baptist2Baptist.net: At the 2006 Pastors' Conference, seminary presidents R. Albert Mohler Jr. and Paige Patterson discussed their differences over the doctrine of election, stressing that believers can disagree on the topic while remaining friends and unified in the goal of evangelism... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 09/25/2006
Today's lead investing story on Motley Fool is about a 24-year-old guy who's $2 million in the hole. Seems he had a bright idea for leveraging his non-existent assets (there was lying involved on his loan apps) in order to take advantage of the hot California real estate market -- which is cooling considerably, to his dismay. Now he owes more than he can pay and is on the verge of some serious trouble. He must have grown up playing... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 09/25/2006
During worship service at church yesterday, I began taking notes from the sermon, not for future reference or even to help me focus, but because I thought the lesson would make for good blogging. Obviously, my heart and my mind were not on loving God. One reason it's easy for me to take corporate worship for granted is because I often congratulate myself for just showing up. While I'm there I allow my mind to wander about work or football... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 09/25/2006
John Thomas makes a key point in his Q&A today and it's that couples often use creative language to talk about their sexual activity -- softening the reality that they have fallen short of the 1 Timothy 5:2 standard of "absolute purity." It reminds me of a conversation the Boundless team had with Michael Lawrence at Capitol Hill Baptist Church. Michael explained that in conversations with singles and couples over the years, he became used to hearing people say that... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 09/25/2006
I would like to respond to Cherise's response to my post "On Being Found." She writes: When Ms. Hadley said this song was in fact in defiance toward men, it surprised me. Yes, I want to get married one day, but is contentment a roadblock to marriage? Also, I don't understand the concept of playing hide-and-seek.... How are single women playing hide-and-seek, and what can we do to change this? I am certainly not saying contentment is wrong. Since I... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 09/23/2006
In this week's article, "Ruth Revisited", I think Candice did an excellent job of clarifying the biblical account of the Moabitess and appropriately applying it to singles' present-day pursuit of marriage. Sharing the account of her own path to matrimony, Candice writes of herself and husband, Steve: Despite the fact that both of us came from intact Christian families, where marriage and children were esteemed and even held up as goals, we still had absorbed lots of contradictory cultural messages.... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 09/22/2006
In May, I attended the New Attitude single's conference in Louisville, Ky. The theme of the conference was "Embrace a Humble Orthodoxy." Speakers encouraged attendees to "rediscover what has always been true." I felt impassioned by this emphasis on doctrine and biblical truth. During the conference, I had the opportunity to sit down with Mark Dever and Joshua Harris. I was impressed by their unflinching commitment to the Gospel. These two Christian leaders, along with John Piper, Al Mohler and... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 09/22/2006
If you love your sin like I love mine, you will be well served to read Jonathon Dodson's Mere Accountability featured on the home page of Boundless. In it, Dodson challenges us to mortify the sin in our lives by practicing God-honoring accountability -- accountability characterized by confessing our temptations to others, constantly contending with sin through the help of the Holy Spirit, and faith in God's promises and power to overcome sin. This is good counsel, which I am... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 09/22/2006
How would you expect Christians to come across in reality shows? The pressure for Christians can be especially strong in shows like The Amazing Race, that often position them as Christians and zoom in on the prayers they pray before jumping off a waterfall (or whatever death-defying roadblock they have to face). During the first season of The Amazing Race, my wife and I were curious to see how Brennan (a guy we knew from our time at Regent University)... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 09/22/2006
I read recently that a freshman at the University of Virginia completed his bachelor's degree in one year. With 60 advanced placement credits under his belt, after just two semesters of (obviously intense) classwork, David Banh earned a degree in Mathematics. He took one class during the summer to complete his second bachelor's degree, in Physics. This young man's accomplishment reminds me that we really can achieve more than many expect of us. Instead of merely attaining the low expectations... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 09/21/2006
Motte's story makes a good point about the pro-abortion agenda infiltrating both public and private life. According to AgapePress, Planned Parenthood of Connecticut has established an abortion rotation at the Yale School of Medicine. The course requires second-year ob-gyn residents to complete a total of eight weeks of rotations at Planned Parenthood clinics. While students may opt out of actually performing abortions, Dr. Gene Rudd, associate executive director of Christian Medical & Dental Associations, says they face extreme pressure for... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 09/21/2006
Speaking of boomers and abortion. I ran across this story of a couple of boomers from Maine who bound and kidnapped their unmarried pregnant daughter -- who wanted to keep the baby -- to take her to New Hampshire for a late-term abortion. Here are the details. The Kampfs were found with duct tape, rope and a .22 caliber rifle with a full clip in their car. Their 19 year old daughter escaped when they untied her and let her... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 09/20/2006
After 33 years of legalized abortion in America, and all the anti-child attitudes that policy has spawned, it's a little surprising to see the increasing concern over childlessness among boomers nearing retirement age. Afterall, it was the boomers who ushered in the sexual revolution and accompanying culture of abortion to begin with. And yet, again, for the umpteenth time just this summer the Wall Street Journal has an article about the graying of America and the economic consequences of not... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 09/20/2006
To succeed in the workplace, "Any college will do." says A.G. Lafley, Proctor & Gamble's CEO. This week in the Wall Street Journal, Carol Hymowitz writes that "the college diplomas of the nation's top executives tell an intriguing story" -- that talent and drive are more important than an Ivy League education. Here's a snapshot of some notable CEOs and their state schools: Robert Iger, CEO, Walt Disney - B.A. Ithaca College Kenneth Lewis, CEO, Bank of America - B.A.... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 09/19/2006
Suzanne's post was a reminder of just how far we women have come. Not only do we no longer need men to provide for our financial needs -- we can earn our own good living, thank you very much -- or protect our physical safety -- we can take karate and learn how to shoot a hand gun -- it seems from those song lyrics that we don't especially even want men around. Okay, maybe for a little physical pleasure... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 09/19/2006
A few days ago, I got a phone call from my sister. Ecstatic, she said, "Suzanne, I had the most unexpected talk with Dave yesterday!" Sarah has been witnessing to her friend Dave for more than a year. An intelligent pre-med student with strong ethics, Dave is also agnostic. And yet, his friendship with my sister and her friends, committed evangelicals, has blossomed. Over the summer, Sarah lent Dave "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller. This book was quite the... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 09/19/2006
After seeing Suzanne's post that mentioned the song "Single," I wonder how Boundless readers feel about the song "Twentysomething" by Jamie Cullum. This jazzy lounge tune from a couple of years ago has a lot of the retrospection that has come to characterize a decade of life in which opportunities seem simultaneously intriguing and empty. Here are some of the more telling lyrics: Maybe I'll go travelling for a year, finding myself or start a career. I could work for... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 09/18/2006
I recently had a similar reaction to Candice's in her post regarding the essentiality of our engagement in "Representative Democracy." Except mine wasn't from listening to a story with my kids, it was from watching ABC's The Path to 9/11. Based in large part on The 9/11 Commission Report, the ABC movie did a masterful job of linking the terrorists involved in the bombings since the 1993 World Trade Center attack -- the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Tanzania and... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 09/18/2006
When I was single, it was hard not to think about politics. I pretty much lived it while working on Capitol Hill. And then, after two years working for a Congressman, I went to graduate school to get my masters degree in public policy. I anticipated each election with the conviction that our culture -- and my job -- would rise or fall based on the results. I may have overemphasized the importance of elections back then, but once I... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 09/18/2006
I read with interest this week's article, "Get Married, Young Man" by Alex Chediak. Alex challenges men to be intentional in seeking out godly wives. He writes: The Scriptures say, "He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord" (Prov. 18:22). So the man is said to "find" a wife, and that a wife is a good thing. The favor from the Lord part shows that, yes, God is the One who ultimately gives... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 09/16/2006
You may have noticed a common theme in many of the Boundless articles and blog posts recently (here, here and particularly here) regarding men, sexuality and marriage. It goes something like this: If a young man desires sex, he should simultaneously prepare himself to be married while activily seeking a wife. When and how are matters of much prayer and discernment (more on this later). Many will think this sentiment lacks the appropriate shades of gray when speaking on matters... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 09/15/2006
I was provoked by Carolyn McCulley's article addressing Fear of Man and its antidote, the Fear of God. For years I've been trying different ways of growing in this area. One of the simplest, for example, was to start engaging in conversation with the person behind the check-out lane, asking if they could tell I was gearing up for a picnic, eating healthy, or making flan. Over time, my anxiety about talking with someone I didn't know faded. But now... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 09/15/2006
Ben's post reminds me how we rarely see the whole picture when it comes to celebrities. Interviewers avoid asking about the spiritual lives of the famous in favor of prying into the details of their favorite cosmetic lines, high-profile relationships and desired vacation spots. About a year ago, I heard about Risen Magazine, a bi-monthly periodical committed to leaving the shallowness behind. The description on the Web site states: Risen Magazine is a popular culture collage of exclusive interviews, photography... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 09/14/2006
Is there a perfect age to marry? Does waiting until your late twenties or thirties give you greater maturity and a stronger financial foundation? Does marrying at a younger age give you a better shot at having prime energy for the parenting years and avoiding sexual sin? The Washington Times ran an article last week called "Knot Now, Americans Say" that holds up some of the benefits of marrying young to those who may have a bias to wait until... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 09/13/2006
Boundless reader Jessica Wilson wrote to request context for the Mark Dever quote from my previous post. Here it is: "I don't mean for a second," Mark goes on to explain, "that you literally have to have your name on a membership card in a church somewhere to go to heaven. I believe in justification by faith alone in Christ alone by God's grace alone. At the same time, in the New Testasment it seems the local church is there... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 09/13/2006
Have you noticed in our culture how some issues just don't seem real to people until there's either a made-for-television or big screen movie that makes it personal to them? Next month, a movie is heading to screens touching on an issue that is quickly becoming a big concern — life without children. The movie Children of Men, is based on a novel by P.D. James about the nightmares of a world without children. Set in 2027, it shows the... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 09/12/2006
"If you are not a member of a church you regularly attend, you may well be going to hell." This is a quote from Mark Dever, Senior Pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church, taken from Joshua Harris' book Stop Dating the Church. It's a provocative statement, Harris writes, that Mark uses when speaking on college campuses about an important function of church membership -- "to verify or falsify our claims to be Christians." I thought of it as I read... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 09/12/2006
Recently I heard two people I look up to praise J.I. Packer's Knowing God as foundational for Christian living. So I started reading it. One thing that's jumped off the page is the importance of biblical literacy; something my generation and following is woefully lacking. I suspected as much based on the many emails we receive at Boundless asking things like, "is premarital sex really wrong?" "why is premarital sex a sin -- it's never mentioned in the Bible?" and... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 09/12/2006
In an ongoing discussion about young adults leaving Christianity, the Barna Research Group reports this week that "despite strong levels of spiritual activity during the teen years, most twentysomethings disengage from active participation in the Christian faith during their young adult years." The report states that six out of 10 twentysomethings involved in a church during their teens fail to actively pursue Christ into their early adult years. Not only are twentysomethings vacating the church, the report states, they are... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 09/12/2006
As I considered again this morning my motivations for blogging, I found myself prompted to re-read Bob Kauflin's recent article on Boundless, "Blogging to Worship God." If you have time, let me encourage you to take a few moments to read Bob's very helpful article. But that's not what I'm posting about today. After reading Bob's article on Boundless, I clicked over to his blog, Worship Matters. For years I've benefitted from Bob's thoughtful perspectives on worship. A recent blog... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 09/11/2006
I found Ben's post encouraging. As Ben pointed out, Scripture tells us physical anguish and death are results of the fall — painful reminders of man's rebellion against God. Jesus Himself understood the tragedy caused by sin when He wept over the death of His friend Lazarus. And yet, when our world groans under sin, we, as believers, must choose how we will respond. I recently heard Dr. Nabeel Jabbour, a Christian and expert on Islam, speak about the tremendous... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 09/11/2006
If you're like me, you've not only asked the question Ben addresses in his post about God's role in 9/11, but you've probably wondered why there hasn't been a successful terrorist attack on American soil since. I thank the Lord for peace in our homeland these last five years. He has been merciful to restrain the evil of a terrorist attack, at least for a time. And I understand that the Lord has used means to accomplish this -- just... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 09/11/2006
The soldiers fighting on the frontlines today in what may prove to be a long fight against Islamofascists were groomed to be heroes. That is a reality authors Neil Howe and William Strauss predicted six years ago in a book called Millennials Rising. A year before planes slammed into the World Trade Center, Howe and Strauss predicted that Millennials (those born in or after 1982) would be the next great generation -- on par with the GI generation and others... Read more.
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