by Steve Watters on 12/28/2006
Are you planning to do anything different in 2007 than you did in 2006? Have you set any goals for your money, health, education, spiritual growth or relationships? Or have lapsed New Year's resolutions of the past discouraged you from even setting goals? Even though my perspective on goal setting has changed over the years (see My Goals and the Lake Effect), I still feel a strong urge every year after Christmas to dream everything up all over again for... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/27/2006
A friend and I were recently discussing the tension between science and Christianity. As a believer working in a scientific field, he personally believes the two can't conflict. He points out that science is designed to describe and measure the physical world — and only the physical world — while religion discloses what is true about the non-physical world. "In any area where science and religion conflict, one of the two is overstepping its bounds or being incorrectly applied," he... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 12/26/2006
I hope everyone had a memorable Christmas. Between celebrating Christmas and digging out of snow, the Boundless blogging team hasn't had a lot to say recently. I'm taking this first post back to follow up on a post I entered a couple of months ago about the movie Children of Men that is scheduled for release this week. As I mentioned then, Children of Men, is based on a novel by P.D. James about the nightmares of a world without... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 12/22/2006
You may have heard of the blizzard we had in central Colorado this week. We got about a nine inches of snow with four foot drifts in Colorado Springs; and the winds blew 25 miles per hour with gusts up to 50. Flights in and out of the Springs and Denver were canceled and all businesses were encouraged to close. Focus on the Family was even shut down for two days -- Wednesday and Thursday -- and delayed two hours... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 12/22/2006
Speaking of Christmas specials, one ad caught my eye this season. The show being promoted was touted as "good for television, good for [the host], good for CBS, and good for the sponsors." What was this annual event? A fund raiser for Jerry's Kids? A benevolent Christmas concert? A historical retelling of the scene in the manger? Far from it. The advertisement -- a full page in the front section of the business-oriented Wall Street Journal -- was for the... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 12/22/2006
We've talked more than once about the value of moving guy/girl relationships beyond buddies. How about our relationship with Jesus? I'm often surprised how people describe their chummy relationship with Jesus in popular Christian culture: "Jesus is my homeboy." "Jesus rides shotgun with me." Yes, we know that the work Jesus did on the cross made it possible for us to once more have an intimate relationship with God. However, we can only fully appreciate that relationship when we stand... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 12/21/2006
Unloading that Precious Moments figurine you got last Christmas by re-giving it to a more ... ahem ... "Precious Moments" person is something that's gaining acceptance among many young professionals. In an article this week, the Wall Street Journal reports that 60 percent of 25-34 year-olds have regifted and plan to do so again. The reasons cited are lack of time and money, and pressure to participate in office gift-giving parties. According to the article, the most popular "gifts" young... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/21/2006
My friend Greg, a graphic designer in Seattle, Wash., recently talked about the challenges artists and designers face regarding purity. In a Q & A he discussed the potential compromises associated with his line of work, such as increased exposure to inappropriate images. Greg has had to make some tough choices. As Ted pointed out a while ago, some Christians may be called to positions that expose them to a higher volume of smut than the common Christian; they protect... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 12/19/2006
My wife and I have gone through various stages of response to Mormon missionaries over the years. The scene has repeated itself so much we've been able to adjust our responses based on the previous encounter like Bill Murray's character in Groundhog Day. In ascending order they include: Not answering the door Answering the door with a polite "No. Thanks." to their Book of Mormon offer Engaging them after having studied Scripture verses that refute Mormon beliefs Questioning the life... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/19/2006
For the past few years I've been following the disaster brought on by Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, a man about as demented and evil as they come. (OK, that might be a bit of hyperbole. I'd consider North Korea's Kim Jong-il, Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to be no less demented and evil than Mugabe.) The latest news from this country that used to export food to neighboring countries: Thanks to Mugabe's cronyism and racist/anti-farmer policies, food is... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 12/19/2006
It's no secret we at Boundless think premarital sex is unbiblical, sinful, bad for the soul and bad for relationships. Now there's a tell-all book that is so shocking in its clarity and conclusions that the author, a campus physician at an unnamed university, had to write it anonymously. Unprotected: A Campus Psychiatrist Reveals How Political Correctness in Her Profession Endangers Every Student is so "vivid and urgent" is her message (as one reviewer put it), it would be hard... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/19/2006
I was listening to the radio yesterday and Michael Crawford's rendition of "O Holy Night" came on. As Crawford's voice caressed the beloved, old carol, I was struck by how powerfully, soul-wrenchingly Christian its lyrics were: Truly He taught us to love one another, His law is love and His gospel is peace. Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother. And in his name all oppression shall cease. I was astounded that these words, sung with deep... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/19/2006
I came across an interesting post at Blog and Mablog this morning, and had to mention it here. The author explores reactions people have when they hear someone has begun a courtship. Here's an excerpt: Once there was a young woman who came home from church one day, and she had a question for her father. "Dad," she said, "you know how Cindy's father gave John permission to court her?" "Yes," he said. "I heard about that one. Which was,... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 12/18/2006
The weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal has a piece in its travel section on the new Web sites connecting singles traveling on planes, trains and automobiles. Well, maybe not trains. AirTroductions, Hitchsters and Tripmates are just a few featured in the article. In an age of online dating, where seasoned daters often judge a potential mate based on a scan of a Web profile or an email message, some singles are trying a more old-fashioned approach, immortalized in... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/18/2006
That's the title of a distressing article that appeared in the London-based Daily Mail a couple of days ago. The article paints a dreary portrait of the city most-known for having been the birthplace of Jesus, a city that's had its Christmas carol charm displaced by an alarming growth in violent Islamic fundamentalism. In 2004, for example, half the Israeli fatalities caused by suicide bombings were committed by extremists from the little town of Bethlehem. The city, which was once... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/18/2006
"Hi. My name's Suzanne and I had a lousy Christmas." It was December 28, and I felt like I needed to join a holiday recovery support group. As I hoisted my suitcase into a friend's trunk, I breathed a sigh of relief to be back on my own turf. With visions of "the great Christmas blow-up" dancing in my head — and trust me, three sisters in tears is not a pretty sight — I collapsed into the front seat.... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/15/2006
According to this Fox News article, the average American spends 9 weeks of each year watching TV. That statistic is slightly lower for younger generations, who rely on the Internet for entertainment. But, get this. Americans spend more time consuming media than anything else except breathing. I'm not surprised by this report, but in light of our recent discussions on the impact media has on our core beliefs, I think it's a good time to consider how we might counteract... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 12/15/2006
If you think the controversy surrounding gaming only involves the sex, graphic violence and language, you might want to check out Olivia and Kurt Bruner's book Playstation Nation about the effect it has on your brain. Here's an excerpt from their website VideoGameTrouble.org explaining how addictive gaming can be: One of the key reasons video games are addictive is the physiological effect. A study in London found playing games [doubles dopamine production] in the brain. The increase of the psychoactive... Read more.
by Denise Morris on 12/14/2006
Can I just say that I really appreciated Gary Thomas' latest article, published on Boundless today? The article, "Sexual Compassion," hits on much more than sexual temptation. It talks a lot about how Christians need to approach issues (like sexuality) from a perspective that tries to understand the entire issue. We are not to be wishy-washy about sin, but at the same time, we are to show love and compassion for people. Jesus, of course, showed us how to perfectly... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/14/2006
I first heard about the "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" video game a couple of months ago. One of my sister's friends, whose family runs a blanket ministry in downtown Portland, Ore., was all fired up because he said the game depicted Christians killing people on New York streets. CNN reports that the teen-rated PC strategy game — based on the popular book series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins — is meeting with more criticism as the holidays approach. And... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 12/14/2006
Carolyn McCulley's new Boundless article makes a great point about how marriage -- and the influence of a loving, supportive, respectful wife -- has a positive effect on men. And that's something single women often forget. I'm sure I was guilty of what she describes as "hav[ing] a mental picture [of your future husband] based on the qualities you appreciate in these [married] men" you look up to. Whether it's your "your father, pastor, boss, family friend, uncle, small group... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/14/2006
Tim Challies stirred up some conversation a couple of days ago when he began a defense of his decision to have his children "educated through the public school system." In response, I began a similar series entitled "Why I Will Homeschool," in which I argue that the philosophy behind the systems and methodologies should be front and center when we make such an important decision for our children. Tim has since published the second of his series, in which he... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 12/14/2006
About a year ago, some singles in Colorado had an aha! moment while watching ABC's reality show How to Get the Guy where four women combed the city of San Francisco for eligible bachelors until they found their mate. "If all you have to do is search an entire city to find your spouse, we can do that!" And from this sprang the Rocky Mountain Christian Singles Mixer. Here's a description of the event from their website: [This mixer's not]... Read more.
by Denise Morris on 12/13/2006
I'm sure you've all been waiting with fevered anticipation, so here's my contribution to the homeschool debate. First, a little bit about my educational background: 1st-8th grade: Homeschooled by my parents. 9th-12th grade: Attended public high school in the inner city of Minneapolis. Freshman year-Senior year in college: Attended a very expensive, private Catholic university. Fall after graduation from college: Attended the Focus on the Family Institute. As you can see, I've experienced the gamut when it comes to education,... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 12/13/2006
According to an article in the L.A. Times this week, the government is concerned about the effect television is having on people's attitudes toward starting families. The article reads: Faced with a tumbling birthrate and women souring on the idea of marriage and family, the ... government is reaching out to a small group of people believed to have the power to avert a demographic catastrophe: prime-time drama writers. Last month, the Planned Population Federation ... held a two-day seminar... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 12/13/2006
Christmastime is typically a good time to pick up books I've been longing to read. Typically a family member gets wind of what I'm hoping to read and puts a copy under the tree. Thankfully, this year, the publisher got a jump on things and sent a review copy of Kay Hymowitz's Marriage and Caste in America. Now it's staring at me from the coffee table, just begging to be read. And to sweeten the deal, Wednesday's Wall Street Journal... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/13/2006
First, I need to say that while Focus on the Family strongly supports those who homeschool their children, we also recognize that there are many good parents who send their kids to government-funded schools and private schools as well. You are not necessarily in the wrong to delegate the responsibility of educating your children to the state. That said, I think it's important to re-frame this discussion that Tim Challies began recently. I'm not able to comment directly on anything... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 12/12/2006
The season finale of the CBS reality show The Amazing Race 10 was aired this past Sunday. I note it because, as Steve blogged earlier this year, one of the contestants, Dustin Konselman, is a Focus on the Family Institute grad from 2003. She and her teammate, Kandice Pelletier, were known on the show as the "Beauty Queens" or "The Blonds." I can't remember Dustin referencing her Christianity nor was she labeled a Christian by CBS or the other contestants.... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/12/2006
In "Why I Do Not Homeschool (Part 1)," blogger Tim Challes tackles a controversial subject — how a believer should educate one's children. The touchiness of the subject is evidenced by the 70 comments the post has already accrued — five of those coming in during the minutes I spent reading the post. As a former homeschooler (who enjoyed the experience), I am keenly interested in this series. Tim claims that what parents choose in this matter reveals their ideology.... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/12/2006
As some of you know, regular Boundless contributor Thabiti Anyabwile is a convert to Christianity from Islam. He was interviewed by Matt Schmucker of 9 Marks recently about the beliefs and history of Islam, his experiences as a Muslim, the contradictions in the Koran, and effective ways to share the gospel with Muslims. If this is something you're interested in, I encourage you to listen to his talk, entitled The Gospel and Islam. HT: The Christian Mind and Greg Linscott. Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/11/2006
Several weeks ago, I had a disagreement with a close friend with whom I was organizing an event. The crux of the disagreement — spontaneity versus preparedness — struck on some core differences between us. The conflict escalated into a heated argument in front of some other friends. After our meeting was over, I offered a quick apology for my reaction and my friend offered to stay and talk. It seemed to me that the more we talked, the more... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 12/11/2006
"Best and happiest of all, the time before him was his own, to make amends in." This sentence is from the last chapter of A Christmas Carol. Ebeneezer Scrooge's realization that it's not too late to make good on Christmas is a reminder I always need around this time of year. By mid-December I typically notice that the stress and busyness of the Christmas season (that seems to start earlier and earlier every year) are already crowding out the things... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/11/2006
For whatever reason I found myself egosurfing last night and stumbled across a few posts to a listserv that I had written over a dozen years ago. Remarkable that some of the things I wrote so long ago -- when Mosaic and Gopher and Pine were cutting edge technology -- are still archived somewhere on the Web. I wonder what kind of early Web memories Boundless Line readers might have, and what they think about the longevity of the virtual... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 12/11/2006
Mel Gibson's Apocalypto was number one at the box office this weekend. I was curious to see how it would do after reading several reviews in which the critics seemed to want it to fail. The ones I read panned the movie for no other reason than its graphic violence. That's fair enough, but I think the violence merely presented a convenient excuse for them not to like the movie. I think they just don't like Mel. It appears that... Read more.
by Denise Morris on 12/09/2006
Did you know that NBA players are suffering from lacerations caused by "killer" basketballs?! It's true. Newsweek reports that the new basketball instituted in the NBA this season gives the players cuts. Steve Nash (point guard for the Phoenix Suns) even had to wear bandages on his hand the other day because of the gashes the basketballs have been giving him. Apparently this new ball retains things from the floor, which causes friction for the ball handlers: Somehow, the new... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/08/2006
Imagine a Web site that tells you how to make your cancer grow or gives you tips for worsening your symptoms. It's an absurd thought. But according to Newsweek, something similar is taking place in the growing number of pro-eating-disorder Web sites. Many experts find the pro-eating-disorder sites appalling. "It's one of the few times in history that someone has come out and said that a very dangerous illness is a good idea, and here's how to do it," says... Read more.
by Denise Morris on 12/08/2006
A recent article on Time.com talks about a current debate in congress about fetal pain. Apparently, if passed, the Federal Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act would require doctors to make patients aware of the possibility of pain the fetus may feel during an abortion: Their bill would require abortion providers to tell patients that by 20 weeks after fertilization a fetus can feel pain, and to ask if she would like anesthesia for the baby. If she refuses, she would... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 12/08/2006
Suzanne has a great piece this week on Boundless questioning the Townsend and Cloud phenomena on boundaries. Here's an excerpt: "Boundaries for Early Christians" would not have been a bestseller. In fact, the early church seems to have had some significant boundary issues. Acts describes people living in community, sharing all they had, selling their stuff to give to the poor. Believers today find this concept very uncomfortable. We cherish independence and privacy. We worry about being taken advantage of... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 12/08/2006
Albert Mohler's Thursday post pointed to a debate on beliefnet.com between two warring worldviews. He defends a woman's right to choose to stay home with her children -- leaving the workforce for a season, or indefinitely, if she so desires. At odds is philosopher and author Linda Hirshman who says any woman who does that is doing something "destructive and dangerous." They are "letting down the team." She finds mothering beneath most women. According to Mohler, "She even compared mothers... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 12/08/2006
Hollywood's recent spotlight on major Biblical stories has been operating in reverse. First out of the gate was Left Behind based on the end of the world. Next came The Passion based on Christ's crucifixion. The latest release was The Nativity Story backing up to Christ's birth. This morning I found out that the next major movie planned goes all the way back to the fall. Paradise Lost, scheduled for 2007 is based on John Milton's story of the fall... Read more.
by Denise Morris on 12/07/2006
My Bible study has been going through the book, The Promised Power by Roc Bottomly. I love it. I am possibly a bit biased since I work with Roc at the Focus on the Family Institute. But, honestly, it's a good book. You should check it out. Roc's purpose in writing the book was to share his story of discovering the Holy Spirit. He was pretty conservative (even lifting his hands during worship made him a bit uncomfortable), and it... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/07/2006
Ever been in a meeting where a "facilitator" was helping you come to some consensus on an issue? Could be a university gathering, school board meeting, town hall meeting, neighborhood association or a community group of some sort. In some cases, these meetings are not in truth meant to draw some conclusion based on input from the group, but to lead those present into arriving at some already-determined conclusion that benefits the organization hosting the event. In other words, you... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 12/07/2006
Let's spread some holiday cheer to our soldiers in Iraq this Christmas and send them some Silly String and baby wipes -- no joke. The Silly String may actually help save their lives and the special wipes just make them a little more bearable. USA Today has a blurb on a story from The Star-Ledger explaining that U.S. soldiers have found that Silly String helps find tripwires attached to bombs planted by insurgents. Before entering a room, the soldiers spray... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 12/07/2006
Motte's post "The Delicate Matter of Complimentarianism" reminded me that I first read that controversial Mark Driscoll quote on Rod Dreher's blog. At the time I was browsing and obviously misread Dreher's site. I thought he was quoting some liberal! I really can't believe Driscoll said what he did about pastors' wives "letting themselves go." I'd be curious what Doug Wilson (author of Her Hand in Marriage) thinks of this. He says a husband is responsible for his wife's beauty.... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 12/06/2006
Are you starting to feel anxious about education or consumer debt? A recent survey found that 60 percent of young people feel they have more finanical pressure than young people in previous generations. That finding appears in a major series being produced jointly by ABC News and USAToday called "Young and In Debt." The survey is mentioned in the kickoff article which also points out that 11 percent of respondents have put off marrying and 14 percent have delayed having... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/06/2006
In a blog post that hit the wires yesterday, SharperIron explores the history of fundamentalists' approach to theater and film. (Don't be put off by the way this site uses the term "fundamentalist" -- for them it simply means a person who adheres to the fundamental doctrines of our faith.) It used to be that there was an ongoing discussion among Christians about whether it was wise to go to the movies ... at all. Much of what was coming... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/06/2006
Three years ago, my brother attended a worship leaders conference in California and came back gushing about Chris Tomlin. Tomlin, still virtually unknown at that time, had led worship at the conference, and my brother bought all of his CDs. I still remember Matt insisting that I needed to know who Chris Tomlin was. Now most Christians do. A TIME Magazine profile, which compares Tomlin to Patty and Mildred Hill — the writers of "Happy Birthday" — speculates that he... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 12/06/2006
Mark Driscoll, Mars Hill Church pastor and Resurgence blogger, has received unwelcome attention from the national media for some things he has written about women on his blog. MSNBC has the story here, highlighting the most "offensive" comments and the planned protest at his church which received national exposure. One of Mark's blog posts which helped spark the protest was written as a warning against sexual sin to other pastors in the wake of Ted Haggard's fall. Here is an... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 12/05/2006
You may have noticed over the past day or so that the Boundless Line has a fresh new URL: www.BoundlessLine.org Three things to note: 1) If you use a "news aggregator" such as Firefox, Bloglines, Safari, Windows RSS Platform or LiveJournal you may have to update your link to our site. Try simply using http://www.boundlessline.org/rss.xml 2) It's a whole lot simpler to remember "www.BoundlessLine.org" than the domain we previously used! 3) There's currently a glitch in Internet Explorer where you... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/05/2006
An article on Fox News today reports that parents are increasingly using text messaging to communicate with their teens and college-age children. A recent survey commissioned by Cingular Wireless found that 63 percent of parents who text their children find that it improves communication, and 64 percent of parents felt texting made their kids easier to reach. Even though I am not a parent, I try to follow the trends. Right now, text messaging is my primary info-sharing communication with... Read more.
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