by Motte Brown on 02/28/2007
With His blessings from above Serve it generously with love One man, one wife One love through life Memories are made of this Memories are made of this These are lyrics from Dean Martin's 1956 hit "Memories are Made of This", which spent 16 weeks on the charts, four of them at number one. It expresses what music historian Daniel Goldmark says our culture no longer accepts, that marriage is the "great narrative" of life. Goldmark was interviewed for a... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 02/28/2007
Rhonda Byrne has a secret. Her self-help book, The Secret, could be the fastest-selling book of its kind in the history of publishing. Her secret? Let your thoughts and feelings get you everything you want. Newsweek reports: The "secret" is the law of attraction, which holds that you create your own reality through your thoughts. Its explicit claim is that you can manipulate objective physical reality — the numbers in a lottery drawing, the actions of other people who may... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 02/26/2007
Like Steve and Suzanne, I too was impressed with Amazing Grace. It was well made and acted, and surprisingly relevant. One of my favorite scenes was when Wilberforce and a fellow Member of Parliament tricked some unsuspecting constituents into visiting a slave ship. Wilberforce appeared on the deck and began describing the slaves' recent voyage of bondage and death. While he addressed the group, they began covering their noses with handkerchiefs because of the ship's stench. Wilberforce implored them to... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 02/26/2007
I also had the opportunity to see Amazing Grace this weekend. And, like Steve, I was pleased with the spiritual content. I found myself swept up in the beauty of Wilberforce's story. National Review Online interviewed Eric Metaxas, the author of the Wilberforce biography also titled Amazing Grace. Metaxas points out the profound nature of Wilberforce's influence, which went beyond abolishing the slave trade. Wilberforce practically invented what we would call a social conscience. And we can't bear the thought... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 02/26/2007
We Americans can stop beating ourselves up, saying that we're guilty of destroying the planet. The truth is that we're doing a lot better than some Oscar winners would have us believe. Data from the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change show that, as a consequence of the United States outspending other countries on research and technologies to reduce emissions, we are "greener" than Europe. The shocker: Big Business is responsible for the improvements, not the U.S. government. H. Sterling... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 02/26/2007
I went into the Amazing Grace movie over the weekend with lower expectations after hearing that the producers had throttled Wilberforce's spiritual motivations somewhat. As a result, I was pleasantly surprised by just how obvious Wilberforce's faith came through -- and how powerful John Newton's small contribution ended up being. Although it came out much earlier in the year than typical Oscar contenders, it has the quality of an award-winning film. More importantly, it delivers a message of faithful perseverance... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 02/26/2007
I try really hard to avert my gaze from the glossy magazines in the grocery store check-out aisles. The glamorous cover models always make me feel self-conscious and the raunchy headlines appeal to my baser instincts. Last year, after studying Isaiah, I started thinking about the once beautiful women in that book who made beauty their idol. Eventually, their idolatry led to cursed baldness, scabs and worse. The LORD says, "The women of Zion are haughty, walking along with outstretched... Read more.
by Denise Morris on 02/23/2007
Apparently Jesus was never resurrected, and He fathered a son. Sound like a familiar Dan Brown story? According to a blog on Time.com, James Cameron (director of Titanic) and Simcha Jacobovici are creating a documentary which claims that Jesus' body was found in a tomb. On Monday, Cameron plans to hold a press conference, revealing three caskets that he says belonged to Jesus, His mother Mary, and Mary Magdalene: Let's go back 27 years, when Israeli construction workers were gouging... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 02/23/2007
World Mag Blog turned me onto a Vanity Fair article (which contains crude language BTW) from Christopher Hitchens exploring the "humor gap" between men and women. Men, he says, are funny. Women, not so much. Here's why: Why are men, taken on average and as a whole, funnier than women? Well, for one thing, they had [expletive] well better be. The chief task in life that a man has to perform is that of impressing the opposite sex, and Mother... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 02/23/2007
In conjunction with the Mentor Series interview with Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort that we published yesterday, we're giving away a brand-new Way of the Master Basic Training Course to one of our e-newsletter subscribers. A $100 value, it includes the following: 8 lessons on 4 DVDs 4-CD Kit containing the audio portion of the teaching 120-page Study Guide (additional guides available) Quick Reference Card to help you remember what to say 300 "Icebreakers" (tracts) to get you started in... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 02/23/2007
Here's a feel-good story for Friday. The Associated Press reports that a police chief wrote himself a ticket: Chief Dick Knoebel drove past a stopped school bus with its lights flashing in September, then wrote himself a ticket for $235 and docked himself four points on his driving record. The story surfaced after it showed up in court records and media reports. Knoebel, who received more than 150 congratulatory e-mails for his act of honesty, has had to turn down... Read more.
by Denise Morris on 02/22/2007
Interestingly, both Boundless and TrueU published articles relating to atheism this week. The Boundless article by Matt Kaufman talks about the recent "Blasphemy Challenge" phenomenon. The creators of the Blasphemy Challenge are encouraging atheists to commit the unpardonable sin mentioned in Mark 3:29 and blaspheme the Holy Spirit. Beside the fact that I believe they're misinterpreting the verse, the folks who are doing this seem to be pretty trite in their approach. I watched a Nightline interview with Brian Sapient,... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 02/22/2007
Zach Hunter inspires me. Motivated by the stories of William Wilberforce and Harriet Tubman who worked to end slavery, Zach, at age 12, started a student-led campaign called Loose Change to Loosen Chains to free modern-day slaves. Now 15, Hunter just released his first book: Be the Change. And his influence is growing. The Georgia boy is now a high school freshman whose campaign is just getting bigger: he is the global youth spokesperson for Walden Media's Amazing Change campaign,... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 02/21/2007
In the nearly two weeks since we debuted our Relationship Assessment, we've had more than 3,600 people complete the test. While we've received positive feedback from those who found it helpful, we have received a few suggestions on how to improve it. And we've taken those suggestions to heart. Among other things, we've tweaked the math that calculates the "connection-clarity" score and revised the wording in some of the responses. We think the Boundless DTR Assessment can be a very... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 02/21/2007
Warning: This post contains a graphic description of an abortion procedure. Amilia Taylor is called "the miracle baby." She was born October 24th, 2006, after only 21 weeks and six days inside her mother's womb, less time than any other baby who has survived. She was supposed to go home today but the doctors thought it best to keep her a few more days. ABC's Robin Roberts interviewed the parents and doctor on Monday, the day before her scheduled release.... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 02/21/2007
If the word NOOMA means anything to you, you probably know who Rob Bell is. If not, he's the pastor of Mars Hill Church in Grand Rapids, MI who is well known for producing engaging short films about God. The films' production quality is second to none and its content is always thought provoking for both believer and non-believer alike. Bell is currently on tour promoting his second book, Sex God, due in March. His first, Velvet Elvis, became a... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 02/20/2007
Last week I read Candice's post about the woman who couldn't resist checking e-mail during her honeymoon. Today I read about a Philadelphia woman, Marsha Egan, who offers a 12-step program to cure e-mail addiction. One of Egan's clients cannot walk by a computer — her own or anyone else's — without checking for messages. Other people will not vacation anywhere they cannot connect to their e-mail systems. Some wait for e-mails and send themselves a message if one hasn't... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 02/20/2007
You've watched and enjoyed our first video short. Our second one follows an awkward discussion between a young woman who needs clarity in her relationship and her boyfriend who is content with things staying just as they are: You may recognize the actress in this video.... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 02/20/2007
It's interesting that Suzanne noticed William Wilberforce was a single man when he started his campaign to abolish slavery. What caught my eye is that even though he was a man consumed by a righteous passion for human freedom, a passion that fueled his life work in politics and social influence, he still found the capacity, and time, to marry and have children. Six of them in fact. Biographer David J. Vaughan writes in Statesman and Saint: Wilberforce's star was... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 02/19/2007
Not only are readers in some cases complaining about our biblical perspective on sex, they're also asking what believers should do when it comes to sex, suggesting that we spend too much time on Boundless talking about the should nots. In answer to Steve's question about a source for understanding God's view of sex, as well as a starting point for what is good about sex, I think Al Mohler says it well in his recent post in an "On... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 02/19/2007
If you're a fan of 24, you've probably wondered about the politics of the man behind the scenes. After all, it's not very politically correct to show Arab-Americans helping Islamic terrorists blow up Los Angeles with a nuclear bomb; or to portray torture as an effective means of getting vital information; or to suggest that the rights of a few must be sacrificed to protect the masses. But Joel Surnow, the co-creator and executive producer of 24, isn't your typical... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 02/19/2007
With this Friday's release of "Amazing Grace," many articles are appearing on the life and times of 19th century Politician and Abolitionist, William Wilberforce. As I've read them, a few common themes keep catching my attention. William Wilberforce was a single young adult. When Wilberforce became a Christian, he was a 25-year-old bachelor. His age and station did not stop him from seeking to make a difference immediately. Wilberforce chose to stay in the world in which he had influence... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 02/19/2007
Recent articles on Boundless about sex as well as our comments about sexual activity in our DTR assessment have resulted in more emails to the editor questioning our perspective on this volatile topic. What I often wonder is where some writers who describe themselves as Christians get their perspective on sexuality -- since their views seem so left field of what's found in the Bible. Michael Craven, director of the Center for Christ and Culture, offers some perspective on this... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 02/19/2007
I found myself thinking last night about differences between expressions of praise that are beautiful and crafty, and those that are clumsy and seemingly uninspired. Naturally I'm drawn to the former and sometimes tolerate the latter. I can appreciate well-executed art, especially if it's godward. I love to hear a good Christian band get in a worship groove. I'm moved by well-crafted essays or poems that explore the grace of God and how fathomless His great love is in spite... Read more.
by Denise Morris on 02/17/2007
Guys and Gals, I work at a placed called the Focus on the Family Institute. It is pretty awesome. You should come! I came to the Institute as a student in the Fall of 2004 and -- I'm not even exaggerating -- it changed my life. I learned a ton through the classes (worldview, family, marriage, church & society), I made lifelong friends (including my current boyfriend!), and I did a great internship with Brio Magazine (that's right, girls, I... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 02/16/2007
This may sound odd, but one of the first things I noticed about my wife when we first met was her calves. That's right, I was attracted to her calves. And the reason I'm bringing this up is because "Do bare calves cause men to stumble?" is one of the many questions raised in The Rebelution's peer survey on modesty. The Harris brothers began gathering answers to their online questionnaire this January and over 1,600 Christian guys responded. They include... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 02/16/2007
Again and again, it seems, scientific discoveries align with what the ancients knew was true simply by reading their parchments. And today's "Upside of Aging" story in the Wall Street Journal is another one of those times. Titus 2 says the older should teach the younger. New research says, A surprising array of mental functions hold up well into old age, while others actually get better. Vocabulary improves, as do other verbal abilities. ... Older brains are packed with more... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 02/16/2007
We published the third in Scott Croft's "Biblical Dating" series yesterday, entitled "Are You Ready to Date?" Some striking quotes from his article: "In my view, if you can't happily picture yourself married within a year, you're not in a position to date." "[E]asily the biggest complaint that I and others who advocate this approach get from godly Christian women is that men don't initiate." "[M]arriage and family are considered a natural stage of progression toward manhood." "As it is... Read more.
by Denise Morris on 02/16/2007
An article on Time.com, titled 1 Woman At A Time, talks in detail about the rising number of crisis pregnancy centers in America. The centers -- which counter places like Planned Parenthood because they do not offer abortions or birth control -- are a way for pro-lifers to engage with and help women who are considering abortions. The article highlights Asheville Pregnancy Support Services in Asheville, North Carolina. The center offers a number of services to pregnant women, including ultrasounds.... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 02/16/2007
Author and Pastor Joshua Harris' artwork has only improved over the years, moving from a traditional style to a more esoteric Thurberesque one. Back when he was editor of a little homeschooling magazine called "New Attitude," for example, he published the "Jiffy N' Lou" series (his brothers Alex and Brett have archived some of them on their website; click a thumbnail below to see the full-size cartoon). His latest artwork was initially a series of doodles to support a sermon... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 02/15/2007
I appreciated Mike Ensley's candid article on the struggle of same sex attraction. Speaking of the comparisons sinful humans are prone to make, he writes: I've noticed something interesting among those of us on this journey. It's the way we label; not how we label people who struggle with SSA, but those who don't. Sometimes we call them "ever-straights." Sometimes we just shorten "he doesn't struggle with homosexuality" down to "he doesn't struggle." "He doesn't struggle." Although we say that... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 02/15/2007
When Kristin Rain Pineau Leander went on a Caribbean cruise last year, she took the opportunity to take a break from email. "It's kind of like people who go to the fridge when they're bored," she said in an article in Wednesday's Wall Street Journal, "I check email." Wanting to avoid the $100 in fees she racked up last time she went on a cruise, she decided this time she'd let the messages go unread. Though she lasted a couple... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 02/15/2007
Every Thursday I write and send out an e-newsletter highlighting the week's articles and editorializing on whatever else strikes me as relevant at the time. Upon re-re-reading today's e-newsletter, which I had just sent out to our 28,500 subscribers, I saw that two of the paragraphs began with "Finally." See what they saw here. It's my understanding that in certain Asian countries, weavers intentionally insert a "flaw" into the rugs they make. Their explanation is that only God is perfect,... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 02/15/2007
In yesterday's Opinion Journal, author Lionel Shriver explores the reasons why Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of unfaithful movie characters, despite the value we place on individual satisfaction. Most Americans these days agree that couples should stay together only so long as both parties love each other. That should you fall deeply and irretrievably in love with someone else, you owe it to yourself to follow your heart. That you shouldn't remain in an unhappy union purely for the sake of the... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 02/14/2007
A couple of weeks ago Boundless author Thabiti Anyabwile wrote some suggestions on "How Not to Lose Your Faith in College." While the entire article is helpful for college students in particular, one word of advice, "Choose your friends with biblical criteria in view," struck me as especially insightful for those in any stage of life. Here's an excerpt: Though we talk about "making friends," few people really set out to "make" them. However, intentional cultivation of friendships may make... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 02/14/2007
Ten years ago, I wrote a poem called "Love Feast" to give Candice for Valentine's Day. It talks about how I came to appreciate the "gourmet feast" we had in our relationship despite my culturally-driven tendency to look for a "fast food" soul mate. You can read the story behind this in my article, "Hoping for a Soul Mate." Maybe this could help some guy out there re-evaluate the potential of the relationship he's in. I used to feast on... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 02/13/2007
Just in time for Valentine's Day, Emily parker of the Wall Street Journal considers the booming business of eHarmony and if "maybe it's about time we stopped mourning lost conventions and just went with the technological flow." In a fast-paced, technologically-based society, it appears that the days of "eyes meeting across a crowded room" may be a thing of the past. But Greg Waldorf, the 38-year-old CEO of eHarmony, is enthusiastic about the present and future of online matchmaking. Mr.... Read more.
by Motte Brown on 02/13/2007
John Piper isn't one to mince words. That's why I love his books and sermons. But I also hate them for fear that I'll read or hear something so convicting, my spirit won't be at rest until the matter is settled within. And it's usually an issue I want to remain unsettled. So I'm always surprised when I hear him preach a message that leaves me a bit ... confused. Pastor Piper made quite a stir in Atlanta this year... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 02/13/2007
I wrote a post a couple of days ago arguing the counter-Marxist perspective that being rich is not necessarily a bad thing. Within one comment it had turned into a discussion of whether or not Christians could support pro-abortion presidential candidates such as Barack Obama. I've deleted all the irrelevant comments from that thread. Please continue the discussion here. Feel free to visit Sen. Obama's church's website to get a better sense of this man's faith. Read more.
by Candice Watters on 02/13/2007
I used to hate Valentine's Day. I dreaded the official reminder that I was unattached. But I never thought to make money off my distaste. Guess I'm not cynical enough. That's not the case with American Greetings. In a growing trend, this February 14th will find lots of people sending anti-Valentines -- ironic missives for those who'd "rather be big goofs than big flirts." According to Matt Brick, who runs antiVday.com and SinglesAwareness.com, "It is not just single people who... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 02/12/2007
You gotta hand it to Byron Calame, public editor and "reader representative" at the New York Times. In yesterday's paper, he took on the widely influential article that ran last month claiming women living without their spouses are now the majority (read his story here). Here's a portion of his piece: The opening paragraph of the article sounded like grown-up stuff: "For what experts say is probably the first time, more American women are living without a husband than with... Read more.
by Denise Morris on 02/12/2007
I was browsing through Valentine's Day cards yesterday and noticed two things: 1) A surprising number of cards were pretty raunchy and 2) you can actually buy anti-Valentine's Day cards if you wish to shun the holiday instead of celebrate it. I guess I shouldn't be surprised by the sex-related cards -- sex sells, right? Apparently bitterness sells as well. The anti-Valentine craze is just another way for business to make money, according to an article in the Seattle Times.... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 02/12/2007
The good folks at the Census Bureau celebrate Valentine's Day a little different from most of us -- they quantify it. So, for instance, in their Valentine's Day Facts for Features press release, they give us numbers on the size of the flower, chocolate and jewelry business in America (millions upon millions). But they also quantify singleness, marriage and the growth of dating services. Check out some of their highlights: 2.2 million The number of marriages that take place in... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 02/12/2007
It's clear that those who have a good deal of money tend not to be as acutely aware of their need for the Lord. Which makes it difficult for them to turn to the Lord for salvation. But Scripture is clear that some people are rewarded for their obedience with financial wealth. Those who are faithful with little are given more. Some of Jesus' disciples were rich, after all. And that means that the accumulation of money is not inherently... Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 02/12/2007
After completing a year and a half of school at a university three hours away from my parents' house, my younger sister is back at home for a semester, attending the local community college. My mom and dad, who were for a season empty-nesters, report it's an adjustment. Of course, it's an adjustment they're happy to make, for the most part. Commenting on a guest column in USA Today, in which authors John L. Graham and Sharon Graham Niederhaus point... Read more.
by Ted Slater on 02/09/2007
You think you've had some bad DTRs? Not as bad as these guys: Have some friends who might get a kick out of the video, the first ever produced by Boundless? Then go ahead and pass it along to them! Read more.
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 02/08/2007
An opinion piece in The Seattle Times considers the trend of successful, single career women becoming single moms. Addressing this "brave new world of men-less families" the article says: The trend toward largely men-less mothering is so advanced in the United States that chapters of the nationwide organization, "Single Mothers by Choice," have spread to U.S. cities, as if Alcoholics Anonymous clones. SMC runs workshops for would-be single mothers, many of whom are running out of time in the biological... Read more.
by Denise Morris on 02/08/2007
Former model and reality television star, Anna Nicole Smith died today. According to this MSNBC report, the 39-year-old was found to be unresponsive in her Florida hotel room earlier today: She was stricken while staying at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and was rushed to a hospital. Edwina Johnson, chief investigator of the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office, said the cause of death was under investigation and an autopsy would be done on Friday. Smith had quite the... Read more.
by Candice Watters on 02/08/2007
Tonight we'll be meeting with other believers to watch another episode of Focus on the Family's Truth Project. Even though it's often a challenge to squeeze these lessons into an already busy schedule, Dr. Mohler's blog reminded me again why it's so important to take the time necessary to understand and develop a Christian worldview. He writes: "The Christian responsibility is to develop an authentically Christian worldview, based in God's self-revelation and in thoughtful conversation with other faithful Christians." In... Read more.
by Steve Watters on 02/07/2007
I've often heard comments or seen emails from guys saying they tried to do everything right in their pursuit of a relationship with a woman only to find she had no interest in getting married anytime soon. When I share these observations with women, they often say that such disinterested responses are probably just code for "I don't want to marry you specifically." But is there a category of women out there who wouldn't even marry the best guy that... Read more.
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