The Light of the World

The influence of Thomas Alva Edison’s inventions on American life – and on life around the world – was so profound that when he died in October, 1931 the suggestion was made to then-president Herbert Hoover that in tribute to the inventor the entire electrical system of the United States should be turned off for…

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The Butterfly Lovers, the Cultural Revolution, and the Hand of God

Recently I attended a concert of the Hangzhou Symphony Orchestra.  A violin concerto called “The Butterfly Lovers” was a part of the program. My youngest daughter, who knows about such things, told me that the piece was quite controversial, having been composed during the Cultural Revolution, which rejected all things Western. To my ears, the…

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What Camp Meeting Choruses Teach Us About the Gospel

“Let’s sing that chorus one more time!” the worship leader calls out. You sing it again, this time louder and with more energy, “amening” the truth of the song with your voice along with everyone around you. In today’s music world, the best part of a song is often imbedded in the chorus or refrain.…

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It’s Time for Revival

When we consider the state of our world — full of fear, frustration, overreaching government, faithlessness, clamoring media, vicious politics, neighbors set against neighbors, restrictions, job losses, illness, and deaths — would you say we might come away a little defeated? Many things in the news every day get us down. That was true even…

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Contradictory Prayer

In 1987 a toddler from Texas named Jessica McClure somehow fell into a narrow abandoned well. She ended up wedged in place 22 feet down with her foot up against her head. The drama of “Baby Jessica” dragged on for two days as rescue workers labored to save her. Television crews spread to story to…

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The Crisis of Missions

(or, The Way God Can Use One Man) Uncle Tom’s Cabin first appeared in 1852 in serial form and was later published as a book, setting sales records. Its emotional portrayal of the suffering of black slaves in the south captured the attention of the country. A decade later, during the early days of the…

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What Brings Revival? — Moody’s Secret

Recently I have been reading the inspiring biography of evangelist Dwight L. Moody written by his son, William. During the last quarter of the 19th century, until his death in 1899, Moody preached on average to over 40,000 people per week – without the aid of modern electronic voice amplification. The descriptions of halls, opera…

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Poisoning America

We observe a disturbing trend in the United States in recent years – the lowering of the average life expectancy.  With no major war, continual improvement in medical technology, decreasing popular acceptance of cigarette smoking, the use of seatbelts and air bags in automobiles, how can life expectancy be declining? An article in The Washington…

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A Christmas Lament for a World Adrift

lament, n.: an expression of grief or sorrow; a formal expression of sorrow or mourning1 For many people, Christian or not, Christmas is a time to raise money for your group or cause, help people who need food or clothes or gifts, to see family and friends, and, of course, it has something to do…

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Strengthening Our Churches

John’s six-verse letter to the Ephesian church in Revelation 2 gave several commendations to a fifty-year old congregation. They labored diligently for the cause of Christ, willingly suffered for their faith, remained steadfast despite their trials, decisively defended the truth, and separated themselves from worldly influences. The church of Ephesus looked like many of our…

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