Family Estrangement

By David Oliver | August 16, 2023 |

Earlier this year, I read a fascinating autobiography of evangelist, pastor, and educator, Ed Nelson. Published just after Nelson’s death at the advanced age of 98, A Sinner Saved By Grace, catalogued a long, broad, and interesting life.1 One chapter was particularly sad. An adult son asked for a private meeting with Nelson just two…

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“The Most Important Christian Duty”: George Muller’s Counsel for Christian Living

By Micah Colbert | August 15, 2023 | Comments Off on “The Most Important Christian Duty”: George Muller’s Counsel for Christian Living

Known for his life of faith, power in prayer, and service to orphans, George Muller (1805-1898) was a man whose depth with Christ stands in stark contrast to the shallowness that pervades our Christian landscape. Recently, I took the opportunity to read Muller’s autobiography again. If you’ve never read it, I would highly recommend that…

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Pornography as a Spiritual AND Public Health Crisis

By Kevin Schaal | August 13, 2023 | Comments Off on Pornography as a Spiritual AND Public Health Crisis

But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  Matthew 5:28  If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and…

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PnD podcast – Interview 10: Preparing for Life’s Final Transition

By Proclaim and Defend | August 12, 2023 | Comments Off on PnD podcast – Interview 10: Preparing for Life’s Final Transition

Opening paragraphs of our FrontLine article: My wife, Tricia, and I have been in an interesting and important phase of our lives for the last few years—caring for aging parents. In 2020 Tricia’s parents, Larry and Nancy, moved in with us, and we became their primary-care providers. Just over five short months after they moved…

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Don’t Give Up Ministering the Gospel (Part 4)

By Kevin Collins | August 11, 2023 | Comments Off on Don’t Give Up Ministering the Gospel (Part 4)

This is the fourth in a series of four posts. Click here for previous posts: part 1, part 2, part 3. If you are a Christian you have been given a worthy ministry: to share the gospel. Yet, we all find this hard because of the opposition that we face. If you are to faint…

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The Glory of Godliness

By Micah Colbert | August 10, 2023 | Comments Off on The Glory of Godliness

An Abandoned Pursuit When was the last time you heard someone talk about godliness? Frequently, I hear Christians talk about being more faithful, loving, or active in church. But I can’t remember the last time I heard someone say, “ I want to be more godly.” Why is there so little interest in godliness? Perhaps…

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I Will Make You Fishers of Men

By Kristi Davis | August 9, 2023 |

We recently took our kids fishing. Taking four young, inexperienced children to fish for the afternoon is a lot of work, just ask my husband. I’m not too helpful when it comes to catching literal fish. There are hooks caught deep under fallen trees in the water, there are hooks snagged high overhead in still…

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The Ideology of Christian Nationalism and the Theology of the New Testament

By Greg Stiekes | August 8, 2023 |

Someone has observed that one sign of a nation’s moral degradation is the fact that conservatives find it increasingly difficult to parody its culture. Seth Dillon, CEO of the popular Babylon Bee, claims that nearly 100 of their news parodies designed to identify real issues through ridicule have actually come true (Fox News). In 2019,…

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The Prosperity Gospel Family Style: The Gothard Movement and Biblical Fundamentalism

By Kevin Schaal | August 6, 2023 |

There is an Amazon series being aired that is an expose (with an agenda) of the Duggar family drama, and the ministry behind the Duggars—the Institute in Basic Life Principles—founded by now disgraced (as determined by the leadership of the ministry he founded) Bill Gothard. My understanding is that it falsely ties all of biblical…

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FBFI 2023 Workshop: Changing Your Midweek Ministry Using Kids4truth Clubs!

By Proclaim and Defend | August 5, 2023 | Comments Off on FBFI 2023 Workshop: Changing Your Midweek Ministry Using Kids4truth Clubs!

During our recent Annual Meeting held at Faith Baptist Bible College in Ankeny, Iowa, our theme was “Reclaiming the Great Commission.” Besides the preaching sessions, our speakers and other leaders conducted several outstanding Workshop sessions, most of which we recorded. We offer them along with the audio of the main messages. Marrena Ralph conducted the…

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