Today's Christian articles from November 2005

Today's Christian archives from November 2005

After the storm.(The FinePrint)
November 1, 2005... When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in late August, no one knew how deep it would penetrate the soul of our nation, challenging us on everything from poverty to environmental awareness. The compassion of ordinary...

Keep it clean, Santa.(Kids oftheKingdom)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... My daughter, Samantha, was 7 when she left this note on the hearth beside Santa's milk and cookies: "Merry Christmas. We have been good this year. Please take this food to the kitchen, because we are not allowed to eat or drink on our new...

The baby downstairs.(Kids oftheKingdom)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Several weeks ago my wife and I were explaining to our 3-year-old son, Harrison, how much Jesus loves him. I asked him if he knew where Jesus lived, assuming he might say "in my heart" or "in heaven." But Harrison thought about it and said,...

A permanent solution.(Kids oftheKingdom)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... My wife and I teach first-grade Sunday school, and we sometimes laugh at the things our students say. Once, while teaching a lesson on for-giving others, I asked the following question: "What would you do if your best friend hit you?" Several...

Potty breakdown.(Kids oftheKingdom)
November 1, 2005... It was my granddaughter Shirley's first day of kindergarten. The teacher told the class if anyone needed to go to the bathroom to hold up their hand. After a moment's thought, little Shirley asked, "How's that going to help?" --Thomas...

Winning them with Kindness.(Quick Takes)
November 1, 2005... Re'na Garcia is a 24-year-old wife and mother of two preschoolers, a full-time nanny to two other children, and director of student ministries at a Nashville Evangelical Covenant church. She leads a busy life, but her favorite part of the day...

I Told the Mountain to Move.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 1, 2005... I Told the Mountain to Move Patricia Raybon (SaltRiver/Tyndale, $19.99) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ask five different people to define prayer and you will likely hear such answers as communication with God, hearing from God,...

The Christmas Sessions.(Brief Article)(Radio Program Review)
November 1, 2005... The Christmas Sessions MercyMe (INO Records) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the past four years, MercyMe has become one of the best-selling bands of any musical genre. Songs like "I Can Only Imagine" and "Word of God Speak" have made...

He Is Exalted: Live Worship.(Sound Recording Review)
November 1, 2005... He Is Exalted: Live Worship Twila Paris (Integrity) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With classics like "We Will Glorify" and "How Beautiful," Twila has given the church some of this generation's most significant worship songs. On this,...

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ.(Warner Home Video's releases new DVD's)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ Warner Home Video [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Academy Award-winning 1959 classic is new again with this digitally remastered collector's edition DVD of what is widely considered one of the best...

Casting Crowns' "Who Am I": not because of who I am. But because of what you've done.(Story BehindTheSong)
November 1, 2005... Casting Crowns picked up three Dove Awards this year, including Pop Contemporary Song of the Year for their hit "Who Am I." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] What many fans may not know is that Mark Hall, the band's lead vocalist and primary...

A right time for quiet time?(Everyday Theology)
November 1, 2005... Q. Some say it is best to have your devotional time first thing in the morning--that you're somehow more "blessed" if you do. Why is that? --Steven R. McEvoy, via email A. Steven, many believers have discovered the importance of...

Virgin facts.(Everyday Theology)
November 1, 2005... Q. If we'd been Mary and Joseph's neighbors, we'd probably have had a hard time believing that Mary was truly a virgin and that the child she carried was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Is there any way we can take the Bible and prove for an...

The visible father.(Faith Matters)
November 1, 2005... When I was a young girl, almost every Sunday afternoon that my father was home, we would hike to the ridge of the mountain on which we lived. On one of our hikes, Daddy inadvertently stepped on an anthill. When he looked down at his big...

Heart of Clay: Clay Aiken became a superstar on TV's American Idol, but this Christian kid from North Carolina insists he'll always stay true to himself and to God.
November 1, 2005... Taping for the new season of Fox television's American Idol began this fall, with thousands of teens and 20-somethings heading for audition sites in metropolitan areas from San Francisco to Boston. Many traveled for hours, then slept on the...

Understanding marriage in a fresh new way!(Dr. Gary Chapman's The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate )(Book Review)
November 1, 2005... Dr. Gary Chapman, author of the perennial best seller The Five Love Languages, provides an easy-to-grasp framework to help couples identify the quality of their marriage and seven practical strategies for strengthening or improving their...

Straight out of Narnia: C. S. Lewis was the greatest Christian apologist of the 20th century. But to children, he will always be the man who introduced us to Aslan.
November 1, 2005... When his mother told him that he was going to meet the famous author C. S. Lewis, 8-year-old Douglas Gresham could hardly contain himself. The Chronicles of Narnia were among his favorite bedtime stories and now he was about to be introduced...

What will Heaven be like?(SPOTLIGHT ON Dr. Randy Alcorn)
November 1, 2005... God has put eternity in our hearts. Now, Randy Alcorn brings eternity to light in a way that will surprise you, spark your imagination, and change how you live today. If you've always thought of Heaven as a realm of disembodied spirits,...

The day angels joined the choir: it was a dark time for our church, but God sent us a reminder of his presence.
November 1, 2005... It had been one of the hottest Augusts on record in our small town, but the climate in our church ten years ago was decidedly chilly. A disagreement about worship styles had created a sad rift in our congregation. The choir director and about...

From Africa to Ukraine: eastern Europe's most influential pastor is a Nigerian who wants to reach the world through his Ukranian congregation.
November 1, 2005... Sunday Adelaja never dreamed of becoming a megachurch leader when he left his Nigerian village at age 19. He was headed to the Soviet Union on a journalism scholarship. Only six months earlier, moved by an evangelistic crusade on TV, he had...

Lessons on finishing well: even in their final days, my dad and mom have shown me the power of love, laughter, and faith.
November 1, 2005... Editor's note: Thousands of Christians have benefited from the wisdom of retired business executive Fred Smith Sr., including the leaders of Christianity Today International, our parent company. In this article, one of his daughters reflects...

The great elf explosion: a mishap at an overseas toy factory put my parenting skills to the test.
November 1, 2005... Christmas may well be the ultimate time for family. But sometimes our families are more far-flung than we realize. I found that out during the holiday season of 1999. The season begins earlier and earlier when you have children. It was...

God is here, too: I went to Iraq with mixed emotions. Then I discovered a deeper truth amid the chaos.
November 1, 2005... When I joined the Army Reserves as a doctor in 1993, I wanted to ease the suffering that war causes. As an Army doctor, I have the privilege of caring not only for our soldiers, but also for wounded civilians and for prisoners of war. I...

Eritrea: cracking down on freedom.(Persecution Report)
November 1, 2005... Pastor Oqbamichel Haimanot of the Kale Hiwot (Word of Life) Protestant Church was participating in a wedding ceremony in a city in western Eritrea, Africa, on January 9, when suddenly the Eritrean police crashed the ceremony. The evangelical...

Sheepish people.(Bible IQ)
November 1, 2005... As Christmas approaches, it's fun to consider the shepherds of the Bible. Shepherds are mentioned often in Scripture, sometimes literally (those who cared for sheep), sometimes figuratively (those who cared for other people, particularly...

The last laugh.(Cartoon)
November 1, 2005... Santa's REALITY CHECK [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I stopped making a list. Nothing is considered naughty anymore!" [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]