Today's Christian articles from September 2005

Today's Christian archives from September 2005

A habit of building bridges.(The FinePrint)
September 1, 2005... In late June, as we put the finishing touches on this issue, Billy Graham was in New York, preaching what may be his final crusade. A diverse crowd of more than 200,000 people attended the three-day event, and nearly 10,000 came forward to...

An earthshaking prayer.(Lite Fare)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... I was at home in my trailer one Saturday evening doing laundry when I felt led by the Lord to pray. It was a time in my life when I was earnestly seeking God with all of my heart, and believing Him for big answers to big prayers. I was...

Get thee behind me.(Lite Fare)
September 1, 2005... When my father first became a Christian, he often went door-to-door through neighborhoods, passing out tracts and sharing his testimony with complete strangers. One day he came upon a house with a "Beware of Dog" sign posted on the front...

Joshua's other miracle.(Lite Fare)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Many years back, a man by the name of Joshua had to go before my uncle, who was a judge in magistrate court, to be sentenced for a crime he had committed. Uncle Walter jokingly said, "Are you the Joshua that made the sun stand still?" The man...

A cinematic call to action.(Quick Takes)(Michael W. Smith)
September 1, 2005... Michael W. Smith is a sensitive guy, easily moved to tears by any number of things: A photograph of a starving child. A sad song. A poignant story. And movies. Of course, that usually means he's crying at a movie. But now, for the first...

2020 Vision: Amazing Stories of What God is Doing Around the World.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
September 1, 2005... 2020 Vision: Amazing Stories of What God Is Doing Around the World Bill & Amy Stearns (Bethany House, $12.99) Even with all the resources the church has to offer, missions is still a sometimes scary proposition to the average...

Tears of a Dragon.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
September 1, 2005... Tears of a Dragon Bryan Davis (Living Ink/AMG, $12.99) Novelist Bryan Davis has created a modern fantasy series that inspires young people to pursue faith, courage, and love. Davis is a prolific writer who released Raising Dragons,...

Lost in Wonder: Voices of Worship.(Sound Recording Review)
September 1, 2005... Lost in Wonder: Voices of Worship Susan Ashton, Christine Dente, and Michelle Tumes (Worship Together) After a long absence, Ashton returns to Christian music, joining Tumes and Out of the Grey's Dente for an understated but...

Bridge.(Sound Recording Review)
September 1, 2005... Bridge Myrrh (In Tune Music) Somewhere between pop, gospel, and smooth jazz lies the strikingly original sound of the talented Murk family quartet (a.k.a. Myrrh). The group's latest release is an apt metaphor for music that connects...

Chris Rice & Kathy Troccoli's "Go Light Your World": carry your candle, run to the darkness seek out the hopeless, deceived and poor.(Story BehindTheSong)
September 1, 2005... The son of Christian bookstore owners, singer/songwriter Chris Rice grew up understanding the urgency of spreading the gospel message. His heart for outreach began at a young age when he became an itinerant youth pastor, playing nationwide at...

Havin' cyber church.(Everyday Theology)
September 1, 2005... Q. Do you think Christian fellowship via the Internet is an acceptable alternative to attending church services? Does praying and encouraging each other by e-mail count as participating in the "fellowship of believers"? --Sherry Pettey,...

God said what?(Everyday Theology)
September 1, 2005... Q. I dated a guy who claimed "God" told him things all the time. He said God showed him we were supposed to get married. For a while I went along with it, but deep down I felt uneasy. Later I learned he was involved in a cult. How can you...

Jesus is still the answer.(Faith Matters)
September 1, 2005... As my father Billy Graham's official representative to Pope John Paul II's funeral last spring, I was seated on the third row. From that honored position, I looked out on a vast sea of people jammed into St. Peter's Square. Across the broad...

How to make it in showbiz--without losing your faith: from Oklahoma churches to Broadway theaters and Hollywood sets, Kristin Chenoweth's amazing journey proves you can stay faithful in a "wicked" industry.(Cover Story)
September 1, 2005... You know the classic showbiz fable about the small-town gal who heads off to Broadway to become a star? Well, every now and then the fable becomes reality. Consider the journey of actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth. At 37, Chenoweth...

Redeeming public education: what began as a temporary substitute-teaching job became a holy calling for Pete C. Menjares.
September 1, 2005... The students screamed expletives at their substitute teacher, thrusting their middle fingers into the air in defiance. Each time the teacher turned to confront one student, another would launch a spit wad toward his backside. ...

'Mom, I'm addicted to pornography': my son's confession rocked our world, but it set him on the path to freedom.
September 1, 2005... "I need to talk with you and Dad." Those eight words can strike fear into a mother's heart. They certainly frightened me when my 18-year-old son, Brandon,* said them during a typically hurried morning. My husband, Steve, set down his...

What would Jesus discuss over dinner?(SPOTLIGHT ON David Gregory)
September 1, 2005... Dinner with a Perfect Stranger presents the opportunity to listen in on an intriguing discussion of life between Jesus and Nick, an ordinary guy, in this provacative novella set almost entirely in a modern-day Italian restaurant. ...

Dinner with a Perfect Stranger: chapter 2, the seating.(FROM THE BOOK)
September 1, 2005... "Dinner for one sir?" [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The maitre d's appearance from behind the wine bar dashed my option of bolting before anyone noticed me. "Sir? Dinner for one?" "No, I'm... I'm supposed to meet someone. I'm...

Leading with love: the secret to Billy Graham's remarkable ministry to the world.(Interview)
September 1, 2005... Whom you would change, You must first love. --Martin Luther King Jr. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Our first interview for our book, The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham, was with John Corts, a key employee of Billy's organization for...

Give 'em a break: stress and burnout are chasing pastors out of the ministry. Here's how to help your minister keep his sanity.
September 1, 2005... Four years ago I walked away from the ministry. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] According to statistics, it's a surprise more pastors don't. The Alban Institute estimates that 17 percent of pastors are experiencing burnout. A study of one...

The son also rises: Michael Landon Jr. is following in his famous father's footsteps. But he's determined to avoid his father's sins.
September 1, 2005... When he was a young boy, Michael Landon Jr. spent a lot of time hanging out with his famous father on the set of Little House on the Prairie. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] They're some of the happiest memories of his life, and Little House...

What the chicken told me: god used an annoying rooster to shake me out of my foul mood.
September 1, 2005... It was my first day on the job as a financial specialist for a busy bank in Central Florida. I stood in my new office with the beautiful cherry furniture, a painting of the ocean, and a wall of windows looking out on green grass and trees. It...

North Korea: land of unspeakable horror.(Persecution Report)
September 1, 2005... "I experienced life in prison twice, and I was also brought to a labor camp once. I stayed there for three months until I was released. I had to labor for 18 hours a day in the most terrible circumstances. "The leaders of the camp only...

Tongue twisters.(Bible IQ)
September 1, 2005... In the Bible, as today, tongue has a literal meaning (part of the mouth) but could also mean "language" or "the power of speech." That last meaning is especially important in Scripture, which has a lot to say about humanity's use (and abuse)...

3Rs and the good book.(Bible IQ)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... According to The Bible Literacy Report, a national study funded by the Templeton Foundation, 98 percent of the country's leading high-school English teachers believe biblical literacy gives students distinct educational advantages, but most...

The last laugh.(Cartoon)
September 1, 2005... "I think he's ready to start using the computer. He just said 'Google'!" [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Don't let him smoke, drink, or take drugs. Don't let him join a gang, and don't let him surf X-rated websites with the computer....