Select an article $pending Christmas or Spending it Well $pending this Christmas or Spending it Well ...But Gives Grace to the Humble A Body to Kill For A More Excellent Way A New Italian Renaissance? A New Year, Renewed Purpose A Time of Troubles A Youth Revolution? Abstinence Education has Failed! Adrift From Our Past American Idol: Distorted Dreams and Grand Illusions American Idol: Fame, Fortune and Self-Delusion Apologetics in the 21st Century Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part II Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part III Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part IV Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part V Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part VI Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part VII Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part VIII Are Christians Contributing to Unbelief? Art as Prophetic Proclamation Being Light in the Midst of Financial Darkness Being the Church in a Time of Troubles Between Two Extremes: Liberalism & Fundamentalism Beyond Ideologies Can thinking Small Change the World? Career vs Family: Is there a Choice? Chemical vs Spiritual Christian Grit Christianity & Islam: Two Worldviews and Why They Matter Christians, Politics, and the Fate of the Nation Clueless in Seattle Community and Evangelism Competing Worldviews Confusion & Compromise: Restoring the Next Generation Contextualizing In and Not Of Crisis of Civilizational Morale Demonizing the Lost Demonizing the Rich Denominational Demise Discerning the Answers Discipleship is Evangelism Doing Apologetics in a New Context Engaging Ideas Expelled: Exposing the Darwinian Paradox Fellowship and Humility Finding Community Football Fans & Missional Christians For my Mother Freedom for All Except... From Graveyards to Starbucks From Political Pessimism to Gospel Hope General Pace: Collision at the Crossroads of Morality Generational Drift & Decay Girls Gone Wild, Boys Gone Mild Giving Thanks Giving Thanks, Again God Opposes the Proud Greater Love Hath No Man... Have We Become Unfit for Democracy? Heroism Redefined Higher Education: Excellence but no Soul Higher Education: Excellence without a Soul Hope for a Christian Renaissance? Hope for the Future Ideological Tyranny In Defense of Marriage - Conclusion In Defense of Marriage - Part I In Defense of Marriage - Part II In Defense of Marriage - Part III In Defense of Marriage - Part IV In Defense of Marriage - Part V In Defense of Marriage - Part VI In God We Trust? In Pursuit of Community: What Can We Do? Is Loving Our Neighbor Merely a Means to End? Is Religion Bad? Islam, Secularism and the Gospel Islam, Secularism and the Gospel - Conclusion Islam, Secularism and the Gospel - Part II James Watson is Not a Racist; He's a Darwinist! Justin Martyr: A Man for Our Season Kingdom Project: Ground-Level Application of the Christian Worldview Lessons from Nature Let Us Resolve Let Us Resolve: A New Year, A Renewed Faith Love Believes All Things Love Sick Marriage Survives! Can it Endure? Miss HIV: A Film to Change How the World Sees HIV/AIDS Missional VS. Evangelical Moral Misdirection My Struggle with Fundraising NASA’s Moral Failures: A Clue to Culture? Parents: Do You Know WHAT Your Kids Think? Part I - No-Fault Divorce is Institutionalized Evil Part II - Creating a Culture of Marriage Part III - Does God Expect Me to Stay Married to a Jerk? Part IV - I Thought Jesus Came to Keep Me FROM Suffering! Part V - Where is the Church in the Midst of Our Marital Crisis? Part VI - Life Together: The Difference Between Doing Church and Being the Church Pedophiles & Politics Peter Pan and the Death of Marriage Politics, Religion, and Evolution: The Three Don'ts Postmodernism: A Kairos Moment? Proclaiming the Gospel by Caring for Our Elderly Redeeming Society Redefining Heroism Reevangelizing the Church Reevangelizing the Church: The Body of Christ Reevangelizing the Church: What is the Good News? Reevangelizing the Church: Where did we go wrong? Reflections on NBC's Responding to 'Green Politics' Responding to 'Green Politics' - Conclusion Responding to 'Green Politics' - Part II Responding to 'Green Politics' - Part III Responding to 'Green Politics' - Part IV Responding to 'Green Politics' - Part V Responding to a "Gay" Christian ReThinking Evangelism: The Lessons from Grapevine Faith Reviving the Doctrine of Revival Rosie O' Donnell & Pope Benedict Seeing Business as a Redemptive Instrument Sending Our Children Sex Ed: Education or Propaganda? Smoking Bad - Homosexuality Good Thanks Giving: A National Tradition The "Oprahfication" of Eastern Mysticism The 'Big Brother Link': More Pseudo-Science The Case of Hannah Overton The Church in Post-Christendom The Church in Post-Christendom: Recovering the Mission of the Church The Church in Post-Christendom: Understanding the “Good News” The Coming Collapse of Evangelicalism The Commencement & Vision of this Ministry The Culture of Celebrity The Culture of Praise The Culture War is Over: We Lost! The Death of Marriage? The Domestication of Christianity The European Church: A Lesson in Misplaced Dependence The Face of Utilitarianism The Financial Crisis: Lessons on the virtue of thrift The High Cost of Immorality The Kingdom Comes Forcefully The Kingdom: Serving the World, Loving Others The Loss of Beauty The Moral Order: Four Options The Muslim Rebuttal and the Islamization of Knowledge The Myth of Overpopulation The Secret War Within the Church The Unrelenting Culture of Life They Love Jesus; They Don't Like the Church Thinking Small Can Change the World This Beautiful Mess To the Class of 2008 To the Class of 2009 Uncompromised Faith is Here! Utilitarianism goes Dutch What Are We To Do? What Ever Happened to Discipleship? What is Normal? What is the Missional Church? What Missional Looks Like What to do in the Face of Tyranny? Why Theology Matters Why You Must Vote! Willow Creek's Confession “If You Build It, They Will Come” Ecclesiology
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$pending Christmas or Spending it Well December 3, 2007 S. Michael Craven The Christmas season is once again upon us and with it, overwhelming encouragement from Madison Avenue to spend what we have not earned to buy what we cannot afford. The day after Thanksgiving, known as “Black Friday,” indicating the period in which retailers are in the black (or at least hope to be), signals the start of the “holiday shopping season.” That phrase in and of itself reveals the commercialized emphasis that has unfortunately come to define Christmas for many Americans. The thrust of this consumerist message is that the holiday is best enjoyed or most fully realized through the acquisition of “things.” Advertisements bombard you with images of bountiful Christmas scenes where beautiful packages surround the tree, filling the room and happiness is produced upon the receipt of this or that consumer product. Credit card issuers alone (those most interested in seeing you spend what you don’t have) spend more than $150 million on holiday advertising and promotions. Evidence that these messages work is found in the fact that according to Christian financial advisor, Dave Ramsey “Over 50% of Christmas shoppers will spend well over what they planned to and will go further into debt.”   As to the severity of this debt, Ramsey points out that “more than $70 billion, over half of what was charged last year, ended up as revolving debt and the interest on last year’s gifts are still being paid today.” On average, “two-thirds (65%) of shoppers overspent their budget by $100-$500 and 75% overspent by $50 - $100.” Of course this consumerist philosophy, rooted in the notion that making more money, enabling you to buy more things, will necessarily result in greater life satisfaction and happiness, is a pervasive message year-round in America. Recent studies show that most Americans believe they would be “perfectly happy” with just 20 percent more income. And according to Boston College sociologist Juliet Schor’s 1998 bestseller The Overspent American, “one-quarter of Americans making $100,000 believe they don’t have enough cash. (In 2005, the U.S. median income was $46,326.) However, the evidence demonstrates that “once a society’s basic needs—food, shelter, employment—are satisfied, the accumulation of greater and greater wealth does not generate greater collective or personal happiness over the long run.” This is known as the Easterlin Paradox, named for renowned economist and USC professor, Richard Easterlin. In the early seventies “Easterlin sifted through numerous surveys asking Americans how happy they were. The explosion in wealth created by the postwar boom had not made a dent, he discovered. Although the average family was 60 percent richer in 1974, levels of contentment remained unchanged from 1945.” (USC Trojan Family Magazine) These findings “flew in the face of the assumption held by most economists and politicians that populations get happier as national wealth increases.” According to the article “today, no one disputes the truth of the Easterlin Paradox.” The United States is far richer in 2007 than it was 1974 and yet again these figures show no improvement. In fact, every measurement of personal well-being—psychological, emotional, and spiritual—demonstrates that despite our increased abundance we are less satisfied and more depressed than ever. A joint study recently conducted by the World Health Organization and Harvard Medical School reveals that the U.S. has the highest rate of depression among a survey group of 14 countries. Conversely the poorest nations reported the lowest levels of depression. Researchers suggest that this may be due to differing expectations. Precisely! Americans have been conditioned to expect that happiness and satisfaction naturally flow from prosperity and the acquisition of things. That is the whole point of consumer advertising: to make you discontent with what you have by offering the expectation of an improved life through the purchase of the latest product—an expectation that very quickly eludes us after we have purchased said product.   Of course, consciously we know this is ridiculous, however, subconsciously we frequently find ourselves seduced by the lords of consumerism into believing this silliest of propositions. As Easterlin has confirmed, as we acquire possessions, our aspirations rise in proportion to the gains, leaving us no happier than before. Indeed the more we earn the more we want! This misguided expectation sets us up for perpetual disappointment because as the evidence demonstrates, prosperity fails as a source of true happiness and life satisfaction.   The first remedy is to simply recognize the false and frankly illogical “gospel” offered by consumerism.  This in and of itself offers some degree of immunity from the insidious and seductive voice of consumerism. Secondly, from a purely financial perspective Dave Ramsey offers some practical advice relative to Christmas: • Make a list of everyone you are buying a gift for and put a dollar amount by every name. Total it at the bottom. This is your Christmas budget. The people in the mall have a plan to get your money – get a game plan for your shopping so you can keep some money. There is no excuse for financing Christmas. • PAY CASH – put the total from your budget in an envelope and when the cash is gone, stop spending. This will help keep you on budget because if you overspend on Aunt Sue, Uncle Harry won’t get a gift.   • 69% of Americans bought a gift for themselves last year. DON’T BUY YOURSELF A GIFT! This is the season to give not to receive…from yourself. From a spiritual and philosophical perspective remember that Christmas is ultimately about God’s gracious and abundant gifts to humanity; the gift of life, family and friends, good food, music, worship; the virtues of charity and mercy, and the greatest of all: His Son, Jesus. These are the real and meaningful things that make life satisfying. So this Christmas may we all be reminded to revel in God’s gracious gifts, to drink deeply the beauty and wonder of life and this season—these will leave you feeling much more satisfied and debt free! © 2007 by S. Michael Craven

	Select an article $pending Christmas or Spending it Well $pending this Christmas or Spending it Well ...But Gives Grace to the Humble A Body to Kill For A More Excellent Way A New Italian Renaissance? A New Year, Renewed Purpose A Time of Troubles A Youth Revolution? Abstinence Education has Failed! Adrift From Our Past American Idol: Distorted Dreams and Grand Illusions American Idol: Fame, Fortune and Self-Delusion Apologetics in the 21st Century Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part II Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part III Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part IV Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part V Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part VI Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part VII Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part VIII Are Christians Contributing to Unbelief? Art as Prophetic Proclamation Being Light in the Midst of Financial Darkness Being the Church in a Time of Troubles Between Two Extremes: Liberalism & Fundamentalism Beyond Ideologies Can thinking Small Change the World? Career vs Family: Is there a Choice? Chemical vs Spiritual Christian Grit Christianity & Islam: Two Worldviews and Why They Matter Christians, Politics, and the Fate of the Nation Clueless in Seattle Community and Evangelism Competing Worldviews Confusion & Compromise: Restoring the Next Generation Contextualizing In and Not Of Crisis of Civilizational Morale Demonizing the Lost Demonizing the Rich Denominational Demise Discerning the Answers Discipleship is Evangelism Doing Apologetics in a New Context Engaging Ideas Expelled: Exposing the Darwinian Paradox Fellowship and Humility Finding Community Football Fans & Missional Christians For my Mother Freedom for All Except... From Graveyards to Starbucks From Political Pessimism to Gospel Hope General Pace: Collision at the Crossroads of Morality Generational Drift & Decay Girls Gone Wild, Boys Gone Mild Giving Thanks Giving Thanks, Again God Opposes the Proud Greater Love Hath No Man... Have We Become Unfit for Democracy? Heroism Redefined Higher Education: Excellence but no Soul Higher Education: Excellence without a Soul Hope for a Christian Renaissance? Hope for the Future Ideological Tyranny In Defense of Marriage - Conclusion In Defense of Marriage - Part I In Defense of Marriage - Part II In Defense of Marriage - Part III In Defense of Marriage - Part IV In Defense of Marriage - Part V In Defense of Marriage - Part VI In God We Trust? In Pursuit of Community: What Can We Do? Is Loving Our Neighbor Merely a Means to End? Is Religion Bad? Islam, Secularism and the Gospel Islam, Secularism and the Gospel - Conclusion Islam, Secularism and the Gospel - Part II James Watson is Not a Racist; He's a Darwinist! Justin Martyr: A Man for Our Season Kingdom Project: Ground-Level Application of the Christian Worldview Lessons from Nature Let Us Resolve Let Us Resolve: A New Year, A Renewed Faith Love Believes All Things Love Sick Marriage Survives! Can it Endure? Miss HIV: A Film to Change How the World Sees HIV/AIDS Missional VS. Evangelical Moral Misdirection My Struggle with Fundraising NASA’s Moral Failures: A Clue to Culture? Parents: Do You Know WHAT Your Kids Think? Part I - No-Fault Divorce is Institutionalized Evil Part II - Creating a Culture of Marriage Part III - Does God Expect Me to Stay Married to a Jerk? Part IV - I Thought Jesus Came to Keep Me FROM Suffering! Part V - Where is the Church in the Midst of Our Marital Crisis? Part VI - Life Together: The Difference Between Doing Church and Being the Church Pedophiles & Politics Peter Pan and the Death of Marriage Politics, Religion, and Evolution: The Three Don'ts Postmodernism: A Kairos Moment? Proclaiming the Gospel by Caring for Our Elderly Redeeming Society Redefining Heroism Reevangelizing the Church Reevangelizing the Church: The Body of Christ Reevangelizing the Church: What is the Good News? Reevangelizing the Church: Where did we go wrong? Reflections on NBC's Responding to 'Green Politics' Responding to 'Green Politics' - Conclusion Responding to 'Green Politics' - Part II Responding to 'Green Politics' - Part III Responding to 'Green Politics' - Part IV Responding to 'Green Politics' - Part V Responding to a "Gay" Christian ReThinking Evangelism: The Lessons from Grapevine Faith Reviving the Doctrine of Revival Rosie O' Donnell & Pope Benedict Seeing Business as a Redemptive Instrument Sending Our Children Sex Ed: Education or Propaganda? Smoking Bad - Homosexuality Good Thanks Giving: A National Tradition The "Oprahfication" of Eastern Mysticism The 'Big Brother Link': More Pseudo-Science The Case of Hannah Overton The Church in Post-Christendom The Church in Post-Christendom: Recovering the Mission of the Church The Church in Post-Christendom: Understanding the “Good News” The Coming Collapse of Evangelicalism The Commencement & Vision of this Ministry The Culture of Celebrity The Culture of Praise The Culture War is Over: We Lost! The Death of Marriage? The Domestication of Christianity The European Church: A Lesson in Misplaced Dependence The Face of Utilitarianism The Financial Crisis: Lessons on the virtue of thrift The High Cost of Immorality The Kingdom Comes Forcefully The Kingdom: Serving the World, Loving Others The Loss of Beauty The Moral Order: Four Options The Muslim Rebuttal and the Islamization of Knowledge The Myth of Overpopulation The Secret War Within the Church The Unrelenting Culture of Life They Love Jesus; They Don't Like the Church Thinking Small Can Change the World This Beautiful Mess To the Class of 2008 To the Class of 2009 Uncompromised Faith is Here! Utilitarianism goes Dutch What Are We To Do? What Ever Happened to Discipleship? What is Normal? What is the Missional Church? What Missional Looks Like What to do in the Face of Tyranny? Why Theology Matters Why You Must Vote! Willow Creek's Confession “If You Build It, They Will Come” Ecclesiology

Responses

	Response from : Scott Knaub
	December 4, 2007 7:40 AM   I like the statement "the U.S. has the highest rate of depression among a survey group of 14 countries. Conversely the poorest nations reported the lowest levels of depression." My observation is we are bored in America because we have so much convenience around us. In "poor" nations, the people get their water from the well or river, hunt/grow and cook their own food, build their own shelter, and make their own clothes, blankets, etc. This comprises their day and they are tired at the end of it...so they sleep. In America we (generally) get water from the faucet, buy our food, finance a house, and shop for clothes. Then we have all of this time left in the day to think about what we don't have. We haven't' worked our bodies much so we become overweight and have trouble sleeping at night...then we purchase pills to help us sleep. Thanks for your wonderful insight! I enjoy sharing your articles with other pastors in our area. God Bless, Scott ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Scott Knaub Children's Pastor Celebration Community Church Dillsburg, PA www.mycelebrationchurch.com
	Response from : Bill Johnson
	December 5, 2007 5:10 AM   Thanks for the article! Speaking of commercializing faith, today I saw this website: www.christvertising.com.
	Response from : Ric Booth
	December 6, 2007 9:19 AM   Thank you for your article Michael. Our pastor spoke about the "myth of more" last week as well. A couple of years ago I wrote about the true meaning of Christmas in a poem: Twas the Very First Christmas. I've posted it on my blog site this year. http://ricbooth.wordpress.com/files/2007/10/blue-ridge-tree-2.JPG
	Response from : Selase Kwawu
	December 10, 2007 5:50 AM   I totally agree with Easterlin's paradox and your very good and intelligent application of it to the consumerist philosophy that threatens to undermine our sense of moderations and selfless giving. I am afraid that as much this phenomenon is predorminantly western, Africa is unfortunately speeding up her excitement about embracing anyting foreign, including the virulent consumerist Ideology.I am convinced that consumersism and all the associated 'evils' are only symptoms of a culture that is failing to recorgnize the Lordship of Jesus Christ or more appropriately as Dr. Craven wrote, " a culture that has become adrift from its past"
	Response from : Jezebel Harkins
	December 18, 2007 1:13 PM   I have an objection to the commercialization arguments made by a previous poster regarding the christvertising.com website. I would think that all true believers should regard this as a sign that America has finally come to its senses. No more pretending to be liberal when faith has always been a backbone of our nation. No more cowering to the whims of perverse and obscene marketing because we have no advertising resource of our own. No more, I say. I think, and I am hoping that here we have an organization that is being honest about the power of God. You think the Lord does not want us to enjoy the products of our labors in the way in which he intended. Because if commercialization is the mass marketing of products in which I have a belief in...of products in which I know that the messenger is the MESSENGER himself, then by golly boys, I am going to go out and buy. Cause I would be at the Wall-mart anyway, sucked into their faux interpretation of the Church and their alleged wholesome sale practices...but you know what..they're just pushing off cheap chinese garbage on us..and nothing against the chinese cause I love me some good moo shoo but those poor souls are being abused so us good Christians can get duped into buying something our local WalMart talks us into where as this christvertise group seems to be up front and real, the way our politicians need to be. We are a christian nation with christian needs and this is proof positive that our time has come. godspeed. Jez leviticus 18: 21-30 I forgot what is says but its pretty good stuff.
	Response from : Dan Fusting
	January 3, 2008 9:09 AM   Enjoyed the proposition and the comments. Please clarify. "Who" is the American church you speak of?

	Select an article $pending Christmas or Spending it Well $pending this Christmas or Spending it Well ...But Gives Grace to the Humble A Body to Kill For A More Excellent Way A New Italian Renaissance? A New Year, Renewed Purpose A Time of Troubles A Youth Revolution? Abstinence Education has Failed! Adrift From Our Past American Idol: Distorted Dreams and Grand Illusions American Idol: Fame, Fortune and Self-Delusion Apologetics in the 21st Century Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part II Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part III Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part IV Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part V Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part VI Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part VII Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part VIII Are Christians Contributing to Unbelief? Art as Prophetic Proclamation Being Light in the Midst of Financial Darkness Being the Church in a Time of Troubles Between Two Extremes: Liberalism & Fundamentalism Beyond Ideologies Can thinking Small Change the World? Career vs Family: Is there a Choice? Chemical vs Spiritual Christian Grit Christianity & Islam: Two Worldviews and Why They Matter Christians, Politics, and the Fate of the Nation Clueless in Seattle Community and Evangelism Competing Worldviews Confusion & Compromise: Restoring the Next Generation Contextualizing In and Not Of Crisis of Civilizational Morale Demonizing the Lost Demonizing the Rich Denominational Demise Discerning the Answers Discipleship is Evangelism Doing Apologetics in a New Context Engaging Ideas Expelled: Exposing the Darwinian Paradox Fellowship and Humility Finding Community Football Fans & Missional Christians For my Mother Freedom for All Except... From Graveyards to Starbucks From Political Pessimism to Gospel Hope General Pace: Collision at the Crossroads of Morality Generational Drift & Decay Girls Gone Wild, Boys Gone Mild Giving Thanks Giving Thanks, Again God Opposes the Proud Greater Love Hath No Man... Have We Become Unfit for Democracy? Heroism Redefined Higher Education: Excellence but no Soul Higher Education: Excellence without a Soul Hope for a Christian Renaissance? Hope for the Future Ideological Tyranny In Defense of Marriage - Conclusion In Defense of Marriage - Part I In Defense of Marriage - Part II In Defense of Marriage - Part III In Defense of Marriage - Part IV In Defense of Marriage - Part V In Defense of Marriage - Part VI In God We Trust? In Pursuit of Community: What Can We Do? Is Loving Our Neighbor Merely a Means to End? Is Religion Bad? Islam, Secularism and the Gospel Islam, Secularism and the Gospel - Conclusion Islam, Secularism and the Gospel - Part II James Watson is Not a Racist; He's a Darwinist! Justin Martyr: A Man for Our Season Kingdom Project: Ground-Level Application of the Christian Worldview Lessons from Nature Let Us Resolve Let Us Resolve: A New Year, A Renewed Faith Love Believes All Things Love Sick Marriage Survives! Can it Endure? Miss HIV: A Film to Change How the World Sees HIV/AIDS Missional VS. Evangelical Moral Misdirection My Struggle with Fundraising NASA’s Moral Failures: A Clue to Culture? Parents: Do You Know WHAT Your Kids Think? Part I - No-Fault Divorce is Institutionalized Evil Part II - Creating a Culture of Marriage Part III - Does God Expect Me to Stay Married to a Jerk? Part IV - I Thought Jesus Came to Keep Me FROM Suffering! Part V - Where is the Church in the Midst of Our Marital Crisis? Part VI - Life Together: The Difference Between Doing Church and Being the Church Pedophiles & Politics Peter Pan and the Death of Marriage Politics, Religion, and Evolution: The Three Don'ts Postmodernism: A Kairos Moment? Proclaiming the Gospel by Caring for Our Elderly Redeeming Society Redefining Heroism Reevangelizing the Church Reevangelizing the Church: The Body of Christ Reevangelizing the Church: What is the Good News? Reevangelizing the Church: Where did we go wrong? Reflections on NBC's Responding to 'Green Politics' Responding to 'Green Politics' - Conclusion Responding to 'Green Politics' - Part II Responding to 'Green Politics' - Part III Responding to 'Green Politics' - Part IV Responding to 'Green Politics' - Part V Responding to a "Gay" Christian ReThinking Evangelism: The Lessons from Grapevine Faith Reviving the Doctrine of Revival Rosie O' Donnell & Pope Benedict Seeing Business as a Redemptive Instrument Sending Our Children Sex Ed: Education or Propaganda? Smoking Bad - Homosexuality Good Thanks Giving: A National Tradition The "Oprahfication" of Eastern Mysticism The 'Big Brother Link': More Pseudo-Science The Case of Hannah Overton The Church in Post-Christendom The Church in Post-Christendom: Recovering the Mission of the Church The Church in Post-Christendom: Understanding the “Good News” The Coming Collapse of Evangelicalism The Commencement & Vision of this Ministry The Culture of Celebrity The Culture of Praise The Culture War is Over: We Lost! The Death of Marriage? The Domestication of Christianity The European Church: A Lesson in Misplaced Dependence The Face of Utilitarianism The Financial Crisis: Lessons on the virtue of thrift The High Cost of Immorality The Kingdom Comes Forcefully The Kingdom: Serving the World, Loving Others The Loss of Beauty The Moral Order: Four Options The Muslim Rebuttal and the Islamization of Knowledge The Myth of Overpopulation The Secret War Within the Church The Unrelenting Culture of Life They Love Jesus; They Don't Like the Church Thinking Small Can Change the World This Beautiful Mess To the Class of 2008 To the Class of 2009 Uncompromised Faith is Here! Utilitarianism goes Dutch What Are We To Do? What Ever Happened to Discipleship? What is Normal? What is the Missional Church? What Missional Looks Like What to do in the Face of Tyranny? Why Theology Matters Why You Must Vote! Willow Creek's Confession “If You Build It, They Will Come” Ecclesiology

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	Select an article $pending Christmas or Spending it Well $pending this Christmas or Spending it Well ...But Gives Grace to the Humble A Body to Kill For A More Excellent Way A New Italian Renaissance? A New Year, Renewed Purpose A Time of Troubles A Youth Revolution? Abstinence Education has Failed! Adrift From Our Past American Idol: Distorted Dreams and Grand Illusions American Idol: Fame, Fortune and Self-Delusion Apologetics in the 21st Century Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part II Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part III Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part IV Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part V Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part VI Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part VII Apologetics in the 21st Century - Part VIII Are Christians Contributing to Unbelief? Art as Prophetic Proclamation Being Light in the Midst of Financial Darkness Being the Church in a Time of Troubles Between Two Extremes: Liberalism & Fundamentalism Beyond Ideologies Can thinking Small Change the World? Career vs Family: Is there a Choice? Chemical vs Spiritual Christian Grit Christianity & Islam: Two Worldviews and Why They Matter Christians, Politics, and the Fate of the Nation Clueless in Seattle Community and Evangelism Competing Worldviews Confusion & Compromise: Restoring the Next Generation Contextualizing In and Not Of Crisis of Civilizational Morale Demonizing the Lost Demonizing the Rich Denominational Demise Discerning the Answers Discipleship is Evangelism Doing Apologetics in a New Context Engaging Ideas Expelled: Exposing the Darwinian Paradox Fellowship and Humility Finding Community Football Fans & Missional Christians For my Mother Freedom for All Except... From Graveyards to Starbucks From Political Pessimism to Gospel Hope General Pace: Collision at the Crossroads of Morality Generational Drift & Decay Girls Gone Wild, Boys Gone Mild Giving Thanks Giving Thanks, Again God Opposes the Proud Greater Love Hath No Man... Have We Become Unfit for Democracy? Heroism Redefined Higher Education: Excellence but no Soul Higher Education: Excellence without a Soul Hope for a Christian Renaissance? Hope for the Future Ideological Tyranny In Defense of Marriage - Conclusion In Defense of Marriage - Part I In Defense of Marriage - Part II In Defense of Marriage - Part III In Defense of Marriage - Part IV In Defense of Marriage - Part V In Defense of Marriage - Part VI In God We Trust? In Pursuit of Community: What Can We Do? Is Loving Our Neighbor Merely a Means to End? Is Religion Bad? Islam, Secularism and the Gospel Islam, Secularism and the Gospel - Conclusion Islam, Secularism and the Gospel - Part II James Watson is Not a Racist; He's a Darwinist! Justin Martyr: A Man for Our Season Kingdom Project: Ground-Level Application of the Christian Worldview Lessons from Nature Let Us Resolve Let Us Resolve: A New Year, A Renewed Faith Love Believes All Things Love Sick Marriage Survives! Can it Endure? Miss HIV: A Film to Change How the World Sees HIV/AIDS Missional VS. Evangelical Moral Misdirection My Struggle with Fundraising NASA’s Moral Failures: A Clue to Culture? Parents: Do You Know WHAT Your Kids Think? Part I - No-Fault Divorce is Institutionalized Evil Part II - Creating a Culture of Marriage Part III - Does God Expect Me to Stay Married to a Jerk? Part IV - I Thought Jesus Came to Keep Me FROM Suffering! Part V - Where is the Church in the Midst of Our Marital Crisis? Part VI - Life Together: The Difference Between Doing Church and Being the Church Pedophiles & Politics Peter Pan and the Death of Marriage Politics, Religion, and Evolution: The Three Don'ts Postmodernism: A Kairos Moment? Proclaiming the Gospel by Caring for Our Elderly Redeeming Society Redefining Heroism Reevangelizing the Church Reevangelizing the Church: The Body of Christ Reevangelizing the Church: What is the Good News? Reevangelizing the Church: Where did we go wrong? Reflections on NBC's Responding to 'Green Politics' Responding to 'Green Politics' - Conclusion Responding to 'Green Politics' - Part II Responding to 'Green Politics' - Part III Responding to 'Green Politics' - Part IV Responding to 'Green Politics' - Part V Responding to a "Gay" Christian ReThinking Evangelism: The Lessons from Grapevine Faith Reviving the Doctrine of Revival Rosie O' Donnell & Pope Benedict Seeing Business as a Redemptive Instrument Sending Our Children Sex Ed: Education or Propaganda? Smoking Bad - Homosexuality Good Thanks Giving: A National Tradition The "Oprahfication" of Eastern Mysticism The 'Big Brother Link': More Pseudo-Science The Case of Hannah Overton The Church in Post-Christendom The Church in Post-Christendom: Recovering the Mission of the Church The Church in Post-Christendom: Understanding the “Good News” The Coming Collapse of Evangelicalism The Commencement & Vision of this Ministry The Culture of Celebrity The Culture of Praise The Culture War is Over: We Lost! The Death of Marriage? The Domestication of Christianity The European Church: A Lesson in Misplaced Dependence The Face of Utilitarianism The Financial Crisis: Lessons on the virtue of thrift The High Cost of Immorality The Kingdom Comes Forcefully The Kingdom: Serving the World, Loving Others The Loss of Beauty The Moral Order: Four Options The Muslim Rebuttal and the Islamization of Knowledge The Myth of Overpopulation The Secret War Within the Church The Unrelenting Culture of Life They Love Jesus; They Don't Like the Church Thinking Small Can Change the World This Beautiful Mess To the Class of 2008 To the Class of 2009 Uncompromised Faith is Here! Utilitarianism goes Dutch What Are We To Do? What Ever Happened to Discipleship? What is Normal? What is the Missional Church? What Missional Looks Like What to do in the Face of Tyranny? Why Theology Matters Why You Must Vote! Willow Creek's Confession “If You Build It, They Will Come” Ecclesiology

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