Column title: Crossed My Mind: Thoughts on Culture and Communication Column entry: Putting Critical Race Theory (CRT) in The Frame By John Hatch, Ph.D. Eastern University (retired) CCSN Senior Fellow Column Description: As Christians, we are called to have the mind of Christ. This goes against the grain of our social and cultural conditioning. We seek personal or political advancement; …
A Prayer to Guard and Guide our Leaders
Guard and Guide Our Leaders O merciful Father in heaven, all rule and authority in the kingdoms of the world comes from you, and you hold in your hand all the might of humanity. You have instituted the governing authorities that exist for the punishment of those who do wrong and for the approval of those who do good. Look …
Quote of the Week, Our Heart’s Default Mode, by Timothy Keller
“A fundamental insight of Martin Luther’s was that ‘religion’ is the default mode of the human heart. Your computer operates automatically in a default mode unless you deliberately tell it to do something else. So Luther says that even after you are converted by the gospel your heart will go back to operating on other principles unless you deliberately, repeatedly …
A Prayer for Communication, by David and Jonathan Bennett
Lord, we ask for Your grace and blessing as we try to spread the gospel message through the various media available to us in our day. Through both word and deed, may we act like Your disciples and be an example of joy and hope to our beleaguered brothers and sisters. On social media and the internet, may we remember …
Devotional, Face Down: Body Language and the Shaping of Our Spiritual Experience, by Donna Elkins
Face Down: Body Language and the Shaping of our Spiritual Experience Then Abram fell face down and God spoke with him. Genesis 17:3 (CSB) Social psychologist Amy Cuddy became a sensation with her TED Talk about the benefits of “power posing.”[1] Her research, later published in the 2015, focuses on the impact our body language has on what we think …
A Prayer for the Holy Spirit to Protect Us, by Veit Dietrich
Grant Us Your Holy Spirit to Protect Us Lord God, heavenly Father, through your Son you promised us that whatever we ask in his name you will give us. Keep us in your Word and grant us your Holy Spirit, that he may govern us according to your will, protect us from the power of the devil, from false doctrine …
Quote of the Week, Technology and Authenticity, by Pope Francis
Modern technology is “a gift of God which involves a great responsibility. . . . It is not technology which determines whether or not communication is authentic, but rather the human heart and our capacity to use wisely the means at our disposal.”[i]—Pope Francis, Fiftieth World Communications Day, January 24, 2016 [i] John Dye, “Pope Francis Calls Texts, Internet, Social …
Column Entry, Let’s Talk Family, “Asking and Extending Forgiveness,” Jonathan Pettigrew and Diane Badzinski
Let’s talk family column Column: Let’s Talk Family: Conversations about Faith and Family Flourishing Column entry: Asking and Extending Forgiveness By Jonathan Pettigrew, PhD, Arizona State University; Diane Badzinski, PhD, Colorado Christian University Column Description: Let’s Talk Family: Conversations about Faith and Family Flourishing is a monthly column offering a space to consider research-based, biblically-sound practices for family communication. We …
A Prayer for Trust in God, by Thomas à Kempis
For Trust in You O Lord my God, do not be far from me. My God, have regard to help me. I have many thoughts and great fears afflicting my soul. How will I pass through unhurt? How will I break them to pieces? This is my hope, my one only consolation, to flee to you in every tribulation, to trust …
Quote of the week, The Misery of Distraction, by Blaise Pascal
“The only thing that consoles us for our miseries is diversion [distraction]. And yet it is the greatest of our miseries. For it is that above all which prevents us thinking about ourselves and leads us imperceptibly to destruction. But for that we should be bored, and boredom would drive us to seek more solid means of escape, but diversion …
