Cultural transition is one of the worst experiences a human being can go through. It seems, at times, as if you’ve changed worlds, and adjusting to this massive change drains more than energy; it drains your spirit.
Why does this happen? Is there an explanation for the difficulty in cultural change?
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Christian rap is completely underrated. It has been spit on, downtrodden, and hated for so long, it’s rather pathetic. I have seen this treatment come from all sides, including the Christians.
Why? What’s so bad about some Christian guys rapping?
Nothing, actually.
Continue reading “The Glory of God in Rap”
Today’s teenagers are fed a steady mantra. “You’re just teens, what can you do?” “That’s too ambitious, why don’t you aim a little lower?” Personally, I’m sick of hearing it, whether from those close to me or even people that hardly know me. For some reason, we are classified as children with the bodies of adults.
Actually, that classification isn’t far off.
Continue reading “What Does It Really Mean to be a Teen?”
Even in the darkest of times, God is good. It seems cliche, doesn’t it? Yet over the last eight weeks, this has become my mantra. I have repeated it over and over again, and the words still haven’t lost their meaning.
We all suffer. It’s part of being human. Some suffer more than others, leaving us to question life’s equality. Others bear suffering as their cross, convinced that the burden doesn’t exist.
In one way or another, every single one of us is suffering. You, reading this, are suffering. Right now. In some way, you are. I, writing this, am suffering. It’s part of sin’s curse.
Thanks, Adam.
Continue reading “Christ, the God of Fulfillment”
Any person with even the most mediocre understanding of religious statistics will tell you that out of every three people you meet, one will be a Christian. Or, at least, they claim to be Christian.
In every culture, we find watered-down Christianity. In Africa, we find Christianity mixed with semblances of witchcraft. In the East, we find Christianity blended with spiritualism. In the West, we find Christianity blended with self-worship and atheism.
Continue reading “Three Popular Misconceptions About Christianity”
Yesterday, a dearly loved member of my family passed away. She was eighty-three and died from a mixture of old age and internal complications.
Thankfully, my family felt moved to say our goodbyes to this dear relative, and so last week my father and I drove 800 miles to Florida. We managed to spend a good amount of time with her, although she was unconscious or incoherent most of the time. We sang over her, prayed, spoke, laughed, cried. . . and we made memories.
Continue reading “The Christian Response to Death”
Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still, I’m waiting for the dawn
“Yahweh”
These words were sung by popular 90’s band U2. At the time, nobody knew what Yahweh even meant. The song seemed rather random, as many of U2’s works were at the time. And, while many of U2’s fans did not understand the song’s meaning, the writers did. They were referencing God, and only the Christians and Jews recognized it.
So, what does Yahweh really mean?
Continue reading “What Does “Yahweh” Really Mean?”
Teenagers struggle with fulfillment. Somehow, as we transition from children to adults, we begin feeling this never-ending thirst for something. We don’t know what it is, but we certainly feel that it can be filled.
Some seek this fulfillment in family or a significant other in the hope that a relationship will fill this gap. Others seek fulfillment in sports, hoping that fame will cure their mysterious problem. Finally, others seek fulfillment in momentary pleasure, assuming that drugs or alcohol can fill a hole in their hearts.
After all, isn’t this what the world teaches us? That we can find fulfillment in pleasure, fame, and money?
Continue reading “What is True Fulfillment?”
God’s glory is perhaps the most fascinating and central subject for a Christian. It is a key factor to the death and resurrection of Christ, and actually is one of the reasons for Christ’s death in the first place. Furthermore, God’s glory is the biggest reason for Christians to act as they do. Truly, it is an important piece to the puzzle known as Christianity.
Although we can clearly see God’s glory in normal situations, it is far more difficult to see Him glorified when dealing with the junk of the world. Through many of these situations, it takes an outsider saying, “wow, God was really good then, wasn’t he?” for someone to realize that God had, in fact, been good, and thus was glorified.
Continue reading “God’s Glory Through Sinful Man”
It’s in our nature to work and aspire. Some of us are loud and outspoken, while others are quiet and reserved. Ambition and aspiration are in all of us -adults, teens, Christians, and non-Christians. Many share common goals such as:
1. Desiring a certain job/career.
2. Aiming to be popular.
3. Gaining wealth.
If you asked a random person on the street to define or explain success, chances are you will get something like the three above.
But, if left unchecked against the truth of the Gospel, these simple goals will naturally grow into sinful desires and idols of the heart. As a result of living in a sinful world, we have sinful hearts that glorify objects instead of the One True God.
Continue reading “Success In Christ- Guest Post by Ian Fischer”
Prayer is one of the key foundations of Faith. Much of our Faith, as Christians, hinges upon it, and without it, we are rendered completely unable to grow in relationship with Christ. Many would describe such a man as a “dead Christian”, having Faith but lacking fruit.
A Christian’s spiritual walk involves prayer from the beginning to the end. From praying the classic “sinner’s prayer” as a teenager or adult to praying our last words on our deathbed, prayer is deeply rooted within the life of every Christian. A Christian with a healthy prayer life can expect to see his relationship with Christ grow, and in direct relation to this, the strength of his Faith will grow also.
Continue reading “Does God Hear Me When I Pray?”
Well that was…fast. Didn’t we just have the last one about two and a half weeks ago? Yes, we did. My blog not only set a new personal record for the fastest time to gain 100 followers (in two weeks, actually given that I hit 600 a few days ago), but it also set massive new records for traffic, including reaching 200 daily views for the first time, then proceeding to do this three times in a single week.
What on earth is happening.
Continue reading “600 Followers Celebration!”
Up until yesterday, Pride and Prejudice was the most hated book in my library. In fact, I hated it so much I would have burned it, were it not for the sake of my close friend Katelyn, I would have done so. What changed?
Continue reading “What We Learned from Pride and Prejudice”
Recently, a friend of mine, Micah Winnberg, sent me a song. This wasn’t anything new, as my friends send me songs all the time, but the song itself was special. What first caught my attention was the thumbnail- the song’s writer was covered in tattoos and piercings. And, since 99% of my musical diet consists of Christian music, I was rather apprehensive. That level of body change often screams a disgusting artist. I had no idea how wrong I would be.
Continue reading “Culture vs. Culture”
The church is divided. Contrary to the formation of the original church, the modern church has over 33,000 denominations, with more being formed every day. It seems that denominations can even be formed over small disputes in the church, something as little as a theological dispute. That’s not a big deal, right?
Well, it is, and it isn’t.
Continue reading “Overcoming Differences Within the Church”
Elisha McFarland 