thoughts on @barackobama at the 2012 national prayer breakfast
For the record, I hate talking about politics. Specifically, I hate how divided people become when talking about politicians and how they deal with the issues. I know that ‘hate’ is a pretty strong word, and I rarely use it around here. But I feel like it’s important for people to understand that by sharing [...]
purple jacket lady
I was at the drug store yesterday, in line for a prescription, and a woman in a purple jacket melted down…. just… went to pieces right there in the prescription line. “I can’t DO THIS ANYMORE!” She screamed at the stunned cashier, who blinked quickly while everyone stood there staring, watching Purple Jacket Lady hurtle [...]
the joys and challenges of working with refugees, part two
Over the past year, as I’ve had a crash course in refugee resettlement, I’ve learned so much. I am grateful every day for the stories I’ve heard and the facts I’ve gleaned about this vulnerable, misunderstood, and often forgotten population. I’ve learned: That only one percent of the 14 million-plus refugees in the world will ever be [...]
the joys and challenges of working with refugees, part one
As an eleven year-old dreamer in Dumas, a small town in the Texas panhandle, I attended mission classes at our local Baptist church and wondered if God would call me to be a missionary to Africa. The thought thrilled and terrified me at the same time. But I simply prayed, “God, use me as you see best. Wherever [...]
the rise of the “so whats”
I read an article in USA Today that talked about the rise of the ‘So Whats.’ What’s that? It’s people who do not claim to be a people of faith or staunch atheists; instead, they are a growing group who say, “So what?” As one person interviewed said, “(Growing up) I was saturated with both [...]
how we really know those who don’t really know
Just a thought. . . I’ve been thinking about what it means to know and if I’m not sure about a number of things, I’m sure of this: to know is to be able to help someone to know too. Now I’m not playing with words, but seriously, I have had my share of teachers who appear [...]
a short lesson in journalism for the Christian blogger
On the first day of journalism class, I ask my budding new reporters an important question to kick things off: “By a show of hands, who in this room trusts news reporters?” And every time – every single time – no one raises a hand. (Insert sound of crickets here.) These are the students who [...]
how your shopping can help stop #humantrafficking
As Thanksgiving approaches, I’ve been spending some time reflecting on just how fortunate I am to live the life I live. I have a roof over my head, plenty of food to eat, a new baby on the way, and friends and family that love me more than I could ever imagine. And maybe most [...]
book review: deliver me from evil
Ever since I was a little girl, I would stay up late reading. Fiction was always my favorite. As I read the words on the page, I slowly left the world I was living in and become a part of the story I was reading. The characters became real to me – my new friends, [...]
freeing the captives [guest post from kathi macias]
![freeing the captives [guest post from kathi macias]](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/Trapped-150x150.jpg)
We are thrilled to feature a guest posting from Kathi Macias today. Kathi is the author of Deliver Me From Evil, the first book in the Freedom Series. The series uses fictional stories to expose the truth about modern day slavery and human trafficking, both domestically and internationally. The term “human trafficking” or “trafficking in [...]
[reasons they leave #6] the church is unfriendly to doubt
![[reasons they leave #6] the church is unfriendly to doubt](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/doubt-150x150.jpg)
My Thoughts on Reason #6 of The Barna Report They threw leaves into the air on this beautiful Fall Sunday. I wish all our days could reflect such happy abandon. I stood in front of my church across from the courthouse plaza watching those kids. On my mind, like weights, were the names and faces [...]
[video] 60 seconds to significance: why is work important?
![[video] 60 seconds to significance: why is work important?](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/60seconds-doug-barr-150x150.jpg)
It’s all about transforming lives. I’ve seen this in rural Kenya, as well as downtown in the city where I live in here in Florida. We all want to feel like we’re able to contribute to society in some way. In fact, I could argue that one of the greatest sources of shame comes [...]
[reasons they leave #5] the exclusivity of christianity
![[reasons they leave #5] the exclusivity of christianity](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/excluded-chair-150x150.jpg)
“I’ve got good news and bad news,” I announced to the fifteen or so members of my church’s high school youth group. “The good news is I brought cookies. The bad news is I need help with my homework. I’ve been asked to write a blog post about this reason that young people leave the [...]
where would Jesus spend his time on halloween?
The perspectives in the church on Halloween are pretty extreme. Most Christians either love it, hate it, or create a Christian-alternative for it (which is sort-of celebrating it without saying you’re celebrating it). I realize that merely talking about Halloween in this post may not make some people very happy. Regardless of your position on [...]
[reasons they leave #4] the church is judgemental regarding sexuality
![[reasons they leave #4] the church is judgemental regarding sexuality](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/kiss-150x150.jpg)
Is leaving the church the same thing as leaving God? Just days ago, I received this text message from a teenager struggling with finding Christian community. God is important to her. She’s a young woman with faith much stronger than many adults. And yet she still wonders how the church and God connect. I probe [...]
[reasons they leave #3] church antagonism towards science
![[reasons they leave #3] church antagonism towards science](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/science-150x150.jpg)
“God, why is the sky blue?” I was eighteen when I finally asked Him; not relying on the answers that I was taught all my life in school. His reply ended up being more deeply touching and radical than anything I’d ever heard, and, from that moment on, I felt in my heart that He [...]
[reasons they leave #2] shallow experience of christianity
![[reasons they leave #2] shallow experience of christianity](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/pretended-indifference-150x150.jpg)
Reason #2 – Teens’ and twentysomethings’ experience of Christianity is shallow. A second reason that young people depart church as young adults is that something is lacking in their experience of church. One-third said “church is boring” (31%). One-quarter of these young adults said that “faith is not relevant to my career or interests” (24%) [...]
[reasons they leave #1] churches seem overprotective
![[reasons they leave #1] churches seem overprotective](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/fish-bowl-150x150.jpg)
the back story, my story, and his story (about why young Christians are leaving the church) In Barna’s research on why young Christians are leaving the church, they identify some numbers worth repeating here: 1) the project spanned five years; 2) the research included eight national studies; and 3) nearly three out of five young [...]
why young christians leave church
Three out of five. That’s what the research shows. According to Barna Group, 59% of young adults leave church permanently or for an extended period for one of the six reasons that we’ll be talking about here. Regardless of the reasons, that’s a number that disturbs me. I don’t like it when I think about [...]
movie review: the whistleblower [#humantrafficking]
![movie review: the whistleblower [#humantrafficking]](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/whistleblower-150x150.png)
Kathryn Bolkovac. It’s a name I never heard until I watched The Whistleblower. Now that I know who she is, I want to tell the world about her. She was just a normal woman. A police officer in Nebraska. Living a broken life. Trying her best to get it back together. Motivated primarily by the [...]
celebrity wife swap [featuring ted haggard and gary busey]
![celebrity wife swap [featuring ted haggard and gary busey]](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/haggard-busey-150x150.jpg)
What good can come out of this one? ABC announced yesterday that disgraced pastor Ted Haggard and “Celebrity Rehab” alum Gary Busey will appear on a future episode of Celebrity Wife Swap. The episode doesn’t have an air date yet, but it will likely be one of the most highly anticipated shows of the season for [...]
light the torches and lower the drawbridge…
“I want to be part of a church that wants to be part of something.” These words came from my 17-year-old daughter, Grace. These words have rattled around in my head since they were spoken. They weren’t said out of anger or spite, but frustration at the circumstances in which our family has found itself, [...]
reason to believe [combat hospital]
![reason to believe [combat hospital]](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/combat-hospital-150x150.jpg)
Every once in a while I catch something on TV that just leaves me in awe. Recently, I’ve checked out a few episodes of ABC’s Combat Hospital, and had one of those moments. The show is set in a military hospital in wartime Afghanistan. Honestly, the jury is still out for me about the show [...]
the street
I lay in my bed and see the people on the street. My imagination goes wild. What might it be like to be one living on the street? To have no cool place to lay my head at night. No shelter from the storms that come. To have no privacy, no real space to call [...]
