Exploring Faith and Spirituality

Religion

‘Allegory’ Might Not Mean What You Think

If you’ve studied the principles of Bible interpretation, you know “allegory” is a bad word. Allegory is a way of reading a text that takes the details and makes them say something other than what ...

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Aging Is a Discipleship Issue

Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor talk with Jen Wilkin about how to embrace a more biblical view on bodies, aging, beauty, and youth. They discuss why we should see aging as a gift rather than a d...

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When the Paychecks Stop: Spiritual Care for the Unemployed

The text messages and emails began arriving in clusters last month, all with a similar message: “Please pray for me; I’ve been laid off.” I pastor a church near Washington, D.C., where government ...

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‘Beast Games’: Family Fun or Mammon Worship?

On December 19, 2024, Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson released the first two episodes of his megahit Beast Games. It has since become Prime Video’s most-watched unscripted TV show, with more than 50 mill...

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5 Tips to Strengthen Your Newlywed Relationship in Ramadan

Marriage is a sacred bond, and Ramadan is a sacred month. When the two come together, they create a beautiful opportunity for newlyweds to build a strong foundation for their relationship. But let’...

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The Sons of Sceva and Gen Z’s Spiritual Anxiety

On a Wednesday night on Howard University’s campus, I stood in front of 20 to 30 college students, going through a series on the basics of Christian ethics. We were looking at the first commandment...

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Prioritize Culture over Calendar in Women’s Ministry

As a women’s ministry director, I’ve heard lots of opinions on how to promote, facilitate, and maintain ministry to women in the church. Someone is always looking for more or less than what a given...

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Don’t Live like a Spiritual Orphan. Pray.

In church, we’re constantly encouraged to pray more. For young preachers especially, no matter the sermon text, the same applications constantly reappear: Go to church more, read your Bible more, a...

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How Art Sits with Us in Our Sorrows

I had high hopes last year walking my family through one of my favorite places, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. In no way would I qualify as an art expert. But I enjoy the challeng...

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Is Church Worth Attending with Young Kids?

“Children are such a gift, aren’t they!” “They’re just so precious.” “It will go by so fast.” If you’re a parent of young kids, you’ve no doubt heard these well-intended sentiments. I have. And ...

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50 Most Edifying Films of the 21st Century So Far

We’re now 25 years into this century. Over this period, thousands of movies have come and gone—most of them forgotten. But some have lingered. Some are worth revisiting. I’ve been writing movie re...

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Biblical Theology Helps Explain Paul’s Sea Journey in Acts 27

The second half of Acts is a whirlwind journey. Paul travels some 10,000 miles as he witnesses in Turkey, Syria, Greece, and Israel. He preaches in various cities including Lystra, Philippi, Thessa...

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Here’s What You Need to Know About Religion in America

Religious data is one of the most fascinating things in the world. It brings the left side of the brain (show me the numbers) together with the right side (tell me a story). It gathers disparate di...

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How a Tiny Church Is Serving Ukraine with Books

When the Russian army first came over Ukraine’s eastern border in 2022, about 3.5 million people fled west to Poland. Many came through Kraków, where Aleksander Saško Nezamutdinov is a Ukrainian mi...

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The Constantine Question and Christianity’s Future in the West

In mid-February, 4,000 people gathered in East London with a shared concern: to resuscitate Western civilization. A kind of uncertain electricity swirled in the air as the identity of the Alliance...

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Peculiar, Yet Not Peculiar Enough: My Reflections on ARC 2025

Although the dust has settled since I attended the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) conference in London in the middle of February, I’m still discombobulated, struggling to know what to m...

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Making Sense of God’s Sovereignty

Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor talk about the mysterious tension between the doctrine of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. They discuss what implications God’s sovereignty has for our...

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Preach the (Whole) Book of Psalms

Our church’s pastors are currently preaching through all 150 psalms, and we’ve surpassed 100 sermons. Some godly preachers have expressed concern that preaching all the psalms might be too repetiti...

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Steered by Spectacle: Jacques Ellul and the Illusion of Online Engagement

A common admonishment from those who lament our digital age’s dilemmas is to “log off.” Those convinced of the merits of social media engagement push back, arguing much good can be accomplished onl...

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When a Feminist Discovers the Christian Sexual Ethic

The Roman Republic was born after a woman plunged a knife into her own chest. She’d been raped by the son of the Etruscan king, and she felt she should take her own life to maintain her honor, desp...

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The Great Novel That Almost Wasn’t

I can’t be sure that if I recommend the book Theo of Golden that you’ll love it. But so far, that’s been true in every case—sometimes to the point of joyful tears. I know at least you’ll love it if...

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