Last night’s debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton capped a tumultuous week in the presidential race. The candidates did not shake hands before the debate began, a sign of hostilities to come. The town hall meeting focused on issues ranging from Obamacare to Syria, but the negativity of the evening mirrored the divisiveness of the larger campaign.

Trump is facing widespread criticism for scandalous sexual statements he made eleven years ago. Even Mike Pence, his running mate, stated that he was “offended” by Trump’s words and actions and “cannot defend them.”

Clinton is under fire after WikiLeaks published transcripts of lucrative paid speeches she delivered to elite financial firms prior to the presidential campaign. Bernie Sanders and his supporters are reportedly furious over statements they believe prove her collusion with “big banks” and other entrenched institutions.

Prior to the media firestorm that began last Friday, Gallup’s polling showed that Trump is viewed unfavorably by 63 percent of the public, Clinton by 55 percent. These ratings are by far the worst since Gallup began such polling in the 1956 election. The previous worst rating was Barry Goldwater in October 1964 at 47 percent. After the weekend’s events, it is plausible that the candidates’ ratings will go even lower.

Americans are clearly frustrated with their presidential nominees. But Joseph de Maistre’s maxim may be relevant today: “Every nation gets the government it deserves.”

What kind of nation did the Founders envision? George Washington declared that “religion and morality are the essential pillars of civil society.” Benjamin Franklin agreed: “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.”

Continue reading Denison Forum – THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE →

“This storm will kill you.” That’s how Florida Gov. Rick Scott described Hurricane Matthew as he warned residents to flee the strongest storm system to threaten the US in a decade.

The western eyewall of the hurricane brushed by Cape Canaveral this morning, producing wind gusts of 115 mph. More than 300,000 people are already without power across the state of Florida. Officials are predicting that power will eventually be lost to 2.5 million as further “catastrophic damage” is expected.

Forecasters warn that this storm could be “unlike any hurricane in the modern era.” About 3.1 million people are under mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders in three states. Some areas in the hurricane’s path could be uninhabitable for weeks or months to come.

The region has instituted the largest mandatory evacuation since Superstorm Sandy in October 2012. However, the storm surge is expected to be much larger than the New Jersey shore saw during that tragedy. As the hurricane continues to hug the coast through Saturday, the National Weather Service warns that Matthew could deliver “the strongest, most destructive winds anyone in parts of the northeast Florida coast and Georgia coast has seen in their lifetime.” Catastrophic flooding is predicted as well.

How should we respond today?

One: Obviously, we need to pray.

Pray right now for God to move Hurricane Matthew out into the sea and to protect those in its path. The psalmist said of God, “He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed” (Psalm 107:29). Ask him to do the same with this storm and to help those facing its devastating power.

Continue reading Denison Forum – ‘THIS STORM WILL KILL YOU’ →

Nearly two million people are fleeing in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas as Hurricane Matthew approaches. The storm has already devastated Haiti and eastern Cuba and is expected to strengthen over the next day. However, officials in South Florida are worried that residents have become complacent after eleven years of near misses. Weather authorities know what everyone should: the best way to respond to a hurricane is to flee its path.

This fact applies to more than hurricanes.

A new study involving more than a million women found a significant correlation between birth control pills and depression. The risk is especially elevated with teenagers: women between the ages of fifteen and nineteen who took oral contraceptives were 80 percent more likely to become depressed.

While some teenagers take the pill for medical reasons, 86 percent do so for birth control. If these women chose to abstain from premarital sex, they would avoid the pill’s depressive side effects.

Scripture repeatedly warns us to flee temptation (1 Corinthians 6:18; 10:14; 15:33; 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:22). Contrary to conventional wisdom today, God’s moral standards are not puritanical legalism but an expression of his grace. He is a loving Father who knows his children and wants only what is best for them (Psalm 103:5). His standards are like signposts intended to keep us on the road and out of the ditch.

For instance, God warned Jerusalem that her sins would lead to her demise: “Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose corrosion is in it, and whose corrosion has not gone out of it!” (Ezekiel 24:6). This is a powerful metaphor. When a cooking pot is corroded, nothing put inside it is edible. So it is with immorality: it poisons all it touches and ruins what comes from it.

It did not have to be this way. God told his people, “I would have cleansed you” (v. 13), but they refused his forgiving grace. Now they would face his judgment: “I will not go back; I will not spare; I will not relent; according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares the Lord God” (v. 14).

Continue reading Denison Forum – HURRICANE MATTHEW AND THE MORAL STORMS OF OUR DAY →

Jordin Phipps is a third-grader in Garland, Texas. She recently recorded a video of a mantra she learned in school: “I will start my day in a positive way! I will be respectful with the words that I say! I will pay attention and I will do my best and I will study hard for every test!”

Her mother shared the video with her alma mater, the University of North Texas. The university has now announced that it is giving Jordin the President’s Award for Excellence in Leadership. It comes with a $10,000 scholarship and guarantees her admission to the college’s class of 2030.

When we do the right thing, life often repays the favor—even in the hardest challenges we face.

Residents on the East Coast are preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Matthew, the most powerful storm to approach the region in almost a decade. More than a million people are being evacuated before the storm strikes tomorrow. This tragedy presents a unique opportunity for God’s people to serve those in need, demonstrating God’s love in their compassion.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis is making headlines this morning with his visit to survivors of an earthquake that killed nearly 300 people in Italy last August. His trip was unusual in that it was unannounced. The pope wanted to meet personally with those affected by the tragedy. In one convalescent home, he greeted all sixty residents individually and had lunch with them. His message was simple: “Always look ahead. [Have] courage, and help each other. One walks better together, alone we go nowhere. Let’s go forward!”

Pope Francis is right: we must have courage and help each other.

Continue reading Denison Forum – EIGHT-YEAR-OLD ACCEPTED TO UNIVERSITY THANKS TO VIRAL VIDEO →

A sixty-eight-year-old man in Florida and his twenty-four-year-old wife were looking through his photo albums three months after they got married. To her shock, she recognized one of her husband’s children from his first marriage. That child was her estranged father, who expelled her from their house when she became pregnant as a teenager.

Her new husband was equally shocked. He explained that his first wife left him many years earlier, taking their children and moving to an undisclosed location. He was never able to find them. He eventually remarried but was divorced again. Years later, he met his current wife through a dating agency.

Though they were surprised to learn they are related, the couple vows to stay together. The wife explains: “Every couple is different and special in their own ways.”

This is not the last story we’ll read about unconventional marriages. According to Gallup, 123,000 same-sex weddings took place across the US in the year after the Supreme Court legalized such marriages. Organized movements are seeking to advance polygamy in our country. Zoophilia (sexual relations between people and animals) is becoming more accepted. It’s easy to think that the culture is sliding into a moral abyss from which there is no return and for which there is no hope.

But it’s always too soon to give up on God.

Continue reading Denison Forum – MAN ACCIDENTALLY MARRIES HIS GRANDDAUGHTER →

Is today the “End of Days”?

Some say it is. We are witnessing a “Black Moon,” which is the second of two new moons in a single month. The phenomenon occurs roughly every thirty-two months, so it’s not all that unusual. However, the first day of September brought a “ring of fire” solar eclipse, with the moon aligned with the sun in such a way that the sun appears as a glowing ring around the moon.

Do these events herald the end of the world? Jesus told us that “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light” before he returns (Matthew 24:29). However, in the same verse he also told us that “the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” Neither has occurred yet.

When thinking about the Second Coming, it’s best to focus on preparing rather than predicting. Some good news in today’s news makes that point.

You may have seen the now-viral video of Tim Tebow hitting a home run on the first pitch of his first game as a professional baseball player. Meanwhile, Politico is calling two congressmen “Hill’s angels” after they resuscitated a man on Capitol Hill. They found the man lying on the floor of an elevator in the Rayburn House office building and used CPR and a defibrillator to keep him alive until paramedics arrived.

A police detective in Plano, Texas saw a man run out of a convenience store carrying a donation jar full of cash. The detective caught the man and pinned him to the roof of his car. When the man started to break away, the detective yelled for help. A bystander filming the confrontation on his cell phone and another man helped restrain the suspect until the policeman could handcuff him. The detective later treated the men to lunch at a steak restaurant. It cost him almost $100, but he said it was the least he could do.

Continue reading Denison Forum – ‘BLACK MOON’ FRIDAY: HAS THE APOCALYPSE BEGUN? →

A transgender man has given birth after conceiving a child with his transgender wife. Fernando Machado was born a female; his partner Diane Rodriguez was born a male. Neither has completed sex reassignment surgery. As a result, the transgender man was impregnated by his transgender wife and bore a child.

Gender identity issues are increasingly in the news these days. The Wall Street Journal reports that sex reassignment surgery is becoming more common as a growing number of hospitals offer the procedure and insurance companies provide coverage. And efforts are underway to encourage more children to question their gender identity.

For instance, Washington State public school curriculum will begin teaching kindergarteners to “understand there are many ways to express gender.” By grade five, students will be taught to “identify trusted adults to ask questions about gender identity and sexual orientation.” We are likely to see more such initiatives: The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network received a $1.425 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control in 2011 to promote the LGBT agenda in public schools at taxpayers’ expense.

It’s no coincidence that unbiblical morality is increasing as trust in the Bible decreases. Since 1990, the American Library Association (ALA) has released each year a list of the ten “most challenged books.” Now the ALA has released its 2015 list. For the first time, The Holy Bible is on the list. The only reason given: “Religious viewpoint.”

According to Barna, the percentage of adults who read the Bible once a week or more is steadily declining. It is highest among Elders (49 percent) and lowest among Millennials (24 percent). In addition, the number of people who disagree strongly that “the Bible is totally accurate in all the principles it teaches” has nearly doubled in the last six years.

In the moral maelstrom of these days, how can you and I make a difference?

Continue reading Denison Forum – TRANSGENDER MAN GIVES BIRTH TO CHILD →

Tonight’s debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is expected to be the most-watched political broadcast in American history. One reason is that the race is so close: a new poll puts Clinton ahead of Trump by two points, 46 percent to 44 percent. This is well within the margin of error. Among registered voters, each candidate has 41 percent support.

But another factor is the huge number of “undecideds” at this late stage of the campaign. Nearly 20 percent of voters say they are undecided or plan not to vote for the Democrat or the Republican. What they do on November 8 will likely determine the election.

Pollster Frank Luntz explains that these voters are undecided because they know a lot about both candidates but don’t like either one. As a result, the surprising truth is that the Americans whose impressions of tonight’s debate matters most are those who are least impressed by their options. Luntz likens them to children living through a bitter divorce: they are “watching with a mixture of fear and disdain as their parents argue, knowing they will soon be forced to choose with whom to live—a decision with no good outcome.”

I think such a view of the election mirrors a larger anxiety in our culture today.

We’re worried about the rising drug epidemic after seven people died from drug overdoses in Cleveland last Saturday. We’re worried that attacks such as Friday night’s mall shooting could happen where we live. We’re worried about Zika and superbugs and the global economy.

And beneath our circumstantial fears, there’s something even more visceral. Thomas Kelly: “Over the margins of life comes a whisper, a faint call, a premonition of richer living which we know we are passing by. Strained by the very mad pace of our daily outer burdens, we are further strained by an inward uneasiness, because we have hints that there is a way of life vastly richer and deeper than all this hurried existence, a life of unhurried serenity and peace and power.”

Continue reading Denison Forum – A SURPRISING FACT ABOUT TONIGHT’S DEBATE →

Brooke Lowry found herself single three weeks before her engagement pictures were scheduled to be taken. It was too late to cancel the photography session, and her dresses had already been chosen and tailored. So she decided on a solo shoot at Disneyland. Her pictures are amazing. Her attitude is even more remarkable.

She describes the day: “It honestly couldn’t have been a more beautiful experience, and I was filled with the peace and comfort that only comes from above. I’m so glad I decided to go through with the photos, and more importantly, I’m so grateful for the smallest acts of daily kindness that make all the difference in a broken world.”

I’m grateful for Brooke’s gratitude, a gift of encouragement in the midst of challenging days. Perusing this morning’s news: Protests continued last night in Charlotte as the mayor imposed a midnight curfew. Yahoo says hackers stole information from 500 million users. A strong earthquake struck southeast of Tokyo. Another migrant boat capsized in the Mediterranean, killing at least forty-three people.

As difficult as the news is, tragedy can be used for good if it turns us to faith in God and service to others.

The psalmist noted, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust'” (Psalm 91:1–2). This is an uplifting testimony, but it requires an unstated admission on our part. We don’t carry an umbrella on sunny days or retreat to a fortress when there is no enemy. As with any refuge, we dwell in the shelter of God to the degree that we recognize our need to do so.

This is a primary way God redeems challenges—by using them to show us our need of him. In this sense, we can count ourselves blessed when we face problems. “Blessed are those who know their need of God,” Jesus taught us (Matthew 5:3, NEB).

There are two ways to experience the omnipotence of God. One is to admit that we face challenges we cannot solve without his help. Such humility positions us to receive all his grace intends to give. The other is to attempt things we can do only in his power. As my mentor John Edmund Haggai often says, “Attempt something so great for God it’s doomed to failure unless God be in it.”

What challenges will you trust to your Lord’s power today? What God-sized goals will you seek to fulfill?

Seventeenth-century minister William Gurnall noted, “Let this encourage those of you who belong to Christ: the storm may be tempestuous, but it is only temporary. The clouds that are temporarily rolling over your head will pass, and then you will have fair weather, an eternal sunshine of glory.”

Be faithful to God today, for he is faithful to you forever.

Denison Forum

I’ll never forget the first time I saw Michelangelo’s frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. They are more stunning than any movie or photograph can depict. Soon, however, you won’t have to go to Rome to view them. You will be able to see them in Dallas instead.

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition makes its first stop in the US at the State Fair of Texas, which opens in Dallas on September 30. The works will be displayed in their original size, reproduced as thirty-four photographs displayed on sixteen-foot panels.

In a way, it’s surprising that Michelangelo’s masterpiece will be displayed at this city-sponsored event. The frescoes are overtly religious, depicting God’s creation of Adam and Eve as well as a variety of biblical prophets and heroes. Given the rising tide against religious freedom, we can envision a day when such depictions will be allowed only inside church buildings.

Consider the frightening US Commission on Civil Rights report making headlines today. It states clearly that if someone alleges discrimination relative to their sexual orientation or gender identity, their claim takes precedence over religious freedom. The Commission’s chairman summarized the report: “The phrases ‘religious liberty’ and ‘religious freedom’ will stand for nothing except hypocrisy so long as they remain code words for discrimination, intolerance, racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia, Christian supremacy or any form of intolerance” (my emphasis).

Here’s my question: If the Commission’s report becomes reality, will Christians be unable to engage in any public faith expression that someone considers intolerant? What would an atheist say about the Sistine Chapel display at the State Fair of Texas? What would a same-sex couple say about my refusal to perform their wedding?

Continue reading Denison Forum – SISTINE CHAPEL FRESCOES ARE COMING TO DALLAS   →

Ahmad Khan Rahami was arrested yesterday. Wanted in connection with bombings in New York and New Jersey, he has been charged with five counts of attempted murder after a shootout with police.

His family operates First American Fried Chicken in Elizabeth, New Jersey. One of the restaurant’s patrons said of Ahmad, “He’s a very friendly guy, he gave me free chicken. He was always the most friendly man you ever met.” The patron was deeply rattled by news that Rahami has been connected to the bombings. “He’s a guy you would never expect,” he said. “This is sad, terrifying, scary.”

When terrorists strike anywhere, people become alarmed everywhere. For instance, West Point was locked down yesterday after a “concerned citizen” reported seeing a man “who fit the description” of Rahami, according to a spokesman. The man was eventually identified as a West Point resident and the lockdown was lifted.

We can expect more of this. FBI Director James Comey has warned that hundreds of terrorists will fan out to infiltrate western Europe and the US as attacks escalate against the Islamic State’s so-called caliphate in Syria. “At some point there’s going to be a terrorist diaspora out of Syria like we’ve never seen before,” he warned. Referring to recent attacks in Brussels and Paris, Comey said that future attacks will be “an order of magnitude greater.”

Clearly we must protect ourselves from those who would harm us. ISIS must be destroyed before it destroys our civilization. But there is a spiritual battle inside this military conflict. God redeems all he allows. How is he redeeming the escalation of terrorism in these days?

First, he is using radical Islam to turn Muslims to Christ. As Muslims around the world see the atrocities of ISIS and similar groups, they are drawn from such hatred to the love found in Jesus. More Muslims than ever before are coming to faith in our Lord, many in regions dominated by jihadists.

Second, he is calling Christians to pray for Muslims with greater fervor than ever. We now know that jihadists are an existential threat to our families and nation. We also know that the ultimate answer to this spiritual conflict is the power of the Spirit. So Christians are praying for millions of Muslims in America and around the world to follow Christ.

Third, he is calling Christians to love Muslims at a time when hate crimes against them have soared to their highest levels since 9/11. Satan wants to use radical Islam to make us hate Muslims at the very time when we need to love them. If Americans attack innocent Muslims, we are no better than Muslims who attack innocent Americans. It is time for Christians to be salt and light in a culture desperate for both.

Jesus’ commands were clear: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:28–29). We love our enemies to the degree that we serve them, bless them, and pray for them.

Which enemy is Jesus calling you to love today?

Denison Forum

ABC News is reporting that as many as five people were taken into FBI custody last night in connection with Saturday’s bombing in Manhattan. In addition, multiple bombs were discovered overnight at a New Jersey train station. A pipe bomb exploded along a racecourse in New Jersey, though no one was injured. And ISIS has claimed responsibility for a stabbing at a Minnesota mall that injured eight.

Life in the age of terrorism seems more fragile than ever.

Our fears are not necessarily based on facts. According to security experts, ninety-four Americans have been killed by jihadists since 9/11, more than half of them in the Orlando nightclub shooting. An additional forty-eight have been killed by other extremists such as the Charleston church shooter. As tragic as these deaths are, more Americans die in car accidents every two days.

However, the fear of terrorism can be debilitating. Experts say that living with such fear can trigger obsessive thinking and alter our mood, temperament, motivation, and personality.

The best way to respond to the fear of terrorism is to acknowledge our mortality and then to live for what matters most. Watching last night’s Emmys, my wife remarked after the “In Memoriam” tribute that many of the deceased actors were our contemporaries. As we grow older, death becomes more real.

And living on purpose becomes more urgent. Julia Louis-Dreyfus won an Emmy last night for her work in Veep. In her acceptance speech, she revealed that her father had died two days earlier. She said, “I’m so glad he liked Veep because his opinion was the one that really mattered.”

Continue reading Denison Forum – NY BOMBING: UP TO 5 NOW IN CUSTODY  →

It’s not often that an academic report changes the conversation about religion in America, but one just did. Georgetown University professors Brian Grim and Melissa Grim of the Newseum Institute have unveiled their groundbreaking study: “The Socio-economic Contributions of Religion to American Society: An Empirical Analysis.” Here’s the summary:

• Religion in the US contributes $1.2 trillion each year to our economy and society.
• Despite declining religious affiliation in the American population, religious organizations have tripled the amount of money spent on social programs in the last fifteen years—to $9 billion.
• Religion’s $1.2 trillion impact is more than the annual revenues of Apple, Amazon, and Google combined.

The study notes that congregations and religiously affiliated charity groups are responsible for:

• 130,000 alcohol and drug abuse recovery programs.
• 94,000 programs to support veterans and their families.
• 26,000 programs to prevent HIV/AIDS and to support those living with the disease.
• 121,000 programs to provide support or skills training for unemployed adults.

While religion contributes $1.2 trillion each year, religious tax-exemptions cost the US $71 billion. In other words, religion contributes seventeen times more to America than it costs.

This good news comes as we are facing unprecedented attacks on religious liberty and increasing skepticism regarding our contribution to the common good. For instance, 63 percent of atheists and agnostics believe that religious institutions contribute not much or nothing at all to solving social problems.

Continue reading Denison Forum – US RELIGION WORTH $1.2 TRILLION →

About three million Americans are diagnosed with pneumonia each year. Only one of them is running for president of the United States.

Hillary Clinton’s pneumonia continues to generate headlines this morning. According to her physician, she was diagnosed last Friday and put on antibiotics. After she collapsed Sunday morning, she was taken to her daughter’s New York City apartment. She exited the building ninety minutes later and told the press she was “feeling great.” A few hours later, her campaign announced that she has pneumonia and is recovering.

Her campaign is now working with her doctor to release “additional medical information,” according to her press secretary. He assured the public that “there is no other undisclosed condition.” However, many are skeptical. As Damon Linker notes in The Week, “Political trust is a fragile thing. Once it’s gone, it’s exceedingly difficult to get back.”

Mrs. Clinton is not the only candidate with trust issues. Donald Trump is facing his own questions regarding his health, his taxes, and his much-disputed statements on the war in Iraq. According to a recent poll, 60 percent of Americans believe Hillary Clinton is “not honest and trustworthy”; 58 percent say the same about Mr. Trump.

You might think that our trust issues begin and end with our presidential candidates, but the facts say otherwise.

According to David Brooks’s latest column in The New York Times, a generation ago, about half of all Americans felt they could trust the people around them. Now less than a third of us think other people are trustworthy. Only 19 percent of millennials believe other people can be trusted. As Brooks notes, “We set out a decade ago to democratize the Middle East, but we’ve ended up Middle Easternizing our democracy.”

Continue reading Denison Forum – WHAT HILLARY CLINTON’S HEALTH CONTROVERSY SAYS ABOUT US →